Breeders' Cup | Horse Racing Free Tips

Catching Up with 2004 Breeders’ Cup Classic Winner Ghostzapper

Horses aren't supposed to be able to do what Ghostzapper did. The Hall of Famer was so dazzling that the 128 Beyer Speed Figure he registered in the GIII Philip H. Iselin H.–still the highest figure in the history of American racing at a route–isn't even remembered as one of his top races. Some people might count his GI Vosburgh sprinting at three against older horses as one of his best, others might prefer his GI Woodward battle over eventual Horse of the Year Saint Liam, and still others might best remember his spectacular daylight GI Met Mile win coming off a seven-month layoff. But there's no denying his GI Breeders' Cup Classic, his first and only time at 10 furlongs, left such an impression he still holds the stakes record of 1:59.02, having run the fastest Classic in the 39-year history of the Breeders' Cup.

Javier Castellano was aboard Ghostzapper for every one of those remarkable performances.

“He was one of the biggest horses and one of the best in my career,” said Castellano. “I say that because you don't see too many horses that do what he did. This horse was particularly diversified at distances. From sprint to long distances, he did everything. He won the sprint races, he won at 1 1/4 miles, he won at a mile, at all the distances. It's hard to stretch out a horse from six furlongs to long and back again, but he did it and he won. He did everything.

“He still has [the Breeders' Cup] record. We're talking about 19 years ago and nobody has broken that record. It was against all the best horses in the world at the time: Funny Cide, Azeri, Pleasantly Perfect.

“He's pretty amazing, such a special horse. He put me on another level in my career. People didn't know who Javier Castellano was at the time and for me to ride the best horse, he opened the door for myself and my family. He opened the door for my career. He's such a special horse. I love him.

“He's just amazing. I'm blessed, thankful, grateful to have ridden such a special horse. Mr. Frankel told me Ghostzapper was the best horse he'd trained in all his life. For him to say that, with all those good horses he had, was pretty amazing.”

Ghostzapper (2000 bay horse, Awesome Again–Baby Zip, by Relaunch)

Lifetime record: Horse of the Year, Ch. older male, MGISW, 11-9-0-1, $3,446,120

Breeders' Cup connections: B-Adena Springs (KY); O-Stronach Stables; T-Robert Frankel; J-Javier Castellano.

Current location: Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, Paris, Ky.

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Grand Mo The First To Be Pre-Entered For BC Juvenile Turf After Zuma Beach Effort

Granpollo LLC's Grand Mo the First will be pre-entered in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Santa Anita following the son of Uncle Mo's late-closing third in Sunday's Zuma Beach (G3) at the Southern California track.

“I was talking with the owner today and the owner will pre-enter for the Breeders' Cup,” said Barboza after saddling Harlan's Legacy for a victory in Friday's Race 3 at Gulfstream Park. “Also, there is a stake for 2-year-olds at one mile the same day.”

The pre-entries deadline for the Nov. 3-4 Breeders' Cup races is Oct. 23.

Grand Mo the First, a $335,000 purchase at the OBS March sale, lost for the first time in three career starts while stretching out around two turns for the first time in the mile stakes for juveniles on turf. Following a slow start, he trailed the eight-horse field before launching a four-wide sweep on the far turn to enter contention at the top of the stretch, where his rally felt short of catching the Michael McCarthy-trained duo of Endlessly, the 4-5 favorite, and Ngannou.

“I was happy with his race first time around two turns,” Barboza said.

Gran Mo the First, who finished four lengths behind undefeated Endlessly, had previously won his first two career starts over Gulfstream's Tapeta course, both in off-the-pace style under Emisael Jaramillo, who was aboard in the Zuma Beach.

Jaramillo returned to Gulfstream to ride the winners of the first three races on Friday's eight-race program.

Barboza-trained Petulante and Long Range Toddy breezed Friday morning at Gulfstream Park.

Lugamo Racing Stable LLC's Petulante, a 4-year-old son of Arrogate who is coming off a victory in the June 17 Salvatore Mile (G3) at Monmouth, breezed five furlongs in 58.64 seconds.

“Petulante had a good workout and his gallop-out was really good,” Barboza said.

