BBRS 2007 Year End Review

Bargain Bred Racing Series

2007 Year End Review

There where seventeen stakes races during the year that culminated in the ten race Bargain Bowl. The 2007 season turned out to be a great and exciting year for all of those involved with the Bargain Bred Racing Series. Old BBRS veterans showed they could still get the job done and a couple of young bargain breds stepped to the forefront of the series with big time performances. 

The old veterans of the series deserve a lot of respect and while some here did not have the kind of season they would have liked a couple really shined. None shined brighter than Chance for Delta. She capped off the 2007 season with her third straight Bargain Bowl Triumph in the Delta Tiger Sprint. Chance for Delta became the all time BBRS wins leader and the first and only three time Bargain Bowl winner.

Chance for Delta is one of several special veterans that have laid down the foundation on which the series has been built. Hustlin Hoosier set the tone for older dirt runners in the previous two years of the BBRS winning back to back Bargain Bowl Classics. Pepe’s Pipes won the first Bargain Bowl Turf (Cougar Bite Classic) three years ago, and is a grade I winner. Pepe’s Pipes ran second in this years Bargain Bowl. Over Highland was a two time upset winner of the Bargain Bowl Filly Turf (Vimes Turf Distaff) and came back this year to run second. It also was very nice to see long time veteran BBRS runners Piebald Maze, Shadow Muffy, and Ankaline win races this last year.

While Clearance Clarence has not won a BBRS race his consistency of hitting the board and dancing every dance for the last three years is a part of that foundation. He represents what I feel makes it all worth while breeding bargains. Runners like Clearance Clarence are not your most accomplished horse in the barn but his heart, tenacity and at times over achievement makes him one of your all time favorites.   

The veterans have laid down the foundation and the new comers and youngsters are set to move the series forward. A couple of three year olds turned in impressive performances at the Bargain Bowl. Shoaib Akhtar came a long way this year. She ran a solid fourth in the 100 Guineas against the boys before growing up and winning the Bargain Princess over the summer. She would take it to the boys at the Bargain Bowl becoming the first filly to win the The Kaif Mile while setting the stakes record for the race.

Ballista only ran in one BBRS event this year but wow was he impressive. He went from a twenty five thousand dollar maiden claimer to a Bargain Bowl winner from July to November. He posted a record 109 speed figure, best in the history of the BBRS, while winning the Tale of Two Places (Bargain Bowl Sprint).

Four year old Ten Lost Pyramids won two of the four long turf races this year taking the Hunt Turf Cup and Cougar Bite Classic (Bargain Bowl Turf). He won the Hunt Turf Cup comfortably but chose not to travel outside the Americas. On Bargain Bowl day it was not so easy as he had to run down Pepe’s Pipes in the late stages to post the win. Ten Lost Pyramids is a lightly raced now five year old expect him to make some more noise this year.

Amber Net did his best Valponi impersonation winning the Bargain Classic at odds of 41-1. So Do I made a late splash onto the BBRS scene as a five year old leading every step of the way in the Cemetery Winter Distaff (Bargain Bowl Distaff). His Gallop was the spoiler in the Vimes Turf Distaff beating out two time defending champion Over Highland. There where only two turf sprints this last year and it was Point Ringman that ran down Starinsky (first winner of the Silent Witness Turf Sprint) in the late stages to earn a Bargain Bowl win.

The two year olds this year where not as fast on the top end as they where last year, however as a group they look pretty promising. There where some extra two year old races introduced this last year and that produced some good competition. Italian breed Altieri Sort continued the filly dominance of the Bargain Bowl Juvy Turf (Class Ack Juvenile). The dirt saw another filly win with Erm I Forgot, winning over another good looking filly Big Curve. 

I am really looking forward to the 2008 BBRS year. A 2008 BBRS Preview article will follow in the next couple of days with the new year’s schedule. To all the players that have entered runners and to all of those that support the BBRS thank you very much for making this a great series and making 2007 rousing success!