Columnist Ralph Siraco: European runners ready for Breeders Cup

Ralph Siraco

Monday, Oct. 21, 2002 | 9:21 a.m.

Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday and his Southern California selections run Tuesday-Sunday.

On Saturday, the Sport Of Kings will stage its World Series when the 19th Breeders' Cup will be presented at Arlington Park, Ill. The one day, eight-race event will bring together the best horses from around the world for a one-race showdown in each of the eight major divisions.

Since inception, the Breeders' Cup has invited and encouraged competition from the best of racing over the pond. Now, known as the World Thoroughbred Championship Breeders' Cup, it has met and surpassed that goal.

Last year, three of the eight events were won by European-based and raced runners. For the first time, a Euro two-year-old won the Juvenile and that victory enabled an undefeated Johannesburg to garner the year-end Eclipse Award. Fantastic Light took the Turf as the shortest priced winner on the program and Banks Hill won the Filly & Mare Turf by the widest margin of the day.

In 1993 the European Arcangues won the Classic for a Breeders' Cup record pari-mutuel payoff of $269.20. Although trainer Andre Fabre employed the colony's top jock Jerry Bailey to win that Classic, the foreign runners have managed a wide third with Swain in 1998 and photo-finish seconds with Giant's Causeway in 2000 and Sakhee last year.

A quick check of the past 18 runnings shows the European contingent fares much better when the event is held at seasonable weather sites.

This year Arlington Park should fit their bill well. Overnight temperatures at the track have already dipped to freezing and the weather forecast for Saturday in the Chicago area is for crisp, clear conditions.

This year, the Euros are loaded for bear.

Twenty-one European-trained horses have been pre-entered for the Breeders' Cup. Final entries will be taken Wednesday and most, if not all, will get into the body of the eight Breeders' Cup races. The Arlington site and its cool weather is a big reason for the solid turnout.

Here are the European invaders, race-by-race, for this year's Breeders' Cup: