Breeders’ Cup 184 Pre-Entries Led by Zenyatta

Zenyatta winning 2009 Breeders' Cup Classic

Undefeated Zenyatta tops a record 184 horses pre-entered for the Breeders' Cup World Championships.

Greg Avioli, president of Breeders' Cup Limited, noted that the pre-entered horses, including 26 potential starters from overseas, had won a combined 865 races totaling $125 million in purses.

"I think we're in for some record-setting days at Churchill Downs across the board," he said.

All eyes will be on Zenyatta, who takes a 19-for-19 record into the 11/4-mile Classic on Nov. 6 in what is expected to be the final start of her career.

Seventeen of Zenyatta's victories have come on synthetic surfaces in her home state of California, leading many to question how well her exhilarating late-running style will work on the conventional track at Churchill Downs. She twice started on dirt, producing a pair of convincing victories in the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.

Zenyatta will attempt to join Tiznow (2000-01) as the only horses to win back-to-back Classics. Among her chief rivals will be Blame, Quality Road and Lookin At Lucky.

The Breeders' Cup, which will be televised by ABC/ESPN, consists of 14 races totaling $26 million in purses. This will be the seventh time the Cup has been run at Churchill. Final entries will be taken and post positions drawn Tuesday.

Pre-entries Closed

Pre-entries for the Breeders' Cup 2010 were closed at 12:00 PM (ET) today and all pre-entered contenders will be announced on Wednesday, October 27 at 10:00 AM (ET).

The Breeders' Cup Classic might have one of its strongest fields ever, with the likes of Zenyatta, Blame, Quality Road and Lookin At Lucky all pointing toward it, but it doesn't appear as though the presence of that Fearsome Foursome is going to keep the field size down.

Zenyatta's quest to remain unbeaten in her 20th and final start will be the focal point of the event. She won the Classic last year and the Ladies' Classic in 2008. She will be joined by Goldikova in attempting to win at the Breeders' Cup in three consecutive years. Goldikova will seek her third straight victory in the Mile, against males on turf, earlier on the Nov. 6 card.

The latest to join the party was trainer Nick Zito, who said from New York that he had pre-entered two horses, Fly Down and Morning Line, in the $5 million Classic, to be run Nov. 6 at Churchill Downs. Zito said Morning Line also was going to be pre-entered in the $1 million Dirt Mile, "but he'll definitely go in the Classic," Zito said.

The pre-entry stage is the first stage of a two-step process. At this point, horses can be named to two races. But by next Tuesday's final entry day, when post positions are drawn, remaining entry fees must be paid and horses can only be entered in one race.

The Breeders' Cup will be held Nov. 5 and 6 at Churchill Downs, which is playing host to racing's championship event for a record seventh time.

Espoir City arrived to run in Breeders' Cup Classic 2010

The Yushun Horse Club’s Japan-based star Espoir City arrived at Churchill Downs early Tuesday morning for a run in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, settling in his stall in the quarantine barn at 4:30 a.m. (EDT).

Espoir City flew from Japan to Chicago, where he changed planes for the short flight to Louisville. Accompanying Espoir City on the flights was Artiste.
“It was a long flight and he was his companion,” trainer Akio Adachi said. “He is a racehorse, but he will not race here and not train with Espoir City in the morning.”
Espoir City is expected to be in quarantine for 48 hours and Adachi said the 5-year-old would go to the track for training Thursday morning “if time permits.”
Jockey Tetsuzo Sato is scheduled to come to Louisville this Friday for a three-day stay before returning to Japan to honor a riding commitment and then return to Louisville.

Sato accompanied Adachi to Louisville in July to get a firsthand look at Churchill Downs. As Adachi watched horses train Tuesday morning, he was asked how preparations had gone with Espoir City since the last time he was in Louisville.
“Better than expected,” Adachi said. “His first race back (from a five-month layoff) was good and he needed that race.”

The two-time Group I winner has compiled a record of 20-11-4-1 for earnings of $5,963,979 with Sato aboard for eight of the victories.

Mine That Bird Running in Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile

Mine That Bird, winner of the 2009 Kentucky Derby tuned up for runs in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile with workouts on Sunday at Churchill Downs.

