Columnist Ralph Siraco: Road to Breeders’ Cup toughest in the stretch

Ralph Siraco

Monday, Oct. 20, 1997 | 10:56 a.m.

THOROUGHBRED racing's version of Breeders' Cup bootcamp was completed over the weekend, and this year's equine obstacle course rivaled the rigid qualifications for a Top Gun graduate. The major management cutbacks at ITT-Sheraton pale by comparison to the championship casualty count as the march continues to Hollywood Park, and the survival-training attrition rate might be higher than the supplementary payment for those who are left to compete. Sick bay, by the second Saturday in November, may outnumber participants for Breeders' Cup XIV.

Nineteen days remain to avoid the potholes on the road to a Breeders' Cup that has taken the highest toll in its history.

Eight stakes over two days at Belmont Park, four over the same at Oak Tree at Santa Anita, plus a Keeneland contest, a Canadian turf tour at Woodbine and a pair of big Euro-races at Newmarket concluded dress rehearsals for the big show Nov. 8.

Now, the proud, the brave and the lucky will roll into Southern California for big bucks, glory and the end to the means of sometimes treacherous, costly competition.

Here's the results of last weekend's final Breeders' Cup exams -- and we reserve the right to change the list even as you read, since that would be the only way to stay accurate -- by Cup categories.

BREEDERS' CUP JUVENILE FILLIES: Saturday, at Santa Anita, the Grade I Oak Leaf stakes saw trainer Bob Baffert saddle a pair in Eastside Westside and Vivid Angel. Eastside Westside was favored off a 12-length Del Mar maiden victory, but it was Del Mar Debutante winner Vivid Angel that met Baffert in the winner's circle. The Eddie Delahoussaye-ridden filly took an on-the-pace tactic for the one-mile win. Love Lock chased second while Balisian Beauty was third. Sunday at Belmont, the Prizette saw the unbeaten Midwest invader Silver Maiden stretch her win streak to five with an easy victory under new rider Jerry Bailey. Well-backed Diamond On The Run followed the Arlington-Washington Lassie winner home in the Grade I 1-1/16-mile event. Also on Sunday at Santa Anita, highly regarded Marie J won her maiden by a dozen uncontested lengths and may join the wide-open division.

BREEDERS' CUP JUVENILE: Saturday at Keeneland, the Grade II Breeders' Futurity centered around divisional leader Favorite Trick. This unbeaten graded-stakes winner stretched his win streak to seven with an off-the-pace victory in the 1-1/16-mile race with regular rider Pat Day aboard. He now goes into Breeders' Cup as the Juvenile favorite. Later at Belmont, the Champagne at the same distance saw Belmont Futurity winner Grand Slam run down pacesetter Lil's Lad to win for Team Lukas. Under Gary Stevens, Slam had to catch freakishly fast fractions set by Lad while downing six other competitors. At Santa Anita on Sunday, the Grade I Norfolk saw Del Mar Futurity winner Souvenir Copy overtake the highly regarded Old Trieste in the one-mile fixture. Copy's new rider Gary Stevens will now have to make a decision for the Juvenile, while Chris McCarron, who vacated the winner in favor of Old Trieste, will stay with the runner-up.

BREEDERS' CUP SPRINT: The six-furlong Forest Hills Handicap at Belmont on Sunday saw a full field chase pace-factor Kelly Kip to victory. West Coast invader Crafty Friend finished second as Royal Haven came third.

BREEDERS' CUP DISTAFF: Sunday at Belmont, the Grade I Beldame assembled the best field of the division, and Hidden Lake returned to the races with a resounding victory for her fourth consecutive graded-stakes score. Invading from California, Jewel Princess finished second in the 1-1/8-mile race to tighten up for her Cup Distaff defense. Later at Santa Anita, the Grade II Lady's Secret Handicap saw Team Lukas' Sharp Cat dictate the pace and hold on to win over Twice The Vice. Vice needed the prep and should move forward off the 1-1/16-mile effort.

BREEDERS' CUP MILE: Saturday at Belmont, the one-mile Kelso Handicap showcased the speed of gate-to-wire winner Lucky Coin. The front-running victor won his seventh grass race of eight on the year pacing an oversubscribed field as the favorite. Later at Santa Anita, the Oak Tree BC Mile saw Team Lukas strike again. Fantastic Fellow scored a blanket-finish win over a troubled Magellan and Japanese import Taiki Blizzard. Blizzard blew the first turn on the Arcadia lawn but should learn from the outing for Inglewood. The Group I Dewhurst at Newmarket, England, was won by Xaar for the Arc de Triomphe victory team of jockey Olivier Peslier and trainer Andre Fabre.

BREEDERS' CUP TURF: Saturday at Belmont, the Grade I 1-1/2-mile Turf Classic witnessed a funeral-march pace in the quintet field. Val's Prince supplied the death knell over Flag Down for the victory and punched his ticket to Hollywood. Sunday at Woodbine, Canada, the Grade I Canadian National saw a field of six at 1-1/2 miles and $1 million. Chief Bearhart bettered his second-place finish of 1996 with a victory this year and clinched Canadian Horse-of-the-Year honors, but his Breeders' Cup participation is not that certain. The Group I Champion Stakes at Newmarket saw Japan-bound Pilsudski win, however sixth-placed Benny The Dip is coming.

BREEDERS' CUP CLASSIC: Saturday's $1 million Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup saw Skip Away destroy six competitors that included Santa Anita Handicap winner Siphon. With new rider Jerry Bailey up, Skip Away won the 1-1/4-mile event for the second consecutive year. Trainer Sonny Hine said before the race that if Skip Away won, he would supplement him to the Classic. But afterwards, he was still on the fence about coming up with the $480,000 needed to start in the $4 million race. Team Lukas' Coup D'Argent broke down in the race and was euthanized. Siphon may face retirement after his dismal performance.