Breeders Bowl Mile
Hello everybody and welcome to New Jersey for the biggest race day of the year Breeders Bowl day where the stars come to bask in the glory of being the champion of there division. Today we have a 16 race card including a staggering 11 Grade 1 races. I have been given the assignment of providing a thorough coverage of the Turf Mile race which has brought out the best of the best from all corners of the globe, a full 14 horse field comprising of Number 1 ranked turf miler and last years winner Seeking Sal, Number 1 3yo filly Culinary Cutie, 4 time Grade 1 winner Sip of Saki and a host of other champion horses all looking to place themselves into the Hall of Fame. Let’s start off by taking a look back at some of the past champions to win this event.
2006 1st Seeking Sal, 2nd
2005 1st Mizzen
2004 1st La Grooms Wood, 2nd Satrustegui, 3rd Coma
2003 1st Storm Dog, 2nd Sunken Tresure, 3rd Greenback Passer
2002 1st Storm Dog, 2nd Ray of Pye, 3rd Pgpg’s Filly
2001 1st Enough Knock 2nd Starke Storm, 3rd Used Bandaid
2000 1st Huge Tail, 2nd School Kris, 3rd His Brooks
1999 1st Foggy A.P., 2nd School Kris, 3rd Enough Knock
Ok Now that we have seen our list of past champions let’s take a look at the 14 horses looking to put themselves on that list, and who they are representing.
1 48640 HAIL CESARIO catahoula J Benisz 7/1 DelPenn
SEEKING THE GOLD x NORTHERN DANCER x SECRETARIAT
4yo Chestnut colt who is contesting his 2nd breeders bowl mile, hopefully he can do a little better this year than his 8th place last year. He is coming off a very ordinary performance, as last time out he ran a very poor 8th at the world cup in a race which he was the favorite to win. However, he does have a history of throwing in a bad race now and then, but he normally bounces back to run a nice race next start but he is not quite back to his best until the start after which makes me believe that he may run a good race but I’m not shore he can win. But I’m also not sure he can’t win either. I asked his trainer texasace how the horse was doing. ‘He was a bit off his feed before the world cup and ran a shocker, he looks to be a lot better this time, finger’s crossed he can ran a big race’.
2 127729 SADLER SEEKER tenpin6 P Harzheim 9/1 Great Plains
SEEKING THE GOLD x SADLER’S WELLS x NIJINSKY II
Another 4yo colt who to me looks like has not quite reached his peak yet. Having had 19 starts it is time for this horse to break out of his shell and turn potential into a Grade 1 winner. So far the best performance of his career came in the Grade 2 Fried Rice mile which he won In Japan 3 starts ago. Since then he has been very unlucky not to win the 2 races he contested at grade 1 and grade 2 level respectively. After watching his last 2 races I have come to the conclusion that 8 furlongs might be just a fraction short for him, so I asked Jockey Paul Harzheim what his tactic might be? ‘well Mags, I think we will be settled back in the field early, hoping that the front runners pile on the speed from the outset, if we can keep in touch we might run over the top of them in the last few strides.’ I think having Paul on board is a huge plus for Sadler Seeker but will he get the fast pace up front? And will the post come to quick? I think it will. I would love to see Sadler at 8.5-9 furlongs but this is the biggest day of the year so you can’t blame anybody for running at 8 furlongs.
