America’s day at the races

Friday, Oct. 29, 2004 | 10:26 a.m.

There is a chance of rain in the forecast for Saturday but little chance the horses won't run in the Breeders' Cup championships.

"We conduct the races just like anything else," said Breeders' Cup spokesman Jim Gluckson. "It's just like football."

It's Breeders' Cup time, Texas style. Big-time purses, big-time jockeys, big-time trainers, big-time owners and, of course, big-time players.

Racing's biggest day comes to the Lone Star State on Saturday with anything but a Lone Star.

The Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships is more than a World Series or Super Bowl, it is also the All-Star Game with all-star players. The best of the best for racing's best showdown.

The final fields for the eight championship races were drawn on Wednesday and with trainer D. Wayne Lukas declaring 2002 Horse Of The Year Azeri for the Classic rather than the free bingo square of the Distaff, the only drama left at entry time was the decision by owner Lord Derby where Euro-sensation Ouija Board would compete.

Taking the opposite tack from Azeri, Ouija Board will compete in the Filly & Mare Turf, not the Turf.

With the final supplemental fees added to the guaranteed purses, this 21st Breeders' Cup will feature 92 entrants going for total monies of $15.15 million.

Except for Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Smarty Jones, who was retired earlier this year, all of the major equine stars from all of the sport's respective divisions are on hand at host track Lone Star Park.

Three defending champions return trying for a repeat -- Six Perfections in the Mile, Cajun Beat in the Sprint and Pleasantly Perfect in the Classic seek back-to-back victories. Azeri, who won the Distaff in 2002, and Storm Flag Flying, who won the 2002 Juvenile Fillies, will try to become the first in Breeders' Cup history to win different championship events.

All of the Breeders' Cup leaders are represented again this year.

Leading owner Allen E. Paulson, with $7,570,000 in money won, has son Michael with Azeri to carry on the legacy; and trainer D. Wayne Lukas, the leader in both money won at $18,608,400 and victories with 17, has three chances to add to his totals.

Jockey Jerry Bailey, who leads in victories with 14, has six rides that include Classic favorite Pleasantly Perfect. Pat Day, the leader in money won with $22,913,360, has five mounts highlighted by Azeri to try to add to his bankroll.

Only jockeys Corey Nakatani, Edgar Prado and John Velazquez have a full dance card, riding all eight championship races.

Two newcomers could have immediate impact on the Breeders' Cup record book on Saturday. Although Ken and Sarah Ramsey started one horse in Breeders' Cup before (Catienus who was 13th in the 1999 Classic), the Churchill Downs nine-time title-holding owners have three contenders this year -- Nothing To Lose (7-2) in the Mile, favorite Kitten's Joy (even money) in the Turf and Roses In May (5-1) in the Classic.

Trainer Dale Romans makes his Breeders' Cup debut with Kitten's Joy and Roses In May for the Ramseys.

Finally, the Lone Star Park racing strip and turf course have been manicured to perfection and players will be getting down on the Ultra Pick 6 from betting stations around the world. Las Vegas race books will be packed and promotional giveaways will highlight the celebration.

Here, then, is the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships eight-race card:

The Distaff

1 1/8 miles, fillies & mares, $2 million

This race was thrown wide open when the Azeri connections opted to go into the Classic. In her absence, Ashado was installed the morning line favorite at 7-2 odds.

Although the Todd Pletcher trainee comes into the race off a victory -- her fourth of seven starts this year -- Storm Flag Flying, Island Fashion and European star Nebraska Tornado will attract wagering attention in the BC opener.

Storm Flag Flying hails from the powerful Phipps family stables and Island Fashion comes here off a victory in the Lady's Secret at Santa Anita.

Nebraska Tornado beat the boys while racking up a 4-for-5 record last year, but is winless in four starts this year.

Society Selection and Hollywood Story have long shot looks.

History tells us that either a boxcar winner, like Adoration's $83.40 win last year, or the $3.00 mutuels recorded by Personal Ensign (1988) or Lady's Secret (1986) could be seen. The first of three Pick 4 pools, this is a multiple choice.

