Breeders Cup Classic prep: Meadowlands Cup Handicap

Friday night’s Grade 2 Meadowlands Cup Handicap is a $350k race for three-year-olds and up traveling nine furlongs on the main track, and it serves as one of the final prep races for the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Classic. The 8-horse field is lead by Past the Point.

Past the Point (Indian Charlie-AP Indy) is a vastly improved Darley Stable 4yo, and his trainer Eoin Harty is already loaded for bear in the BC Classic with Goodwood winner Well Armed and Travers hero Colonel John, both owned by WinStar Farm.

Past the Point showed promise as a three-year-old with a solid show finish in the 2007 Super Derby. He then disappointed in a pair of Polytrack races and a flat mile turf event. He returned with a sharp allowance win at the Spa, and today’s rival True Resurgence came out of that heat to win an allowance of his own at Saratoga.

The Eoin Harty charge was thrown to the wolves in the Woodward, and he set a swift pace at 40-1 before getting run down in the late stages by reigning Horse of the Year Curlin. Wanderin Boy finished 3rd, and the aforementioned 1-3 finishers flattered the Woodward results by returning to finish 1-2 in the JC Gold Cup at Belmont Park last weekend.

Johnny V, who booted him home in that August 3rd allowance score, has the call today, and expect aggressive handling over a well-known speed conducive oval. Can he run another quality race away from the Spa? That’s the burning question.

Arson Squad was on his way to a productive career following a victory in the 2007 Strub over conventional dirt, but the SoCal tracks mandated synthetic footing, and he struggled in seven subsequent starts for Bruce Headley.

Richard Dutrow has him now, and he returns to preferred dirt footing. He might need some time to get his confidence back, and it would be nice to see him get his career back on track. Prado rode Past the Point last time, but he ends up on this interesting entrant.

Timber Reserve won the 2007 PA Derby, and he came back to that form with a sharp optional claiming tally at Saratoga last time. John Kimmel trainee chose this spot over the JC Gold Cup, and he projects a tracking trip under Kent D.

Da’ Tara shocked the world in the Belmont Stakes. He tanked in the Jim Dandy, than returned to set the pace and finished a respectable 5th in the Travers. Three-year-olds still have much to prove versus older, and he seemingly needs to set a controlled tempo for his best. Nick Zito has done some damage with early runners in graded races this year (Commentator, Coal Play, Da’ Tara, Wanderin Boy).

Zito also has late running sophomore Anak Nakal, the 2008 PA Derby hero and Belmont Stakes show finisher. The plodding type can rally for a minor award under Joe Bravo.

Actin Good won a graded event in the slop last year and exits an optional claiming tally versus four foes. Stalking type is a bit light on speed ratings.

PV Lightening exits a sharp score in the slop, but the Maryland bred seemingly needs restricted company to fire his best shot.

Below is a replay of the 2008 Woodward Stakes from Saratoga, courtesy of YouTube.