Breeders’ Bowl Dirt Marathon Grade I / Group 1 – Purse : $500,000

FOURTEEN HORSES! FOURTEEN FURLONGS!  FOURTEEN HUNDRED HOURS!  FRIDAY!

 

The Breeders’ Bowl weekend’s festivities kick off on Friday afternoon on California’s dirt track with the running of the BB Dirt Marathon, being run over 14 furlongs. With no less than 5 individual millionaires and horses that have won a whopping 122 races between them – and almost $12.5 million in earnings, this race is going to a battle of the mind as well as stamina with race tactics potentially holding the key to victory for the entrants. Those amazing amassed stats really prove that this race card brings the very best horses altogether for the sim’s biggest weekend of racing.

Some of the sim’s biggest names have entrants in the event and when the gate bell’s ring at 2 o’clock Friday afternoon, all will be hoping their noble steed’s preparations have worked the oracle and lead them to victory. With every rival out for the same wanted success, race preparation and tactics are going to be crucial to their respective runner’s chances.

Without further ado let’s take a look at this awesome field and their respective chances – through the eyes of this humble reporter.

 

#1: ENGINES OF WAR – (fairhaven2): Drawing the inside gate is the first of Lenny’s three-pronged attack in the BB Marathon, in the form of Engines Of War. Sired by Medaglia d’Oro out of G1 winning race mare Silent Screem (Kingmambo x Seattle Slew), this ghostly grey comes into this event in what some would describe as rather ordinary form, more so ordinary due to it hailing from the Evil Empire conglomerate. Despite finishing outside the top 3 in just 10 of his 30 race day starts, this stayer has never really brought the chills to the spine of his race day rivals that so many of Lenny’s graded monsters do … and that is just due to Evil Empire graded runners AWAYS being a threat when they show up, especially at this time of the year. Engines Of War’s only graded success came in the G2 Buckeye Stayer in January of this year, winning the 16 furlong event coming clear by 3-1/2 lengths with a sp# of 107. That was win number 9 and he has only won one more event since that graded win, that being an overnight stakes event over 13 furlongs in early April, chalking up win 10 with an sp# of 107. He comes into this BB Marathon on the back of his grinding 8-3/4 length 5th of 14 in the G1 Monster Mash on the wet dirt track in Spain, a race that has been the lead in event for a few of his rivals Friday. Engines Of War likes to get back in travelling and surge late as ‘race rabbits’ tire. Will need a hot pace to be a contender and will probably need to produce a career best effort to really threaten a number of the higher regarded entrants. Not many will say any Lenny runner is a guaranteed ‘also-ran’, and just when you do the Empire can come and bite you …. And bite you bad! This guy is a Breeders’s  Bowl legend and if you write off the chances of any of his steeds at this time of the year, you do so at your own peril! Odds: 7^th equal in favouritism at 10/1

 

#2: ALL ABOUT HOPE – (zampatelo2): All About Hope or is it all about preparation? This zampatelo2 trained runner comes into this event on the back of one of the softest G1 preparations I think I have ever witnessed in our beloved sim. All About Hope comes into this race with 19 career runs that have garnered 9 victories and 6 other top 3 placings. The 4yo son of Dubawi, out of an allowance winning He-mare by the name of Zemeckis (Kingmambo x Sadler’s Wells) is the winner of just a single graded event, being a G2 14 furlong event in Germany in November 2013, but has earned enough points to comfortably slip into the Breeder’s Bowl Marathon event on Friday. Zampatelo throws his noble steed into the throngs of G1 battle having won his last 2 starts at allowance level, one being a lightly contested ‘hot’ race, and comfortably, as expected, grabbed easy victories in both events –  firstly the 12 furlong hot event (28 August), sp# of just 62 and winning margin of 5-3/4 lengths and then last time out (28 September) he won a 14 furlong allowance (nw2n) with an sp# of 91 and a winning margin of 3-1/2 lengths … leading gate to wire in both events. Take those two races aside and it  is a staggering 5 or so months since this horse’s last really competitive race day start, that start resulting in a 13-1/4 length 6th of 14 in the running of the G1 Desert Stamina Cup over 14 furlongs. Prior to that All About Hope had run in the G1 Equinics 16 furlong event – Mike Wallace Tribute, which resulted in a 6th length 3rd placing after leading through the first 14 furlongs, recording an sp# of 103. When studying this horse for this report the soft lead up races just blew me away, but Zampatelo has stable stats, and graded success that would be the envy of the majority of us in the sim and who am I to question this master trainers prep work? Personally, I think this horse might be just too light on race hardening and will not find his rivals on Friday anything like those he faced in his last two prep races (no disrespect to those runners). Another who might get caught up in a speed duel up front early and unless this masterful prep throws us all a curve ball, I think the son of Zemeckis might be found wanting entering the home stretch. This reporter will watch this runner with much interest! Odds: 12^th in favouritism at 23/1

