ON WHOM WILL SUN SHINE? BREEDERS' CUP GIVES JOCKEYS SHOT AT GLORY.Byline: Kevin Modesti Staff Writer ARCADIA - Today's Breeders' Cup The Breeders' Cup World Championships is an annual series of Grade I thoroughbred horse races operated by Breeders' Cup Limited, a company formed in 1982 by a consortium of North American racing organizations, led by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. racing card at sun-scorched Santa Anita Santa Anita may refer to:
Who will be the next icon of the race-riding profession, after this extraordinary year when Johnny Longden John Eric Longden (February 14, 1907 - February 14, 2003) was an American Hall of Fame jockey. He was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire, England but his father wanted to build a better life for his family so in 1909 emigrated to Canada, settling in Taber, Alberta. By 1912 Longden Sr. and Bill Shoemaker William Lee Shoemaker (August 19, 1931 – October 12, 2003) was an American jockey. Referred to as "Bill", "Willie," and "The Shoe", William Lee Shoemaker was born in the town of Fabens, Texas. At 2. died, Laffit Pincay got hurt in a fall and retired, Chris McCarron Christopher John "Chris" McCarron (b. March 27 1955, Boston, Massachusetts) is an American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame retired jockey. He was introduced to the sport of thoroughbred racing by his older brother, jockey Gregg McCarron. moved into racetrack management, Eddie Delahoussaye Edward J. Delahoussaye (born September 21 1951) was an American thoroughbred jockey from New Iberia, Louisiana. He began his career in 1968 and in ten short years became the top American jockey with 384 wins. went into the bloodstock bloodstock Noun thoroughbred horses Noun 1. bloodstock - thoroughbred horses (collectively) breed, strain, stock - a special variety of domesticated animals within a species; "he experimented on a particular breed of business, and Gary Stevens
One of the classic U.S. Thoroughbred horse races. It was established in 1875 and run annually on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs track in Louisville, Ky. With the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes, it makes up U.S. racing's coveted Triple Crown. cheating charges? Who can jump into competition with ``Seabiscuit'' hero Red Pollard for the title of the nation's favorite jockey? An answer could emerge as the greatest men - and the one great woman - active in the saddle make the tactical choices that may determine which horses collect today's prizes, among them more than $14 million in purses and the Horse of the Year title. ``The Breeders' Cup always has a chance to be a glorious day for riders, and it should be that again,'' said McCarron, now general manager of Santa Anita, which hosts horse racing's Super Bowl for the first time in 10 years. ``Especially if you're in the shoes - I should say the boots - of Jerry Bailey. If he has anything close to a good day, he's going to obliterate o·blit·er·ate v. 1. To remove an organ or another body part completely, as by surgery, disease, or radiation. 2. To blot out, especially through filling of a natural space by fibrosis or inflammation. his earnings record. Gary Stevens has a chance to write a great new chapter in his career.'' And McCarron could go on and on, including Julie Krone, Pat Valenzuela, Pat Day, Alex Solis and Stevens among the Breeders' Cup's two-footed stars-in-waiting. Santa Anita expects an on-site crowd of more than 50,000 on a day when temperatures could reach the 90s by the 2:35 p.m. post time for the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade 1 Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3 years old and older run at a distance of 1¼ miles (2012 m) on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup. , the nation's richest thoroughbred race. On Friday, as promoters set the scene by painting Breeders' Cup logos on the walking-ring grass and draping draping, n in massage, technique of securely covering and uncovering parts of the body and moving the client. draping covering the animal with sterile drapes for surgery leaving exposed only that part of the body that has been a Breeders' Cup winner's flower garland over the Seabiscuit statue, the sun was filtered by smoke from the Rancho Cucamonga fire. The emphasis at such events is properly placed on the horses, who today include such luminaries as Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide, Horse of the Year threat Perfect Drift and defending champion Volponi in the Classic, streaking Sightseek in the $2 million Distaff, unbeaten Halfbridled in the $1 million Juvenile Fillies and European star Falbrav in the $2 million Turf. In total, 90 horses are set to run in the eight races, following the withdrawal of Sarafan from the $1.5 million Mile because of what trainer Neil Drysdale said Friday was a low blood count. But, more than usual, this Breeders' Cup shapes up as a test for the best jockeys: --Bailey: Riding morning-line favorites Sightseek, Aldebaran (Sprint), Cuvee Cuvée (or Cuvee on some English language labels) is a French term used on wine labels to denote wine of a specific blend or batch. The word originates from the French word cuve meaning "vat". (Juvenile) and Medaglia d'Oro (Classic) - all but Cuvee trained by Bobby Frankel - he's in line for the greatest day in the Breeders' Cup races' 20 runnings. Needing $2,455,461 in purse earnings to break his 2002 single-season record of $22,871,814, and six stakes victories to break Mike Smith's 1994 record of 68, Bailey can smash the first mark and get close to the second. Medaglia d'Oro could give Bailey his fifth Classic victory, a list that includes 133-1 Arcangues in 1993 at Santa Anita. Bailey will have to be clever, though, to get late-running Aldebaran through traffic, to avoid a wide trip with Cuvee from post 12, and to measure Medaglia d'Oro's energy in a front-running battle with Congaree and Valenzuela. --Valenzuela: With Congaree among several contenders, he can ride his first Breeders' Cup winner since 1992, crowning his ongoing success in a long battle with drugs. Tied with Day for the lead in Breeders' Cup victories when he had six through 1992, Valenzuela has had only seven mounts in the suspension-riddled years since. Valenzuela rides Congaree for the first time, and might have to work his front-running magic to keep the Hollywood Gold Cup The Hollywood Gold Cup is a Grade I stakes race for thoroughbred horses inaugurated in 1938 at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. It was run as a handicap race until 1997 when it was switched to weight-for-age conditions. winner in front of Medaglia d'Oro for 1 1/4 miles. ``Knowing the riders,'' Day said of Bailey and Valenzuela, ``nobody's going to get a free ride.'' --Krone: With Halfbridled and Funny Cide among three mounts, Krone can cap a year-long comeback from a 3 1/2-year retirement by becoming the first woman to ride a Breeders' Cup winner. Her best finishes have been a pair of seconds in 14 tries. Three women have ridden in the event. Krone must finesse a good trip from Halfbridled from far-outside post 14 in the Juvenile Fillies. --Day: The Breeders' Cup earnings leader ($22,730,600) has contenders in Ten Most Wanted (Classic) and Tiger Hunt (Juvenile), each a stretch-runner. --Solis: After posting win No. 4,000 with King Robyn in Friday's Morvich Handicap, Solis can make up for a 1-for-40 Breeders' Cup record aboard Got Koko (Distaff) or Pleasantly Perfect (Classic). --Stevens: The year of his acting debut as jockey George Woolf in ``Seabiscuit'' nearly ended disastrously when Storming Home threw him in the Aug. 16 Arlington Million. Stevens, nearly healed, rides Storming Home in the Turf and they have a good chance to win. The 12-race card begins at 9:40 a.m. The Distaff starts the Breeders' Cup races at 10:20. The pick-six begins with the Mile. A $114,127 carryover from Friday's pick-six will be held for Sunday and not included in today's pool, Santa Anita announced. Kevin Modesti, (818) 713-3616 kevin.modesti(at)dailynews.com BREEDERS' CUP Today Santa Anita Park Santa Anita Park is a thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, USA. It is known for offering some of the prominent racing events in the United States during the autumn and in winter. Racing at Santa Anita began in 1934. . Post time: First race 9:40 a.m., first of eight Breeders' race 10:30 a.m. TV: Ch. 4, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) Santa Anita expects an on-site crowd of more than 50,000 today, when temperatures could reach the 90s by the 2:35 p.m. post time for the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic. Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press |
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