Breeders' Cup Post Positions

http://breederscup.com/content.aspx?id=36005

Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (Grade I)
Total Purse $2,000,000
Three-Year-Olds and Up, Fillies & Mares
1 1/8 Miles
Friday, October 24, 2008

Post Horse Jockey Odds
1 Zenyatta Mike Smith 3-5
2 Hystericalady Garrett Gomez 15-1
3 Cocoa Beach (CHI) Ramon Dominguez 8-1
4 Music Note Javier Castellano 6-1
5 Carriage Trail Kent Desormeaux 8-1
6 Ginger Punch Rafael Bejarano 9-2
7 Santa Teresita Michael Baze 50-1
8 Bear Now Eurico Da Silva 30-1


Breeders' Cup Classic (Grade I)
Total Purse $5,000,000
Three-Year-Olds and Up
1 1/4 Miles
Saturday, October 25, 2008

Post Horse Jockey Odds
1 Go Between Garrett Gomez 8-1
2 Casino Drive Victor Espinoza 10-1
3 Tiago Mike Smith 15-1
4 Duke of Marmalade (IRE) John Murtagh 10-1
5 Henrythenavigator John Velazquez 10-1
6 Smooth Air Manoel Cruz 50-1
7 Student Council Shaun Bridgmohan 20-1
8 Raven's Pass Frankie Dettori 6-1
9 Curlin Robby Albarado 7-5
10 Fairbanks Richard Migliore 10-1
11 Colonel John Edgar Prado 20-1
12 Champs Elysees (GB) Alan Garcia 15-1

on their Youtube page. Go here: http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=tvgnetwork. Also some random shots of horses training at Santa Anita the past few days here: http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=larryzapeye.

I liked what I saw from Wait a While. Maybe this is the year she finally breaks through for the big dance. She adores this SA turf. And Midnight Lute is built like a battleship.

Outstanding fields. Gotta say Curlin looks super smooth out there, big noggin' and all!

I'll be watching these videos tonite.

I want Curlin to win this thing. I hope they left enough in the tank.

Anybody need Past Performances?

Equibase ones with the past six performances.

Have fun watching those vids! I saw some more at the NTRA Website with TVG commentary.

...is all of the "hype" money from non-handicappers.

I ran this a few years ago, and haven't updated it, but the ROI on simply taking every entry to win in the Classic with double digit odds over a four year span was pretty good.

No, I'm not a "system" bettor, but it was an eyebrow raising exercise.

It is hard to go against Zenyatta. It is a great field in this race. I'm going back to the barn
to set up the feed early so I can be home to watch it.

This Ladies' Classic race is gonna be a doozy. OB, you know what I think of Ginger Punch, and Music Note is certainly a talented filly, but Zenyatta is a freak! I can't wait to see this race.

My Picks
1. Zenyatta
2. Music Note
3. Ginger Punch

I think Zenyatta is the best bet of the day. Should be a thrilling stretch drive! Nice to see ya back here, OB!

:hi:

My trifectas with the win pick first. :D May it be a great racing day!

Filly & Mare Sprint:
Intangaroo, Indian Blessing, Ventura

Juvenile Fillies Turf:
Consequence, Saucey Evening, Heart Shaped

Juvenile Fillies:
Stardom Bound, C.S. Silk, Dream Empress

Filly and Mare Turf:
Wait a While, Halfway to Heaven, Visit

Ladies Classic:
Zenyatta, Cocoa Beach, Music Note

1:19.90??!!

BC record and now I've gotta listen to that asshole Frankel.

I'm watching on Calracing so hopefully I don't have to listen to that arrogant SOB. What an impressive race.

Jesus Christ.

the "Grey Goose Girls" are yapping it up with Matt and Kurt from TVG. I'll take that over Frankel/Torre any day of the week.

I missed it. Hope they show the replay.

Missed track record by 1/100 of a second. Yikes.

Damn aaronbees. Nice job.

I thought the 12 got it, but Maram hit the got the job done.