Double Eagle Ranch and Buena Serte Equine’s Mine That Bird breezed five furlongs in 1:01.20 for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. The move by the 4-year-old Birdstone gelding was the sixth-fastest of 25 at the distance over a fast track. Lukas is pointing Mine That Bird, who has failed to win eight races since his victory at odds of 50-1 in Kentucky Derby 135, toward a possible run in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile on Saturday, November 6 2010.

Watch the Kentucky Derby 2009 race where Mind That Bird finished 1st.

Rachel Alexandra is Retired

Rachel Alexandra, North America's 2009 Horse of the Year, was retired Tuesday and co-owner Jess Jackson plans to breed her to Curlin, the continent's 2007 and 2008 Horse of the Year.


The decision to end her career comes on the heels of a disappointing 2010 season, one where she never regained the form she showed as a dominant 3-year-old, winning only two of her five races.

In 2009, the filly burst onto the scene by winning the Kentucky Oaks by a record 20 lengths, a performance so impressive it had many experts surmising that she could have entered the Kentucky Derby the following day and won. Jockey Calvin Borel, who rode her to victory in the Oaks, thought so highly of her he became the first jockey in history to ride the Kentucky Derby winner and then give up that mount in the Preakness because he wanted to ride another horse.

Rachael Alexandra validated Borel's decision two weeks later when she captured the second leg of the Triple Crown at Baltimore's Pimlico Race Course, holding off Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird down the stretch. After skipping the Belmont Stakes, she finished the year 8-0 and was named Horse of the Year by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association.

But Rachael either peaked as a 3-year-old or was permanently worn down by the dominant 2009 season, because despite taking several months off she was never the same horse. The decision to end her racing career was not totally unexpected.

"The fans adored her. We all did," said Steve Asmussen, who trained Rachel Alexandra. "She had the most fluid and beautiful stride of any horse I have ever seen."

Zenyatta wins TVG's Lady's Secret Stakes

Zenyatta wins TVG's Lady's Secret Stakes at Oak Tree Hollywood Park on October 2, 2010. This is her 19th win, keeping her undefeated in her career.

In the 1 1/16-mile Lady's Secret, Zenyatta ($2.20) took up her customary running position at the back of the five-horse field while Moon de French set the pace.

Jockey Mike Smith guided Zenyatta into striking position five lengths from the lead at the three-eighths pole and stayed wide through the far turn while moving into third position.

Turning into the stretch, Switch took over, cut for home and opened up. Zenyatta initially appeared to be in trouble but she leveled off the final eighth, made the lead with less than 20 yards remaining and drew away in 1:42.97.

Switch held second. It was 4¾ lengths back to Moon de French and Satans Quick Chick, who dead-heated for third. Emmy Darling finished last.

The field was reduced to five starters after the late scratch of Rinterval. Runner-up to Zenyatta when they met Aug. 7 at Del Mar, Rinterval flipped in the paddock and was scratched.

Watch the race replay!

Zenyatta Workout at Hollywook Park

Zenyatta was breathing easily when she walked off the Hollywood Park main track after breezing five furlongs in 1:02.60 on Thursday.

Jockey Mike Smith, sitting atop the undefeated winner of 19 races, beamed as he assessed the 6-year-old mare's first workout since a win in the Grade Lady's Secret Stakes on October 2, 2010.

"I wanted to see her energy level and her action," Smith said. "She was full of it. She did all the work in the last eighth. It was very handy."

Thursday's workout was the first of three scheduled works for Zenyatta before she is sent to Churchill Downs for the Breeders' Cup Classic on November 6. Zenyatta won the 2009 BC Classic at Santa Anita. This year's BC Classic will be Zenyatta's first start in Kentucky.

Juvenile Pathfork Not Running for 2010 Breeders' Cup

Jessica Harrington's unbeaten juvenile Pathfork has been ruled out of next month's Breeders' Cup meeting after suffering a minor setback.

The American-bred colt took his record to three wins from three starts with victory in the National Stakes at the Curragh last time, and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile was due to be his next assignment.

Harrington said: "He's had a bit of a setback and he just wouldn't go to the Breeders' Cup ready enough - you need to be 110%. We said all along that he needed not to miss anything. He worked last Friday and everything was fine but we weren't quite happy with him on Monday."

