CUP HAS INTRIGUE DESPITE INJURIES.

Byline: Kevin Modesti Staff Writer

Anticipation for Saturday's Breeders' Cup at Belmont Park in New York has been dampened only a bit by the injuries that will keep the sport's springtime stars out of the autumn's richest races.

As veteran fans realize, thoroughbred racing's champion-making event always has been big enough to trample such obstacles.

In 1984, when Hollywood Park played host to the first Breeders' Cup, promoters were counting on the presence of local legend John Henry in the Breeders' Cup Turf. But two weeks out, a trio of California's finest veterinarians examined the 9-year-old's swollen ankle and emerged from his stall at Santa Anita shaking their heads. They told trainer Ron McAnally the joint was too beaten up for competition.

McAnally phoned the bad news to owner Sam Rubin, who had to decide whether to pay a $120,000 supplemental nomination fee to make John Henry eligible for the Turf.

``Sam's response,'' McAnally recalled recently, ``was, `Take the check over to Marje (Everett, Hollywood Park's boss) anyway. The horse has earned it (the chance to run).' ''

John Henry did not run. And, no, Rubin's 120 grand was not refundable.

Was the inaugural Breeders' Cup ruined? The 64,000 fans at Hollywood Park that day didn't think so.

There were photo-finish victories by long shots Wild Again in the Classic, Lashkari in the Turf and by Eillo in the Sprint. There were disqualifications of Gate Dancer (from second) in the Classic and Fran's Valentine (from first) in the Juvenile Fillies. There was a dominant victory by Princess Rooney in the Distaff, a North American-record clocking by Royal Heroine in the Mile and a championship-clinching win by Chief's Crown in the Juvenile.

The Breeders' Cup was off and running.

On Saturday, when this equine track meet is held for the 22nd time - for the fourth time at Belmont Park - the conspicuous absentees are 2005 Triple Crown stars Afleet Alex and Giacomo and 2004 Horse of the Year Ghostzapper from the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic at the end of the program.

But the 1 1/4-mile Classic still holds great interest for California fans, as Santa Anita Handicap winner Rock Hard Ten prepares to take on older-horses division leader Saint Liam.

And virtually all of the eight races, designed as always to showcase the best of each sex and every specialty, had compelling storylines as Breeders' Cup week dawned Monday.

The $1 million Sprint may be the most anticipated race of the afternoon. Lost in the Fog, the Bay Area-based 3-year-old, puts his perfect record in 10 starts at risk in the most upset-prone Breeders' Cup race.

There also could be undefeated horses in the $2 million Turf (5-for-5 Shakespeare), Distaff (4-for-4 Nothing But Fun), $1.5 million Juvenile (4-for-4 First Samurai and 3-for-3 Sorcerer's Stone) and $1 million Juvenile Fillies (2-for-2 Original Spin). Outside the juvenile races, for the sport's 2-year-old rookies, the Breeders' Cup has had only one unbeaten winner - 13-for-13 Personal Ensign in the 1988 Distaff.

Winners from the 2004 Breeders' Cup at Lone Star Park near Dallas will attempt repeat victories in the Mile (Singletary, owned by a group headed by Billy Koch of Hidden Hills), Turf (Better Talk Now), $1 million Filly & Mare Turf (Ouija Board) and Distaff (Ashado).

Those who blame racing's low profile on the early retirements of star horses will be happy to note that the four defending champions are the most in any Breeders' Cup since 1993, when Lure's Mile victory made him one of six horses ever to record Breeders' Cup repeats.

Entries will be finalized, jockey assignments set and morning-line odds announced Wednesday at Belmont, where rain in the past week has altered the workout plans for several contenders but forecasters are optimistic of dry and cool weather Saturday.

The most significant withdrawal since ``pre-entries'' were announced last Wednesday has been Roman Ruler (foot injury), who would have gone into the Sprint as trainer Bob Baffert's best hope for a victory Saturday.

Rock Hard Ten's scheduled departure from his Santa Anita base has been delayed from Sunday to Wednesday as he undergoes treatment for a left-forefoot bruise discovered after a workout Thursday. Trainer Richard Mandella said the 4-year-old is not in danger of missing the Classic.

Of the horses still eligible for the eight races, 18 ran their most recent races in California, which produced more than one-quarter of the Breeders' Cup winners the past six years.

Kevin Modesti, [phone]

heymodesti(at)aol.com

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

Breeders' Cup Sprint entrant Lost in the Fog has won all 10 races he has run in his career.

Ed Betz/Associated Press

Box:

22ND BREEDERS' CUP