Superstars Horseshoe Bay, Sunnybank Memorial, turf titans in final ’06 show
Pennsylvania– We’ve been so lucky this year following probably the two best horses ever to grace the Sim. Sunnybank Memorial and Horseshoe Bay have both in turn rewritten the definition of “Sim superhorse.”
Fittingly on DelPenn Champions Day, Memo and Bay Bay meet in what may be the final chapter to their historic rivalry. It’s the Grade 1 $1,500,000 Penn Allied Assault (formerly named Penn Marathon). And a great story awaits………
In Allied Assault’s Footsteps?
The DelPenn residency renamed this race in honor of three-time Penn Marathon winner Allied Assault. Masterab’s 2003 Breeders Bowl Turf hero positively adored DelPenn day, capturing this race not only in 2003 and 2004, but also in his final career bow in 2005. Allied Assault then retired on a winning note. He later entered a pantheon of Sim greats as an unanimous selection to the Sim Hall Of Fame.
Allied Assault was a 5yo last year and so is Sunnybank Memorial this season. The pair shared many head-to-head matchups. Memo surpassed Allied Assault’s 40 lifetime starts mark (Memo makes his 47th trip Saturday). One must wonder if Lilbitfarm shall follow suit and call it a sunset for Memo. Especially if Memo upsets the 4yo Horseshoe Bay Saturday.
Memo vs Bay Bay Rivalry
But enough about that speculation — what about the Bay Bay vs Memo 2006 rivalry? The duo first met this season in the Sim Equinics back in February. Neither won that contest though. In March though, they matched up again in the John Scott Appreciation(G1). Both were at their best and Bay Bay overpowered Memo down the lane. The duo finished one-two in a splendid contest.
The rivalry had to wait as the pair went their seperate ways. Horseshoe Bay competed in April’s Sand Castle Festival, then won three straight at California, Ireland, and New York. He also sandwiched in a whopping 3-month layoff. That gutsy training decision by Texasace proved invaluable — the colt came back on fire, throwing huge speed figures and you can possibly speculate that the layoff proved key to the second-half of his ’06 season.
Meanwhile, Sunnybank Memorial opted for a vigorous path that would lead him to Sim history. Memo set a new all-time graded wins record following his victory in the late springtime United Countries Handicap(G1). He dueled and lost sometimes to his other rivals (Rain God, Puppet Regime and more). But folks positively loved Memo setting his 4th career Sim record (he also owns the all-time Grade 1 victories record and at one time held the consecutive Grade 1 and graded win streak records). This reporter thought him to be the new “greatest Sim horse ever.”
To The Breeders Bowl
Finally, September rolled in and Bay Bay and Memo were ready to renew their rivalry. New York’s Man o’ War Stakes(G1) proved beyond all wonder with Memo triumphing a length-and-a-quarter in the clear over Horseshoe Bay’s late charge. Unbelievably awesome!
Texasace chose the Arc de Triumph(G1) for Horseshoe Bay’s final Breeders Bowl prep and the big horse won handily, defeating 3yo upstart Lex Luthor. Lilbitfarm and Sunnybank Memorial stayed in New York for the Classic Turf(G1). Unfortunately, Memo threw a dull effort, finishing fifth.
November’s Breeders Bowl Turf had all the makings of another fabulous star event. You had Memo, Bay Bay, Lex Luthor, Rapid Grey, Puppet Regime, Cortez(IRE) and more turf heavyweights. By the wire though, it was all a one-horse show with Horseshoe Bay breaking all hearts. He just hit another stratosphere, winning by 4 lengths in an amazing 2:28 1/5, a 117 SP#. Memo struggled home with the rest of the field, finishing 9th.
Final Chapter?
The oddsmakers sure are confident. They’ve set Horseshoe Bay as the heavy 8/5 favorite in Saturday’s big race. Sunnybank Memorial naturally takes the second-choice spot, but he had to settle for 9/2.