Zenith Racing's Long Range Toddy, a contender on the 2019 Kentucky Derby trail who has recaptured his winning form since joining Barboza's stable, breezed five furlongs in 1:02.14.

“Long Range Toddy is doing good. He weighs 40 pounds more since being in our barn,” said Barboza, who saddled the 7-year-old son of Take Charge Indy for a front-running victory over win-machine Big and Classy, in the Aug. 26 Edwin T. Broome Memorial Handicap at a one-turn mile.

A next-out decision for both horses is pending following a discussion with their owners, Barboza said.

Also on Friday's worktab, graded-stakes winner Dean Delivers breezed five furlongs in 1:01.41 in preparation for the $100,000 Gil Campbell Memorial Oct. 21 at Gulfstream. Michael Yates-trained Dean Delivers captured the Smile Sprint (G3) at Gulfstream July 1 before finishing third in the July 29 Alfred G. Vanderbilt (G1) at Saratoga.

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Despite Off-The-Board Finish In Miss Grillo, Gala Brand Still Targeting BC Juvenile Fillies Turf

Despite finishing a troubled fourth as the favorite Oct. 4 in the Grade 2 Miss Grillo at Belmont at the Big A, Arnmore Thoroughbreds and Even Keel Thoroughbreds' Gala Brand remains on target for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Nov. 3 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the chestnut Violence filly won on debut going 5 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 3 over the Mellon turf at Saratoga Race Course and followed with a victory against males in the G3 With Anticipation on Aug. 31 at the Spa. In the last out Miss Grillo, Gala Brand broke from post 7 and was last of 11 through the entire backstretch run. Although she was left with too much to do turning for home, she still managed to weave her way through traffic along the inside to finish fourth.

“I think that was a very unfortunate trip and post all the way around,” recalled Arnmore Thoroughbreds' CEO Megan Jones. “I don't think that race took anything away from her. We've got her back in Saratoga and she's doing well. I think we'll send her out to California for the Breeders' Cup. She deserves to be there as much as any other filly in the race. I wouldn't judge her based off her last race. She didn't really get a chance to run that day.”

Jones said the Miss Grillo was a beneficial learning experience for her talented filly.

“It was good for her to have to come inside of horses. She still did the best she could with that little bit of ground,” Jones said. “It is what it is. We had a wonderful summer with her up in Saratoga and going into the Breeders' Cup, I think she's quite live.”

Jones said Gala Brand has already taken the Arnmore Thoroughbreds partners on a wonderful ride.

“I'm just very grateful to my partners,” Jones said. “They always show up for me and it's lovely when that can be rewarded, especially with horses that don't always have things their way that they still run their race and come with a big run at the end. I have an incredible group of partners that support me each year, and it's nice to be able to reward them at Saratoga or the Breeders' Cup.”

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‘Nice Gallop Out’: Breeders’ Cup Classic Hopeful Proxy Works At Keeneland

Godolphin's homebred Grade 1 winner Proxy, who is based at Keeneland with trainer Mike Stidham, breezed five furlongs in 1:02.40 on Friday in one of his final tuneups for the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) to be held Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.

With jockey Joel Rosario in the saddle, Proxy went in company with allowance winner Nelson Avenue.

“I was pleased with it,” Stidham said. “Proxy is one of those horses that never really overdoes it in the morning. In every work, the rider kind of has to (encourage) him a little bit just to make him do what we want him to do. He went on out three-quarters (of a mile). I had him in like 1:14 and 3/5ths for the three-quarters and then a nice gallop out down the backside. Very happy with what he did.”

Winner of the 2022 Clark (G1) Presented by Norton Healthcare, Proxy has two wins in six starts this year. He took the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) in April and the Monmouth Cup (G3) in July. Proxy most recently finished a nose behind Bright Future in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) on Sept. 2 at Saratoga.

The 5-year-old son of Tapit, who has earned $2.2 million, turned in his first Keeneland work on Oct. 7, covering 5 furlongs in 1:01. He is scheduled to have two more workouts here before leaving for Santa Anita on Oct. 30.

“He was scheduled to work Saturday but watching the weather (with rain in forecast), I didn't want to take the chance of working him on a sloppy track,” Stidham said.

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