 

#3: MONT AH TABAI – (dannejaka3): From the Daniel owned dannejaka3 stable comes a real ‘puzzle piece’ in the form of the Montjeu sired 4yo Mont Ah Tabai. Race record is very good for this horse with 8 wins and 5 minor placings from 20 race day starts, earning $928,444 for his efforts. Out of stakes winning race mare Uno Slow (Macho Uno x Holy Bull), Mont Ah Tabai has performed, at times, like a World beater only to let connections down when they have stepped him up to the very highest level. Nothing more frustrating in the sim than having a red hot/ ice cold performer and it seems that Dannejaka3’s hopes rely heavily on Mont Ah Tabai leading, and leading well – and having enough of a lead and petrol in the tank to cross the finishing line ahead of the pack. Five of his eight race day successes have come using this race plan and the most recent time he was able to pull of these daring tactics was 2 and 3 starts back when winning the G3 The Europe Stayer on the dirt track of Surrey over 14 furlongs and again, prior to that start over the extreme of 16 furlongs in the G2 The Big Show event on a rain affected track in Hong Kong – recording sp#’s of 105 and 106, respectively. Mont Ah Tabai unfortunately backed up those efforts with a below par effort in the G1 Monster Mash event on a wet track in Spain, when unable to lead the way, was found struggling a long way from home and tiring to a disappointing 15-1/2 length 8th of 14. Not the best form to carry into this event. It is his recent runs that led me to describe him as a ‘puzzle piece’, due to his knack of blitzing rivals one week, making rivals looking second rate in comparison and then next time out being left looking second rate himself. If the ‘real’ Mont Ah Tabai fronts for this race and can set the rules from the front, he will be more than a handful for many in this event … the only question is, will he be hot or cold? For Daniel and his team, we certainly hope he flies the gate with hooves afire! Odds: 9^th= favouritism at 11/1.

 

#4: ZYR – (super10): The super team hinge their hopes on this Dubawi 4yo chestnut out of the classy $1.5 million earning race mare, Pravda by Kingmambo x Pleasant Colony. Pravda was a multiple graded stakes winner in her race career and has passed on her power and speed to her six crops, where she has produced 4 stakes winners, including 3 graded winners. Zyr excels at the 14 furlongs that this marathon is to be run at, a distance he is yet to be beaten at, mostly at the highest racing level. The super crew will be holding very high hopes for their entrant and will be pretty expectant of Zyr adding another G1 success to his account. Having won his last start in the G1 Geaux Saints over 14 furlongs and another two G1 success at this distance in his last 5 starts Zyr is obviously racing at the top of his game and will be very interesting to see just where jockey F Gossett positions him during the running of this race, with Whirlwind, spokesperson for the ‘super’ group, commenting that either leading or near the lead is going to be fine for Zyr. Whichever race strategy the jockey adopts, their representative has trained on well and is primed for a huge effort. With a couple of rivals likely to dictate terms up front, look for Zyr to be running on from just off the pace and hoping to eek out a race winning break early in the home stretch, allowing him show off his renowned tenacity to hold off any hard closing swoopers – a tenacity that has seen him grace the winner’s circle on 5 occasions in his last seven starts, all at the highest level of racing. Looking good to make it win number 11 at race start number 26. Whirlwind is looking forward to this race with ZYR ready to meet Ryan’s (fairhaven3) colt, CLOAK AND DAGGERS, for the rubber match of their rivalry and for dominance of this division. I was told that, and I quote “You can bet the house that lenny and whirlwind will have a little side wager on the outcome of this race.” Un-quote. Odds: Equal race favourite with two others in the field and offering 6/1 by bookies.

