Monday, Oct. 28, 2002 | 9:23 a.m.
Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday and his Southern California selections run Tuesday-Sunday.
How'd he do?
LAS VEGAS SUN
Ralph Siraco, who covers horse racing for the Las Vegas Sun, selected five of the eight winners in his Breeders' Cup preview that appearred in Friday's edition.
They were:
This year's Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships was widely regarded to be a real showdown for the year-end divisional honors of racing.
Only time will tell where the winners of the 19th edition of racing's World Series rank with other Breeders' Cup champions. Wherever history finally places the caliber of this Breeders' Cup, one thing was certain at Arlington Park on Saturday: The competition was deep and more than a few performances earned the Eclipse Award.
And each race had its story to tell.
The day opened with the $2 million Distaff. California invader Azeri was installed the race favorite, but a majority of the sport's experts discounted her impressive six-race win streak in Graded competition. She would be facing the toughest field assembled for this event in recent years.
Azeri completed her brilliant year by dueling through quick fractions for the lead, then under jockey Mike Smith, pulled away from the best distaffers in the world while cruising to a dazzling five-length victory.
Kentucky Oaks and Alabama winner Farda Amiga was second while Gazelle and Beldame winner Imperial Gesture finished third.
Azeri's overpowering victory threw the gauntlet to the Classic runners for Horse of the Year honors while locking up the Eclipse Award for her division. She paid $5.60 to win.
The $1 million Juvenile Fillies provide a sensational stretch duel between two promising first year gals. Favorite Storm Flag Flying kept her perfect racing record in tact while taking down the Eclipse Award. Composure, who caught and passed the winner in mid-stretch, could not sustain a determined Storm Flag Flying.
The daughter of 1995 Juvenile Fillies winner My Flag and granddaughter of 1988 Distaff winner Personal Ensign, re-rallied from the inside and fought back for a fourth career victory. She paid $3.60 to win.
The $1 million Mile on the turf featured European monster Rock of Gibraltar.
An overflow field of solid milers came to the top of the Arlington straight like I-15 at during rush hour. Landseer suddenly broke down to compromise several horses, but ironically, provided room for stablemate Rock of Gibraltar, who was bottled up in traffic.
Irish-bred Domedriver, representing French connections, found room on the inside and got first run on Rock of Gibraltar. That was all he needed while upsetting the field and holding off favorite Rock of Gibraltar to win. Although an Eclipse Award may be forthcoming, the award at the windows was $54 to win.
The $1 million Sprint assembled a competitive renewal. Orientate provided the leading trainer and jockey of Breeders' Cup another victory while giving owners Bob & Beverly Lewis their first. Returning from an eight-week vacation, Orientate locked up the Eclipse Award with his fifth consecutive win. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas increased his total to 17 wins while jockey Jerry Bailey won BC race number 13 while breaking a tie with Pat Day. Orientate paid $7.40 to win.
The $1 million Filly & Mare Turf featured defending titleholder Banks Hill. Trainer Bobby Frankel saddled recently acquired Banks Hill and his own Starine for the grass marathon.
Her victory should be enough to earn the Eclipse Award. She paid $28.40 to win.
The $1 million Juvenile attracted most of the freshmen that will be household words on next year's Kentucky Derby trail. Trainer Bob Baffert, who knows something about winning the spring classics, saddle a trio in the event.
Vindication, a striking son of 1977 Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year Seattle Slew, dueled stablemate Bull Market early and put away that rival and everyone else with a solid victory to finish the year a perfect 4-for-4 in his brief career.
Vindication paid $10.20 for the win.
The $2 million Turf turned out to be another showcase for the European runners. High Chaparral disposed of seven rivals while stretching the Euro-win streak in this event to four years in a row. Although the Irish-bred won only one race on this continent, he may have done enough to garner the Eclipse Award in a weak division. He paid $3.80 to win.
The $4 million Classic had a dozen line up for the main event. Split evenly between the best surviving sophomores and the older handicap stars, Horse of the Year honors were on the line for at least three in the class of 1999.
Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner War Emblem was making his last career start, Travers and Jim Dandy winner Medaglia d'Oro and Pacific Classic winner Came Home were also in the running.
But the Classic turned out to mirror the mediocre class in this division when Volponi came rolling home to capture the big prize. Boasting an allowance and a Grade III victory, Volponi beat his closest rival, Medaglia d'Oro by more than 6 lengths and paid $89 to win.
It seems the first and last races on the Breeders' Cup card provided compelling reasons for the Horse of the Year Eclipse Award. And, like this upside down year of runners, the first race (Distaff) and not the last (Classic) points to the gold trophy.
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