It’s A Marathon, Not A Sprint (And Not An ‘Ark’) At Longchamp
The build-up to that important day in November continues, as the candidates begin to make their final preparations to face the music in that most time-honored of traditions. Who wins? Who loses? Will there be a shift in power? Those are all questions facing everyone in a month’s time, on…
…Breeders Bowl Saturday.
What, you thought I was actually thinking about Election Day in the States? Ha! I laugh at that. Everyone knows the real excitement doesn’t come at the polls, but at the gate. And as the prep race schedule begins to wind down, as we head towards Week 3028, the stars are aligning for racing’s day of champions in
The $275,000 Question is, “Can a Breeders Bowl contender, or champion, come from this field on the same card as the Ark De Triumph or any of the other many graded turf marathons across the Sim?” Well, it can indeed happen here: A Rub Of Irish was second here last year, and went on to be third in last year’s BB Turf. And Dante(GB) could only manage fifth here in 2003, but he went on to be second in the 2003 Turf. The race is possibly overdue to produce a BB winner, and with Top 10 marathoners Worldfly’s Wells and Band Of Budas in this octet, this Grade II could be an easy spot for some classy horses to prep for that big November day.
But what if it was the road to that other big November day? What could that particular path look like? As we examine this field of eight older turfers, let’s have a tongue-in-cheek look-see…
Picture it: a week before the other big November day. The candidates are running for the office of Longchamp Marathon Champion of the Sim universe. It’s a wide open field, and the candidates are doing two things at once: while they try to make themselves look good, their opponents are trying to make them look bad. For every commercial supporting the candidate’s pros, there are ads which try and provide an opposing view, fair or not:
Hey Hollandia(
PRO: “Hey Hollandia(
CON: “Hey Hollandia(
Final word: A deep threat, how much ground will he sacrifice to get the job done, and will it work out here like it has in listed stakes, or like it hasn’t in graded races?
Otto Platinum [Mineshaft x Saint Ballado, trained by
PRO: “All the world loves an underdog, and Otto Platinum is truly a filly of the people. She’s not just another marathon insider, but a filly who understands that with youthful vitality comes real results. In nine career starts, she’s won six times, including four primaries at this particular distance, so she knows the territory. She’s a pacesetter, looking for the results as a leader, and not a follower. She’s not blinded by glory and success, and looks to seek out wisdom while making her grand entrance on the main stage. And she’s truly a local hero, with all of her starts occurring in the European theater of performance. She took on those special interest allowance foes, and cleared every condition with ease. She’s versatile and able whether on grass or dirt, and can hold her own with colts as well as fillies. Otto Platinum: committed, earnest, lightly-raced and capable of leading the next wave!”
CON: “Otto Platinum…rising star, or naïve neophyte? Let’s look at the facts: in nine primary events, she has six wins, but none of these were on a big stage as the Longchamp Marathon is. Whenever she tried to advance her own ambitions, she’s proven only that she falls short, like when she was third in the High And Low Marathon, a graded primary in which she started slow, and finished slower. She might say she’s a versatile contender, but actually her best poll numbers occurred while running versus allowance-level opponents, and have not come close to threatening 100. It takes more than carefully chosen words to produce a winner…what does Otto Platinum have to show for her short, abbreviated career?”
Final word: With a ranking against fillies of #236, and only nine career starts under her belt, and only one failed graded or even stakes-level try among those, it’s a hard climb. But sitting off the lead, as she prefers, could be to her advantage, as most in here are either deep threats or cheap speed.
Western Sculpture [Statue Of Liberty-Vacheron, by Gone West, trained by dorrin]
PRO: “Western Sculpture IS the Common
CON: “Western Sculpture talks a good game, but let’s look closely at his story, and some troubling sections of his past don’t bear up well to the scrutiny. He’s had five different trainers in his career, and yet no successful experience racing in graded primaries at the highest level. He sets a pace, but cannot sustain the growth in the long term. And he’s a carpetbagger in the division, with more success in his career going shorter distances than truly contending at the marathon events. Finally, the “he-mare” notion is a challenge to traditional approaches. Ask yourself: do voters deserve a challenge to their security by a colt that is headstrong, inexperienced at the task and an unknown at long-term consistency with his poll speed figures at a higher level?”
