SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2011 732-747-8060 $ TDN Home Page Click Here SUPER SATURDAY, WONDERFUL WEEKEND DRAW BLOW FOR ARC FAVORITES By any measure, it is a Super Saturday today, as no Ante-post favorites So You Think (NZ) (High fewer than 13 graded events, each with varying Chaparral {Ire}) and Sarafina (Fr) (Refuse To Bend {Ire}) degrees of impact on Breeders= Cup weekend Nov. 4 will be forced to overcome wide post positions in and 5, will be contested from >sea to shining sea.= The tomorrow=s G1 Qatar Prix de l=Arc de Triomphe at races have attracted 3 reigning Longchamp. Only Dalakhani (Ire) and Sakhee have Eclipse Award winners, a managed to win from double-figure stalls since 1993, quartet of others who were and both Sarafina (13) and So You Think (14) face an among finalists for instant disadvantage as they bid to crown successful championship honors and a campaigns. So You Think, who will be partnered once Classic-winning 3-year-old of again by Seamus Heffernan after the pair were this season. For good measure, successful in the July 2 G1 Eclipse S. at Sandown and two-time Eclipse Award winner G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown Sept. 3, was and 2010 Horse of the Year not the only Ballydoyle raider to fare badly with the finalist Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa) draw, as stable companion Treasure Beach (GB) (Galileo will prep for a fourth {Ire}) will exit from the 12 hole under Colm consecutive victory in the GI O=Donoghue. Arc Preview cont. p4 Stay Thirsty Horsephotos Breeders= Cup Mile when she goes postward in the G1 Prix de la Foret on the Arc undercard. Back on this side of the big pond, horses will line up in nine Grade I events-- five at Belmont Park and the balance at Santa Anita. The biggest prize in New York is the Jockey Club Gold Cup, whose field does not include Horse of the Year aspirant Tizway (Tiznow), but does get Stay Thirsty (Bernardini), pro-tem leader of this year=s sophomore set, but who faces a challenge from Flat Out (Flatter). A bit earlier on the program, Uncle Mo (Indian Charlie) will continue his comeback in the GII Kelso H., a race Sarafina indiarace.com So You Think guardian.co.uk which is said to be a prep for the GI Breeders= Cup Classic. The scratch of Big Drama (Montbrook), last year=s GI BC Sprint hero and champion sprinter, leaves Trappe Shot (Tapit) the one to beat in the GI Vosburgh S., and all eyes will be on Havre de Grace (Saint Liam), who likely uses the GI Beldame S. as a springboard to the BC Classic. On the West Coast, Blind Luck (Pollard=s Vision) comes off a rare 10-week absence in the GI Lady=s Secret S., which will be won for the first time in three years by something not called Havre de Grace Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}). Horsephotos Super Saturday even makes a stop in the nation=s heartland, where GI Preakness S. hero Shackleford (Forestry) looks to remain in the discussion for year-end honors when he faces upstart Caleb=s Posse (Posse) in the GII Indiana Derby, a race won in 2010 by subsequent Eclipse Award winner Lookin At Lucky (Smart Strike). www.coolmore.com P TDN HEADLINE NEWS • 10/1/11 • PAGE 2 of 21 • thoroughbreddailynews.com FEATURE PRESENTATION • GI JOCKEY CLUB GOLD CUP THE UNQUENCHABLE THIRST Repole Stable=s Stay Thirsty has lived in the shadow of stablemate Uncle Mo for most of his career, but beginning with his strong runner-up effort in the GI Belmont S., the sophomore has begun to create a reputation of his own. Some may have attributed that breakthrough performance to the off track at Big Sandy on the second Saturday in June, but he proved the effort to be no fluke when running off to score by four lengths in the GII Jim Dandy S. July 30. He followed up impressively, defeating Rattlesnake Bridge (Tapit) by 1 1/4 lengths in the GI Travers S. He looks to join Bernardini and Summer Bird as recent winners of the Midsummer Derby to successfully add the Gold Cup. Trainer Todd Pletcher is happy to give Stay Thirsty his just due. AYou=re talking about a horse that=s won the Gotham, was a very, very good second in the Belmont and then has gone on to win the Jim Dandy and the Travers both impressively by lengths. He=s established himself right now as a 3-year-old leader,@ he commented. Should Flat Out run back to his impressive victory in the GII Suburban H. July 2, he will be difficult to handle. Even his two most recent efforts, which resulted in a second to Tizway (Tiznow) in the GI Whitney H. Aug. 6 and to Havre de Grace (Saint Liam) in the GI Woodward S. Sept. 3, may be good enough this afternoon. Trainer Scooter Dickey thinks a return to Belmont and some added real estate will work in favor Flat Out Adam Coglianese of his charge. AHe was still coming on at the end of the race against Havre de Grace, so the distance won=t be an issue with him,@ said Dickey. AI think he=ll appreciate coming back to Belmont, too; he ran a nice race there last time, and I hope it turns out the same way.