Thoughts on the Breeders Bowl

As I sat in the media box with all of the other writers today at historic Churchill Downs to watch the Breeders Bowl, I was struck with some memorable things about the races.

Some things I think I think about the Breeders Bowl day:
• The first ever Breeders Bowl Turf Sprint was something to behold with seven runners in triple digit SPFs and only a length at the finish betwen first and fourth. Congrats to I MAKE STUFF UP! If it had been one furlong longer, the top four may have been totally shuffled.
• There were two outstanding days by Sim Jockeys today. In the sixteen races on the card, T. Loesch had eight top five rides that included two wins and three seconds. He rode SISSON’S CHANT to victory in the Juvenile Filly race. As great a day as that was it was eclipsed by the rider who topped even his own incredible year with an amazing NINE top fives on the day with two seconds and three wins in the eleven Breeders Bowl races. He guided SEEKING SAL in the Mile, HORSESHOE BAY in the Turf, and SOLAR SONG in the Classic all to victories. A day to remember.
• The pre-race talk about the Juvenile Turf fillies being as good as or better than the boys was pretty much destroyed by the running of one MAMBO WILDCAT who looked like he was totally tired of that talk by running a sizzling 104 SPF and winning the “Men’s” race by nearly four lengths. On the other hand, the exciting finish in the female version between winner URBAN QUEST and closing hard DAHLIYEV sets up some interesting battles between them and a half a dozen other young fillies in this race down the road.
• Possibly the most incredible race was run in the Turf Distaff by COLD STORAGE who reminded me a lot in his race of a teenager jumping on the field at a ball game and being chased by a lot of fat security cops. It looked like he could have run all day and they would have never caught him. It is not often that you get to see a horse build this kind of lead and hang on against the type of quality closers that were in this race.
• Even the Undercards and the Nightcap races were entertaining as all four were won by at least semi-longshots. That was not so much the case in the main races though as seven of the eleven races were won by either the favorite or co-favorite. The longest shot to win one of the Breeders Bowl races was ARMED WITH MONEY in the Distaff who went off at 15/1 and paid a handsome $32.40 for the win and teamed with the two favorites to pay $252.50 and $1,305.50 on the Exacta and Tri. The biggest payout on the day for the BB races was a nice fat Trifecta of $4,033.40 in the Juvy Dirt race when DEGOLDENSTORM barely nudged out interestingly named INSKY WINSKY SPIDAat 14/1 and teamed with 11/1 shot PSYCHOTIC GOLD to the delight of the crowd.
• I have to own up to the fact that I watched all of the races on Coker’s Viewer and was “riding” superstar HORSESHOE BAY during the race. There was a point when he was an amazing SEVENTEEN lengths back that I really concluded that he wasn’t going to be able to do it one more time. “Oh Yee of little faith!”. What a pleasure to have watched this turf monster do it time after time. Nineteen wins including an incomprehendable fourteen Grade Ones and now two Breeder’s Bowl wins and his fastest speed ever with a 117 SPF. I bow before your greatness! This is a once in a lifetime horse folks, enjoy him while you can.
• The classic didn’t quite live up to it’s buildup as it was turned into a one and a half horse race with SOLAR SONG running away with it and just letting ERMINGTON PEGUSUS barely peak over his shoulder. Everyone else in the race had to get a call to they’re jockey to tell when it was over because they were too far back to see if for themselves. SOLAR SONG is nearing $10 Million in earnings and sure doesn’t look like he is ready to start thinking about those Old Man Of The Mountain races. He looks like he has plenty of racing left to do.
• If you read my series about Two Year Old Glory recently, you have to wonder about the Juveniles in both the Breeders Bowl races and the Undercard as well. Are they getting ready to take off and end up back here on next years card or have they seen their brightest star and are ready to flare out? JACA was certainly one of last year’s best two year olds and made the race and was right up front for the first half but she faded at the end and finished a disappointing twelfth. I’ve been thinking more and more about the number of two year old stars that continue on to greatness. It is less than you probably think.
• Last but certainly not least, I want to give kudos to all of the folks that make this exciting day for all of us so much fun. Certainly the owners and trainers but even more I want to send a huge thanks to Roys and Snowchief and the staff of the Black Type Bugler. They certainly add to the interest and excitement. I know for a fact that Snowchief was up to all hours of the morning making sure that the final articles made the early edition and it was all worth it. I read umpteen articles and I’m always impressed with the quality of the writing.

It is about time to take this years souvenir program and pack it away in that chest with all of the others from Breeders Bowls past. It is great to be able to get it out from time to time and reminisce about the great battles that these equine warriors fought on the fields of Kentucky. It was a great day!

Until next year,

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