Shades of that High Chaparral/Johar finish. The $2 exacta paid $350 and change. That's a sweet payout ... for me to miss. :D

Chad Brown trains her and she's owned by Karen N. Woods and Saud bin Khaled. Maram ran her first race as a maiden claimer at Saratoga. What a rise up from there!

He used to work for Frankel as his assistant.

What a way to start your training career.

That Stardom Bound was awesome.

She had to go around everyone on the far turn.

Amazing she's gonna be sold.

that fucker. What an asshat.

sexist, chauvinistic bullshit and I'm so fucking tired of him. His special brand of stupidity is just boring now.

Wonder what Michelle Nevin thinks of that sexist blather.

Pretty soon we won't have to listen to little Dickie Dutrow run his mouth as much. Glad I missed this performance. I probably would have thrown something at the TV.
I had a family visit where we spent time talking about the OTHER big race (every single family member there is voting for Obama) and I missed yesterday's racing. Zenyatta..wow!

Forever Together at the wire. Musta been the Guinness.

So much patience. Forever Together came flying like a bullet. Such a beautiful gray too. I'm a little bummed about Wait a While ... would have loved to have seen her get this.

I'm glad for Jonathan Shepherd. He's a good horseman.

Damn, I'm excited and nervous.

Zenyatta.

Man, I'm shaking after watching her win. So easy for her. Handride all the way and came way way wide. She's a superfreak and a true champ!

I don't know what to say. I don't want to ruin it with words.

wow, just wow!!! What a thing of beauty. She's gorgeous. http://www.breederscup.com/

I missed the race yesterday...wow, just wow!

That was just crazy. Zenyatta was last for most of the race then near the end of the race she just broke out. That speed was just awesome and crazy.

Marathon:
Sixties Icon, Cedar Mountain, Zappa

Turf Sprint:
Only Answer, Get Funky, Idiot Proof

Dirt Mile:
Well Armed, Lewis Michael, Albertus Maximus

Mile:
Goldikova, Whatsthescript, Precious Kitten

Juvenile:
Midshipman, Bushranger, Square Eddie

Juvenile Turf:
Bittel Road, Westphalia, Skipadate

Sprint:
Street Boss, Midnight Lute, Fatal Bullet

Turf:
Eagle Mountain, Spring House, Soldier of Fortune

Classic:
Curlin, Raven's Pass, Colonel John

Church Service second, Big Booster third. Love these "long distance" races. Sixties Icon was rolling but got completely bottled up at the turn. Damn.

Desert Code is the winner. 1:11.3 final time.

What a crazy cavalry charge down that hill.

Edited to add: great ride by The Mig.

Good race. I kinda liked that.

Yeah, Diabolical just about had that won. Two fun longshot wins so far today.

If Two Step Salsa puts the pressure on then I think it's up for grabs. I'd like to see Pyro redeem himself.

I have no clue what happened with Well Armed there. He got hung wide and didn't have a great trip but man he showed just nothing.

Well, looks like just about all my picks are failing to hit the board. :D Poor Curlin, LOL.

Curlin's goose is cooked.

some Iavarone death threat? Why is ESPN showing that Asshat #2?

Jaysus, what the fuck is wrong with people?

people are worthless. Thats were some of these freaks are (I'm in a field where the life of a rat or mouse is considered more important than the people who do research by the PETA types so I have a real problem with these crazy fucksticks.)

Didn't hear it but apparently he said something about a death threat before the Belmont concerning running BB with the hurt hoof. God I just wish the BB camp dramatics would end. But for someone to threaten them is truly nasty and idiotic.

They said that Iavarone and family was threatened by animal rights activists before the Belmont.....

Well Armed never ran a step. Rebellion 2nd. Two Step Salsa 3rd. Missed Track Record by a fifth.

Wow!

What a beautiful turn of foot Goldikova has. And it looks like Dutrow's horse got beat by a girl. :P

You can't say Goldikova had thigs her way - she had no where to go past the eight pole
then dove into a hole and drew off.

