Tag: Art Collector

Equibase Analysis: Knicks Go Should Lead Classic Field On A Merry Chase

The 38th running of the Grade 1, $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic drew a field of nine, including 2021 Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit, who enters the race off a win last month in the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes.

Hot Rod Charlie and Essential Quality, who finished third and fourth in the Derby, respectively, have both come a long way since then as Hot Rod Charlie won the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby and Essential Quality won the Grade 1 Travers Stakes in their most recent races. Another with top credentials is Art Collector, winner of the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes last month for his third straight stakes win. Then there's Max Player, riding a two-race winning streak at the Classic distance consisting of the Grade 2 Suburban Stakes in July followed by the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup.

The aforementioned quintet are likely to be chasing Knicks Go from the onset. Riding a three-race winning streak including the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes,  Knicks Go is a 5-year-old with field high earnings of $5.5 million and is unlikely to yield to any of them from the moment the gates open. Stilleto Boy earned the biggest stakes win of his career when winning the Iowa Derby in July but has been beaten soundly by Medina Spirit in two straight races, Similarly, Express Train, who won the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap in July at Del Mar, finished seven lengths behind Medina Spirit in the Awesome Again. Tripoli rounds out the field. Winner of the Grade 1 Pacific Classic in August, he was beaten eight lengths while never threatening in the Awesome Again last month.

Top three win contenders (in probability/preference order):

Knicks Go has an edge over the other eight horses in this year's Breeders' Cup Classic because of his running style. Knicks Go has had the lead from the start in his last eight races, consisting of seven wins. As such, the trainers of the other eight horses can strategize all they want about how the race can be won by their charges, but one thing is certain and that is if any of the other entrants try to fight for the early lead with Knicks Go they are likely to be severely compromising their own chances of success.

On the other hand, if Knicks Go is left unabated on the front end, he is likely to get into a steady rhythm and will not allow any other horse to get within a length of him in the last quarter mile. Since returning from a trip half way across the world to compete in the Saudi Cup in February and being short of 100% when fourth in the Metropolitan Handicap in June, Knicks Go has reeled off three straight impressive victories with Equibase Speed Figures of 118, 117 and 115. Jockey Joel Rosario, who has been in the saddle aboard Knicks Go for his last six wins, fits the horse perfectly by allowing him to get into a fluid stride and do his thing, which once again in the Breeders' Cup Classic should be to control the tempo on fast fractions from the start and never look back.

Art Collector and Max Player are both likely to be taking up stalking positions behind Knicks Go shortly after the start as that has been their successful strategy in winning key Classic prep races this summer and fall. Art Collector has won three straight since moving to the care of Hall-of-Fame trainer Bill Mott this summer, with each effort better than the rest. After winning the Alydar Stakes in August with a 110 figure, Art Collector improved to 115 in the Charles Town Classic then to a career-best 120 figure effort in the Woodward Stakes last month. Although he led from start to finish in two of those three races, in the Charles Town Classic Art Collector stalked the early leader in second before forging to the front in the last eighth of a mile. Therefore if Knicks Go can be passed in the final stages of this race, Art Collector is one of those who may be able to go by the early leader and post the upset.

Max Player has also run career-best races in his most recent starts. After returning from an 11th place finish in the Saudi Cup, Max Player finished a poor sixth in the Pimlico Special in May but rebounded nicely to win the Suburban Stakes at the distance of the Classic in July. Earning a career-best 113 figure with that effort, Max Player duplicated it when winning the Jockey Club Gold Cup in September with the same figure. In both races, under jockey Ricardo Santana Jr., who will ride again in the Classic, Max Player sat in second in the early stages then pounced on the leader before drawing off, doing so by four lengths in the Jockey Club Gold Cup in a decisive effort in his most recent win.

About the rest:

Essential Quality is eight for nine in his career, his lone defeat coming when a troubled fourth in the Kentucky Derby. Although beaten just one length by Medina Spirit for the win and just a head behind Hot Rod Charlie for third place, Essential Quality proved he belongs with the best in that race. Winning the Belmont Stakes five weeks later, then the Jim Dandy Stakes at the end of July, Essential Quality earned very similar figures of 107 to 109. Stretching out to the Classic distance for the Travers Stakes in August, Essential Quality once again ran professionally while battling head and head with Midnight Bourbon for the last eighth of a mile, coming out on top by a neck with a 109 figure. That 109 figure might be the issue with this talented colt in the Classic. Not only is Essential Quality coming back from the longest period of rest of any horse in the field (more than two months), he also has not improved his figures throughout his three year old campaign where significant improvement is needed to get to the 118 to 120 figure threshold it is going to take to win this race.

