Last notes on the Breeders’ Cup
After last year’s unpredictable Breeders’ Cup, during which more than half the winning horses (7 of 13) went off at double-digit odds, form held relatively well last weekend in BC XXXV. Shamrock Rose (Filly & Mare Sprint) was the only double- digit winner (25-1). The average winning odds were 9-2, compared to last year’s 14-1.
This year’s five winning favorites were led by Accelerate, whose decisive victory in the Classic set up what will likely be a spirited debate over whether he or Triple Crown winner Justify deserves to be 2018 Horse of the Year. The other winning favorites were Enable (Turf), Monomoy Girl (Distaff), Game Winner (Juvenile) and Newspaper of record( Juvenile Fillies Turf ).
Despite this year’s generally formful results, subpar performances by highly regarded horses altered or complicated the championship picture in several Eclipse categories.
Male Sprinter – A victory in the Sprint would have sewed up the Eclipse Award for Imperial Hint, who was coming off a pair of impressive Grade 1 wins at Saratoga. His third-place finish as the 9-5 favorite last weekendmight still have been enough to clinch the award. if the race hadn’t been wonbyRoyH, last year’s champion sprinter, who also closed out this year with a pair of Grade 1 wins. RoyH’s 3¼ -length victory in the Sprint positions him for a probable second Eclipse, with Imperial Hint once again the likely runner-up in the voting.
Older Dirt Female – Abel Tasman, the 2017 champion 3-yearold filly, could have secured the Eclipse for champion older female with a win in the Distaff. Unfortunately, her last-place finish, her second straight poor outing, probably wrecked any chance for postseason honors.
Blue Prize merits some consideration here. The5-year-old marefinished in the exacta in her last five starts prior to the Breeders’ Cup, including a victory in the Spinster Stakes. Her fourth in the Distaff, though, will probably leave the way open for the retired Unique Bella, who last raced on July 29. Unique Bella won three of four starts this year, including a pair of Grade 1s,
her only loss coming in the Apple Blossom back in April.
Turf Male – In a field loaded with Group 1-winning European milers, Oscar Performance was something of a surprise as the 5-2 post-time favorite in the Mile – especially after being listed at 6-1 on the morning line. The 4-yearold colt was exiting a solid win in the Woodbine Mile but was unable to replicate that performance on Saturday, breaking slowly and eventually finishing last of fourteen.
The male turf division lacks a clear leader. The problem is exemplified by the fact that the 13 Grade 1 and Grade 2 divisional races run before the Breeders’ Cup were won by 13 different horses. Grade 1 winners Robert Bruce, Hi Happy, Channel Marker and Glorious Empire all had a chance to add a second Grade 1 by winning the Turf but finished 7th, 9th, 11th and 13th, respectively. Trainer stats
Chad Brown ran twelve horses in BC XXXV, hitting the board with five of them. His two wins came in the Turf (Sistercharlie) and Juvenile Fillies Turf (Newspaperofrecord). His charges also finished second in the Distaff (WowCat) and third in the Mile (Analyze It) and Filly & Mare Turf (A Raving Beauty).
Bob Baffert won his fourth Juvenile with Game Winner but finished out of the money with his other six starters.
It was a rough weekend for Aidan O’Brien. The Irish trainer, who previously had won a dozen Breeders’ Cup races, was shut out this year. None of the 14 horses he saddled won, his best finishes being a second in the Turf (Magical) and a third in the Turf Sprint (So Perfect).