Picks:

1. Storm Flag Flying (9-2)

2. Nebraska Tornado (15-1)

Value Play -- Island Fashion (5-1)

The Juvenile Fillies

1 1/16 miles, 2-year-old fillies, $1 million

This is one of three Breeders' Cup races fully subscribed. The 13-filly field on the 1-mile oval will demand that the winner get a good trip. Five here have won their last outings. Of them, Del Mar Debutante and Oak Leaf Stakes winner Sweet Catomine (5-2 favorite), Arlington-Washington Lassie winner Culinary and Canadian invader Higher World come into the event off back-to-back victories.

Sense of Style was blocked in the stretch while suffering her first defeat in the Alcibiades after a trio of stylish victories from four lifetime starts.

Frizette winner Balletto is a three-time winner from four lifetime starts and could be the first Breeders' Cup winner bred in the United Arab Emirates. Bailey, who has won more Breeders' Cup races than any other jockey, becomes the fifth rider in as many starts for the Darley Stable filly. She also starts from the good rail post in the two-turn outing. Wide open filly-fest.

Picks:

1. Balletto (5-1)

2. Sense Of Style (7-2)

Value Play -- Culinary (12-1)

The Mile

1 mile on turf, 3-year-olds & up, $1.5 million

This event has always been a great race, maybe because of its tight turns, full fields and equally competitive foreign and American runners. It again has the largest field of the day.

Not one of the 14 horses in the field has run over this course. The Bobby Frankel trainee Nothing To Lose has been installed a lukewarm favorite at 7-2.

Back to defend her victory of last year, Six Perfections comes here winless of three starts this year.

Half of the field comes into this heat off victories. They are Artie Schiller (Jamaica & Hall of Fame), Blackdoun (Oceanside, La Jolla & Del Mar Derby), Mr. O'Brien (Kelso), Musical Chimes (Oak Tree Mile), Nothing To Lose (Shadwell Mile & Fourstardave) and Special Ring (Eddie Read), with recent Atto Mile winner Soaring Free sitting on a five-race win streak. Any one of those could record another victory here. The only guarantee for a win is hitting the all button on the betting machine.

Picks:

1. Special Ring (9-2)

2. Six Perfections (5-1)

Value Play -- Whipper (8-1)

The Sprint

6 furlongs, 3-year-olds & up, $1 million

The shortest race on the championship card represents the purest of American racing. Although speed is an advantage, too much speed can kill. Six of the 13 entered here were winners in their last outing.

Cajun Beat returns to defend his victory of last year, but this year under the tutelage of new trainer Frankel. Although Speightsstown lost his last race (third in the Vosburgh), he boasts the best record on the year with four wins from five starts. Phoenix BC winner Champali has a 4-for-6 record this year while Midas Eyes (also Frankel-trained) and Our New Recruit are 2-for-3 on the year.

Kela, however, comes here as the only horse in the field with a victory (Texas Mile) from two starts over the track.

This race could set up for a surprise. Clock Stopper comes here off a solid third in the Phoenix and should be in position if the pace gets too hot.

Picks:

1. Clock Stopper (9-2)

2. Cajun Beat (8-1)

Value Play -- Champali (12-1)

The Filly & Mare Turf

1 3/8 miles turf, 3-year-olds & up, fillies & mares, $1 million

The newest addition to the original Breeders' Cup championship races. In just five previous runnings, the grass marathon has showcased European-bred stars Banks Hill (Great Britain) in 2001, Starine (France) in 2002 and Islington (Ireland) last year.

Seven of the dozen here are foreign-bred with British-bred Ouija Board installed as the favorite at 8-5 off her third against the boys in the Group I Arc de Triomphe on Oct. 2 at Longchamp.

Only two in the field have victories in their most recent start. They are Flower Bowl winner Riskaverse and Yellow Ribbon winner Light Jig. If Ouija Board can duplicate her Arc effort here, she will be tough to beat. If not, Diana and New York Handicap winner Wonder Again is said to be taking to Lone Star Park with zeal.