Hot Rod Charlie ran the best race of his career when victorious in the Pennsylvania Derby near the end of September, earning a 120 figure in the process while easily defeating Midnight Bourbon, who had battled down to the wire with Essential Quality one month earlier. On the other hand, Hot Rod Charlie puts blinkers back on for the Classic and it appears to me that when wearing blinkers for six straight races from October of last year through the Belmont he either ran evenly in the last eighth of a mile, or lost ground to the winner in the final stages. The first of two examples of that came when he was only a head behind Essential Quality in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile entering the stretch before finishing three-quarters of a length behind at the finish, and the other was when he was a head from Essential Quality in the Belmont with an eighth of a mile to run but one and one-quarter lengths behind him at the end.

Next we come to Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit. Never worse than third in nine career starts, Medina Spirit ran the best race of his career in the Derby with a 110 figure. Regressing to a much lower 95 figure effort when third in the Preakness, Medina Spirit won the non-graded Shared Belief Stakes in August after three months off with a 105 figure then improved to win the Awesome Again Stakes last month back to the 110 figure from the Derby. The problem Medina Spirit may have in this year's Classic is he has led from the start in his last four races, starting with the Derby. Being as Medina Spirit is unlikely to run as fast in the early stages as Knicks Go, he will be asked to take up a stalking position in the Classic and if his previous efforts from off the pace are any indication, Medina Spirit isn't as good from that position as he is on the lead. For example, when fourth in the early stages of the Santa Anita Derby in April, Medina Spirit could only manage second at the end and was beaten four lengths and the same thing happened previous to that when second and eight lengths behind the winner in the San Felipe Stakes.

Tripoli won the Pacific Classic Stakes at this distance in August with a 109 figure, having earned 106 and 109 figures previous to that. Then he regressed significantly in the Awesome Again when fourth with a 98 figure and as such it does not appear likely he can contend with the top horses in this race. Similarly, Express Train ran his best race of 2021 when winning the San Diego Handicap in July with a 107 figure but as he is entering this race off sixth and third place finishes with 95 and 99 figure efforts and has a tall order ahead of him to be competitive. Stilleto Boy finished second by five lengths to Medina Spirit in the Awesome Again with a 102 figure and ran the best race of his career with a 106 figure in the Iowa Derby in July but has never run this far and appears to be up against it in terms of a top three placing.

Grade 1 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic
Saturday, November 6 – Race 12, Post Time 8:40 PM E.T.
One Mile and One Quarter
For Three Year Olds and Upward
Purse: $6 Million
TV: NBC 8-9 p.m. ET

Ellis Starr is national racing analyst for Equibase. You can get Ellis' full card detailed analysis and betting recommendations for all the races at Del Mar on Breeders' Cup Weekend (Friday 11/5 and Saturday 11/6), at Equibase.com

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Breeders’ Cup Notes: Saturday Contenders Complete Final Preparations At Del Mar

CLASSIC

Art Collector – Bruce Lunsford's Longines Breeders' Cup Classic-bound homebred Art Collector had an easy jog under Neil Poznansky on Friday morning, one day ahead of his date with America's richest race. Trainer Bill Mott will start four horses this weekend, seeking his 11th Breeders' Cup trophy and third in the Classic.

“Everything's good. Channel Maker is in (the Longines Turf) and all the horses are good,” Mott said.

Essential Quality/Knicks Go – Trainer Brad Cox sent 2020 TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile and 2021 Belmont Stakes winner Essential Quality out to gallop Friday morning, while his stablemate and fellow Classic contender Knicks Go, winner of the 2020 Dirt Mile, just jogged on their final morning of training before Saturday's race.

“They're both training as well as they possibly can, they're both doing great,” Cox said. “Now, it's just a matter of what kind of trip they get. We're excited for tomorrow.”

Express Train – Trainer John Shirreffs sent Express Train to the track for a strong gallop very early Friday morning to complete his final preparations for Saturday's Classic. With abbreviated training hours again Saturday, the 4-year-old will just walk on the morning of the race.