Final word: Truly a versatile veteran, between success at different class levels and distance, he needs to put it together again in a smaller graded field. As a front-runner, though, he’ll face pressure, particularly up front early, and there’s where his trouble might lie.
Worldfly’s Wells [Spinning World x Sadler’s Wells, trained by dawnrun]
PRO: “In a division of heirs-apparent and future potential, Worldfly’s Wells represents assured, mature leadership. Consistency is what this colt is all about, having earned a paycheck just about every time he’s been entered into a primary contest, and earning a big Grade I victory in the process. He’s a born leader, a classic pacesetter, and has set a strong and assured pace in marathons through the years. He doesn’t run a bad race ever on the turf, and has earned the respect of his peers as well as an overall division ranking of #9. If you’re looking for a Johnny Run Lately, look elsewhere. But if you want a proven track record, look no further. Worldfly’s Wells: carrying a tradition of excellence, to the Breeders Bowl, and beyond!”
CON: “Worldfly’s Wells. He’s a veteran campaigner, a safe choice, an experienced runner. In other words, he’s the ultimate insider, and another wealthy patron of influence on racing, with a war chest of over $1.25 million. He’s had many starts in which to show excellence, but he’s now an Establishment candidate, someone who has seen the fruits of success but is now eager to hold on to his “elite” status for so long. His record shows that though he has earned some respect, maybe it’s time for some fresh blood in the Longchamp Marathon, ones who don’t distort truth. He’s a one-dimensional speed type who hasn’t earned a poll speed figure of 100 in over a year. When he claims to have earned a paycheck in just about every primary, he forgets to mention he tried dirt last time, and he wound up…inhaling it when being badly outrun late! And while he has earned consistently decent performances, he’s eager to maintain his status at all cost, including the cost of wear and tear. The Longchamp Marathon is a place for new beginnings and fresh ideas. Worldfly’s Wells: too much of an insider for a Sim Grade II primary event?”
Final word: Toss the last on dirt, and you have a very consistent colt who has paid his dues in a long campaign, but one for which his competitive edge may have been dulled; his numbers are solid, but though he’s been close, he’s not broken the century mark in his figs in over a year. There are not many who can run with him early, but can he withstand the deep threats late here?
Band Of Budas [Tribal Rule x Affirmed, trained by chop]
PRO: “Band Of Budas is not only tops in his field, he’s the ranking marathon specialist running in this event, with a Top 5 ranking. Band Of Budas is the incumbent, and defends the honor of the Longchamp Marathon against outside interests who don’t share the goal of protecting the honor of this fine event. He’s a consistent closer, sturdy and confident in the stretch drive as others burn up too quickly on the front end. He’s earned his integrity and his even-handed approach to racing through five 100+ poll speed figures in eight starts this year, while stretching his career earnings to over $1.8 million. He owns three graded victories in contests this year alone, and will continue to protect this title from the illicit lobbyists and opposition control that arises from fields foreign or domestic. Confident. Secure. Talented and consistent. Values for us. Values of Band Of Budas.”
CON: “Isn’t it time to “throw the rascals out”? Band Of Budas likes to yield control of his agenda to other operatives, and doesn’t like to get his hands dirty up front. He has a tendency to be unpredictable, which on wet grass could get him into trouble, like in the John Scott earlier in the year. Can you trust a deep closing rush to get the job down from so far away from where the real issues, issues that matter to you, lie? He only achieved his win last year because of his unusual fondness for yielding turf, and isn’t it time we had a Longchamp Marathon winner who didn’t “yield”? Band Of Budas: isn’t one year of being the champion of the Longchamp Marathon enough?”
Final word: He’s a serious threat. This spot comes up lighter for the colt than the Arc De Triumph would, and if the BB Turf is on his calendar, a win here should put him in the ideal position to emerge from the shadows as a strong contender. In what shapes up as a potential two or three-horse race for win money, his multiple 100+ speed figs could sway the momentum in his direction.
