AMERICAN PHAROAH wins the Classic. Keeneland photo
THE GREAT AMERICAN
120 Beyer Speed Figure for 1 1/4 miles in 2:00 flat.
It went just as most hoped it would. The Triple Crown winner AMERICAN PHAROAH led his 7 rivals on a merry chase in the 1 1/4 mile BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC and drew off to win in 2:00.07, a track record.
His winning margin of 6 1/2 lengths tied the largest margin in Cup history set by Volponi.
The Beyer Figure issued Sunday morning from Daily Racing Form was 120. One of the highest numbers in recen years was GHOSTZAPPER and his 128. Secrtariat once posted a 139 according to Any Beyer.
If you watch some of the home videos that people took on their phones and cameras while at Keenland, all you can see is a sea of arms raised in the air, horse racing fans screaming for the champ. A good news story for horse racing, something that won’t be forgotten and probably never duplicated. At least not in a long, long time.
No matter how you feel about the owners – Ahmad Zayat – or trainer, Bob Baffert the victory by this colt, who is a very friendly fellow for a colt from all reports, is simply good press for the sport.
Ears pricked first time past the stands – Keeneland Gallery photo
The Pioneerof the Nile colt out of Littleprincessemaa by Yankee Gentleman now heads off to a career at stud. He doesn’t have anything more to prove but it sure would have been nice to see him race again as a 4-year-old.
There are relatives, nephews and nieces of the Pharoah running and living in Ontario these days. Two mares – VINTAGE RED (half sister to the Pharoah’s dam) and her daughters Colins Nightingale and Lea’s Moon are broodmares in Ontario currently.
courtesy DRF and Jason Blewitt
ONTARIO-BRED WAVELL AVENUE is greeted by Michael Dubb, a co-owner – photo courtesy of MR WILL WONG
MORE FROM BREEDERS’ CUP
Winning Beyers from Saturday:
Songbird – 99
Wavell Avenue – 95
Mongolian Saturday 104
Stephanie’s Kitten 104
Runhappy 108
Tepin 108
Nyquist 89
Found 107
The Pharoah 120
Canadians did well this year, with CATCH A GLIMPSE’S big win on Friday in the Juvenile Fillies Turf (85 Beyer) the highlight.
WAVELL AVENUE became just the 6th Canadian-bred (Ontario bred) to win a Breeders’ Cup race as she rallied to take the Filly & Mare Sprint.
The filly debuted for $40,000 claiming a year ago at Belmont for owners Michael Dubb and 4 partners. She won three races before finishing 3rd in the Zadracarta Stakes at Woodbine in June, She picked up her first stakes placing on Sept. 26 at Belmont when 2nd to La Verdad in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom.
This fast improving 4yo is by Harlington out of the multiple stakes winning Woodbine mare Lucas Street by Silver Deputy.
Bred by Eugene Melnyk, Wavell Avenue did not go through a sale, however her yearling half sister by Court Vision sold for $38,000 at Woodbine in Sept. to Rob Kirk.
The mare’s 3yo of this year, Small Victories, just won her maiden for $12,00 claiming at Northlands Park.
Lucas Street is out of Melnyk’s fleet stakes winner Ruby Park, a daughter of Bold Ruckus from the Geiger Counter mare Katebyrne.
Ontario bred JUDY THE BEAUTY was fifth and she won this race last year.
RIKER, Canada’s probably 2yo male champion, finished a noble 6th in the Juvenile after being hustled out of the gate to set the pace. The Include 2yo, owned by Tucci Stables and trained by Nick Gonzalez went 23.49, 47.62 and 1:12.14 and lead into the stretch. He weakened late but was only beaten 4 lengths by winner Nyquist, who is an unbeaten son of Uncle Mo owned by Windsor, ON borm J. Paul Reddam.
The Juvenile time of 1:43.79 was one second off the time of the unbeaten filly SONGBIRD who won by 5 3/4 lengths in 1:42.73.
Songbird is a Medaglia DOro filly out of the West Acre mare Ivananinalot, who was a multiple stakes winner of over $600,000. The dam of Ivanvinalot is Beaty Sark, a daughter of Deputy Minister.
In the TURF SPRINT, our locals Stacked Deck and Someting Extra were well back as MONGOLIAN SATURDAY was the 15-1 winner for Mongolian Stable. This win by the Any Given Saturday gelding, who was making his 31st start, was popular as his owners came into the winner’s circle in full dress for their country. This amazing gelding had been 1st or 2nd in his last 6 straight races. His dam is Miss Hot Salsa, a daughter of Houston.
Winning owner Ganbaatar Dagvadorj said through a translator, “It’s been an honor to participate in this big event. And for us, it’s a big dream as Mongolians to participate in this big event. And as a Mongolian, we ride horses starting at age four. So, yeah, it’s our tradition just to race with the horse. Being a Mongolian, it’s part of our tradition. All Mongolians dream to win this race. With a time difference, it’s like 4:00 in the morning. Otherwise, they’re all awake (watching on TV).”
