Columnist Ralph Siraco: Cup winner Tiznow still talk of town

Ralph Siraco

Monday, Nov. 12, 2001 | 10:36 a.m.

Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday, and his Southern California selections run on the Scoreboard page Tuesday-Friday. Reach him c/o Las Vegas Sun, 2275 Corporate Circle Drive, Suite 300, Henderson, NV 89074.

Although the horse racing season is a seamless run from year to year, it has been more than two weeks since this year's championship day. The Oct. 27 World Thoroughbred Championships at Belmont Park is still being talked about, analyzed and categorized as to the who, what and why that led to the results of the 17th Breeders' Cup races.

While some Eclipse Awards were clearly secured by those who won their division races, others may find themselves having to run another race before the year's titles are tallied.

It was encouraging to learn that the first two-time winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic will return to race next year with BC Classic 2002 as a main objective.

Tiznow, who earlier won the prestigious Santa Anita Handicap in March, capped a repeat victory in the $4 million centerpiece. Repelling the challenge of a foreign invader for the second consecutive year, Tiznow outdueled 'Arc de Triomphe winner Sakhee to score a photo finish in the year's most exciting handicap event and could have clinched a second consecutive Horse Of The Year honor when the Eclipse Award votes are counted.

Before Tiznow's Classic accomplishment, the retired Point Given, with a foursome of million-dollar victories, seemed to have the gold trophy sewn up. Now, accounting for two-thirds of the Triple Crown with wins in the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes followed by triumphs in the Haskell Invitational and Travers Stakes may not be enough for a sophomore who failed to last the season and challenge older horses in the fall classics.

Godolphin Racing, Inc., of Dubai has already committed Sahkee to competition next year as well, and hopes to meet Tiznow for a repeat showdown in next year's Breeders' Cup Classic.

Those who retired after their runs in the Classic include third-place finisher Albert The Great, fifth-place Guided Tour, sixth-place European wonder horse Galileo and the Classic betting favorite Aptitude, who ran eighth. Guided Tour recently was purchased and heads to Saudi Arabia while all but Galileo will start their stud duties in the United States.

Breeders' Cup Turf winner Fantastic Light will also head to the breeding shed after his connections -- Godolphin Racing, Inc. -- finally announced his retirement last week. A final victory in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Turf pushed his lifetime earnings to $7,434,321 behind only Skip Away with $9,616,360 and the all-time leader Cigar at $9,999,815.

A final 2001 start for the Juvenile favorite Officer is scheduled Dec. 15 in the Hollywood Futurity at Hollywood Park. Before the Breeders' Cup, Officer had all but carved his name on the Eclipse Award for top 2-year-old of the year. After his shocking loss in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, trainer Bob Baffert stunned the racing fraternity by running Officer in the California Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita just one week after his Breeders' Cup debacle. Officer failed again, this time to a much inferior field of runners. Now, a career repair effort is in motion.

Johannesburg capped an undefeated season with his Breeders' Cup Juvenile victory. The European son of Hennessey, shipped across the pond, raced on dirt and beyond six furlongs for the first time while capturing the Juvenile. Although he has returned to Europe, Johannesburg has next year's Kentucky Derby on the radar screen.

Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Banks Hill remains in training and her next start is still in question. Runner-up Spook Express could show up in a filly and mare turf stakes at the Hollywood Park Turf Festival meeting currently in session.

Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Squirtle Squirt not only ended the Breeders' Cup 0-for-38 string for trainer Bobby Frankel, but also secured the Eclipse Award for sprinter. The misfit-of-the-year award should go to Xtra Heat. The gutty filly finished second in the Sprint and boasts a record of nine wins and three seconds from a dozen starts, but sits in no-man's land. As a sophomore filly, she falls in the category with Exogenous, Flute, Fleet Rene and Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Unbridled Elaine. Because she did not win the Sprint, Xtra Heat will be by far the most talented and accomplished runner this year that will not win an award.

The connections of Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Unbridled Elaine are entertaining a season-ending start in an upcoming stakes at Churchill Downs. With the tough competition in the division for the Eclipse Award, another victory may be needed to take the hardware.

The same train of thought may apply to Breeders' Cup Mile winner Val Royal. His connections indicate a third consecutive victory might be in order for the trophy. Val Royal is scheduled to compete in a turf stakes at the Hollywood Park Turf Festival before the meet ends.

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Tempera is done for the year. She is waiting in quarantine in California for a trip back to Dubai.

Although many horses that competed in the Breeders' Cup may race again this year, very few, if any, have anything more at stake than another victory to score before the year rings to an end.