Eclipse Awards
Curlin repeated as Horse of the Year at the Eclipse Award ceremonies. The recently retired all-time North American money earner stands at Lane’s End Farm with a $75k stud fee. Undefeated miss Zenyatta took home Older Female honors.

Big Brown was unanimously voted 3yo Champion, and Proud Spell took down 3yo filly honors over her late stablemate Eight Belles.
As expected, Midshipman is the Juvenile Champ, and Stardom Bound nabbed Juvenile Filly honors.
The other equine Eclipse Awards went to Conduit (Turf Male), Forever Together (Turf Female), Benny the Bull (Male Sprinter), Indian Blessing (Female Sprinter), and Good Night …read more

The Eclipse awards ceremony will be held in January 2009 (Miami), and the race for Horse of the Year should be a tight contest between reigning champ Curlin and the undefeated Zenyatta.
Kentucky Derby hero Big Brown has his fans, but his Horse of the Year hopes went up in flames with his Belmont Stakes debacle.
Curlin, a daunting physical specimen, had a fantastic four-year-old campaign with five wins in seven starts, including victories in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup, Woodward, Stephen Foster, and Dubai World Cup.
His two losses occurred in the Breeders’ Cup Classic over synthetic …read more

Undefeated filly sensation Zenyatta made her case for Horse of the Year with a powerful performance in the Ladies’ Classic. She remains in light training until a decision is made regarding her future. I would like to see her race next year and possibly take on males at some point.
Ginger Punch finished 6th in her Ladies’ Classic title defense, and the Robert Frankel trainee has been retired. The five-year-old mare won six Grade 1 races and amassed over $3 million in career earnings.
Carriage Trail, 4th in the Ladies’ Classic, has been retired.
Curlin, 4th in the Breeders’ Cup …read more

It was a fun and exciting two days of racing, and I had success selling my full card Breeders’ Cup analysis. I got a pair of best bets home (Ventura, Albertus Maximus), and I also tabbed the Ladies’ Classic exacta, the Mile trifecta/superfecta, and Donativum ($13.60) in the BC Juvenile Turf.
Breeders’ Cup recap: Saturday, October 25, 2008
BC Marathon
The day started out well for the Euros as overseas synthetic specialist Muhannak ($26.80) kicked it up a few notches to upset the Mike Mitchell duo of Church Service and Big Booster.
BC Turf Sprint
Desert Code ($75.00) returned to previous sharp downhill …read more

Below are post positions, morning line odds, and notes for the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Classic, to be run at ten furlongs over Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride surface on October 25, 2008.
Santa Anita Race 9: Grade 1 BC Classic, 3up, 10f
(1) Go Between (8-1) – Fresh synthetic specialist is training well for this. Garrett Gomez chose this one over Colonel John.
(2) Casino Drive (10-1) – Japanese runner is 3-3, and the $950k purchase is well-bred and has a world of potential.
(3) Tiago (15-1) – Mike Smith/John Shirreffs teamed up to win yesterday’s Ladies’ Classic with Zenyatta. He finished 2nd …read more

Post positions have been drawn for the 2008 Breeders’ Cup, and here are notes for all 14 races…
Friday, October 24th
Ladies Classic
Zenyatta drew the rail and is the 3-5 fav for Friday’s feature race. Defending champ Ginger Punch is the 7-2 second choice.
Filly & Mare Turf
Wait A While is the 3-1 morning line favorite. Juddmonte Farms Visit is listed at 15-1 on the line, and she is expected to move to the Robert Frankel barn following the Cup. Forever Together drilled a 4f bullet in :47 at Keeneland.
Juvenile Fillies
Stardom Bound is the solid 2-1 late running choice.
Filly & …read more

Curlin breezed four furlongs in :49.60 on October 20th, and his stablemate Student Council continues to impress in morning drills, this time getting a half-mile in :48.18 while full of run. Shaun Bridgmohan will ride the latter.
Pyro, the 3rd member of the Steve Asmussen express, worked a pedestrian 4f in :51.17. Julien Leparoux has picked up the mount.
In other Classic news, Mast Track developed a quarter crack on Monday and has been eliminated from Cup consideration. The Frankel trainee was expected to set the pace in the Classic.
Robert Frankel will be represented in the Classic …read more

Curlin, fresh off a sharp five furlong drill over Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride surface in between races on October 13th, has been pre-entered for a Breeders’ Cup Classic title defense on Oct. 25th. His five furlong work on Monday (pictured above) was completed in :59.11 while in company with Hawaii Calls.
Steve Asmussen also sent out Classic contender Student Council on Monday, and he drilled six furlongs in 1:12.40 under Shaun Bridgmohan.
Kentucky Derby hero Big Brown’s Classic hopes were dashed with a career ending injury to his right front heel following a turf work at Aqueduct on Oct. 13th. The …read more

Three-year-old Colonel John, last seen winning the Travers Stakes by a scant nose, breezed four furlongs in :46.80 over Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride surface on Oct. 8th. The entire sophomore division could be in trouble versus older company, but the Colonel, an improving son of Tiznow, clearly enjoys synthetic footing and should give a good account of himself.
Casino Drive has returned from Japan, and his unorthodox walking/galloping routine continues at Hollywood Park. He shipped to the states and nabbed the Peter Pan in May, but a stone bruise kept him from competing in the Belmont Stakes. He was expected to …read more

Big Brown and Curlin, the two likely favs in the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Classic, both had morning activity.
Big Brown worked six furlongs over a good Aqueduct turf course in 1:14.64 on Oc. 7th. The move was in company with stablemate Salute the Count, a possible entrant in the newly formed Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.
The dogs were up, about 12 feet out, and the Richard Dutrow runner completed his final two furlongs in :23.85 while galloping out seven panels in 1:29.26. The 2008 Kentucky Derby hero is expected to have two more works before heading to Santa Anita on Oct. …read more