 

#5: SINS OF ATTRITION– (waremblem1): The waremblem stables group brings this lightly raced 6yo Bluegrass Cat sired horse into the BB Marathon event, looking to notch up win number 10 at just his 18th start. Out of the multiple graded stakes winning mare Bush Wins Again (Tiznow x Forty Niner), Sins Of Attrition enters this BB Marathon on the back of his last start G1 success, where he won on the rain affected dirt track in Spain in The Monster Mash G1 raced over 14 furlongs, holding on for a dour ½ length victory after running handy to the pace and taking over early in the home stretch, recording an sp# of 109 with that effort. Already a three time winner over 14 furlongs and twice at graded level, Sins Of Attrition will likely run on or near the pace and attempt to grind on over the closing 4 or 5 furlongs and try to secure for victory. Although being the oldest horse in the field, as a 6yo, this horse is only lightly raced and could still display a fleet of foot that his rivals may struggle to reel in down the home straight. With luck in the running and a pace to suit, this son of Bluegrass Cat could make a big lunge towards his $1 million badge and bring BB glory to the waremblem family of barns. Accounted for several of Friday’s race rivals with that impressive last start victory in The Monster Mash G1 and is well liked by the odds making crew. Odds: Equal Favourite offering 6/1

 

#6: CLOAK AND DAGGERS – (fairhaven3): Representative number two here from the stables of BB legend Lenny is this stunningly bred 5yo horse by Pivotal out of a stakes winning Dynaformer x Deputy Minister mare, Just Dynamite.  With an impressive race record of 12 wins from 29 starts and boasting earnings in excess of $2.26 million, Cloak And Daggers is going to take a power of holding off in the closing furlong of this event. Had this race been over the extreme 16 furlongs, a distance he is unbeaten over in 7 attempts, I would have been suggesting this fairhaven3 runner a dead set lock! But without the extra 2 furlongs for the big brown beast to surge home with, I suggest he may run out of room to catch the leaders in this very even event. Finishing second in both starts over the 14 furlong distance, run at G1 and G2 level, Cloak And Daggers is not going to be a pushover, but I, and maybe Ryan too, would have been a whole heap more confident with the extra 2 furlongs to run down any tear-away leaders. Comes into this event on the back of back to back graded successes, last time out at G1 level when scoring an sp# of 104, coasting to a comfortable 3-1/2 length victory in the 16 furlong Seattle Stayer in Washington and prior to that he won the 16 furlong G3 Jacksonville Jog by another dominant margin and an sp# of 110. Three starts back was charging late, but unable to run down Division rival Zyr in the G1 Razorback Route on the dirt track of Arizona over 14 furlongs, when closing to within 1 length of Zyr and producing an sp# of 109 for the effort. Proven dirt router, trained by one of the sim’s best Breeders Bowl trainers and fresh from a last start G1 long route success, Cloak And Dagger is a must for your trifecta wagers and will be trained to a treat for the sim’s biggest weekend. Odds: Equal favourite at odds of 6/1.

 