No Silks Avalible
3 52934 COSMO GIRL theoc2 M Day 11/1 Global Runners
STORM CAT x GONE WEST x NIJINSKY II
4yo brown mare racing the boy’s for the first time. Twice a grade 1 winner over 8 Furlongs and a very unlucky 2nd last start in the Queen Ascot Stakes in what was a shocking ride by Paul Harzheim (one of very few.) Breaking away at the top of the straight to open a 3.5 length gap only to be ran down in the shadows of the post by Wassie’s Star G. Today is her chance for redemption, but it is so hard when you comparing males and females 3yo’s verses older horses and when you consider she is traveling in all the way from
4 30139 PERFECT KARMA remedy V Gardner 8/1 Minnesota Downs
PLEASANTLY PERFECT x
Here is a very nice 4yo brown colt by Pleasantly Perfect that has developed slowly into possible the finest wet tracker in the sim. Last start he ran a huge speed figure on a wet track (119) to win the grade 2 Posh Purse stakes by a length and a half from Dixie’s Pappilla. Today is going to be a very tough test with the rain staying away. He normally runs speeds around 101 on a dry track so he might find this a little tough. I asked her jockey Vince Gardner for his opinion on the horse and here is what he said: ‘He is a very nice horse, but obviously he runs his best on a wet surface, and we are still hoping we may get a little bit to take the sting out of the track. But regardless of what happens with the weather we are here to win.’ Does this mean we could see some daring tactics? Will
No Silks Avalible
5 120 CULINARY CUTIE(IRE) buzz D Givins 23/1 No Res
EL PRADO(IRE) x GONE WEST x
Next up we have a 3yo’s filly out of the gipper stables who was very impressive 2 starts back winning the Grade 1 Del Webb Oaks defeating English horse Desert Alley in
6 112106 TORCH THE FLAME(KY) super7
KINGMAMBO x
Here is the next 3yo filly who is ranked 3rd in the division. She has been in devastating form winning her past 3 races including a last start win at the world cup over the mile running a huge SP of 113. She is however taking on not only the older horses for the first time but also the males for the first time. What might be an advantage is the fact that she has not had to travel to far and has had a good break of 5 weeks, so she should be in prime condition come race day. I caught up with the super stables this week to find out what they thought of there runner. Wow, what a tough race this has become. The best from older horses, 3 year olds and 3 filly’s in the field. She will have her work cut out for her. Sip Of Saki, Woodyna, Seeking Sal, Cosmo Girl and Culinary Cutie all look like they are going to be very tough and will run their races. I do like our filly’s chances though, her speed figures are competitive with anyone in the field, she will sit just off what should be a pretty quick pace and be near the leaders at the top of the stretch. Her only bad race this year was in the 1,000
7 88690 SEEKING SAL keryn F Gossett 7/1 DelPenn
SEEKING THE GOLD x KRIS S. x MAGESTERIAL
Next up we have last year’s winner Seeking Sal. What more can you say about this horse winner of a breeders bowl, 2 time winner of the Eddie O Cap G1, winner of the Sand Castle duty free, winner of 9 grade 1 races and future inductee into the hall of fame. What though is now needed and will be provided if he wins today is the icing on the cake. To become a 2 time winner of a breeder’s bowl. And boy has he got it tough here today with only the best of the best ready to take Seeking Sal out. I spoke to Topicount a yesterday and asked for a comment on the champ. We think Seeking Sal, is primarily a 9 furlong specialist, I was thrilled to see him win the BB turf mile last year (although I still think that nine is his best distance). He’s coming into the race in great shape, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Still, it’s a tough field, and it is always a challenge to win one of these races two years running. It’s an honor really, to have kept him at the top of the division for this long. He’s got Gossett back in the saddle, and if he runs his race, he’s got a legitimate shot at the repeat. Personally, I think she has a great chance of pulling off another victory, but it is very hard to say what the tactics might be, how far back will the champ in the race, will there be enough pace in the race? There are many questions to be answered but If any horse can do it, it is Seeking Sal.
No Silks Avalible
8 44987
A very nice looking 4yo colt out of Back of the Pack stables incorporated who looks to be starting to work his way up into the upper echelon of horses in the division. After spending the most part of his career racing over 9-10 furlongs with moderate success (3 stakes wins.) her trainer decided to try her at the lesser distance of a mile 2 starts back, and she repaid his trainer with a slashing victory in the
9 131795 BLACK COIN kool4katz A Rolling 10/1 EAAA
SADLER’S WELLS x KEY TO THE MINT x ROUND TABLE
Next up is the very lightly raced gun from EAAA’s own coolk stables. With the very impressive record of 12 starts for 8 wins 2 2nd and a 3rd, and he is also the winner of the World cup turf nine in which he beat the champ Seeking Sal with a tremendous burst of speed over the concluding stages to win very comfortably. While today’s race looks a lot harder on paper you have to be impressed by this 4yo Sadler’s Wells colt. The one thing I find very interesting is that this horse has never ran a race as short as a mile, what kind of effect will it have on him. Anyway I caught up with coolk during the week and here is what he had to say. With only 12 runs he is the most inexperienced horse in the field and probably the most laid-back, he doesn’t know the meaning of the word ‘sharp’. He will be having his first run at a mile on Saturday and what a race to choose in which to run your first mile race! He hasn’t done alot wrong so far and ticked off one box for me by being one of the inaugural World Cup winners. There are too many imponderables for me to know what the likely outcome will be, I just hope he runs his race and shows he belongs with these elite milers. I think 10/1 is great odds for this horse but the question mark still remains over how well he can race over 8 furlongs but he is still one of my top picks.
