SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2010 For information about TDN, call 732-747-8060. ON ‘WARD, EVANS SOLDIER FOREGO: HERE COMES THE UPSET Many considered Ned Evans=s Quality Road (Elusive With three Grade I winners and another three Grade II Road) a shoo-in for a divisional championship before he winners in yesterday=s GI Forego was upset by Blame (Arch) in the GI Whitney S. at S. at Saratoga, it looked to be Saratoga Aug. 7. And while a re-match, probably in the anyone=s race. In the end, how- GI Breeders= Cup Classic ever, it was the unexposed dis- Nov. 6, looms as the de- tance specialist Here Comes Ben ciding factor, the four- (Street Cry {Ire}) who scooped year-old put himself back the booty, rallying to catch a in the driver=s seat with a game Big Drama (Montbrook) in professional 4 3/4-length the final strides and win by 3/4 Horsephotos score over Mythical Power lengths. Cont. p7 (Congaree) in yesterday=s GI Woodward S. at the TAPIT FILLY ONCE AGAIN IN DEL MAR DEB Two years ago, a filly from the first crop of Tapit Spa. Trainer Todd Pletcher named Stardom Bound rallied to break her maiden in said Quality Road would, the GI Del Mar Debutante. Yesterday, Ike and Dawn in all likelihood, head Thrash=s Tell a Kelly gave the Gainesway stallion an- straight to the Classic, other edition of the race with an eye-catching score where Eclipse honors in Adam Coglianese over favored Wickedly Perfect (Congrats). Cont. p6 the handicap division--as well as a Horse of the Year battle with Zenyatta (Street WHITE WASH Cry {Ire})--will be decided. AI certainly think we can Upstaged by Harbinger (GB) (Dansili {GB}) in the G1 make a strong argument for [having the best horse in King George, Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor and Susan the country],@ said Pletcher. AHe=s accomplished a lot Magnier=s Cape Blanco (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) took a giant this year with the GI Donn, the GI Met Mile, and this bound forward when leading at every step and turning race. He=s certainly put himself in a position, if he wins yesterday=s G1 Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion S. at the next one. Right now, the plan all year has been to Leopardstown into a procession. Odds-on Rip Van run in these races. He got beat a short head in the last Winkle (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) was second, with one, but I think he redeemed himself today on a track Twice Over (GB) (Observatory) in third. Cont. p3-4 that did not appear to be playing very fast.@ Cont. p2 Saturday, Saratoga Race Course WOODWARD S.-GI, $750,000, SAR, 9-4, 3yo/up, 1 1/8m, 1:50, ft. 1--QUALITY ROAD, 126, c, 4, by Elusive Quality 1st Dam: Kobla, by Strawberry Road (Aus) 2nd Dam: Winglet, by Alydar 3rd Dam: Highest Trump, by Bold Bidder ($110,000 RNA yrl '07 KEESEP). O/B-Edward P Evans (VA); T-Todd A Pletcher; J-John R Velazquez; $450,000. Lifetime Record: 12-8-3-1, $2,232,830. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A. 2--Mythical Power, 126, c, 4, Congaree--School for Scandal, by Is It True. O/B-Peachtree Stable (KY); T-Bob Baffert; $150,000. 3--Tranquil Manner, 126, c, 4, A.P. Indy--Composure, by Touch Gold. O/B-Darley Stable (KY); T-Kiaran P McLaughlin; $75,000. Margins: 4 3/4, HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 0.30, 12.20, 19.20. Also Ran: Convocation, Indian Dance, Arcodoro, Mine That Bird. TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 9/5/10 • PAGE 2 of 14 • thoroughbreddailynews.com Woodward S. cont. ‘Road’ to the Cup... Winner of the GI Florida Derby at three, Quality Road began 2010 with an easy win in the GIII Hal=s Hope S. at Gulfstream Jan. 3 before adding a second Grade I tally in the Donn H. in Hallendale Feb. 6. Still sharp after a 3 1/2-month absence, he won the prestigious Met Mile H. at Belmont May 31, but then just failed to see out the nine furlongs of the Whitney in his latest, coming up a head short to the rallying Blame. Breaking from post three here, he angled out going into the first turn to press Arcodoro (Medaglia d=Oro) through :24.06 and :47.76 fractions. He took over after three quarters in 1:11.52, pulled away to lead by three lengths in upper stretch, and was kept to task as Johnny Velazquez offered two smacks to each side in the final 3/16ths. AThat was >Plan A,=@ Todd Pletcher said of race tactics. AThe four horse [Arcodoro] showed enough pace that we were able to maneuver outside him and get the trip we wanted. I thought he ran a good race.