She added: "We just had to back off him and we've taken a view today that we can't go having missed working him this week, which he needed to do.

"You can't go over there just hoping that he'll be all right, so we'll let him down now and get him sorted out.

"It's disappointing for the owners and I feel sorry for them, but that's horses for you."

Masket Man Going for Class 2010

Trainer Derek Ryan confirmed Oct. 13 that Musket Man will make his next start in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) on Nov. 6 at Churchill Downs.

His last effort was a runner-up finish in the Monmouth Cup (gr. II) on Oct. 9. Musket Man was kept down on the inside most of the way before angling four-wide for the stretch drive and falling a neck short of Etched in the 1 1/8-mile test.

From 14 career starts, 4-year-old Musket Man sports a record of 6-3-5 with earnings of $1,235,570. The son of Yonaguska out of the Fortunate Prospect mare Fortuesque earned graded victories in the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. III) and Illinois Derby (gr. III) in 2009 before finishing third in Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) and Preakness Stakes (gr. I).

Wickedly Perfect Missing Juvenile Filles

Wickedly Perfect, the winner of Friday's Grade 1 Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland, will miss the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5 because of a bone chip in a knee, trainer Doug O'Neill said.

Trainer Doug O’Neill told the Daily Racing Form the judgment was made the morning of Oct. 9 when there was heat in the filly’s left stifle and x-rays revealed the chip.

According to DRF, O’Neill conferred with veterinarian Mark Cheney in Kentucky and Joe Dowd in California, after which a decision was made for the daughter of Congrats to have the chip surgically removed Oct. 11 . The operation will be performed by Dr. Larry Bramlage, who is based at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington.

2010 Futures Betting Odds Comparison

Below is a comparison of the current future odds for the Breeders' Cup Classic between the Wynn Las Vegas and the international bookmakers of Paddy Power and Bet365 as of September 21, 2010.

Horse	Wynn	Paddy	Bet365
Zenyatta	3/1	4/1	7/2
Quality Road	4/1	6/1	6/1
Lookin At Lucky	9/2	4/1	9/2
Blame	5/1	5/1	6/1
Espoir City	6/1	14/1	16/1
Rachel Alexandra	12/1	12/1	12/1
Twice Over	15/1	20/1	14/1
Fly Down	15/1	16/1	16/1
Rip Van Winkle	16/1	20/1	12/1
Rail Trip	18/1	16/1	20/1
Fame And Glory	20/1	16/1	16/1
Misremembered	20/1	20/1	20/1
Awesome Gem	30/1	33/1	40/1
Ice Box	30/1	33/1	33/1
First Dude	30/1	33/1	40/1
Gitano Hernando	30/1	25/1	25/1
A Little Warm	35/1	33/1	50/1
Trappe Shot	40/1	20/1	25/1
Mine That Bird	60/1	25/1	33/1
Super Saver	n/a	25/1	25/1
Byword	n/a	20/1	16/1

Admission Ticket Sale

General admission tickets — at a $5 savings — are available for purchase online for the 27th Breeders' Cup World Championships on November 5-6 at Churchill Downs at breederscup.com/tickets.

The online cost is $10 for Championship Friday, November 5, and for $20 for Championship Saturday. Fans can print their general-admission tickets at home and bring them to the track.

The tickets became available on Monday.

The price at the gate will be $15 on Friday and $25 on Saturday. The online general-admission tickets will be sold until 11:59 p.m. ET on November 4.

Selected reserved grandstand and clubhouse seating for both days of the Championships remains available ranging from $20 to $75 on Friday and $40-150 on Saturday.

2010 Jockey Gold Cup Winners and Payouts

Haynesfield led all the way Saturday, beating favorite Blame by four lengths in the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park.

The lone New York-bred in the field, Haynesfield improved to 9 for 13. Ramon Dominguez was aboard as the 4-year-old trained by Steve Asmussen ran the 1 1/4 miles in 2:02.48 on the fast track.

Haynesfield paid $17, $5.10 and $3. Blame, the 4-5 favorite and winner of five straight stakes coming in, returned $2.50 and $2.10. Fly Down paid $2.20 to show. Hold Me Back was fourth, followed by Rail Trip and Tranquil Manner.

Jockey Gold Cup 2010 Race Replay