Casino Drive arrives from Japan and has good Santa Anita prep race
A Column by Steve Davidowitz
October 16, 2008
On Monday morning, October 13th, 2008, Kentucky Derby / Preakness winner Big Brown worked very well over the Aqueduct turf course in preparation for his highly anticipated start in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic. Immediately after the work in company with stablemate Kip Deville, trainer Rick Dutrow had a smile on his face, pleased at what he had seen. Barely 15 minutes later, however, Dutrow's smile was replaced by a grim, solemn look as Big Brown was favoring his right front hoof and Dutrow knew he had seen Big Brown race or train for the last time.
"It wasn't life threatening," Dutrow said. "But there was too much damage to the heel so I knew that was it. He was going to be retired."
A few hours later and 3,000 miles away, 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin was out for a workout between races at Santa Anita Park to see if he could handle the synthetic racing strip well enough to ensure a start in the same Breeders' Cup Classic that Big Brown's connections had hoped to make. This time there was no smile turned to frown. This time there was no doubt that Curlin had passed his test, getting five furlongs in 59.11 seconds under complete control with a strong gallop out in 1:12.14 for six furlongs in what might have been the most important single workout since Seabiscuit worked out at Pimlico for his match race with War Admiral 70 years ago.
If Curlin had taken one funny step or failed to show the smooth, strong stride his connections had come to expect, he would have been kept out of the 1 1/4-mile Breeders' Cup Classic, a race he won last year in a sea of slop at Monmouth Park. Instead, he looked every bit the champion racehorse and was pre-entered in the Classic Tuesday morning by owner Jess Jackson. Curlin was, in fact, among more than 120 horses named for the 14 Breeders' Cup races worth $24.5 million scheduled for Santa Anita Park on October 24th and 25th.
October 24th (EST):
October 25th (EST):
Wagering on all 14 of these Breeders' Cup races opens on Thursday, October 23rd at 5:00 p.m. EST.
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Sadly the race between Big Brown and Curlin will never take place. Sadly Big Brown's career, which included dynamic performances in the Florida Derby, Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes plus four other victories, will always be incomplete. Beyond his repeated hoof injuries, Big Brown's one poor performance - in the Belmont Stakes - will always be a part of his stellar overall record. It will be his Achilles heel in any discussion regarding his possible selection for racing's Hall of Fame.
Not so for Curlin, who is a cinch for the Hall of Fame, no matter what he does in the Breeders' Cup Classic. For one thing, he has already surpassed the earnings record for all North American-based horses. For another, he has won a Triple Crown race (the 2007 Preakness) and was in the money in the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes. He also won the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic, the $6 million Dubai World Cup, among his 12 career victories from 15 tries, with no finish worse than third while facing Grade 1 competition 10 times. In his case, the five-year retirement rule for Hall of Fame eligible horses should be waived the moment he steps off the track for the final time.
In the meantime, we can still expect a very competitive field for the 1 1/4mile Breeders' Cup Classic, which will be run on a synthetic track for the first time and will include Pacific Classic winner Go Between; Travers winner Colonel John; Goodwood winner Well Armed; a few European stars; and the intriguing, undefeated Japanese invader Casino Drive.
Casino Drive handily defeated moderate allowance rivals in a Santa Anita prep race for the Breeders' Cup Classic on Sunday, October 12th. Stalking the pace under wraps for six furlongs, he finished the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.14, a good clocking on the very fast Pro-Ride surface despite the unexciting 92 Beyer Speed Figure. The Beyer Figure notwithstanding, Casino Drive covered his final 5/16 miles in a superb 29.25 seconds with speed in reserve to suggest that the prep race accomplished its purpose.
On one hand, Casino Drive demonstrated a fondness for the Pro-Ride surface. For another, the effort, 13 days before the Classic, added to his conditioning - an absolute imperative for a horse that had not raced since his solid victory in the 1 1/8-mile Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park in May.
At the bottom line, the lightly raced Casino Drive looked the part of a good horse who belongs in top company. Whether he can handle Curlin and other seasoned Grade 1 performers in his fourth career start is certainly debatable, but it adds significant intrigue to America's richest race.
Other than Casino Drive's allowance race at Santa Anita, there really were no important stakes races for Breeders' Cup contenders over the October 12-13 weekend. While it is possible that one or two who did race last weekend may show up in a Breeders' Cup race, all other Breeders' Cup horses had their final prep races during the prior three weekends at tracks from California to New York to Great Britain and France.
The two best races last weekend were both offered on the October 11th Saturday card at Keeneland: The Gr. 1 $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on the turf for 3-year-old fillies and the Gr. 3 $200,000 Perryville Stakes, a 7-furlong sprint.
Alwajeeha won the QEII with a 100 Beyer Speed Figure but isn't going to run in the Breeders' Cup.
In the Perryville, Godolphin's Hatta Fort earned a modest 92 Beyer Speed Figure for narrowly defeating Amazing Results and 13-10 favorite I'm so Lucky. Hatta Fort is a remote possibility for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint, 5:15 p.m. EST on October 25th.
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In next week's column, I will share my impressions about the relative training moves turned in by many important Breeders' Cup contenders. Also, in a separate feature, Dave Tuley and I will provide Face Off Analysis for all 14 Breeders' Cup races.
Steve Davidowitz has written two highly acclaimed books on Thoroughbred racing---Betting Thoroughbreds and The Best and Worst of Thoroughbred Racing. He also is a regular contributor to Daily Racing Form's Simulcast Weekly and DRF Plus and his columns appear in the Bodog Racebook each week.
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