Barbaro Updates: 118
updates are now here.
Update 941: Still no Barbaro update this morning. It was a lovely morning at Fair Hill. There likely won't be too many more days like today. All horses seemed to train well. I took Hawty Creek to the track for the first time since she came in. She was pretty keyed up, but jogged around pretty well.
WGAL Channel 8 out of Lancaster (I think) came to do an interview about Horse Slaughter. They were at New Holland (auction) yesterday. The piece is scheduled to air thursday, November 9, either on the 6 or 11 pm news. I think I made some decent points, but we will see. Keep up the good work.
Update 940: A quick update from Sue McMullen re: the European Breeders' Cup horses:
Ahead of Wednesday's all important draw, a brief word about the euro raiding party, 11 of whom are now settled comfortably at Churchill Downs. The Ballydoyle horses travel today and if Aiden O'Brien runs true to form, they will not be seen on the track until the end of the week.
Connections of Ouija Board confirmed she had a trouble-free journey and they are delighted with her and the fact that the going on the Turf is fast, which she will relish. This wonderful mare is an old hand at the travelling game and nothing much bothers her. She apparently arrived at Churchill alone in the leading van in the convoy, as befits a visiting Queen! Watchers on the backstretch at Churchill might be fortunate enough to see her this morning. Last year's race, when she failed to retain her crown, just wasn't run to suit her as it was run at a muddling pace and she couldn't get going properly.
As predicted, Frankie Dettori has elected to ride Echo of Light in the Mile so Christophe Soumillon will ride Librettist, already a proven Group 1 winner.
Ramon Dominquez has been booked to ride Sir Michael Stoute's Rob Roy in the Mile. This talented four-year-old has been dogged with bad luck throughout his career but his good run in the Champion Stakes two weeks ago when he finished second might be a signal that the tide is turning for him. He is certainly a lot better than his form guide would suggest. Ramon is an experienced BC jockey, having ridden Better Talk Now to victory in the Turf at Lone Star Park.
Jamie Spencer, formerly stable jockey at Ballydoyle, will be reunited with Ad Valorem in the Mile, having ridden the horse for all three of his juvenile wins in 2004 and finished fifth on him two months ago in the Prix Jacques le Marois. Garret Gomez rides Aussie Rules, having won the Shadwell Turf Mile on him at Keenland and Mick Kinane rides Ivan Denisovich. Mick 'the ice man' Kinane also rides George in the Classic and as George will need all the help he can get for that much-debated engagement, Mick is the right man for the job as he has the coolest head for the big occasion and knows George well. He also rides Scorpion in the Turf.
Connections of David Junior, who also travelled well, await tomorrow's draw hoping for a good position in the Classic for the colt who retires to stud in Japan after the race in a deal said to be worth $8 million. In a surprising move to many, trainer Brian Meehan elected not to run David Junior after his victory in the Coral Eclipse at Sandown in July, preferring to give him one last roll of the dice in the Classic. So he goes into the race after a layoff and despite having dirt in his pedigree, he has less experience of it than his American rivals, but he's still as short as 7-1, such is his reputation and undoubted talent. Giving him a layoff will either look inspired or disastrous and we will know on Saturday, but if it works and he has luck in running and is happy on the surface, expect a very big run from him. The race should certainly be run to suit him as he likes a strong pace.
Stan Moore is confident of a great performance from his two-year-old filly Satulagi in the Juvenile. Winner of a Listed race at Ascot Satulagi is tough and has plenty of experience, which Moore hopes might give her an edge. She won't do much on the run up to the race, but they plan to put her through the gate a couple of times, possibly on Thursday, as although she has never given any trouble at home, our gates are different and we don't have a bell! It might seem a small thing, but preparation is everything with horses and the more that is done with the filly to show her how it works over there, the better chance she has of showing what she can do.
I plan to interview Ramon Dominguez before the Breeders' Cup, nice to hear he has picked up a European mount!
Update 939: Again, this morning's Barbaro update will be much later, due to Michael Matz being in Keeneland preparing Round Pond for the Breeders' Cup.
The Daily Racing Form has a nice article on Michael, Barbaro and Round Pond: Still in wonder of what could've been. The following are a couple of excerpts:
"It sure would have been nice having this horse running in the Classic or, who knows, running in Europe next year," Matz said. "It's just such a shame. Maybe it's a bigger thing what he's done, bringing the racing public together - not just the racing public, but people in general."
The interest in Barbaro remains intense. There are still signs of encouragement on the fence posts at the New Bolton Center. One reads, "Grow Hoof Grow." Another reads, "Believe in Barbaro."
and
"He's done an awful lot for me, this is the least I can do for him," Matz said following a recent visit with Barbaro. "I live 10 minutes from here. The kids go to school right alongside of here. [One day], I was grazing him and the school bus went by, and all the school kids yelled out for Barbaro."
