The Most Dramatic Breeders' Cup Classics

 

 

The Most Dramatic Breeders’ Cup Classics, Part I

Joseph Di Rienzi

The pinnacle of the annual Breeders’ Cup Championship series is usually the 1¼ mile Breeders’ Cup Classic – the final race of the now two day meet. Over its 36 year history, the Classic has been won by some of the thoroughbred sports’ equine stars. Names such as Cigar, Skip Away, Curlin, Zenyatta and American Pharoah [sic] have etched their names in the honor’s list of Classic victors. In this two part piece, I will discuss what I consider the five most exciting editions (in reverse order) taking into consideration the quality of the field and the closeness of the finish.

Number 5: 1998

This could very well have been the deepest field in quality in the Breeders’ Cup Classic history. Held this year at Churchill Downs, the headliners among the 10 horses entered in the Classic were two grays - Skip Away (double champion and 1997 Classic winner) and Silver Charm (1997 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes hero and this year’s Dubai World Cup victor) both vying for Older Male and Horse of the Year honors. The rest of the field included the Frank Stronach owned pair - Awesome Again and Touch Gold as well as Victory Gallop (the Belmont Stakes hero), Coronado’s Quest (Travers Stakes winner), Gentlemen, Arch, Running Stag and Swain. The last named was mainly European raced but could not be dismissed based on his close finish to Silver Charm in the Dubai World Cup. Skip Away was the favorite, but there was some concern over his soundness, his relatively recent poor performance in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (a badly beaten third place finish), and the fact he had run the worst race of his career at Churchill Downs in the 1996 Kentucky Derby. Good chances were given to Silver Charm, the Stronach entry and Swain.

As the field broke from the gate, Coronado’s Quest forged to the front over Arch with Skip Away and Silver Charm side by side in third and fourth position. Swain and Gentlemen were not far back in fifth and sixth place, respectively. Down the backstretch, Coronado’s Quest continued to lead with the others close behind. Skip Away made a move along the inside but was repelled as Silver Charm came up the outside. At the top of the stretch, Coronado’s Quest was still in front but strongly challenged by Silver Charm. Swain made his move along the outside but, in doing so, drifted far right under jockey Frankie Dettori’s urging. It looked like a three horse finish among Coronado’s Quest, Silver Charm and Swain who were spread out across the racetrack when suddenly Awesome Again and then Victory Gallop charged between a large gap. At the finish, Awesome Again was ¾ of a length in front of Silver Charm who had a neck advantage over Swain. The European, in a massive effort, held third by a nose over Victory Gallop who was 1 length in front of Coronado’s Quest. Skip Away, who was not the same racehorse as had been seen the past three years, finished sixth in his final start, beaten a total of four lengths.

Awesome Again (in center) 
winning the 1998 Breeders’ Cup Classic
(bloodhorse.com)

This was a great victory for the owner-trainer team of Frank Stronach and Pat Byrne, respectively. Although, Awesome Again was undefeated in six 1998 starts, his Breeders’ Cup Classic victory was not sufficient to persuade enough voters to award him championship honors. The Eclipse Award for Older Male went to Skip Away despite defeats in his last two races. Skip Away was also voted Horse of the Year, for his overall 1998 record, and the fact he probably should have won that Eclipse Award in 1997.  

 

Number 4: 1987

At Hollywood Park, a field of 12 entered the starting gate for the fourth Breeders’ Cup Classic headed by two Kentucky Derby winners - Ferdinand (the 1986 victor) and Alysheba (this year’s Derby hero). Ferdinand appeared to have the upper hand as the older competitor racing at a track where he won the Hollywood Gold Cup (at the same 1¼ mile distance as the Classic) and bringing a series of sparkling workouts leading up to the race. There was some support for the defending Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Skywalker and Canadian bred three-year-old Afleet. Other contenders were Cryptoclearance, Nostalgia’s Star, Gulch, Candi’s Gold and Judge Angelucci. The last named trained by Charlie Whittingham (as was Ferdinand) had developed into more than just a pace setter for his barn mate. Since his second to Ferdinand in the Hollywood Gold Cup, the son of Honest Pleasure had won three of four stakes races.