#7: KOMPLIKATED – (fairhaven6): The third string to the Evil Empire bow is Komplikated, the  handsome 5yo brown offspring of Summer Bird out of stakes winning mare Katzenjammer ( Storm Cat x Gone West). He is a winner of 11 races from 27 start, he has one win at G2 level and is a multiple stakes winner with earnings of $376,046. As with the fore mentioned conglomerate runner, Engines Of War, Komplikated just has not done enough to really stir things up amongst his race day rivals. Good? Yes! Brilliant? No! A chance? Definitely! … he runs for the Lenny group! Scrolling through his race record we find ourselves flipping back in time to late December to find his most ‘recent’ career highlight, when he secured victory in the G2 Grey Fox 14 furlong dirt route in Belgium, winning by a solid 1-1/4 lengths with an sp# of 111. Since then he has been more than a handful at stakes level, but when asked to step up to a higher level Komplikated finds things a bit too … ummm, complicated – and Lenny will need to pull off a master stroke to turn this horse’s fortunes around. Comes into this Friday’s event with a dismal 11-1/4 length 11^th of 14, when 5/1 favourite in the G3 Fall Championship event in Kentucky, scoring an sp# of 103 for the 12 furlong trip. Again, I am giving the “horse has no chance of victory here” warning with the “but it is an Evil Empire pony” addendum added. Breeder’s Bowl and Evil Empire go together like peanut butter and jelly and if anyone can throw an upset on the sim’s biggest day, this combination has the greatest hope in doing that! Oddsmakers have him at 8/1, which I guess is a reflection of respect for the trainer.

 

#8: TAP IN PUTT – (balata): Balata farms bring this well-bred 5yo Tapit horse into the event, using a lead up race plan mirroring last years’ lead up plan – unfortunately, that culminated in an abysmal 27-3/4 length 9th of 14 in the 2013 running of the BB Marathon. Last year this son of lightly raced mare Balata’s Halo (Seeking The Gold x Halo), ran in the 2013 running of The Europe Stayer, finishing 3rd just 2-3/4 lengths of race winner Digital Dragon and then winning the 2013 Monster Mash, coming from a rearward position and clearing out for a 4-1/4 length victory, recording an sp# of 107 in doing so. Then came the disappointing BB Marathon run mentioned above. The 2014 path has not gone as well as the 2013 path with Tap In Putt closing well enough for a 6-1/4 length 4th of 14 in the Europe Stayer and then last start out, struggled in the going in the Monster Mash G1 event finishing 17 lengths off the winner in 10th place. Now we all know that Balata is no mug around these parts and even though his entrant has not graced the winner’s circle for 8 odd months, no one would be surprised should Tap In Putt have his named etched into the base of the BB Marathon Trophy on Friday. Left with one final burst in the final furlong on the back of the highly suspected on pace battle, Balata could be urging on his runner towards victory as the finishing line approaches and Tap In Putt could provide one of those boil overs that are notorious on Breeders’ Bowl races. Hoping to add to his record of 25 starts for 5 victories and 12 minor placings and success here would see race earnings head closer to the million dollar mark. A ’swooper’ to watch for! Odds: Equal 7th favourite at 10/1

 

#9: LOCO COLONY – (jrogue5): Millionaire 4yo Montjeu mare Loco Colony has the hopes of the Jrogue management team riding on her shoulders coming into this weekend’s festivities and everything points to this mare being more than a handful for her male rivals. This #1 ranked long dirt route mare maybe the stronger of the two Jrogue representatives in the BB Marathon event and is up against the boys for the first time in her 12 race career, and hopes to beat up on the males as she has her female rivals on seven occasions – 6 of those victories coming at 14 furlongs or greater. Out of an unraced Storm Bird x Pleasant Colony mare, Loco Colony has amassed just over $1 million in earnings, is a three-time graded stakes winning mare and has been runner-up in her last two events. She comes into this race off the back of a battling 4 length second of 13 in the G1 Scottsdale Stayer 16 furlong event, posting and sp# of 103 for the effort and prior to that event she came up just a ¼ length short of securing victory in The Little Rock Stayer G1, 14 furlong with an sp# of 107. Another who likes to run on or near the pace and seems to show more fight if she can dictate the pace, with three of her better wins coming when she was able to dictate the pace in front. Might be from the ‘fairer sex’ but ticks several boxes heading into the BB weekend. Well rested and Jrogue will surely have his mare prepped for a big effort. Odds: 11^th in favouritism at 13/1.