When asked about the key to Express Train winning the 10-furlong race, Shirreffs said, “Stay on the outside of horses.”

Hot Rod Charlie – Roadrunner Racing, William Strauss, Boat Racing and Gainesway Stable's Doug O'Neill-trained Pennsylvania Derby (G1) winner Hot Rod Charlie jogged Friday morning.

“He just jogged today. Everything's fantastic with Charlie,” O'Neill said. (MacKinnon) is good to go today (in the Juvenile Turf).”

A winner of $6,171,535 in Breeders' Cup purses, O'Neill seeks his sixth trophy at the World Championships and first in the Classic. All in all, 19 of his 58 starters have earned a check and nine have finished in the top three.

Max Player – George Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbred Corps' Max Player had a final gallop Friday, one day before he attempts to give Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen his third Breeders' Cup victory in a year in which the trainer became the winningest trainer in North America. The trainer hit the milestone Aug. 7 when Stellar Tap provided him with career win No. 9,446 at Saratoga.

“We've had some monumental moments this year that are more than just memorable,” Asmussen said. “It started, I think coming off of last year and the pandemic, the uniqueness of that. Julie's and my oldest (Keith) getting to ride and winning a stakes, just things that you don't think of. And then for the same horse to win a Grade 1 being part owned by my parents and getting to run the horse in the Kentucky Derby for your parents. Setting the North American win record was something we'd been aiming at a long time. Those blessings for us as a family, to be able to look back over ground covered has been extremely special.”

Asmussen previously won the 2007 Classic with Curlin and 2017 Classic with Gun Runner at Del Mar.

Medina Spirit – Umberto Gomez, regular exercise rider for Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit, told trainer Bob Baffert that he didn't wear his riding gloves for this morning's gallop aboard the 3yo because he needed the extra gripping power to pull the colt up afterward.

Baffert said, “He's really training well. But, you know this is such a tough race. There's a lot of speed in the race and there are a lot of things that have to happen to win this race. He's ready, though.”

The son of Protonico will walk at the barn tomorrow morning.

Stilleto Boy – Steve Moger's Stilleto Boy galloped 1 1/2 miles under exercise rider Jose Sandoval before 6 o'clock on a foggy Friday morning at Del Mar to complete his training for the Classic. Stilleto Boy will not go to the track Saturday morning.

Trainer Ed Moger Jr., who will be saddling his first Breeders' Cup starter, will give a leg up to Kent Desormeaux Saturday afternoon on Stilleto Boy, who at 30-1 on the morning line, is the longest shot in the field of nine.

“I hope there is a ton of speed and he can relax not far off it,” Moger said. “That's the best scenario for him. I feel good about him and feel like he will run his best race and hopefully get a goof trip.”

Moger, who has nine horses at Del Mar, is hoping to get a memorable weekend off to a good start with two runners in Cal-bred undercard stakes: Vronsky Feint in the Golden State Juvenile Fillies and Love Candy in the Golden State Juvenile.

Tripoli – Pacific Classic winner Tripoli completed his Classic preparations by galloping once around with assistant trainer Juan Leyva aboard. Leyva, a former jockey who has been subbing for trainer John Sadler all week, is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of his Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint victory aboard Musical Romance. He joined Sadler in 2017 after retiring from the saddle.

DISTAFF

As Time Goes By/Private Mission – Stablemates Private Mission and As Time Goes By, entered in Saturday's Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff, galloped this morning to conclude their respective training leading up to the 9f race.

Trainer Bob Baffert said about Private Mission, “From the one post position, she's going to have to be ready to go. The key for her will be the break.”

As for As Time Goes By, he stated, “She needs to get into the race early. She needs to get away from the gate running.”

Both fillies are scheduled to walk tomorrow.

Blue Stripe (ARG) – Pozo de Luna's Blue Stripe (ARG) jogged once around with a pony and then galloped once around on the main track under exercise rider Alex Jimenez for trainer Marcelo Polanco.

Polanco said there is a possibility Blue Stripe would go to the track in the morning.

Listed at 30-1 on the morning line, Blue Strike will break from post four in her U.S. debut under Frankie Dettori.

“I would like to see a lot of speed early and have her get a good position and lay just off the leaders,” Polanco said of what he would like to see from the 4-year-old filly who will be making her first start in six months.