@ Added Velazquez, AHe was much, much better than last time. In the Whitney, I was struggling to get him going. But today he was much more willing and much more on the bridle. It was better for him to have a horse to follow. It made him much more competitive. And then down the lane, I just wanted to keep him focused, because once he gets to the lead sometimes he gets lazy. I guess he's older and smarter because he thinks he's done once he gets to the lead. But overall, he did it well.@ Click for the brisnet.com chart, the brisnet.com PPs o r the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Taylor Made. Quality Road & Johnny Velazquez Horsephotos P TDN HEADLINE NEWS • 9/5/10 • PAGE 3 of 14 • thoroughbreddailynews.com Cape Blanks ‘Em... Prepared for the Irish Champion S. since that July 24 King George at Ascot, Cape Blanco, the G1 Irish Derby hero, was sent off a weak 6-1 after rain eased the ground at Leopardstown. But the sophomore instantly looked at home on the surface as Seamus Heffernan sent him into isolation. Still clear on the final turn, the chestnut had the race sewn up by the furlong pole, and maintained a relentless gallop to upstage his stable companion and 8-11 favorite Rip Van Winkle (Ire) by 5 1/2 lengths. AIt was always the plan to make the running unless something wanted to go quicker than me,@ commented Heffernan, who had also made all on Misty For Me (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. six days before. AWhen we went past the four, he was getting into a rhythm and he came up with a turn of foot, and I thought then that whatever got to me would have to run. He stays really well, but he has a high cruising speed and, when I asked him, he really got down and stretched. He has improved for making his own running going that speed.@ Saturday, Leopardstown, Ireland TATTERSALLS MILLIONS IRISH CHAMPION S.-G1, i750,000, Leopardstown, 9-4, 3yo/up, 1 1/4mT, 2:03.89, gd. 1--CAPE BLANCO (IRE), 126, c, 3, by Galileo (Ire) 1st Dam: Laurel Delight (GB), by Presidium (GB) 2nd Dam: Foudroyer (GB), by Artaius 3rd Dam: Foudre (GB), by Petingo (GB) (i330,000 yrl >08 GOFMIL). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Jack Ronan & Des Vere Hunt Farm Company; T-Aidan O=Brien; J-Seamus Heffernan; i434,500. Lifetime Record: 8-6-1-0, ,1,703,496. *1/2 to Mr O=Brien (Ire) (Mukaddamah), MGSW & MGISP-US, $724,290. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2--Rip Van Winkle (Ire), 133, c, 4, Galileo (Ire)--Looking Back (Ire), by Stravinsky. (i170,000 yrl >07 ITYSEP). O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Roberto Brogi; T-Aidan O=Brien; i150,000. 3--Twice Over (GB), 133, h, 5, Observatory--Double Crossed (GB), by Caerleon. O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms; T-Henry Cecil; i75,000. Margins: 5HF, SHD, SHD. Odds: 6-1, 8-11, 10-3. Also Ran: Beethoven (Ire), Sea Lord (Ire), Famous Name (GB). Prior to this contest, the imposing Cape Blanco had raced left-handed twice and had put up his most im- pressive visual displays on both occasions, when domi- nating the G3 Tyros S. at this track last July and putt- ing Workforce (GB) (King's Best) firmly in his place in York=s G2 Dante S. May 13. His record going the other way included hard-fought wins in the G2 Futurity S. at Fairyhouse last August and the June 27 G1 Irish Derby at The Curragh, plus his scarcely believable 11-length defeat at the hands of Harbinger (GB) (Dansili {GB}) in Ascot=s midsummer showpiece. Cont. p4 TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 9/5/10 • PAGE 4 of 14 • thoroughbreddailynews.com Irish Champion S. cont. When the rain came to Dublin yesterday morning, the proven top-of-the-ground performer looked to be com- promised as he had been after a wet lead-up to his only unplaced effort in the June 6 G1 Prix du Jockey-Club at Chantilly. Always happy and at home on ground described by jockeys as on the slow side of good, he was over a length ahead after the first quarter, over three in front by the half- way mark and maintained that gap to the quarter pole. He gained further ground from there, and it was left to Rip Van Winkle to edge ahead of Twice Healy Racing photo Over in a bunch for the minor medals.