 

#10: TAP LESSONS – (nedsnags): Jrogue’s second entry is the race’s baby and only 3yo in the BB Marathon event and although light on race experience, Tap Lessons is heavy in stamina. The Tapit sired colt out of stakes winning race mare Private Lessons (Kingmambo x Nureyev) comes into the event having chalked up a G1 victory at just start number 10, his fourth win in his short career. This win came over 16 furlongs in the G1 Pleasant Damper Marathon, where he strode away from his rivals after racing handy throughout, scoring a comfortable 3-1/2 length winning margin with an sp# of 99. That event was restricted to 3yo only and as a result was not littered with proven dirt routers, but Tap Lessons still won well, with plenty in reserve and with natural maturity making this colt stronger with each passing week, the colt might be a very live hope come race day. With such a light racing career it is pretty hard to really gauge exactly where he lines up with his older, proven race day rivals, but with impeccable breeding and that comfortable last start G1 victory a couple of important boxes are already ticked … add to that the ‘fairy tale’ story-line of the baby beating up on the veterans and getting the spoils and we have the makings of a great headline in the weekend’s papers. If nothing else, brings the exuberance of youth to the fore and yet another potential boil over if things pan out just right. Odds: Ranked at 13^th fave of the 14 at odds of 26/1 … Upset material!

 

#11: SEATTLE IN SUMMER – (winsalot): Selurnivek stables pin their BB hopes on their 5yo Curlin mare Seattle In Summer, who is out of an unraced Summer Squall x Seattle Slew broodmare.  This 2014 Equinics winning mare is a dual G1 winner at Friday’s race distance of 14 furlongs and has also won at this distance at G3 level. A winner of 10 races from 24 race starts, placing in the top 3 on another 6 occasions, she will need to show a lot more tenacity than was shown by her in her most recent start. Last time out Seattle In Summer struggled to a very ordinary 21+ length 10th of 14 in the G1 Great Dane 14 furlong event raced in Denmark, never really firing up at all throughout the event. This race trend also mirrored her previous G1 start, the running in Arizona of the G1 Little Rock Stayer over 14 furlongs in late June, where again she dropped towards the rear of the field and plodded to the wire unable to make any inroads on the leaders. Is going to need to produce an effort in the neighbourhood of her back to back G1 successes of early February and then again in early April winning, firstly, the Equinics HOF Committee 14 furlong by 4-1/2 lengths, and then the 14 furlong G1 Desert Lady Stayer by 3-3/4 lengths, boasting sp#’s of 110 and 109, respectively. Not really wanting to talk down this mare’s chances, but on the back of her last to G1 efforts against her own gender and how ordinarily she ran, she is going to need to have to turn things around 180 degrees before she can even be considered a threat to the best long routers the sim has to offer this Friday. Race history shows she is not unknown to turn the form line on it’s head and throw in a ‘Bobby Dazzler’ of an effort … and if ever a run of that nature is required – Friday’s run is that day. Odds: Odds: Rank outsider of the 14 at odds of 27/1

 

#12: IMPACTA – (monologue): From the Tazdevil conglomerate of stables comes Impacta, a handsome Deep Impact 5yo out of an unraced broodmare by Montjeu x Seattle Slew. Runner-up in this very event last year, Taz will be hoping his representative can go one better this time round and return to his strongest form, that of his 4yo season – every ounce of that form may be needed to come up to those expectations though. Having just greeted the judge first in just one race in this his 5yo season, and that win being at allowance level two starts back over 15 furlongs, Impacta will need a very special effort to threaten his rivals with defeat this weekend. Showed a glimpse of yester-year’s form in his last start when being run down late in the G1 Monster Mash over 14 furlongs on a rain affected dirt track, posting an sp# of 107 and finishing just 3-3/4 lengths behind Sins Of Attrition, a rival in this BB event. Will likely be this race’s pace setter and if he can secure a soft, unchallenged lead and dictate terms from the front, may be able to turn up a bit of an upset and add to his 10 career wins at start 22 and boost his earnings from the $1.1 odd million he currently boasts. Not totally writing Impacta off – how could anyone write off a proven router with a 50% winning record, but he is going to have to show his best form of 2013 and will need to put in a very big effort to hold off the crème de la crème of dirt long routers in this race, the Breeders Bowl Marathon. Odds: 6th in favouritism at 9/1.