Wonderful.

Only Zarkava has beaten her. I think Goldikova gave the best performance of the Breeders' Cup.

Square Eddie second, Street Hero third. Darley may actually have a good Kentucky Derby prospect here.

I despise tracks that compromise speed. That's my summation of the Breeders Cup so far. Midshipman held on, and I was desperately rooting for him, but based on his action it looked like he should have drawn clear, yet he was barely maintaining position.

Synthetics disgust me. Horses that rely on sitting back and picking up the pieces are slob horses, and handicappers who look that way are slob handicappers. That's the way I'll always feel.

You're supposed to earn the best of it when you take it upon yourself to do the early work. Any track that negates and in fact reverses that dynamic shouldn't be used.

It's like one turf race after another, ganged up on the final turn. That's not racing, at least not the best of racing.

Anyway, I love Bob Baffert in the spotlight. He always makes it interesting, regardless of opinion about him.

Cross posted at that racing forum with the political forum described as freeper-like by Old Broad.

That has to hurt their soles.

I agree with your assessment of synthetic tracks.

But you do know not all synthetics are the same? And not all dirt tracks are these magical carpet rides of bias-free racing? As for these races, I found them exciting and competitive with top horses winning. And I'm thinking particularly here about the Pro Ride, which struck me as MORE formful than the turf races. Maybe there just wasn't the top quality speed these two days we've seen in the past.

Who are these "slob handicappers" you speak of?

And excuse me while I go wipe off that "face full of synthetic dirt to end the year." :P

I hope Midshipman doesn't go to Dubai. Keep him with Bob.

I have to give Baffert credit for bringing him up to this race
off so little racing all year.

Wasn't quite convinced Midnight Lute would be back in top form. I read somewhere that Baffert went up to measure Zenyatta and see if she was as big as Midnight Lute. Not sure what the tale of the tape was, though. :D Lute is a neat horse.

He made one of electrifying runs down the center of the course and drew off.

That's what Jerry Bailey just said. It can't be right. I know I lost on Curlin in the Belmont at something like even money. Street Sense skipped that race and Rags to Riches couldn't have been favored over Curlin. Also, I would have believed Curlin was favored in his Arkansas race prior to the Derby and probably in the race following the Belmont. I don't have the past performances in front of me but I'd be shocked if Bailey's claim is accurate.

I know Curlin wasn't favored in the Breeders Cup Classic last year because I took a fixed price of 7/2 on him at the Las Vegas Hilton, then it turned out I could have had 4/1 tracks odds.

Curlin out of the money. Ravens Pass upsets.

when he made that big move at the top of the stretch.:-(
BTW, tired of the announcers saying how great the synthetic is and how it gives the race legitimacy..blah blah blah..

I am totally bummed and hating Pro Ride bullshit right now. A nice horse finishes out of the money for the first time in his career and no doubt loses HOTY because his owner was game enough to try different things. I'll feel better and put it in perspective in a couple of days but right now I just wanna break some shit.

I believe they are holding the BC at Santa Anita next year also. Next year
over half the entries will be Euros.

the Europeans ate our lunch today. Our best horses got beat like gongs.

I expect in a couple of years we'll be holding the BC overseas.

A big reason they ran a lot this year was the steroid-free angle too. Good for them and good for us.

And I imagine the BC will be held at Churchill and Belmont soon enough, more to the liking of North American horses. :shrug: I don't understand why it's such a tragedy for racing to hold the BC on a track like Santa Anita.

You know I was thinking about you watching Curlin in the post parade with his tongue hanging out..he looked so relaxed. I think it was the surface that did him in.
Tell me why giving Euro horses an advantage is good for American racing?

The good I take away from this BC is that Zenyatta will probably remain in training next year and that awesome filly Stardom Bound.

I can't say I'm not happy about it. The price of 4/5 was absurd compared to 4/1 last year.

Plus, many of Curlin's fans on message boards were delighted to ridicule Big Brown all summer. I'm glad they got a face full of synthetic dirt to end the year. And the garbage that Curlin would be top 10 all time was a joke.