Rainbow Moonshell [Rainbow Quest-Tina Marie, by Sadler’s Wells, trained by cleverdoc]
PRO: “If you’re looking for a candidate with ethics, morals and no baggage, Rainbow Moonshell is the one who was born to take charge. His résumé is impeccable: a 12-length win last time; a bronze finish in the Equinics early this year; eight stakes wins, including a Grade I; 14 poll speed figures of over 100, including a career-(and race-)high of 112; a #25 ranking. He’s consistent enough to have earned money in each of his last ten starts. There aren’t many other horses to stake claims to items like that, all at once. The wave of the future is here, and it’s all about riding a Rainbow: Rainbow Moonshell.”
CON: “There he goes again. Rainbow Moonshell keeps resting on his laurels. But look at the résumé with a fine comb, and you’ll find out new things. His 12-length win, impressive at it looks from a distance, was in a four-house field. The Grade I win came at 2. His high speed figure of the year was 102, and that was back in June. The 112 he earned? Respectable, but not recent, as it came back in February of 2005. He has as many allowance wins as stakes wins this year. Rainbow Moonshell: take a closer look at the record. He’s a rubber-stamp candidate.”
Final look: The last start was a very definitive win in
Casey’s Quest [Gulch-CJ’s Quest, by Rainbow Quest, trained by stalcasey]
PRO: “Casey’s Quest is a veteran’s quest. A quest for returning the values of early speed and solid performances to the Longchamp Marathon. A quest to return a favorite stalwart into the winner’s circle in a graded event. A quest to insure that the old-timers have their day and their say in places that matter to you. Casey’s Quest has speed and stamina, that strong mixture of which leaders are made. He was a strong leader on the comeback trail last time in the Archer Cup, and proved that the division is deeper and more diverse than just your run-of-the-mill turf specialists. Casey’s Quest: building a bridge from yesterday to tomorrow, for the Sim, for the Longchamp Marathon.”
CON: “Casey’s Quest, a stalwart warrior from the past, is now trying to make a comeback. Is he exercising sound judgment? He faded in the Archer Cup after tiring late. He last broke 100 in the poll figures back in July of last year. He last won a graded event back in 2004. Casey’s Quest: a capable horse, but shouldn’t he be fighting battles closer to home instead of at Longchamp?”
Final word: He’ll play with the leaders, but his hopes hinge on how fast the early pace is, and how much of his own speed he can hold in reserve to call upon as needed. His form is pretty solid and competitive among these, but the distance on current form is a question mark. He was sixth here two years back, and needs to show something extra here.
Mockingbird [Atticus-N. Dance, by Kingmambo, trained by alluvial]
PRO: “Mockingbird comes from strong bloodlines, with her brother Go Vertigo a stakes winner on grass as well. Mockingbird: channeling the finest reserves of energy her pedigree suggests to become a threat in the distaff marathon division. She’s a unifying force, not a divisive one, and comes from off the pace to lead us all into a new Sim, a new Longchamp Marathon. A Grade I winner, as well as a winner versus the colts, she shoots from the hip, and has a late kick giving her the power to persevere. Why look to yet another colt to charge into the future, when you can have the grace of a Mockingbird? The ‘Bird is the word.”
CON: “Mockingbird is a solid filly in marathon events. So why is she not competing against the other fillies and mares? She has limited success against colts in previous times, so why now is she trying to challenge colts on their own turf? She runs from off the pace, but is she really fast enough to contend on issues of pace that matter to all of us? Her speed figures do not measure up to the facts and the fact is that Mockingbird doesn’t have the wings to represent the Longchamp Marathon in the Sim.”
Final word: A late-charging filly that may or may not be in final preparations for the BB Turf Distaff once again, her speed figures, while competitive, really are a step below some of the other challengers who have managed to crack 100 in a tough division to make headway in. She’s beaten the boys before, and is always contentious for a share, but her recent fortune versus fillies needs to translate better against open company.
(Writer’s note: I took a liberty in the premise of the article. All jibes against political advertising while analyzing the field were made with a wink and a smile towards the entrants. Any similarity to reality for the purposes of doing something different in theoretically entertaining BTB readers is strictly intentional on my part. Just vote in November…in
My selections:
- Band Of Budas
- Worldfly’s Wells
- Hey Hollandia(
- Mockingbird
- Western Sculpture.
I’m cvbear, and I approved of my writing of this BTB article, because heaven knows someone had to. Good luck to all.