Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic
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HEADLINE THREE CHIMNEYS NEWS The Idea is Excellence. For information about TDN, Rahy’s DANCING FOREVER Runs call 732-747-8060. rd Big to Get 3 in the BC Turf-G1 www.thoroughbreddailynews.com MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2008 TDN Feature Presentation YEATS GIVES O’BRIEN 22nd GROUP 1 WIN The seven-year-old Yeats (Ire) (Sadler=s Wells) gave GRADE 1 BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC trainer Aiden O=Brien--who saddled the runners-up in three Breeders= Cup races over the weekend--with a 22nd Group 1 victory on the year in yesterday=s GI Prix Royal-Oak at Longchamp. O=Brien is now three shy of Bobby Frankel=s record of 25 Grade/Group 1 victories in a single season. Cont. p4 THE FIRST PARTNERSHIP OF WOODFORD RACING LLC DISPERSAL TATTS AUTUMN HIT SALE BEGINS AT KEENELAND NOVEMBER With 1,709 lots entered, the 2008 Autumn Horses In Click here for information Training Sale at Tattersalls will be easily the largest ever ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL FOR GOSDEN renewal. The sale, which attracts a huge international clientele, gets underway in Newmarket this morning Trainer John Gosden, who enjoyed a huge Breeders= amid an air of global economic uncertainty, but visitors Cup with two winners, visited the quarantine barn at are still expected at Park Paddocks from around the Santa Anita Park Sunday morning to take a look at his world for a catalogue that features more high-class lots stable stars. The than usual. Demand for prospects for the Dubai Carni- veteran trainer val is likely to remain strong, while regular purchasers walked Breeders= from the U.S., Hong Kong and the Southern Hemi- Cup Juvenile sphere are expected, as well. Anthony Freedman, Turf hero brother of leading Australian conditioner Lee Freedman, Donativum (GB) (Cadeaux is among those in Newmarket. The English and Irish Genereux {GB} jumping markets have also proved powerful at the sale for awhile and in recent years, and time will tell whether these have watched as GI been hit by the economic downturn. Cont. p7 Breeders= Cup A.P. Indy=s Altesse Wins GIII Turnback the Alarm ....p5 Classic upsetter Magna Graduate Takes GIII Ack Ack at Churchill ....p5-6 Raven=s Pass Raven’s Pass (left) in the Classic (Elusive Quality) Sarah K. Andrew was photo- graphed. ABoth horses are fine,@ Gosden reported. AThey ate up last night, not an oat left, and are in great form this morning. You=ve got to be thrilled with them. They handled the heat and the racetrack as well.@ Gosden said that Donativum might be spending some time in the States next spring. Because he is a gelding, Donativum is ineligible for any of England=s Classic races, and Gosden said the gray could be pointed to- ward the U.S. Triple Crown series. He added that a bid at the GI Kentucky Derby would likely mean an ex- tended stay in the U.S. beforehand. AHe could fit into any program, but if you're thinking about those sort of races, you don't sort of drop in on them,@ he said. AYou need to really train for a race like that.@ Gosden said he was unaware if any decision had been made on the future of Raven=s Pass. AHe could race next year; he=s only a three-year-old,@ Gosden said. AOr he could go to stud. I wouldn=t know. We=ll see. If he stayed on train- ing, it=s obvious you=d target the [Breeders= Cup] Classic again. That would be the very obvious race to build his year to.@ Breeders= Cup Wrap-up, p2-3 www.overbrookfarm.com P TDN HEADLINE NEWS • 10/27/08 • PAGE 2 of 8 No Word On Curlin’s Future... BREEDERS’ CUP Trainer Steve Asmussen said yesterday that he does not know whether Curlin (Smart Strike) will be retired BULLETIN to stud duty or continue in training. ANothing has been mentioned to this point about what is next for him, Gosden Enjoys the ‘Ride... other than those travel arrangements," said Asmussen, John Gosden described the Breeders= Cup at Santa adding that Curlin, a disappoint- Anita, the first run over a synthetic surface--Santa ing fourth in the GI Classic, was Anita=s Pro-Ride--as a success. ARacing has had a diffi- heading back to the Bluegrass. cult year in this country, let=s be honest,@ he said. AIt AI'll talk with Mr. Jackson [ma- was tremendous to have extraordinarily good days of jority owner Jess Jackson] about racing. As long as I live, I=ll see the [GI Ladies= Classic], the condition in which he came that huge mare [Zenyatta] winning. She=s phenomenal. out of the race, confirm with The two days of racing have gone so cleanly, so him his schedule of leaving and smoothly with such good horses, racing all distances on when he arrives in Kentucky. I turf and the main track. Horses can win from the front, think that will be the extent of as in Juvenile, they can come from off the pace. Even it. I'll touch base once he's in Sarah K. Andrew Bobby Baffert can=t complain about the track now, Kentucky about his condition having won two Grade I=s. All in all, it was a real cele- upon arrival. The conversations will go from there.