HEADLINE NEWS • 10/30/05 • PAGE 2 of 14
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AT A LOSS IN THE SPRINT... HEADLINE p6 NEWS For information about TDN, DELIVERED EACH NIGHT BY FAX AND FREE BY E-MAIL TO SUBSCRIBERS OF call 732-747-8060. www.thoroughbreddailynews.com SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2005 ON THE GO A CLASSIC MOMENT Did jockey Garrett Gomez ever dream he would ride a If jockey Jerry Bailey decides to call it quits at the Breeders' Cup winner? Just minutes after guiding end of the year, the 22nd running of the GI Breeders' Stevie Wonderboy (Stephen Got Even) to a 1 1/4-length Cup Classic will provide a fitting ending to a stellar victory in the GI Breeders' career. The seven-time champion rider picked up his Cup Juvenile, Gomez admit- fifth Classic triumph, driving 2-1 ted, "A couple of years ago, favorite Saint Liam (Saint Ballado) I was wondering if I would to a game length victory over ever ride again." His career Flower Alley (Distorted Humor) at was nearly derailed, not by Belmont Park yesterday. The injury, but by substance 48-year-old rider had a tough time of it up to the final race of abuse problems. Gomez, 33, Saint Liam Horsephotos Gomez on Stevie Wonderboy started riding in 1988 at the day, running third with Juve- Horsephotos small tracks in New Mexico nile favorite First Samurai (Giant’s Causeway) and and Nebraska, and by 1998 finishing off the board with four of his first six mounts. had earned his first Hollywood Park riding title. The But Bailey felt good about his chances in the Classic. “I following season, he found himself with four Breeders' didn't have my bottom lip dragging walking into the Cup mounts and nearly pulled off a huge upset in the paddock,” he said. “I really felt confident that this horse Classic, finishing second with 26-1 Budroyale. But hard would pull me out, and he did." Classic cont. p2 riding went hand and hand with hard living, and it was- Saturday, Belmont Park n't long before business began to slide. Gomez was off BREEDERS' CUP CLASSIC POWERED BY DODGE-GI, the board with a pair of longshots in the 2000 Breed- $4,291,560, BEL, 10-29, 3yo/up, 1 1/4m, 2:01 2/5, ft. ers' Cup and again in his lone opportunity in 2001. He 1--SAINT LIAM, 126, h, 5, by Saint Ballado didn't make it to the starting gate for racing's champi- 1st Dam: Quiet Dance (SW & GSP, $224,420), by Quiet American onship event in 2002 and quit riding altogether just a 2nd Dam: Misty Dancer, by Lyphard couple of months later. "That was difficult," the rider 3rd Dam: Flight Dancer, by Misty Flight said. "What made it really hard was knowing I might ($130,000 yrl '01 FTSAUG). O-Mr & Mrs William K not ever be back." It took nearly two years, but Gomez Warren Jr; B-Edward P Evans (KY); T-Richard E got help and got it together. "I had to deal with my Dutrow Jr; J-J D Bailey; $2,433,600. Lifetime Re- past and make amends," he said. "Once I stepped up to cord: 20-9-6-1, $4,456,995. *1/2 to the plate, I found some gratitude and grew up. I real- Congressionalhonor (Forestry), GSW, $112,413. ized that the most important thing is family." Gomez 2--Flower Alley, 122, c, 3, Distorted Humor--Princess returned to the saddle last September, and was back on Olivia, by Lycius. ($50,000 wlng '02 KEENOV; top of the standings at Hollywood Park this summer. $165,000 yrl '03 KEESEP). O-Melnyk Racing Stables Inc; B-George Brunacini & Bona Terra Farms (KY); The Arizona native came into the Breeders' Cup loaded T-Todd A Pletcher; $936,000. for bear, commanding seven mounts on the card. After 3--Perfect Drift, 126, g, 6, Dynaformer--Nice Gal, by his win in the Juvenile, he just missed in the Sprint, Naskra. O-William A Reed; B-Dr William A Reed & running second to Silver Train (Old Trieste) with Taste Stonecrest Farm (KY); T-M W Johnson; $514,800. of Paradise (Conquistador Cielo), then came back to Margins: 1, 1HF, NK. Odds: 2.40, 10.00, 14.50. pilot Artie Schiller (El Prado {Ire}) to a 3/4-length tally in Also Ran: Super Frolic, Suave, Choctaw Nation, the Mile. "It's unbelievable," he said. "I never expected Starcraft (NZ), Sir Shackleton, Sun King, Borrego, Ora- to have so much success so soon after coming back. torio (Ire), Jack Sullivan, A Bit O'Gold. Now I just can't wait to get home and see my kids." Scratched: Rock Hard Ten. TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 10/30/05 • PAGE 2 of 14 SAINT’S ALIVE Making His Mark... Jerry Bailey had every reason to