Monday, November 05 2012

STABLE NOTES BY ED GOLDEN - Sunday November 4, 2012

• HORSE OF THE YEAR: WISE DAN OVER ROYAL DELTA

MILE RECORD-SETTER WISE DAN FAVORED TO WIN HORSE OF THE YEAR
As the dust settled Sunday on racing’s biggest stage following the sixth presentation of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita amidst the spectacular backdrop of the San Gabriel Mountains, the buzz on the backside was: Who’s going to be Horse of the Year?

CHURCHILL DOWNS BARN NOTES SUNDAY, NOV. 4, 2012

• HERNANDEZ REFLECTS ON CLASSIC BIRTHDAY PRESENT
• PLENTY OF SMILES ON CHURCHILL BACKSIDE MORNING AFTER BREEDERS’ CUP
• GRADE I WINNER DAISY DEVINE TOPS LIST OF CARDINAL PROBABLES

Sunday, November 04 2012

FORT LARNED WINS THRILLING BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC

FORT LARNED WINS THRILLING BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC,
OUT DUELS MUCHO MACHO MAN
BEFORE ON-TRACK CROWD OF 55,123 AT SANTA ANITA

ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) - Bob Baffert got beat again in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic. Bill Mott settled for half of a repeat sweep in the weekend's two biggest races.

Quotes for the $5 Million Breeders’ Cup Classic

Ian Wilkes (trainer, Fort Larned, 1st) – “We had to be there near the front and he was ready today. He had galloped great over the track. I knew we were good when he broke sharp. That’s where Brian (Hernandez) won the race. We broke sharp and Game On Dude broke bad. I trust Brian because the horse trusts Brian.

“Buff (Bradley) won (Filly & Mare Sprint with Groupie Doll) and Charlie (Lopresti) won (Mile with Wise Dan), and now I won. There was some pressure there after they won. I’m glad we all three did it, because we’re such great friends. We hit the trifecta.”

Quotes for the $2 Million Breeders’ Cup Mile

John Velazquez (jockey, Wise Dan, 1st) – “I just wanted to get him in the right position. When I was able to do that, and you’ve got a horse as good as this, you can expect a result like this.”

Charles Lopresti (trainer, Wise Dan, 1st) – “I was able to use that race at Keeneland (Shadwell Turf Mile) as the perfect setup for today. I didn’t have to do much with him. He proved he was the best horse today. I never had any doubts. I was just a little concerned about how the race would shape up. He’s just a special horse. We’ll probably take him back to our farm in Kentucky and give him some time. We’ll make a plan for him at the first of the year.”

Quotes for the $3 Million Breeders’ Cup Turf

Ramon Dominguez (jockey, Little Mike, 1st) – “I couldn’t commit to being on the lead (because of the distance). I did get a great trip right off the leaders. When I asked him to run, he gave me a great kick.”

Dale Romans (trainer, Little Mike, 1st) – “Our first reaction after the race in New York (Turf Classic) was to shorten him up, but he had been trying to stretch him out all year so we decided to stick to our plan. We talked over the race last night and thought those two horses (Turbo Compressor and Optimizer) would be gunning for the lead. We were going to try to sit right off of them. He showed he could rate. He’s always been an overachiever but he does deserve to be champion.”

Quotes for the $2 Million Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile

Todd Pletcher (trainer, Shanghai Bobby, 1st) – “I kept going back on the Track Barron (at Belmont Park) in his second start. He went pretty fast early, and it looked like he was in trouble, but when horses engaged him, he fought on and found more. I was hoping he was going to be able to do that today. But I was concerned about the fractions. That was our strategy, to be aggressive, the way the track was playing. We didn’t want to get shuffled back.

Quotes for the $1 Million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint

Mike Smith (jockey, Mizdirection, 1st) – “Before the race, Mike (trainer Puype) told me ‘I don’t care if you ride her around them. I don’t care if you ride her inside them. I don’t care if you ride her in front of them. I don’t care if you ride her from behind – just ride her the way you know you can.’ I was really glad he said that to me because it allowed me to ride her with confidence. When we came across the dirt, I had a lot ground to make up but I was really confident I could.”

Quotes for the $1 Million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile

Steve Asmussen (trainer, Tapizar, 1st) – “The Kelso (finished 6th) was a bad race. We threw it out and he sure performed great today. He acted the day after the Kelso like he hadn’t run. The racetrack and the circumstances leading up to that race were not ideal, but everything went smooth as glass out here. Scott Blasi, my assistant here, did a great job with him. I can’t say enough about what a big win it is for him.”

Quotes for the $1 Million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint

Rajiv Maragh (jockey, Groupie Doll, 1st) – “You’re the big favorite and expected to win, but you still have to get there. It’s never easy until you pass the wire. There were several scenarios that could have unfolded. One that I didn’t want to see was Dust and Diamonds on an easy lead. When I saw that she wasn’t, it let us sit back and be more patient. She’s done that all year and now done that on the biggest stage. She is so consistent. She’s obviously going to be champion.”

Quotes for the $1 Million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf

Aidan O’Brien (trainer, George Vancouver, 1st) – “This is great. (Jockey) Ryan (Moore) gave him an absolutely brilliant ride.”

Ryan Moore (jockey, George Vancouver, 1st) – “We were in a nice position the entire way. He traveled very well and quickened when he needed to. Everything worked out.”

Results for the Canadian-connected Breeders’ Cup horses

Arcadia, CA, November 3 - He's Had Enough, second in the Juvenile, and Delegation, third in the Dirt Mile, led the way for Canadian-connected horses at the Breeders' Cup, on Saturday, at Santa Anita.

He's Had Enough, owned by J. Paul Reddam of Windsor, Ontario, endured a difficult trip in the Grade 1, $2-million Breeders' Cup Juvenile, but was courageous to the wire to be second to Shanghai Bobby.