In the Filly and Mare Turf, STEPHANIE’S KITTEN zoomed up the rail to win in her 4th Breeders’ Cup appearance. The Kitten’s Joy 6yo is headed to auction this week (again) and she was bought back for $3.99 million last year. She is 11 for 25 in her carer and has some over $4.3 million.
The SPRINT was a neat race to watch as RUNHAPPY came from just off the pace to reel in PRIVATE ZONE, the tough ONtario bred. RUNHAPPY is owned by James ‘Mattress Mac’ Mcingvale and is the only horse trained by Maria Borell.
The once beaten colt by Super Saver – Jolie Boutique by Northern Jove set a track record of 1:08.58.
Trainer MARK CASSE won his 2nd Breeders’ Cup race as TEPIN (9-2) won the Mile over some good Europeans. This dark bay 4yo filly has really come out of nowehere inthe last year for owner Robert Masterson.
Other than winning the Delta Princess as a 2yo, this gal was a basic middle of the road stakes performer until she got on grass. She took an allowance race in March of this year at Gulfstream and has been first or 2nd in every race since then.
The filly is by Bernstein out of the Stravinsky mare Life Happened who is also the dam of millionaire Vyjack.
Grand Arch had a tough trip and was 4th and Woodbine Mile winner Mondialiste also had some traffic trouble and finished a good 2nd.
TEPIN, trained by Mark Casse, put up another 108 and won the Mile – CINDY PIERSON DULAY – HORSE-RACES.NET
The TURF was a bit of a silly race as the rabbit for the Ramsays, SHINING COPPER, opened up a 25 length lead early in the race and Arc winner Golden Horn was also in a stalking position but a late flurry by the filly FOUND beat the champ.
Found, by Galileo, race 14 days ago and lost the Champion Stakes at 4-1. She was 9th in the Arc at 27-1.
AND OTHER STUFF..
Lost in the Keeneland madness was the good run by NOHOLDINGBACK BEAR who was 2nd in the Juvenile Dirt Sprint, worth $100,000. The bay colt, owned by Bear Stables and trained by Mike DePaulo, won his maiden in his debut with an 82 Beyer Figure at Woodbine.
In the Juvenile Sprint, the son of Put It Back pressed the pace from the rail and kept on trying hard but was just edged by 1/2 a length by favoured Sheikh of Sheikhs. The time was 1:10.28 – an 84 Beyer Figure.
It certainly was a MONGOLIAN SATURDAY – Cindy Pierson Duly.horse-races.net
AT WOODBINE, ACADEMIC EDGED BY FLIPCUP
with files from Woodbine Media
Wagering on Woodbine yesterday was $5 million, up almost $300,00 from the same day last year (with 11 races).
Flipcup, under a timely ride by Luis Contreras, rallied to an impressive score in Saturday’s $158,200 Grade 3 Maple Leaf Stakes, at Woodbine.
Trained by Bill Mott and owned by Team Penney Racing, Wachtel Stable and Brous Stable LLC., Flipcup arrived at the 1 1/4-mile ‘Poly’ stake for open fillies and mares from a narrow neck score in the Classy n’ Smart Stakes on September 27.
Based in Saratoga, the New York-bred daughter of Milwaukee Brew started her career at Woodbine Racetrack with trainer Brian Lynch and now boasts a record of 4-1-1 from six starts on Woodbine’s ‘Poly’.
Academic, enjoying a remarkable sophomore season with wins in the Woodbine Oaks, Grade 3 Canadian Derby and Grade 3 B.C. Derby, set the pace in the Maple Leaf, leading a field of nine through splits of :24.34 and :48.61 under pressure from Club One Two and Midnight Miley.
Justin Stein maintained a good hold on Academic down the back straight before letting the likely three-year-old filly champion open up into the final turn as Finn’s Jewel and Flipcup, the latter picking off horses one by one from next to last, were urged into contention.
Academic maintained a length advantage turning for home, but Flipcup, full of run, angled off the rail and surged past Academic to secure a two-length win. Academic held on for place, a length in front of Dido. Flipcup covered 1 1/4-miles in 2:03.43.
The winning Beyer Figure was 91.
“She relaxed right away. I was just trying to save ground and make one move in the stretch and she galloped out,” said Contreras.
“She’s been spectacular. We started her career here (at Woodbine) with Brian Lynch who did a great job with her as a juvenile,” said Shirl Penney of Team Penney Racing who also bred the filly. “She was bred by Milwaukee Brew, an Ontario sire, and foaled in New York. We bred her that way purposely so we could run in the Ontario-sired races here in Canada as well as in the New York races. She obviously seems to favour the synthetic here.”
Flipcup, bred in New York by Team Penney Racing, banked $90,000 in victory while improving her record to 6-4-5 from 17 career starts.