 

#13: CADET CAT – (42flat): As you may have guessed by this mare’s name, this regally bred 5yo mare hails from the Cadet racing stables. By the all-conquering Bernardini and out of an unraced Storm Cat x Kris. S mare, this stunning mare brings a 50% winning record with her to the starting gates and earnings sitting just under $650,000 from her 18 starts, from 9 wins and a lone 3^rd placing. When you look at that race record you could suggest she is very much a “Hit or Miss” type runner. When she is good, she is very good – but when she is bad, … well? You know! Found winning form last time to the track, all be it at allowance level. But despite the drop in grade to allowance level, the victory was very good as she registered a comfortable 6 length victory over 5 rivals on a dirt track in West Virginia, recording an sp# of 102 for the 13 furlong event. We need to slip back to late December 2013 to find her last win, but what a win that was, when she triumphed in the G1 Empire State Stayer event on the dirt of New York over the route distance of 14 furlongs, gliding to an easy 3-3/4 length win with an sp# of 104 resulting. Between that victory and the last start allowance it has been a disappointing journey for cadet and his “Cat”, with back to back G1 fourths (104 & 102 sp#’s), following by an overnight stakes 5^th  (92) on wet turf and then another 5^th  (98), this time at G2 level and in each of those last five starts has not really threatened the winners. With so much breeding pedigree around Cadet Cat, the Cadet team know they many years of fun with this mare in the breeding shed, but being so lightly raced, they might wish to delay the day they retire her hoping she can produce results her lineage deserves. Can she turn things around here against the boys (and other two mares)? I am not too sure, but she is sitting just off single figure odds, so I guess she has more than just a “runner’s chance” on Friday. Odds: 9th equal favourite at 11/1

 

#14: FIRST CITIZEN – (saver): Entering the gates from one of the most accomplished racing set-ups in the sim is First Citizen, a 4yo Lemon Drop Kid out of an unraced Alydar x Northern Dancer mare, racing out of the Dixiedotco establishment. This winner of 8 races from 21 race day starts has earned a little over $400k to date and picked up his lone graded stakes success back in June of this year with a hard fought ½ length victory in the G2 Crooklyn Handicap, run over 12 furlongs on the dirt track of New York, registering an sp# of 111 in doing so. Dixiedotco stated to media earlier this week that he, himself has doubts about First Citizen getting the 14 furlongs, having seen him fail as a 3yo at 16 furlongs in a G1 last year as a relative greenhorn and has always felt that 12 furlongs was this colt’s optimum distance. He hopes that if he can stay close to a hotly contested pace, First Citizen’s pedigree could carry him home over the final 2 furlongs and cause what could be seen as an upset should he be able to get up for the chocolates. After June’s G2 success, Saver stable management decided to give this horse a run on the turf in the G2 Prince Of Whales 12 furlong event and First Citizen performed magnificently finishing well for 2^nd getting within 1-3/4 lengths of victory. Backed that up with a disappointing last of 7 on the turf in the 10 furlong G2 Del Web Handicap and then returned to the dirt surface last time out where he finished a rather ordinary 12 length 6^th of 14 in the G1 Jockey Guild Gold Cup, run over 10 furlongs. Even though connections are a little ‘iffy’ about his chances, they feel First Citizen deserves every chance to prove himself in this event, at this distance, on this special day … and no one can begrudge them that chance. A nice drag into the race off a speedy opening 7 furlongs could well see him repay his owner’s faith. Odds: 4^th equal favourite at 8/1.

 

So there we have them folks! 14 magnificent specimens of horse flesh and all no doubt primed to the minute for Breeder’s Bowl weekend. The 3 mares all have enough form scattered through their statistics to pose threats to their male counterparts and although forgotten by the oddsmakers, the lone 3yo, Tap Lessons could be a real handful in this event … and a potential lock for 2015! The Divisional rivalry of Super’s Zyr and Lenny’s Cloak And Daggers is looking like the battle that most will be watching for and both look like they will be right in the thick of things as the finishing line approaches.

If I was to place a trifecta wager in this event, I would have Zyr, Clock And Daggers and Tap Lessons boxed up on my ticket!

Good luck to all in this BB event, and further luck to all with runners in other BB events this weekend.