Columnist Ralph Siraco: Watch out for dark horses — or even a gray

Ralph Siraco

Monday, Oct. 23, 2000 | 10:22 a.m.

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

On Wednesday, "pre-entries" will be taken for the Breeders' Cup, to be run at Churchill Downs on Saturday, Nov. 4.

By all indications, this year's eight-race Breeders' Cup should push the number of entries to a record level.

With less than two weeks remaining until show time in Bluegrass Country, a few elements to this championship day are becoming evident.

The anticipated showdown of Dubai World Cup winner Dubai Millennium, super import Horse Chestnut, Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus, Preakness winner Red Bullet and Belmont champ Commendable won't happen.

Horse Chestnut was the first to fall earlier this year while campaigning at Gulfstream Park, followed by Dubai Millennium shortly after his desert score, then by Red Bullet and Commendable, whose connections decided to pass on the Cup.

Then there was the summertime rise of the super-mare Riboletta.

While the racing world anticipated an old-fashioned duel between Beautiful Pleasure and Heritage of Gold, the import reeled off awesome performances that has put her squarely as the mare to beat in the Distaff. Most racing experts believe that Riboletta, who polished off Beautiful Pleasure with ease in their recent Big Apple meeting, should bypass the easy bingo space and take on the boys in the Classic.

And then there is that Classic.

Although Fusaichi Pegasus is scheduled to run in the main event at Louisville, he has not started since an overwhelming victory in the Jerome Handicap at Belmont Park on Sept. 23. Before that he had not raced since his runner-up effort in the May 20 Preakness. He has not worked since the Jerome victory.

Only a fool would second-guess Hall of Fame trainer Neil Drysdale, but the task of getting ready for what appears to be Fusaichi Pegasus' sternest challenge may suggest a harder training program should have been in order.

Then there is the defection -- and deterioration -- of the older handicap division stars.

In addition to the forced retirements of the aforementioned, horses such as Almutawakel, Budroyale, Ecton Park, Exchange Rate, General Challenge, High Yield, Mighty, Puerto Madero, River Keen, Stephen Got Even, The Deputy, Aptitude, Dixie Union, Early Pioneer and Unshaded will be watching the Classic on TV from their respective stalls this year.

And the older horses that have survived come limping into the Classic. Lemon Drop Kid and Golden Missile lost their Breeders' Cup preps while Behrens has been withdrawn from the race after recent lackluster performances.

In addition to Lemon Drop Kid and Golden Missile, only defending champion Cat Thief is expected to return in the Classic from a field of 14 last year.

This year the supplemental entries seem to be holding some aces.

Of the supplements, three stand with excellent chances of recovering their high stipend to participate and two are poised to parlay a Breeders' Cup trophy into an Eclipse Award.

This year's sophomore class has matured past its elders' competitive levels.

While Fusaichi Pegasus grazed in the grass as his connections grazed in the green of a reported $60 million stallion syndication, California-bred Tiznow was picking up the slack in Louisiana and California. The full brother to 1999 Breeders' Cup Classic runner-up Budroyale, Tiznow captured the Super Derby at Louisiana Downs and two weeks later took the Goodwood Handicap at Oak Tree at Santa Anita on Oct. 15. The Goodwood victory persuaded Tiznow's owners to ante up the required $360,000 supplemental fee for his chance to take on Fusaichi & Co.

Captain Steve, who was a player on the Kentucky Derby trail, rebounded under the tutelage of trainer Bob Baffert and has also encouraged his connections to buy his way into the party. After winning the Kentucky Cup Classic in mid-September at Turfway Park, Captain Steve pushed Tiznow right to the finish of the Goodwood while a close runner up. Owner Mike Pegram supplemented Captain Steve to the 1999 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, and as a result will get a credit for the Classic. He will sign the check for $290,000.

Of all the supplements so far this year, it would seem that the payment of $400,000 to make Riboletta a starter in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff is the safest gamble. While many think she is the best horse in America right now -- male or female -- and believe she should be in the Classic, a Distaff start is expected to bring the winner's share of the purse plus a legitimate chance at Horse of the Year honors should something unexpected happen in the Classic later on the day. A Distaff victory will certainly wrap the bow around the best Older Filly or Mare Eclipse Award title.

The most surprising supplement is the announcement that New York-bred Gander will join the Breeders' Cup Classic cast. His owners, Ted and Mike Gatsas, decided to put up the $360,000 after their gray finished second in the Jockey Club Gold Cup on Oct. 14 to another rising sophomore, Albert The Great, who will also start in the Classic. He preceded that runner-up effort with a solid third in the Woodward at Belmont on Sept. 16 and seems to be at his peak right now.

Mike Gatsas said Gander and all of his handlers deserved the chance to go to the big show. The decision came as a surprise to the groom, exercise boy, hotwalker and trainers John and Tonya Terranova. "They're probably still in shock," Gatsas said of the staffers.

Gatsas also summed up what the Breeders' Cup -- like the Derby and the Triple Crown -- is all about when he said, "We might never have this chance again. You just dream about this.

"I've been invited to Churchill Downs many times, but I said I'd never go until I had a horse," Gatsas said. "I guess we're going."

Many wish they could say the same.