Rip vs. Mak in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes

A field of eight is set to do battle in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II stakes in England on Saturday afternoon. This one mile affair, run over the hallowed grounds of Ascot Racecourse, looks to be the most important race of the weekend worldwide, and could prove one of the more important miles of the year. At stake is an automatic invitation to the Breeder’s Cup Mile, but that might not be the only BC race to be targeted by the race winner. Remember this is the same race that produced Raven’s Pass and Henrythenavigator, the two English 3-year-olds who ran past our tiring champion Curlin in the Breeders’ Cup Classic of 2008. That 1-2 finish at Santa Anita matched the result at the Ascot Festival just weeks earlier. This year’s race should be another good one with, once again, major Breeders’ Cup implications. Two of the top colts in Europe loom the pair to beat on Saturday. The defending champion is back, as Rip Van Winkle, used a triumph last year to propel him to near favoritism in the BC Classic. He did not get it done in America, but the beautiful bay continues to be one of the glamour boys of European racing. The son of Galileo has only one win this year, but it came in impressive, late-running fashion in the Group 1 Juddmonte International two starts ago. The Aidan O’Brien trained colt is coming off a well beaten second place finish in the Irish Champion, but he should be ready to roll now that he isback at the flat mile distance in which he's performed well in the past. Rip Van Winkle will be my top pick to pull off the minor upset over his younger and favored competition. Makfi became a sudden star when winning the English 2000 Guineas in May. The classic win came in only his third lifetime start. Enthusiasm for his potential was tempered temporarily when he ran poorly at Ascot in his next race, but that race came with an excuse of coming out of the June race worse for the wear. He confirmed the form of the Guineas win, and himself as one of the top milers in the world, when he returned to easily defeat champion Goldikova at Deauville in his last start. Should the son of Dubawi run back to that race, he will give Rip everything he wants in his quest to win back-to-back runnings. The rest of the field will all have juicy odds, with Poet's Voice looking like the most interesting of the bunch. The Godolphin entrant is likely to have his work cut out for him tomorrow against the top two from a class standpoint, but he is starting to live up to his potential that he flashed as a juvenile, and is coming off a smart score in the Celebration Mile. Ascot Racecourse is one racecourse that I have always wanted to visit, and the QE II would be a wonderful race to witness live. It will not happen again this year, but it will someday. For now I will be content to be a most interested observer from afar. A win by Rip Van Winkle or Makfi should send them to America as one of the favorites for the Breeders‘ Cup Mile, or perhaps they will opt for the riches of the Classic instead. Or maybe a new shooter will emerge and head to the United States off a big win.