But DelPenn is known for upsets. It’s not been kind either to Breeders Bowl victors (no BB winner won on DPCD day in 2005). Can Sunnybank Memorial dig down deep in his 47th career call to post? Can he go once more to the well and upset rival Horseshoe Bay? Win or lose, will he retire or will Lilbitfarm set a new goal: breaking Joe Cayenne’s all-time earnings of $13-million? Memo’s only $3-million away — possible!
Horse of the Year is on the line for Horseshoe Bay. This reporter believes he’s sown up the turf horse championship (Seeking Sal might have something to say about that though!). And I daresay, Baby rides the coattails of Sim history too — if he can follow that Breeders Bowl with a victory here, then you really have to consider him as the undisputed “greatest Sim horse ever.” Each great horse has their merits, but Horseshoe Bay is just at another untapped level now.
The Rest Of The Field
Oh, what an awful way to describe the remaining entrants! And I don’t take that lightly too, since I have one of my own horses in this race (Confederacy 10/1).
But I just can’t see Horseshoe Bay losing this race. Memo and wrecks2’s Puppet Regime might have shots, but they both lost to Lex Luthor in the Japan Classic(G1) three weeks. Horseshoe Bay was able to run down that 3yo pacesetter twice. 🙁
*And* three of the four Breeders Bowl Turf pacesetters return: snappa4’s Director, ninerdust’s Ballisodare, and Confederacy. All three got pummeled, fading badly as also-rans in the BB. If all three go at it again (or at least 2 of the 3), then you can’t ask for a better scenario for Horseshoe Bay. He’s gonna get plenty of targets to run at. And I think it’s doubtful that one of those three pacesetters will seize a commanding solo lead. Jakematt’s longshot ALWer Barb’s Class might factor into that fray as well.
Director won the Coalminer Cup (I think over Rain God) and Ballisodare won the Bluegrass Cup Turf and finished 2nd to Memo in the United Countries. Confederacy won a couple late-season grades. All three are good horses. Director has tons of upside since this is only the sophomore’s 10th career start.
Puppet Regime deserves a lot of respect. If he can regain his form, it would be quite an upset story. He’s one of the heavyweights of the division especially earlier this year. I think he won on Sand Castle day (the PPs don’t go back that far, sorry). However, he’s just not throwing the numbers right now comparable to Horseshoe Bay on paper at least.
You can also consider ratt49’s Extortionist. The 5yo has only made six starts this season (looks like his trainer recently returned to the Sim — welcome back!). Extortionist was a Grade 2 winner in the summer and finished 4th in the BB Turf. Granted he was 17 1/2 lengths behind Horseshoe Bay and you can very well say Extortionist was “best of the rest.” The closer put forth a similar effort in the Japan Classic LTO.
I like gboro’s new face here: Gallant Wings(GB). The 4yo In the Wings(GB) son won the Grade 3 Carleton Fisk over this distance LTO from behind the pace. Granted, he got pummeled by Ballisodare in the Bluegrass Cup Turf this autumn, so you can possibly suspect the quality of the field in that Grade 3. Still, love to see a horse on the upswing in form.
Kronus sends out an interesting dark horse. K’s Abbundanza (21/1) has a royal AP Indy x Nijinsky II x Buckpasser pedigree. the 4yo colt has 21 starts, but recently found his groove in 10f+ marathons. He’s raced his entire career over the main track, save for one start on the grass. That came early in a 3yo season — he finished 4th in a MSW mile race. I could write some more details about him, but suffice to say that he’s untested over the grass at 12f, but is a stakes winner over this distance on the main track. Very interesting!
The final entry is obviously misplaced. Sherman8’s claimer Madhibby Wood (90/1) doesn’t belong at this level. 🙂
Snowchief’s Picks:
Win: Horseshoe Bay (upset of the day if he loses)
Place: Ballisodare
Show: Sunnybank Memorial or Puppet Regime
Sorry I didn’t write a normal preview — I have another DPCD preview still and just wanted to write something different. :^)
Good luck to all!