Columnist Ralph Siraco: Horse fans prepare for biggest event — Breeders’ Cup

Ralph Siraco

Monday, Nov. 2, 1998 | 11:49 a.m.

Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday and his Southern California selections run Tuesday through Friday on the scoreboard page. Write to him c/o Las Vegas Sun, 800 S. Valley View Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89107.

On Saturday, America will once again go to the races.

The 15th renewal of the Sport of Kings' Super Bowl -- known as the Breeders' Cup -- will again transform everyone into a racing fan for an afternoon.

Only America's most famous horse race, the Kentucky Derby, and the anticipated spring ritual of a potential Triple Crown winner gets as much attention and mainstream interest as the Breeders' Cup. And, this year, for a record fourth time, the home of the Kentucky Derby will host the Championship Day of racing.

But unlike the Triple Crown, which is run for three-year-olds covering three races over three race tracks spanning five weeks, the Breeders' Cup features the world's best thoroughbreds competing in seven separate divisions on one day at one site.

This year, 117 horses were pre-entered for the seven-race series with final entries to be taken Wednesday to determine the field sizes, the competitors and post positions.

The Classic, to be run as the seventh event and centerpiece race, leads the most star-studded and accomplished group of handicap runners in the history of this championship.

A Kentucky Derby winner, two winners of the Belmont Stakes and the European champ are a portion of the challengers waiting to stop the defending champion. And, if supplemental entrants Silver Charm and Gentlemen make the Classic field, it will be the richest thoroughbred horse race ever run, with a purse of $5,120,000 on the line along with Horse of the Year honors.

All Las Vegas race books are planning special offerings for the second biggest annual single-day racing simulcast. From the invited guest parties on the Strip to the packed neighborhood rooms for locals, the town's racing industry will be full of giveaways that include an assortment of Breeders' Cup logo items to drawings for cash bets.

For those wishing to partake this racing spectacle from home, all seven races will be televised live by KVBC-TV Channel 3 from 10 a.m to 2:30 p.m.

As we wait for the final die to be cast on the fields for this year's Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs here are some of the contenders pointing for the seven-race slugfest in Louisville: (in race order):

* The Juvenile for two-year-olds -- Cat Thief heads a five horse pre-entry from the D. Wayne Lukas barn. The most successful Breeders' Cup trainer also has multiple stakes winner Yes It's True along with Mountain Range, Tactical Cat and Time Bandit. Other top contenders are The Groom Is Red, Lemon Drop Kid and Answer Lively.

* The Juvenile Fillies kicks off the Pick 6 -- Trainer Bob Baffert holds a pair of aces in Silverbulletday and Excellent Meeting. Antahkarana looms the main threat with Confessional and Rayelle as contenders.

* The Sprint -- Affirmed Success may be the most accomplished but local favorite Wild Rush, the stretch-running Gold Land and filly A.P. Assay should be respected. Runaway winner Reraise and the intriguing Richter Scale makes the shortest and quickest race of the series tough to single.

* The Mile -- The most popular and oversubscribed race traditionally goes to the horse who gets the trip. Europeans do well in this heat and are represented by the favorite Desert Prince along with Among Men and Fly To The Stars. LaBeeb, Hawksley Hill, Joyeux Danseur and last year's Horse of the Year, Favorite Trick, lead the American contingent.

* The Distaff -- This year the purse money doubles for the fillies and mares. The most significant defection of Breeders' Cup comes in this event. Sharp Cat, who would have been the favorite and a popular pick-6 singleton was declared from the race on Saturday. Banshee Breeze will now assume the role of favorite with Escena and Kentucky Oaks winner Keeper Hill now the main foes. Tomisue's Delight and Tap To Music also have a look if the race shapes up for either one.

* The Turf -- This grass marathon finds defending champ Chief Bearhart an outsider to repeat. Europeans Daylami, Royal Anthem and Leggera head up a contentious bunch. Buck's Boy, Bonapartiste and Military will lead the American interests while Cetewayo, River Bay or any other entrant would not surprize.

* The Classic -- By any standard, the race of the year on paper. Defending champion Skip Away will try to become the first repeat winner. Standing in his way are '96 Derby winner Silver Charm and '96 Belmont winner Touch Gold, who heads a three-horse coupling with Awesome Again and Coronado's Quest. Euro-monster Swain, Gentlemen, Arch and this year's Belmont Stakes winner, Victory Gallop, all have the credentials to capture the Classic as well. This has all the makings to be a race for the ages.