The Fantastic Fours - Take 2

One week from Day 1. Breeders’ Cup is so close, I can smell the sweet fragrance of the Fall championship racing of my youth. It is true what they say, olfactory receptors can snap you back into distant memories more acutely than any of the other senses. The smell of the Autumn air fires millions of neurons, making me instantly happy and thinking horses. The early homework has been done. I have tore into the pre-entry past performances with all the voracity of a rottweiler with a new chew toy. Listed below are my top four choices for each Breeders’ Cup race…I have included the fourth horse especially for all my friends who like a little action in the superfecta. MARATHON 1. Cloudy’s Knight - Oh what a story this would be! His last race was super. 2. Mastery - European youngster is a classy sort who loves the distance. 3. Nite Light - Will be joined on the front end by Black Astor. 4. Father Time - Not quite as good as Mastery in England. JUVENILE FILLIES TURF 1. Smart Seattle - Motion charge is primed to return to the winner’s circle. 2. Lillie Langtry - Euro shipper has great form in England and Ireland. 3. House of Grace - Beware the undefeated filly down the lane. 4. Hatheer - Should appreciate the return to turf. FILLY & MARE SPRINT 1. Ventura - Defending champ’s in fine fettle and is strictly the one to beat. 2. Informed Decision - Hard to ignore her 6 for 6 record on synthetics. 3. Evita Argentina - Her last effort was not the real Evita Argentina. 4. Seventh Street - Classy filly drops down in distance; beware. JUVENILE FILLIES 1. Blind Luck - Unheralded filly does nothing wrong; closing in on an Eclipse. 2. Beautician - Trip at Keeneland was a nightmare; gets another chance. 3. Always a Princess - Off the pace & more experienced, she’ll be a handful. 4. Devil May Care - Undefeated Pletcher filly has talent. FILLY & MARE TURF 1. Pure Clan - Quality filly is versatile; ready to pull of a West Coast upset 2. Magical Fantasy - Streaking filly is a threat to defend her home turf. 3. Forever Together - Defending champ should appreciate return to firm. 4. Midday - Classy 3-year-old shoulders European flag. LADIES’ CLASSIC 1. Careless Jewel - Speed to burn; Can they catch her? 2. Music Note - A monster at three, she is rounding back into scary form. 3. Proviso - First performance on synthetic puts her in with a chance. 4. Lethal Heat - Beware the game California bred. JUVENILE TURF 1. Interactif - The most promising U.S. turf juvenile in years should win this. 2. Pounced - Gosden colt may be the European’s top threat. 3. Buzzword - Experienced juvenile carries the Godolphin silks. 4. Viscount Nelson - Bred to be a champion, but may prefer a softer turf. TURF SPRINT 1. Diamondrella - Might be just the mare to nail the boys going down the hill. 2. California Flag - Speed is always dangerous on this course. 3. Silver Timber - Getting better with each start; streaks down the stretch. 4. Yankee Ingenuity - Longshot play may love the firm Santa Anita turf. MILE DIRT 1. Mastercraftsman - Too much class to ignore. 2. Chocolate Candy - I’ll try this guy one more time at juicy odds. 3. Midshipman - Returns to the scene of his biggest triumph; dangerous. 4. Crown of Thorns - One mile distance should benefit this Mandella charge. JUVENILE 1. Lookin at Lucky - Does what he has to do; the best juvenile in the country. 2. Aikenite - Getting better with each run; Lucky’s #1 threat. 3. Pulsion - Long winded son of Include should be up for a share. 4. Eskendereya - Steps up in class, but this one is very intriguing. MILE 1. Godilkova - Champion filly looks to join Miesque as female Mile repeaters. 2. Court Vision - Dutrow says he has him figured out…maybe so. 3. Justenuffhumor - Will firm turf bring back his best stuff? 4. Cowboy Cal - Is never easy to run by this salty son of Giant’s Causeway. SPRINT 1. Gayego - Godolphin has this talented colt ready to roll, all systems go. 2. Capt. Candyman Can - Can not deny this honest sprinter’s consistent rush. 3. Zensational - Grade 1 talent finally faces the acid test. 4. Fatal Bullet - Speedy Canadian loves the synthetics. TURF 1. Presious Passion - America’s best hope will lead them on a merry chase. 2. Conduit - Returning champ will be tough to deny in the lane. 3. Spanish Moon - Sir Michael Stoute has this horse fresh and ready. 4. Dar Re Mi - Would not be a surprise if the filly proved best in here. CLASSIC 1. Rip Van Winkle - The 2nd best colt in the world should love 1 ¼ on Pro-Ride. 2. Einstein - A very tough customer and he likes this surface. 3. Gio Ponti - Probably not his best surface, but still a big threat at 1 ¼. 4. Colonel John - It is put up or shut up time; ready to bring his best?