The Classic was, to employ an overused expression, a thriller. Candi’s Gold and Judge Angelucci went for the lead and set a steady pace. Ferdinand began in mid-pack but raced into contention along the backstretch. Alysheba was initially placed far back and made a bold move on the outside as the field headed around the far turn. At the top of the stretch, Ferdinand, under Bill Shoemaker, cruised up alongside the battling leaders, Judge Angelucci and Candi’s Gold. Knowing his mount’s habit of pulling himself up once he gains the lead, Shoemaker was waiting to the last moment to urge Ferdinand forward. However, when he saw Alysheba coming resolutely to his right, Shoemaker called on Ferdinand who surged forward to gain a clear advantage. In the shadow of the finish line, Alysheba closed dramatically to just miss winning by a nose. (An unforgettable memory is race caller Tom Durkin’s pronouncement that “the two Derby winners hit the wire together”.) In third place, 1¼ lengths behind, was a very game Judge Angelucci with Candi’s Gold another 1½ lengths back in fourth place. (Skywalker in his attempt to win the Classic again finished twelfth and last.)

Ferdinand winning the 1987 Breeders’ Cup Classic
(bloodhorse.com)

As a result of this victory, Ferdinand, owned by Mrs. Howard B. Keck, despite having lost his first six races of the year, was voted the Eclipse Award both for Champion Older Male Horse and Horse of the Year. Alysheba, due to his overall record and powerful performance in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, was awarded Champion Three-Year-Old Male.

 

Number 3: 2016

The Breeders’ Cup Classic, the climatic race of the two day Breeders’ Cup series, held this year at Santa Anita Park on November 5, had a nine horse field. Now a five-year-old, California Chrome, at the time North America’s  leading money earner, was attempting to complete a perfect season that the 2013 double classic winner and former Horse of the Year began in January at Santa Anita. His main adversary appeared to be Juddmonte Farms’ sophomore Arrogate who burst onto the national racing scene with a sensational Travers Stakes victory. Other entries included Frosted, Melatonin, Hoppertunity, Effinex and Keen Ice. At post time, California Chrome was the 9-10 favorite, but Arrogate at 8-5, was installed the strong second choice.

After the break, Victor Espinoza sent “Chrome” to the front followed by Melatonin. Arrogate, breaking from the no. 9 post, was not sent forward by Mike Smith as he did in the Travers but took a rating position in third place a couple of lengths behind the leader. The first three positions were unchanged down the backstretch as California Chrome was running comfortably on the lead. Around the far turn, Smith angled Arrogate inside of Melatonin as he took aim at California Chrome. Down the stretch, California Chrome continued to stride out purposefully, and, although Arrogate was under a drive on the outside, it appeared he was not gaining. That changed just before the finish when the big son of Unbridled’s Song leveled out as only the really good horses do and thrusted himself forward to pass Chrome for an astonishing ½ length victory. The magnitude of the performance of the top two finishers was exemplified in that third finishing Keen Ice checked in 10¾ lengths further back. Hoppertunity was fourth; Melatonin finished fifth; Frosted was sixth, and Effinex checked in at seventh place.

Arrogate wins the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Classic
(nytimes.com)

Arrogate became the third consecutive Classic winner conditioned by Bob Baffert. For Juddmonte Farms, who has had so many top class runners in Europe and turf champions in the U. S., this victory ranks up with their Empire Maker’s 2003 Belmont Stakes victory. This was Mike Smith’s fourth Classic winning mount with Skip Away (in 1997), Drosselmeyer (in 2009) and Zenyatta (2011) the other three. At year’s end, Arrogate was voted the Eclipse Champion Three-Year-Old Male, California Chrome the Older Dirt Male Champion and Horse of the Year (despite losing the Classic), easily outpolling Arrogate.

 

(To be continued in part II.)