Frankel, who won as owner and trainer with Starine, has interesting long shot Megahertz to go with his Light Jig here. Beginning of the second Pick 4 on the card.

Picks:

1. Ouija Board (8-5)

2. Wonder Again (8-1)

Value Play -- Megahertz (10-1)

The Juvenile

1 1/16 miles, 2-year-olds, $1.5 million

The Kentucky Derby mania begins here. Just eight -- equaling the 1997 edition at Hollywood Park as the smallest field -- were entered. Although no horse has ever won this event and returned to win the Derby, whoever is victorious will become the immediate future book favorite for the 2005 run for the roses.

Small in size but deep in contention, this field has a combined 37 lifetime starts with 16 victories.

Trainer Todd Pletcher hopes to snap his oh-fer Breeders' Cup record with a victory by undefeated Proud Accolade, who won his third lifetime start, in the Champagne in his last outing. Trainer Bob Baffert brings the promising-but-temperamental son of 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus in recent Norfolk Stakes winner Roman Ruler (3-for-4 lifetime).

The only other horse coming here off a victory is trainer Lukas' Lane's End Futurity impressive winner Consolidator. Although Afleet Alex finished second to Proud Accolade in the Champagne for his first loss in a five-race career, he has been training well at Lone Star Park and may go off the favorite here.

Sun King (third in the Champagne) is the sleeper.

Picks:

1. Consolidator (8-1)

2. Roman Ruler (8-5)

Value Play -- Sun King (8-1)

The Turf

1 1/2 miles turf, 3-year-olds & up, $2 million

This race produced the only dead heat in Breeders' Cup history last year (High Chaparral/Johar).

Half of the previous runnings have been won by foreign invaders. This year, only two are foreign-raced in the small field of eight (equaling the record smallest field at Arlington Park in 2002). Many European stars abstained because of the tight turns and short home stretch on the Lone Star Park course.

Sensational American sophomore turf star Kitten's Joy may have been the other reason. Kitten's Joy beat older rivals in Belmont's Turf Classic for his sixth victory from seven grass starts this year. British-bred Powerscourt looks to avenge his Arlington Million disqualification earlier this year, after finishing first. Although Magistretti couldn't handle Kitten's Joy in the Turf Classic while runner-up, he could bounce back to his Man O' War victory effort before that.

Picks:

1. Powerscourt (3-1)

2. Kitten's Joy (1-1)

Value Play -- Magistretti (4-1)

The Classic

1 1/4 miles, 3-year-olds & up, $4 million

There were many years when the Classic looked like a real showdown six months out, then fell apart. This year, the Classic got stronger as it neared Saturday's renewal.

Of the 13 set to go, the field features this year's Belmont and Travers Stakes winner Birdstone; 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Funny Cide; Ghostzapper, who comes here a perfect 3-for-3 in graded stakes races this year and with a 7-for-9 lifetime record; Perfect Drift, who has been in the money in 13 lifetime graded stakes appearances from 25 lifetime starts; Roses In May, who is a perfect 5-for-5 this year with a trio of graded stakes wins; and defending Classic champ Pleasantly Perfect, who has won the $6 million Dubai World Cup and $1 million Pacific Classic since his Breeders' Cup win last year.

Although they come with championship credentials, it is Azeri who has the superstar stats.

The 6-year-old champion mare boasts a dozen Grade I wins from 14 graded victories that included the 2002 Distaff in an 11-race win streak and 2002 Horse Of The Year honors.

It's a grab-bag beauty of a race to end the championship day. Starts the final Pick 4 pool on the Lone Star Park program.

Picks:

1. Pleasantly Perfect (5-2)

2. Ghostzapper (3-1)

Value Play -- Roses In May (5-1)

Just as with the World Series or Super Bowl, it is the event and its champions that make it memorable. Just as in the World Series or Super Bowl, once the competitors get to this level, the average sports fan becomes as versed in the event and its players as the experts.

It is time to enjoy America's day at the races.

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