Update 938: Just spoke to Peter (6 pm) and he visited Barbaro today. He took Barbaro out for a pick of grass, groomed him and changed his bandages. An upbeat report.
My Breeders' Cup tickets have arrived!
Update 937: Sue McMullen e-mailed to let us know "11 of the Euro runners have now arrived safely and are installed in the isolation barns at Churchill. It's only the Ballydoyle horses that have yet to arrive and all being well, they should be there tomorrow." With the contigent that were based in Keeneland also arriving at Churchill, and the Churchill meet opening yesterday, I am assuming there is quite a "buzz" at the racetrack.
While there were a lot of works over the weekend, today saw a few more Breeders' Cup horses on the work tab. From Belmont Premium Tap, under Edgar Prado worked: Premium Tap Drills Sharp Half-Mile for BC Classic. What is not reported in the article is whether his tongue was hanging out for the work (Premium Tap's, not Edgar's!)
While the racing world will focus on the Breeders' Cup this weekend, very shortly thereafter Australia will play host to its major race, the Melbourne Cup. Kieren Fallon is over there preparing Yeats. Sue McMullen had this to report on Kieren Fallon, Yeats, and a horse named Fields of Omagh:
As if he didn't have enough problems, Kieren Fallon was in danger of missing his ride on Yeats in the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday following a 10 day ban imposed last week by stewards at Moonee Valley for his winning ride on California Dane. Happily for a relieved Fallon the ban will be lifted on the eve of the big race, for which Fallon, who cannot ride in the UK and elected not to apply to ride in the US, has been personally preparing Yeats and gaining experience of Australian tracks and style of racing. The ban was imposed as stewards decided he had cut across too quickly from the outside to the rail, a move that would have probably earned him a caution at home but Australian stewards are very strict. Although Fallon admitted he was guilty of the maneouvre, he also pointed out his good record with stewards around the world, which is true but he is also very lucky to have got away with 10 days under the Australian rules.
Yeats, winner of the Ascot Gold Cup (run at Royal Ascot) currently tops the betting for the race that is famous for 'stopping a nation' and Fallon reports the horse to be in great form.
Following Collier Hill's heroic win at Woodbine last weekend, it would be impossible to mention racing in Australia without reporting the victory of another 'old timer' whose win in the Group 1 Cox Plate had many observers in tears, including his trainer David Hayes. Fields of Omagh, now nine-years-old, has contested the race four times and never finished worse than fifth, in his first run in 2002. He won in 2003 and was second and third in the next two runnings. The horse enjoys celebrity status among racegoers in Australia and as a mark of respect to him he led the field out to the track but even his most ardent fans knew it would be a tough call.
In the year of so many fairytale racehorses it now seems almost inevitable that in his very last race, he was not going to be denied and fought all the way to the line, upside Pompeii Ruler. Fields of Omagh now joins the small and illustrious list of horses that have won the race more than once and, as a gelding, he heads to the 'Living Legends' retirement home for Australian champions.
The Bloodhorse on Fields of Omagh win: 'Omagh Goes Out a Winner in Epic Cox Plate.
Update 936: A nice article from the Thoroughbred Times: Better Talk Now, Film Maker prepare together for Breeders' Cup that not only discusses their work yesterday, but highlights the consistency these two have displayed over the years. I was talking about this with Tim this morning as we were jogging back on the track. Graham has two horses in the Breeders' Cup and between them they have won a cup race, finished second and third! As I noted earlier there is only one other horse running next saturday who has won a cup race (I think), one of Film Maker's biggest rivals, Ouija Board.
New York Post has this article on Bernardini: BERNARDINI FACES CLASSIC QUESTION which summarizes Bernardini's dilemma well. He has done nothing wrong, yet his competition has been relatively weak. Lets see how he performs on the big stage. Any price better than even money, and I may have to go to the window (although I know from past experience betting Breeders' Cup day at the host track is a nightmare).
Update 935: Another comfortable night last night for Barbaro (sunday night). I just spoke to Peter who had heard from Michael. Peter is planning to visit later today so I will try to get another update later.
I forgot to note earlier, Real Lace, Tim's Maiden winner at Laurel over the weekend, appears to have come out of her race well. I asked Tim about the race, it seemed she was much the best. The jockey was looking around with 3/8ths left to race. I know Tim has liked this filly for a while, lets hope she continues to move forward.
For anyone on myspace, check out Better Talk Now!
update 11:45 am, monday, october 30
Always glad to get the news of ACN!!!
Thanks for the update, Alex...
Grow Hoof Grow!!!
Lisa in Colorado
Posted by: Lisa Leach at October 30, 2006 4:47 PM