Casino Drive really collapsed at the head of the stretch.

These synthetic tracks run exactly like grass races - they gallop along and make a mad
dash for the wire inside the sixteenth pole.

Two great days of racing with no horses vanned off the track due to injuries and no breakdowns, and we saw exciting, competitive finishes that were, on the whole, rather formful and yet it reads like a morgue in here.

Look, I backed Curlin publicly and wanted him to go out in a blaze of glory, but he lost ... so what? He's had a great year and just got beat by two very classy Euros and got nosed out by a game, consistent Cali horse in Tiago (who is actually better on dirt). Curlin may not be the end all and be all that his biggest fans wanted (I've grown to park myself a little bit in that boat), but there's no shame in his loss. I tip my hat to Curlin for a great ride this year.

And anyone who didn't see Raven's Pass and Henrythenavigator as competitive, top flight horses with great closing kicks and a big chance here really missed out. If you think it's just the Pro Ride talking with this Curlin loss and Euro win, go have a talk with Arcangues, Sakhee and Giant's Causeway who all did just fine on dirt. Raven's Pass' sire? Elusive Quality, a sire of many a top dirt horse. Euro horses can do it here in the Classic, on dirt or Pro Ride. Or look at the synth specialists who didn't win the Classic today - Go Between and Champs Elysees, both of whom were touted as live horses before today's running. Shouldn't they have fared better if the Santa Anita track is so frightfully unfair? Curlin lost fair and square to horses who were better than him today ... actually, I think he would've done better if Robby didn't make such an early move.

I couldn't be more thrilled with these two days of racing. Spectacular finishes ... definitely some surprises but on the whole nothing too extraordinarily strange. Very good horses won today. It was truly a "World Championship," something I as a race fan welcome.

What I detest about the synthetic tracks is that they neutralize the truly great dirt horses.

Both Curlin and Indian Blessing, who are exceptional horses on dirt - both champions in their
division - are not able to beat a grass horse on the synthetic.

Great dirt horses have been the foundation of the breed in this country since the inception
of dirt racing here. Now you have horses who should tower over their competition having to
fight grass/synthetic specialists for honors in the same category. It sucks. And I will be
one of those who like Nick Zito who rails against the entire industry forcing every horse
to compete on "stuff from your attic".

If the tables were turned and all the grass horses had to compete against dirt specialists
for division honors, the screaming would be heard from coast to coast. Maybe they should
someday put in an old fashioned dirt track at Keeneland and SA so that racing ends up being
fair to everyone. I don't want to see a synthetic specialist crowned champion of anything
but the synthetic division. Leave the dirt horse to excel on their favorite surface.

Of the Friday races I only saw Zenyatta on-line - even at that, was wonderful. But I was able to watch all day Saturday, and thought nearly every - maybe every - race had exciting moments and performances.

I had hoped that Delightful Kiss would win, but it was consolation that at least he picked up some money in fourth. Goldikova's race was terrific fun to see - that explosive run at the end. And I was cheering out loud all by myself when Midnight Lute won - I love that horse, and in the last few years I've found myself enjoying the sprints more and more for their excitement (when I first started following racing, they were too fast for me to really "see" what was going on).

A great disappointment to see Curlin lose, but oh well. Doesn't take anything away from his other accomplishments.

I don't have any opinion on the surface, other than I still thought the racing was exciting and best of all none went down. In my book, that makes up for anything. I don't mind seeing the Euros win - after all, it is supposed to be an international competition - but my personal bias is a real dislike of ever seeing any of the Sheikhs' horses win. As far as I'm concerned we should expect the same standards for sports as we want to see in Trade - human rights violators not welcome. (of course, that would eliminate the US too - take the Breeders Cup to Ireland, last I remember they wern't torturing people or bombing children these days?)

My other complaint is that I don't like seeing horses run in 90 degree heat. I am on edge waiting for one of them to collapse with heat stroke or something. Isn't Ireland cooler, too?