Clairiere – Trainer Steve Asmussen has made a habit of sending his horses to California well in advance of the Breeders' Cup and has found great success with that method. Four of his seven Breeders' Cup victories have taken place in California, including the 2017 Classic with Gun Runner at Del Mar. Stonestreet Farm's Clairiere and her stablemates were sent West shortly after their last races and the 3yo filly has had four works in Southern California in advance of the Distaff.

“What we're doing is trying to eliminate any variable that will keep them from running their race to compete at this level,” Asmussen said. “You don't want any excuses whatsoever. We've done it for several years whenever the Breeders' Cup is in California and have had success. I feel that we've been rewarded for it. You know, the sacrifices, (assistant trainer) Scott (Blasi) hasn't been home for, who knows how long, but the attention to detail that he takes to these horses, I think makes it possible. It puts us in the position that we are today.”

Dunbar Road/Royal Flag – Both of trainer Chad Brown's Distaff contenders, W. S. Farish's Royal Flag and Peter Brant's Dunbar Road, went through light training on the Del Mar main track Friday morning.

Horologist – Per trainer Bill Mott, There's a Chance Stable, Medallion Racing, Abbondanza Racing, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Paradise Farms and David Staudacher's Distaff contender Horologist jogged Friday morning.

Letruska – Trainer Fausto Gutierrez sent the 5-year-old mare Letruska out for a one-mile jog alongside a pony Friday morning.

On race day Saturday, Letruska, the 8-5 morning line favorite in the 38th Distaff will walk on the ring in front of her stall.

Lertruska and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. will start from post six in the field of 11. She is aiming for her sixth consecutive victory. The speedy mare typically is the pacesetter in her races.

“I think she needs to make her normal race,” Gutierrez said. “I know that every race is different. The jockey needs to make the correct decision. He needs to get her into a rhythm where she is comfortable.”

Malathaat – Shadwell Stable's 3-year-old Malathaat galloped 1 1/4 miles Friday morning. She will not go to the track in the morning on race day Saturday.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher on what the daughter of Curlin must do to win the Distaff: “Show up.”

Marche Lorraine (JPN) – U. Carrot Farm's Marche Lorraine (JPN) appeared on the main track shortly after 6 o'clock Friday morning and galloped twice around with trainer Yoshito Yahagi looking on from the viewing stand on the backstretch.

Marche Lorraine, along with Loves Only You (JPN) in the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, will represent Yahagi's first runners at the World Championships.

Listed at 30-1 on the morning line and to be ridden for the first time by Oisin Murphy, Marche Lorraine will break from post 10 in the 11-horse Distaff field.

“I hope there will be a quick pace,” Yahagi said. “She does not have a lot of early speed. Hopefully, she will finish strong and pass them all. She does not have a good post but with no early speed it is not a problem and she can tuck in and save ground.”

Shedaresthedevil – Flurry Racing Stable, Qatar Racing Limited and Big Aut Farms' Shedaresthedevil joined her two Classic stablemates out on the track Friday morning and had an easy gallop ahead of Saturday's Distaff.

“She's also training extremely well,” Cox said. “We're ready.”

Overseas Horse Report

A very foggy morning Friday at Del Mar had visibility limited as international contenders trained ahead of Breeders' Cup weekend. The first horse out was Malaveth (IRE) (Juvenile Fillies Turf) who left the international quarantine barn at 5.30 and did light exercise ahead of her run this afternoon. She was joined by fellow French raider Rougir (FR) (Filly & Mare Turf).

Aidan O'Brien was trackside once again and watched his horses gallop up the Del Mar home stretch. Today O'Brien is represented by Glounthaune (IRE) (Juvenile Turf) who has done nothing wrong training during the week and looks to have a big run ahead of him.

Love (IRE) (Filly & Mare Turf) continues to impress as does Mother Earth (IRE) (Mile) who have both taken the eye during the week.

Charlie Appleby was trackside to watch his string. As has been the case all week, his horses looked in great shape. Modern Games (IRE) (Juvenile Turf) has impressed since his time in Del Mar and interestingly has been ridden by race day jockey William Buick each day.

Space Blues (IRE) (Mile) has been a standout throughout the week and again impressed with his demeanor today.

Confidence is high in the Twilight Jet (IRE) camp with Irish trainer Michael O'Callaghan enthusiastic about his chances. O'Callaghan said, “Preparations couldn't have gone better during the week. We've a good draw in gate one so hopefully Leigh Roche can get him out and go forward. It's a great thrill to have a runner at the Breeders' Cup and I'm hopeful he'll run a big race.”