believe in the five- With his latest Classic success, Bailey extended his year-old Saint Liam. The bay had been first or second in lead as the Breeders' Cup's winningest jockey, earning eight of his 10 starts over the last two seasons and his 15th victory in the event. He has earned was coming off a 2-length $21,794,440 in Breeders' Cup purses, but is still tally in the Sept. 10 GI Wood- $1,238,920 shy of the mark held by now retired rider ward S. over the Belmont Pat Day. Will Bailey, who has contemplated retirement main track, his third Grade I for the past couple of years, be hanging up his boots, victory of the season. He did or will he be back next year to try and break Day's have to break from post 12 in mark? He hasn't yet decided. "I'm going to treat (this the 13-horse Classic field, but year) like I have the past several," he said. "I'll finish it he overcame that obstacle for out, take time off with my family and decide if I want the win.Bailey sent Saint Liam to do it another year. It's wonderful to win these races, away from his disadvanta- but I have a family that I miss a lot. I'm on the road a lot. There's so much to be weighed." Click for the Sherackatthetrack geous post, and the Ken- tucky-bred took up a stalking brisnet.com chart or the free brisnet.com catalogue- position off 30-1 pacesetter Sun King. Fourth for the style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Taylor Made. opening half mile, he dropped back a bit after six panels in 1:12.23, but powered to the front at the head of the stretch. Always prominent, Flower Alley tried to keep pace with the crowd's choice while racing along the rail HIP#118 - SISTER SWANK and even got a head in front as they neared the wire, but Saint Liam would not be denied. "When he broke, he broke out sharply and stayed there for 20 or 30 yards, so instead of saving ground for the first few jumps," Bailey said, "I was losing ground, but I was trying to keep him off the leaders as long as possible so www.taylormadefarm.com I could leave him with a target to run at. When I turned up the backside, I was really pleased with how well he was travelling." The jockey was never worried that three-year-old Flowey Alley might get the better of him. GI BC Classic Saint Liam (Saint Ballado) stakes his "I knew I had that horse," he said. claim for Horse of the Year. GI BC Turf Shirocco (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) leads Double Trouble... home a superfecta sweep for Europe. GI BC Distaff Pleasant Home (Seeking the Gold) Trainer Rick Dutrow Jr., who earlier in the day sent surprises defending champ Ashado. out Silver Train to post an 11-1 upset in the Sprint, was not quite as certain of the outcome. "I thought he'd GI BC Mile Artie Schiller (El Prado {Ire}) avenges his win easier than he did," he admitted, but added, "I defeat as the favorite in last year’s Mile. couldn't be happier. Oh my God, what a day!" Dutrow GI BC Sprint Silver Train (Old Trieste) pulls the upset saddled his first Breeders’ Cup starter in 2002, sending as Lost in the Fog fades. out Carson Hollow to finish 13th in the Sprint. He fin- GI BC F/M Turf Intercontinental (GB) (Danehill) goes ished fourth in last year’s Juvenile Fillies with Sis City. the distance and makes history. GRADE 1 WINNER SWEET TALKER 3yo filly Stormin Fever S Another Vegetarian HIP 807, Barn 29 Selling Wed., Nov. 9 at Keeneland as a racing or broodmare prospect Winner of the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. October 15 at Keeneland! Lifetime Record: 13-7-2-1, $682,723 PHONE (859) 873-7300 • FAX (859) 873-3746 • E-MAIL: [email protected] • WEB SITE: www.lanesend.com TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 10/30/05 • PAGE 3 of 14 TALKING HORSE MAKES GOOD Saturday, Belmont Park For a good portion of the week leading up to yester- JOHN DEERE BREEDERS' CUP TURF-GI, $2,090,760, day’s program, punters were left to debate the condi- BEL, 10-29, 3yo/up, 1 1/2mT, 2:29 1/5, gd. tion of the turf course. Given the 1--SHIROCCO (GER), 126, c, 4, by Monsun (Ger) recent spate of rainy weather in 1st Dam: So Sedulous, by The Minstrel the New York area, there was cer- 2nd Dam: Sedulous (Ire), by Tap On Wood tain to be ease in the ground, 3rd Dam: Pendulina (GB), by Prince Tenderfoot (GB) which suited the connections of O/B-Baron Georg Von Ullmann (Ger); T-Andre Fabre; Shirocco (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) just J-C Soumillon; $1,185,600.