@ bration of racing and the best of racing. I think that=s Asmussen smiled when it was suggested that Curlin exactly what American racing needed from the Breed- may repeat as Horse of the Year even after his ers= Cup and they got it.@ fourth-place finish. AWith Curlin, nothing is a consola- tion. We're just proud of who he is. He's the first North Shirreffs Makes Case for Horse of the Year... American-based horse over $10 million and he's just John Shirreffs, who sent out the four-year-old had a remarkable run. To do what he does and come Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}) to victory in the GI Breeders= back the way that he is, is extremely special in this day Cup Ladies= Classic and Tiago (Pleasant Tap) to a third- and age. He's been a throwback from the beginning, place finish in the GI Breeder=s and he's still that horse. He's extremely durable men- Cup Classic, reported his horses tally and physically, a very special horse. Our affections in good condition Sunday and for him are not going to waver.@ Asmussen reiterated said that he felt the former has a that he believes Curlin didn=t care for Santa Anita=s Pro- strong claim at Horse of the Year Ride. AWatching the race the first time by, I was very honors. AIt's quite an accomplish- concerned,@ he said. AHe was off the bridle. I think he ment to go all year undefeated, had to struggle to get where he was. When he went and to step up each time, four of under the wire the first time, he was farther back and them in Grade I, like she did," Robby [jockey Albarado] was nudging him forward. He said Shirreffs of Zenyatta, who works harder to go over it than he works to go over the was went seven-for-seven in dirt.@ Still, Asmussen did not make any apologies. ANo 2008 and is undefeated in nine excuses necessary, none required,@ he said. AThat's Zenyatta Sarah Andrew lifetime starts. AIn the vote, she what makes racing great. No disrespect for a Breeders' would have to be seriously con- Cup winner. [Raven=s Pass] beat a talented field and he sidered for that.@ The last female to win Horse of the deserves the congratulations that go with it. It was an Year honors was Azeri in 2002. outstanding job with an outstanding horse.@ P TDN HEADLINE NEWS • 10/27/08 • PAGE 3 of 8 Bob Eyes Dubai for Indian Blessing... Ventura to Remain in Training... Trainer Bob Baffert said yesterday morning that he Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel said that didn=t know if Hal and Patti Earnardt would keep their Juddmonte Farms= Ventura (Chester House), winner of three-year-old filly Indian Friday=s Breeders= Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, will be kept Blessing (Indian Charlie) in in training for 2009. He training, but said that if also listed the status of they chose do so, he would his other Breeders= Cup consider a tilt at the G1 runners. AGinger Punch Dubai Golden Shaheen next (Awesome Again) (sixth March. Indian Blessing ran in the GI Ladies' Classic) second as the favorite in likely will be retired,@ he Friday=s Breeders= Cup Filly said. AI don't know that Sarah K. Andrew & Mare Sprint. Baffert for a fact yet, but I'm added that it could have thinking so. Precious Kit- been the filly=s last start on an all-weather track. AShe's ten (Catienus) (fourth in just not the same on the synthetic,@ he said. AShe tried the GI Mile) ran good. I real hard but Saturday morning she was mad; she knew knew she would and I she got beat. I promised her I would not run her on a was happy with her. That synthetic track again.@ filly she ran into (winner Ventura Sarah K. Andrew Goldikova (Ire) (Anaaba) ‘Bound’ Bound For Sale...For Now was a monster. [Precious Kitten] will race one more GI Breeders= Cup Juvenile Fillies hero Stardom Bound time--in the GI Matriarch H. [at Hollywood Park] and (Tapit) is still likely to keep her engagement for the then be retired.@ Frankel added that he would look for Fasig-Tipton November Sale, trainer Christopher Paasch races for Out of Control (Brz) (Vettori {Ire}) (fifth in the said Sunday morning, but he added that a final decision GI Turf), Champs Elysees (GB) (Danehill) (eighth in GI would be made at a meeting with owner Charles Cono Classic), Mast Track (Mizzen Mast) (fifth in Dirt Mile), Tuesday.