Emaraaty Ana (GB) (Turf Sprint) and Glass Slippers (GB) (Turf Sprint) stayed in the quarantine barn this morning but trainer Kevin Ryan was present to see their progress.

Ryan said, “Both horses have handled the week very well. They both breezed yesterday so the work is done now. As with every championship race the competition is very strong but I'm lucky to have two in the race who look to have equal chances. It's a sharp track but I walked it yesterday and it's going to be quick ground but there's a lovely cushion of grass on it. I don't think it's dissimilar to Keeneland. Obviously for Glass Slippers it's half a furlong shorter on this occasion but going into the race I'm very hopeful both horses will be there at the finish.”

A Case of You (IRE) (Turf Sprint) is another who has pleased all week and regular work rider Ian Brennan said, “He's bouncing. Since we got here everything has gone to plan and I couldn't be happier. I'd be very disappointed if he didn't run a big race tomorrow so fingers crossed we get a bit of luck in running and he shows everyone how good he is. The owner, Gary Devlin, arrived yesterday and I know he's delighted to be here. We'll enjoy the occasion.”

Big international hopes for Saturday including Tarnawa (IRE) (Turf) and Audarya (FR) (Filly & Mare Turf) stayed in the quarantine barn.

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The Haiku Handicapper Presented By NYRA Bets: 2021 Breeders’ Cup Classic

Time to analyze the 2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile field, in post position order, in the form of Haiku; a Japanese poem of 17 syllables, in three lines of five, seven, and five.

To read previous editions of The Haiku Handicapper, click here.

#1 – Tripoli
Clearly loves Del Mar
Not facing West Coast patsies
This isn't his crowd

#2 – Express Train
His Del Mar triumph
Was a few stops ago now
Not sure he's got it

#3 – Hot Rod Charlie
Season of “almosts”
Culminates with a home game
Absolutely live

#4 – Essential Quality
The likely soph champ
Will the West Coast ship negate
His surplus of class?

#5 – Knicks Go
Fraction controller
Horse of the Year on the line
Should have no excuse

#6 – Art Collector
Lots of front-runners
Not all of them can endure
Seeing a step back

#7 – Stilleto Boy
Midwest to West Coast
Always brings his boxing gloves
Price play on bottom

#8 – Medina Spirit
Not the horse's fault
It'll be tough to feel good
If he wins the thing

#9 – Max Player
His ship's been righted
Just one start since July 4th
Might not be his race

Prediction
Which pace horse outlasts?
Knicks Go claims his spot on top
Eight and three follow

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This Side Up: A Showcase for Horses Born to Run

Now this, we can all agree, is just what a GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic should look like. Three of the first four in the Derby, albeit not the one that may ultimately be credited as winner. And besides resolving the questions left open by that processional race at Churchill, they must also pick up the gauntlet thrown down by an older horse whose plain running style should leave no stone of merit unturned. A race, in other words, commensurate with the biggest prize of the American Turf, with the laurels of Horse of the Year very possibly on the line, too.

To connections of the nine involved, then, congratulations. Even in getting to the gate, you've basically achieved everything that drives the perennial investment of billions into the improvement and nurture of the breed. That being so, however, the composition of the field asks some pretty challenging questions of the bloodstock industry.

Sure, it can point to a functioning paradigm in Essential Quality: a son of the elite stallion Tapit, bred by the biggest investor in Turf history from the daughter of a mare bought for $3 million. But the rest of the field does not support perceived commercial values anything like so sturdily.

Favorite Knicks Go has brought Paynter back from brink, his current juveniles having graduated from a book of 34 covers in 2018, but he is still only $7,500–at which fee Hot Rod Charlie's sire Oxbow received just 28 mares this year. Medina Spirit, son of an even cheaper sire in Protonico, famously changed hands for $1,000 as a yearling. Max Player's sire Honor Code, shockingly, barely surpassed even Oxbow's book this spring despite also producing from his first crop the only colt ever to beat the 2021 Horse of the Year.

