HEADLINE NEWS For information about TDN, call 732-747-8060. www.thoroughbreddailynews.com SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2009 PLACE DES ETOILES? SUMMER TOPS SUPER SATURDAY It seems that there is little will in the gods to upset The weather at Belmont Park may not have remotely the course that Sea the Stars (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) is resembled summer, but Summer Bird (Birdstone) charting during his golden season, and all is in order downed Quality Road (Elusive again ahead of the G1 Qatar Prix de l=Arc de Triomphe. Quality) to capture the GI Jockey Wherever Christopher Tsui=s Acolt for the agesA has Club Gold Cup, the marquee traveled this year, the fortunes event on the Super Saturday have favored him, and an un- card. AIt means a lot to win the usually dry lead-up to today=s three races in New York,@ trainer Longchamp feature appears the Tim Ice offered. AIt=s been 20 icing on the cake. Even super- years since a three-year-old won David Alcosser photo stition is on his side, with his the Belmont S, the Travers and the Jockey Club Gold rider Michael Kinane entering Cup. I think it puts him in an elite group and he should the race in the knowledge that be named [champion] three-year-old colt.@ Gio Ponti he was victorious in 1989 and (Tale of the Cat) was upset by Interpatation (Langfuhr) 1999. AHopefully, every 10 in the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, while Music Note Sea the Stars Horsephotos years it comes around,@ Kinane (A.P. Indy) ran like the odds-on choice she was in the quipped at Dundalk Friday eve- GI Beldame S., and Pure Clan (Pure Prize) captured the ning before assuming his customary steely persona. GI Flower Bowl Invitational. Kodiak Kowboy (Posse) AThings have been going well, and his preparation has surprised Fabulous Strike (Smart Strike) in the been great,@ he added. AWe have a nice draw, so hope- GI Vosburgh S. Cont. p2-3, 5-6 fully things will work out nicely.@ After an unprece- “OVA” KILL dented run of success through the G1 2000 Guineas, All eyes were on the Wertheimers= champion-elect G1 Epsom Derby, G1 Coral-Eclipse S., G1 Juddmonte Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa) ahead of yes- International S. and, most recently, the Sept. 5 Irish terday=s G1 Prix de la Foret, but there Champion S., the John Oxx trainee has assumed the was a sting in the tail for takers of the aura of greatness. He bids to emulate the feat of his 2-5 on offer, as Varenar (Fr) (Rock of legendary dam Urban Sea (Miswaki) 16 years ago. He A Gibraltar {Ire}) struck late to record a has a big head and a great opinion of himself now,@ surprise 19-1 success. Cont. p4 France Galop Kinane remarked. AHe knows he=s a superstar, but be- haves himself impeccably and is easy to train and han- dle. We just need that little bit of luck now, but I could- n=t have asked for a better preparation.@ Cont. p7-10 YOUTH TO BE SERVED AT SANTA ANITA Both of last year=s Breeders= Cup winners of the main juvenile races--and eventual Eclipse Award winners--tuned up for the main event by running at Oak Tree. Stardom Bound (Tapit) captured the GI Oak Leaf S., while Midshipman (Unbridled=s Song) ran second in the GI Norfolk S. The 2009 hopefuls will stake their claims this afternoon in Arcadia, with J “TDN Rising Star” J Lookin at Lucky (Smart Strike) hoping to run his unbeaten record to four in the Norfolk. Lookin at Lucky AI think he=s going to be OK,@ said Benoit Photo trainer Bob Baffert, who has saddled four previous Norfolk winners. AHe=s going two turns for the first time, so we=ll find out. You never know until they go two turns.@ Cont. p19 P TDN HEADLINE NEWS • 10/4/09 • PAGE 2 of 24 Saturday, Belmont Park Saturday, Belmont Park JOCKEY CLUB GOLD CUP S.-GI, $750,000, BEL, 10-3, JOE HIRSCH TURF CLASSIC INVITATIONAL S.-GI, 3yo/up, 1 1/4m, 2:02 2/5, sy. $600,000, BEL, 10-3, 3yo/up, 1 1/2mT, 2:41 1/5, sf. 1--SUMMER BIRD, 122, c, 3, by Birdstone 1--sINTERPATATION, 126, g, 7, by Langfuhr 1st Dam: Hong Kong Squall, by Summer Squall 1st Dam: Idealistic Cause (MSW & GSP, $307,255), by Habitony 2nd Dam: Hong Kong Jade, by Alysheba 2nd Dam: Special Idea, by Cresta Rider 3rd Dam: Ruby Slippers, by Nijinsky II 3rd Dam: Incredible Idea, by Youth O/B-Dr K K & Dr V Devi Jayaraman (KY); T-Tim A Ice; ($31,000 wlng '02 KEENOV; $10,000 RNA yrl '03 J-Kent J Desormeaux; $450,000. Lifetime Record: OBSAUG). O-Elliot Mavorah; B-Larry Cassaday & Jack 8-4-1-1, $2,023,040. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. O Thompson (KY); T-Robert Barbara; J-Robby Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Albarado; $360,000. Lifetime Record: 50-6-4-11, 2--Quality Road, 122, c, 3, Elusive Quality--Kobla, by $1,156,630. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the Strawberry Road (Aus). ($110,000 RNA yrl '07 eNicks report and 5-cross pedigree. KEESEP). O/B-Edward P Evans (VA); T-Todd A 2--Gio Ponti, 126, c, 4, Tale of the Cat--Chipeta Pletcher; $150,000. Springs, by Alydar. ($95,000 RNA yrl '06 KEESEP; 3--Tizway, 126, c, 4, Tiznow--Bethany, by Dayjur. $45,000 RNA HRA >07 FTFFEB). O-Castleton Lyons; ($140,000 yrl '06 KEESEP). O-William L Clifton Jr; B-Kilboy Estate Inc (KY); T-C Clement; $120,000. B-Whisper Hill Farm (KY); T-H James Bond; $75,000. 3--Grand Couturier (GB), 126, h, 6, Grand Lodge--Lady Margins: 1, 4HF, 6HF. Odds: 1.25, 2.65, 23.40. Elgar (Ire), by Sadler=s Wells. (3,500gns yrl '04 Also Ran: Macho Again, Dry Martini, Sette E Mezzo, TATOCT). O-Marc Keller; B-Tom Wilson (GB); Asiatic Boy (Arg). T-Robert Ribaudo; $60,000. Summer Bird became the first three-year-old since the Margins: 1 3/4, 1 3/4, 7 1/4. Odds: 43.75, 0.85, 2.60. Also Ran: Telling, Al Khali, Musketier (Ger). exalted Easy Goer (Alydar) in 1989 to sweep the Scratches: Presious Passion, Ready's Echo, Winchester. GI Belmont S., GI Travers. S. and GI Jockey Club Gold Despite trying 12 furlongs for the first time--and in a Cup, and in all likelihood, earned himself an Eclipse bog at that--divisional leader Gio Ponti seemed to be on Award in the process. After his surprising win in the his way to a fifth straight Grade I victory at the stretch Belmont June 6, the Jayaramans homebred finished an = call here. Not so fast, said Interpatation. Third in the honorable second in the GI Haskell Invitational S. fa- 2007 renewal and a distant runner-up to Grand Coutu- mously won by Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d=Oro) at rier last year, the seven-year-old was coming off a Monmouth Aug. 2. He stretched back to 10 panels for fourth in the PTHA President=s Cup at Philly Park the Shadwell Travers Aug. 29 and splashed home an Sept. 19. He showed the way through trotting-horse authoritative winner. Favored in his first try against splits of 1:22.20--for six furlongs--and a mile in older horses, Summer Bird settled into a spot on the 1:48.79. Three-year-old Al Khali (Medaglia d=Oro) threw outside while keeping tabs on the leaders. Quality Road in the towel at that point, and Gio Ponti ranged up on took over heading into the home turn, and jockey Kent the outside looking to secure his Breeders= Cup creden- Desormeaux urged Summer Bird along to stay within tials. The favorite looked to be going right by, but be- striking distance. The plan worked like a charm. The gan to ease up once he made the lead, and the veteran chestnut edged ever closer to Quality Road in front of on his inside proved resurgent to have his picture taken the stands and, under a hand ride from Desormeaux, for the first time in just over two years. AI was waiting forged ahead approaching the wire. AWhen Summer for him one day to pick his head up and do it right,@ Bird took the lead, I was very confident that no one said winning trainer Bobby Barbara. AHe did it right, on was going to get in front of him,@ said winning trainer the perfect day. This horse made $700,000 the hard Tim Ice. ASummer Bird was hanging a little bit on him; way, and now he=s over a million in one day! I don=t Kent said it was easier than it looked.@ Ice added, AThe know what=s next for him.@ As for Gio Ponti, trainer goal is the [GI] Breeders= Cup [Classic, Nov. 7]. We=ll Christophe Clement offered, ASecond best in that one, take a couple of days and see how he is.@ but I thought he ran a very good race--he really tried. The idea is to go from there to the Breeders= Cup, use Click for the brisnet.com chart, the brisnet.com PPs o r the race and move on.@ Click for the brisnet.com chart, the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, the brisnet.com PPs or the free brisnet.com catalogue- sponsored by Taylor Made.