@ NYRA’S SUPER SATURDAY WEBSITE For photos, race replays, quotes, and past performances on the top 10 Super Saturday contenders, 859-873-7270 • www.airdriestud.com click here. P TDN HEADLINE NEWS • 10/1/11 • PAGE 3 of 21 • thoroughbreddailynews.com Saturday, Belmont Park, post time: 5:46 p.m. EDT JOCKEY CLUB GOLD CUP S.-GI, $750,000, 3yo/up, 1 1/4m PP HORSE OWNER BREEDER TRAINER/JOCKEY ML 1 Ice Box K Robert V LaPenta Denlea Park Ltd-KY Zito 12-1 (c, 4, Pulpit--Spice Island, by Tabasco Cat) Nakatani 2 Rodman K Barry K Schwartz David E Hager II-KY Hushion 8-1 (h, 6, Malibu Moon--Crystal Gem, by Affirmed) Maragh 3 Stay Thirsty K Repole Stable John D & John Darren Gunther-KY Pletcher 8-5 (c, 3, Bernardini--Marozia, by Storm Bird) Castellano 4 Drosselmeyer K WinStar Farm Aaron U & Marie D Jones-KY Mott 6-1 (c, 4, Distorted Humor--Golden Ballet, by Moscow Ballet) Lezcano 5 A. U. Miner K Don L Benge Ten Broeck Farm Inc-KY Hanna 10-1 (h, 6, Mineshaft--Clerical Etoile {Arg}, by The Watcher) Borel 6a Flat Out Preston Stables Nikolaus Bock-FL Dickey 7-5 (h, 5, Flatter--Cresta Lil, by Cresta Rider) Solis 7a Birdrun K Preston Stables Arthur I Appleton-FL Mott 7-5 (h, 5, Birdstone--Run Like Martha, by Jolie’s Halo) Velazquez All carry 126 pounds, except Stay Thirsty, 122. Jockey Club Gold Cup–Past Winners 2010 Haynesfield 2007 Curlin 2004 Funny Cide 2001 Aptitude 2009 Summer Bird 2006 Bernardini 2003 Mineshaft 2000 Albert the Great 2008 Curlin 2005 Borrego 2002 Evening Attire 1999 River Keen P TDN HEADLINE NEWS • 10/1/11 • PAGE 4 of 21 • thoroughbreddailynews.com Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe Weekend Brought to you by North American Home of International Racing www.amwestentertainment.com A game 3rd in the Ken Maddy S. G3 ‘Abbey’ Makes it Three Chances for Coolmore... Joseph O=Brien=s booking for St Nicholas Abbey (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) completes the trio of homegrown talent employed for the Rosegreen contenders. The 4-year-old has drawn six, which has proved lucky in recent years as the stall from which Hurricane Run (Ire), Dylan Thomas (Ire) and Sea the Stars (Ire) broke. This is So You Think=s biggest test to date despite his tally of eight Group 1 wins, and Aidan O=Brien is approaching the race with relish. AThe Arc is an important race, we are delighted he=s going there and are looking forward to it,@ O=Brien said. AThis is the boys= decision and it=s very exciting, as he=s a mile-and-a-quarter specialist who quickens very well. We were delighted with him in the Irish Champion, as it was his first run back from a break. He=s a very straightforward horse and was a natural when he came to us--he=s a great traveller who is getting a little lazy when he gets to the front now.@ Let It Snow... Also drawn high is Cristina Patino=s Snow Fairy (Ire) (Intikhab), but trainer Ed Dunlop was not panicking yesterday. AIt is not an ideal draw, but I don=t consider it makes too much difference to us in view of Snow Not Workshy... Fairy=s style of racing,@ he said. AYou can=t have One who enjoyed greater fortune with the post everything and we have our ground. Good-to-soft in position was Khalid Abdullah=s Workforce (GB) (King=s France is totally different to Best), who will race from the same stall eight from what it is in Britain and with which he was successful 12 months ago. Connections 29 degrees forecast for the are happy with the state of the ground, having walked weekend the going will the track. The owner/breeder=s Racing Manager Teddy definitely ride on the fast Grimthorpe told PA Sport, AI hope the draw is as lucky side.@ Success for Snow Fairy as last year and he=s fared better than some of the would be the first for an older other fancied runners.