Art Collector is by one of the most precocious broodmare sires in history, but the yearling market had become so disenchanted with Bernardini that the last crop sold before his death, conceived at $85,000, achieved a median of $38,500. Tripoli is a dirt outlier for Kitten's Joy, whose lack of commercial recognition has long been symptomatic of the witless treatment of turf stallions in Kentucky. Stilleto Boy is by Shackleford, exiled to Korea last year. That leaves Express Train as the only runner, bar Essential Quality, by a stallion with any claim to making sense of the market's operation: Union Rags had a book of 164 last year, though it must be acknowledged that he presumably only maintained that traffic by having his fee halved to $30,000.

If this is our idea of a horse race, then, it vividly rebukes the familiar, dismal disjunction between sales ring and racetrack. Logically, there should be nothing more commercial than breeding winners. But most matings are planned with only one moment in mind: not post time for the Breeders' Cup Classic, but the fall of a gavel.

You can't blame commercial breeders, really. It's a tough business, and a lot of things can go wrong with these delicate young animals. The fault rests with those directing investment, the agents and advisors who would rather urge their wealthy patrons to buy a yearling by the latest unproven rookie than one by an Oxbow or a Paynter.

Filly & Mare Sprint entrant Bella Sofia is by the same sire family as Hot Rod Charlie and Knicks Go | Breeders' Cup/Eclipse Sportswire

Oxbow and Paynter! If you want “run”, well, it runs in the family. These sires are both by Awesome Again out of daughters of the freakish Cee's Song (Seattle Song), also mother of the dual Breeders' Cup Classic winner Tiznow (plus two other Grade II winners) from her serial trysts with Cee's Tizzy. And don't forget that Oxbow's brother Awesome Patriot gave us Bella Sofia, the principal rival to Gamine (Into Mischief) in the GI Filly and Mare Sprint. So here we have three stallions from the same dynasty, all perceived as lacking commercial allure, all with Grade I winners eligible to win on the day that best measures the endeavors of a multi-billion-dollar industry.

Awesome Patriot admittedly earned his chance at stud sooner by pedigree than performance, but the same is true of Outflanker, the Maryland stalwart (by Danzig out of a half-sister to Weekend Surprise) who contested 10 maidens without success–and who surfaces as damsire of Knicks Go.

Bella Sofia was found for just $20,000 at OBS last summer. Knicks Go was co-bred by Sabrina Moore and her mother Angie when they had a total of three mares. And Hot Rod Charlie, as we've often celebrated, was the very last horse sold by the peerless Bill Landes of Hermitage Farm from the families cultivated by his late patron Edward A. Cox, Jr.

Having made just $17,000 as a short yearling, Hot Rod Charlie could not reward his shrewd pinhookers past $110,000 despite the subsequent rise of half-brother Mitole (Eskendereya). That's a measure of the commercial renunciation of Oxbow, but at least it allowed his son to fall within reach of a multi-generational partnership, united by ageless enthusiasm, including a bunch of Brown University football alumni headed by the nephew of trainer Doug O'Neill. Some of these boys live and work in San Diego and to bring “Chuck” to their local track, a year after his insolent 94-1 challenge to Essential Quality in the GI Juvenile, offers just the kind of tale our sport could do with telling the outside world right now.

Hot Rod Charlie training at Del Mar | Breeders' Cup/Eclipse Sportswire

But success for Hot Rod Charlie would have no less redemptive potential within the business, too. Son of an exemplary speed-carrying scrapper, he is author of the fastest opening in GI Belmont S. history (and a half eclipsed only by Secretariat) while still locking horns so obstinately in the stretch that it was 11 lengths back to the Preakness winner in third. So bravo to Gainesway for investing in such granite. Apart from anything else, Tapit mares will be a fun match: Cee's Tizzy was by Relaunch, full-brother to Tapit's third dam.

Oxbow, for his part, had plenty of quantity in his early books but not so much quality. Sure, Calumet marches to its own drum, and a lot of commercial breeders will never fall in step. But at least this farm is setting a premium on those assets most eroded by the corner-cutting vices of our industry: constitution, durability, staying power. Because we need to start raising and racing horses that do not depend for their competitive ardor and longevity on medication, but on their genetic inheritance.

It's called the Breeders' Cup, remember. Not the Vendors' Cup. And its climax this year reminds us what we're supposed to be trying to breed. Milton famously ended a sonnet by observing: “They also serve who only stand and wait.” But that's all many horses today are bred to do: to stand on that dais and wait for board to light up. Okay, they have to walk nicely too. But run? A bonus, apparently.

So go get 'em, Chuck!

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