Andrew Caulfield, August 19, 2002 –

w as a Grade I w inner over 1 1/4 miles; Cherokee Run P EDIGREE INSIGHTS (1994) had finished second in t he Preakness; and Artax BY ANDREW CAULFIELD (1999) had run third in the Santa Anita Derby. Every now and then the connections of an outstanding Saturday, Arlington Park European performer, such as Dubai Millennium, S.-GI, $1,000,000, APX, 8-17, and Rock of Gibraltar, tantalise us by saying that their 3yo/up, 1 1/4mT, 2:02 4/5, fm. star performer has so much speed that he could easily 1--BEAT HOLLOW (GB), 12 6 , h, 5, by Sadler' s Wells w in a major prize over shorter distances, but so far this 1st Dam: (GB) (G1SW-Ire, MGSW & type of speculation has proved t o be nothing more than G1SP-Fr, $372,916), by talk. Perhaps one day their claims w ill be put to the test and will encourage others to adopt a more adventurous 2nd Dam: Bahamian (Ire), by M ill Reef approach. Had Beat Hollow remained in Europe, it is 3 rd Dam: Sorbus (Ire), by (GB) likely that he w ould have been kept to either 1 1/4 miles O/B- Farms Inc (GB); T-Robert Frankel; (the distance of his victory in the G1 Grand Prix de J-J D Bailey; $600,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Fr, Paris) or 1 1/2 miles (the distance of his creditable third SW & G1SP-GB, 10-7-2-1, $1,755,088. * 1/2 to behind and in the Derby). How ever, Yaralino (GB) (), GSW-US, $187,720. Bobby Frankel, from a fresh view point--recognised t hat his charge also possesses plenty of speed. This speed “ This has been the best 24 hours since I have ow ned has allow ed Beat Hollow to finish first or second in his horses,” w as the understandable reaction of Khalid four appearances over 1 1/8 miles, w hich included an Abdullah after his magnificent filly Banks Hill had impressive Grade I w in in the Turf Classic, and both completed a GI treble initiated by Beat Hollow and trainer and jockey are convinced that he is fast enough Chiselling. The Prince’s delight must have been even to shine in the BC Mile. Only time w ill tell if they are greater in view of the f act that all t hree of these Grade I right , but there are aspects of Beat Hollow ’s pedigree winners are homebred and are out of mares which which lend credence to their belief. themselves carried t he Prince’s colors to victory at Beat Hollow’s half brother Yaralino was fast enough to stakes level. Impressive victories from the promising lead throughout in last year’s GIII Tanforan H. over 8 juveniles Rainw ashed Gold and Intercontinental also 1/2 furlongs, even though he was by Caerleon, a contributed to the feel-good factor at the Juddmonte reasonably strong influence for stamina. Although the operation. Intercontinental, a sister to Banks Hill and the name of Beat Hollow ’s sire, Sadler’ s Wells, is now adays top miler Dansili, w on so w ell on her debut at Deauville largely associated w ith st amina, it must be remembered that she seems sure to add to the magnificent record of that this very tough performer never quite managed to her dam Hasili, w ho is also responsible for Heat Haze, a w in over 1 1/2 miles, scoring his main successes over a good fifth in this year’s French 1000 Guineas. mile (Irish 2000 Guineas) and 1 1/4 miles (Eclipse S. Juddmonte can also take pleasure from the and Irish Champion S.). He occasionally sires top-class milers, such as Barathea, Entrepreneur, King of Kings achievements of Ulundi, a 5,500-guineas reject w ho and Gossamer, and his brother Fairy King w as a very was beaten less than half a length into fourth place good sire of milers. Beat Hollow ’s broodmare sire behind Beat Hollow at Arlington. Jockey Jerry Bailey’s Dancing Brave w as an impressive w inner of the 2000 comment after the Million that Beat Hollow will be, “a Guineas. When his trainer, Guy Harw ood, w as asked better horse going a mile than he is at a mile and a after the race about the Derby, he comment ed t hat , quarter,” resulted in some raised eyebrow s in Britain, “ He’s got such speed that w e’ve always thought of w here mature horses tend to be kept to a narrow range today as his race.” Subsequent event s show ed t hat of distances. Dancing Brave was just as brilliant over 1 1/4 and 1 1/2 International Appeal...... miles, and versat ility w as also the hallmark of I always envy other countries where trainers tend to and Sorbus, the tw o horses who combined to produce take a more adventurous approach, such as Australia Beat Hollow ’s second dam, Bahamian. Mill Reef’s and the U.S. A good example of w hat can be achieved exceptional achievements over middle distances w ere w as provided by an English colt called Jeune. There w as prefaced by a string of breathtaking displays over six no turning back once this son of Kalaglow had been and seven f urlongs as a juvenile, w hile Sorbus w as stepped up to 1 1/4 miles, and the last 11 races of second in Irish 1000 Guineas prior to being demoted to Jeune’s admirable European career w ere all at distances second in the . Although Wemyss Bight, the from 1 1/4 miles to 1 1/2 miles. Then he w as sent to classic-w inning dam of Beat Hollow, never tackled a Australia, w here he became a Group 1 winner over such distance shorter than 1 1/8 miles, she w as blessed with varied distances as 7 furlongs, 1 1/8 miles, excellent acceleration and her unraced sister, Hope, is 1 1/4 miles and 2 miles! The history of the Breeders’ the dam of , one of this year’s best three-year-old Cup Sprint also illustrates that American trainers tend to fillies over a mile. While I w ould probably side w ith be less hidebound in t heir attitude to dist ance. Bobby Frankel’ s assessment that a 1 1/8 miles is Beat Precisionist, the 1985 w inner, w as a dual Grade I Hollow’s best distance, I hope the five-year-old w ill be w inner over 1 1/4 miles; Smile (1986) had earlier w on a given his chance to show how much speed he has. Grade I over 1 1/8 miles; Gulch (1 988) had been campaigned at up to 1 1/2 miles; Dancing Spree (1989)