10 100877 TOWN PRINCE(IRE) quitter G Arnold 9/1
BALLINGARRY (IRE) x MAJESTIC PRINCE x PETRONE
4yo colt out of the One World stables at Minnesota, who is looking for just his 2nd win of the year and what a race to try to do it in. Now you might think that with just 1 win this season means the horse is not that good, well I beg to differ. Town Prince is coming off an exceptional run where at the World Cup he tried to lead from start to finish over 10 furlongs and was only ran down in the shadows of the post by the gun horse Puppet Regime who himself has won 4 grade 1 races in a row. Before that his form was a little bit up and down, running a shocker in the windy city turf and a slow 3rd at smackdown. But before tht his breakthrough win was in the Kakarazuka Tinen Cup grade 2 where he ran a massive sp of 118 over the 10 furlongs. Today his connections have decided to drop him back to 8 furlongs for the first time since April 06. I spoke to Jockey Gary Arnold and asked what his tactics might be. Today I think from a wide gate we will have to take up the pace making, which I’m happy to do. If he can get out in front the may find it very hard to catch a horse with as much stamina as this colt has got. When you look at it that way you would have to think that this horse will give you a great run for your money at 9/1.
11 64406 WOODYNA oneworld H Harzheim 11/1
WOODMAN x DYNAFORMER x COMPLIANCE
Also out of the One World stables is this 4yo colt who seems to have taken a liking to the turf after starting out his career as a very good dirt miler. He was still consistently losing though and after a little coaxing he took to the Turf and has paid dividends ever since winning 4 of his last 5 starts including 2 Grade 1 races 1 of which was the World Cup mile. He is another like his stable mate who will be sitting on the pace which could make this very interesting indeed. I caught up with the One World stable Foreman R.C.D.Logan to get his thoughts on his stables chances. Do you think that having 2 horses in the race that like to be near the front is going to help or hinder your chances? Well we are not quite sure as we have instructed both jockeys to ride there own race. So How would you feel if both of your horses were fighting with each other for the lead? It is tough to say both Jockeys have been instructed to ride their own race, so hopefully it will be a slow pace but who knows. I don’t know if I believe him but stable instructions could play a role in this race.
12 69805 SIP OF SAKI bjbandit2 J Stivers 7/1
SAKHEE x FORTY NINER x BUCKPASSER
Here is the forgotten horse of the race Sip of Saki, I did the preview for his last race at the World Cup and I said then that the World Cup was his grand final day. Well let’s just say he ran a shocker and his trainer bjbandit was a shattered man. After all the hard work all the acclaim for is 4 grade 1 wins he let down his Australian fans on the big stage. Well today he gets his 2nd chance a chance for redemption. I spoke to bj and here is what he had to say. Where do I start…..well the big fella is sharp and ready to rumble this week. Pretty gutted after the poor showing in the WC so I am hoping for a big return. He very rarely puts in 2 bad runs in a row. My biggest concern, apart from Seeking Sal, is a wet track. That would absolutely ruin his chances and I don’t even know if I would run him. He has only won 1 from 3 on a wet track and that was his maiden where I think it was only his class that got him home. One thing people are not probably aware of and something I am pretty proud of is that Sip of Saki raced in the BB at 2 on dirt and now he is returning as a 5yo on the grass. How many horses have run in BB’s on different surfaces? He actually ran 5th as 2yo and was undefeated coming into the BB so he was pretty handy. Well as an Australian and a good friend of bj I’m hoping for a Sip of saki victory.
13 124085 EUROTRASH(KY) roberto B Schardein 30/1
EUROSILVER x STORM CAT x MR. PROSPECTOR
The rank outsider of the field who’s form has deserted this 3yo colt over his last 3 runs. A winner of 2 Grade 2 races and over $570,000 in prize money Eurotrash looks like he has hit the wall. Normally he likes to sit just of the pace and make a run but of late he just get’s way to far back and continues to go backwards in the stretch. With only 3 weeks rest I can’t see this one making much improvement. But when I spoke to his trainer he was surprisingly upbeat about the horse’s chances. What is going on with Eurotrash? Is he going to be back to his best today? Well Mags I have to say I have been a little disappointed of late he has struggled a little bit but we think he can run a big race. He has been training very well. Personally I just think he could be looking for the breeding barn. I’m willing to write him off again.
14 124436 THE FAST LAYNE(KY) seacadet K Ledwith 12/1 Pastures of Green
RAHY x SADLER’S WELLS x GONE WEST
Magnificently bred 3yo colt and winner of the St. James Tavern Grade 1 is back for his 2nd tilt at a breeders bowl. Last year he ran a gallant 3rd in the juvy turf this time around he looks to have a lot more stiff opposition. But in saying that he is coming off a huge run in the Mospe Cup Grade 1 coming from a long way of the pace to go down by just 1.25 lengths running a speed figure of 115. The only thing I can see against her is that she is has had to travel all the way from
Well there you have it 14 of the best sim milers chasing that dream of a breeders bowl. Who will win I’m not sure How will the 3yo’s and the filly’s stack up against the likes of Seeking Sal , Black Coin and Sip of Saki, I have no idea but whatever happens stay tuned for my review of the action from the Breeder’s Bowl Mile.