Breeders' Cup Buzz

They’re almost here. 14 races. More than a hundred and fifty of the finest runners the world has to offer will congregate for a two-day celebration of the race. Thoroughbred horse racing is the most beautiful sport in the world and the main participants are the most honest, humble, and hardest trying athletes that you will ever find. The Breeders’ Cup is the greatest of all horse racing celebrations, as it brings together more of the world’s best than any other set of races, anywhere. Zipse at the Track illustrates the majesty and beauty of the sport through the written word, therefore thoughts of who will not be there or why the Breeders’ Cup is back for a consecutive year at Santa Anita are merely dust in the wind. This is Breeders’ Cup and I love it. Aidan O’Brien’s recent announcement that Mastercraftsman would most likely run in the Dirt Mile rather than the Classic promises major ramifications for both races. In the Dirt Mile, Mastercraftsman moves right to the top of my list. He is a world class performer with experience over a synthetic surface and outstanding performances at the flat mile distance. In a race full of question marks, Mastercraftsman may be the horse with the fewest questions. If he travels well to California, he should be a major force. Meanwhile, in the biggest of all Breeders’ Cup races, the Classic, O’Brien has suggested a huge vote of confidence in his charge, Rip Van Winkle. Separating the two horses is risky business, as both horses would have a shot in the Classic, a race O’Brien has come very close to winning, but never has. By splitting them, he brazenly displays his confidence in Rip and looks to win the lesser affair with his other solid horse. Trainers are known to be wrong as often as they are correct, but dismiss Rip Van Winkle at your own peril. Will she or won’t she? That is the question that so many of us are eagerly awaiting. Whether Zenyatta runs in the Classic or the Ladies Classic, she is sure to bring that special brand of excitement that only she can. She clearly has something to gain and something to lose in either race. If she runs in the Ladies Classic, she has a better chance to keep her amazing undefeated record intact, but she also could fall greatly in stature by losing a race that she would be expected to win. If Zenyatta takes the plunge and enters the Classic, she would have more to win…a place in immortality, and less to lose if she were beaten in a race that she would be only one of many with a chance to win. The danger of course in the Classic would be putting her chance of the undefeated career in major jeopardy. An interesting decision from every angle…will she or won’t she? Todd Pletcher has refilled the cupboards and will make a strong play for Breeders’ Cup glory. His strongest suit will come in the races for 2-year-olds, where he should have at least one card to play in all four races. In the Juvenile, Pletcher will have two well bred, good looking colts in Aikenite and Eskendereya. They are developing quickly and could trump the favored Lookin at Lucky. I am most impressed with his son of Broken Vow, Interactif, who is the likely favorite in the Juvenile Turf. Interactif needs only to repeat his first two turf tries at Saratoga and Keeneland to become a BC winner. Pletcher will also be well represented with the undefeated Devil May Care in the Juvenile Fillies and Rose Catherine and Dad’s Crazy in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. Look for Todd Pletcher and his string of youngsters to make a great deal of noise in Santa Anita. Breeders’ Cup Flashback --- 25 years ago the inaugural BC was run at Hollywood Park. In the first ever Classic, Slew O’ Gold was supposed to rule the roost. He had dominated the handicap division from his New York base, where he was in full flight for Horse-of-the-Year. In opposition that day was the quirky colt from the Jack Van Berg barn, Gate Dancer. The hooded wonder was trying to beat the heavily favored son of Seattle Slew, while trying to supplant another son of Seattle Slew, Swale, for the three-year-old championship. At 31-1, little attention was paid to the well traveled 4-year-old, Wild Again. It would be a race for the ages. Wild Again beat off the early competition and, despite the testing fractions, would brace for the challenge of both superstars. First Slew O’ Gold on the far turn and then Gate Dancer outside the eighth pole would throw everything but the kitchen sink at the longshot son of Icecapade. The three horses came together as they battled head and head and chest to chest. Wild Again on the rail, Gate Dancer with his white hood on the outside and Slew O’ Gold in between. It was a Hollywood script kind of finish that day at Hollywood. In what may be his greatest ever ride, Pat Day, the master of getting that little bit extra out of his pace setters, pumped and drove Wild Again to a narrow and heart-stopping victory. A long inquiry would only reverse 2nd and 3rd place results. It may have been the very first Breeders’ Cup Classic, but it was wild, Wild Again.

Do Not Sleep on Rip Van Winkle

Before his win two starts ago in the Sussex Stakes, Rip Van Winkle was in the midst of a four race losing streak. He was not living up to the enormous expectations people in the know had placed on him from a very early age. As if waking up from a twenty year slumber, things have all changed now. With his win today in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at the venerable Ascot Racecourse, the striking bay son of Galileo is squarely back on track. Rip Van Winkle has now won two consecutive Group 1’s and is now very much deserving of his claim to being one of the best horses in the world. In the QE II, favored Rip Van Winkle stalked the early pace of the older Group 1 winner, Aqlaam and easily put that runner away when asked three furlongs out. The race was soon taken up though as first Delegator, the second choice, and then Zacinto would make strong moves toward the favorite. Delegator was quickly dispatched and it was the unheralded Zacinto who would make it a race as he ranged right up within a half a length. Rip Van Winkle’s confident rider, Johnny Murtagh put down the pedal once more and his horse showed his class, as he won going away again to score by a length and a quarter. Zacinto, Delegator, and Aqlaam completed the order of finish in the four horse race. The top class, Mastercraftsman had been scratched Friday night in favor of his preferred stablemate, Rip Van Winkle. What’s next for Rip Van Winkle? Much like last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic victor, Raven’s Pass, he will use the QE II as a direct springboard to Santa Anita Park and the Classic. Immensely successful trainer Aidan O’Brien has made little secret of his belief in the talent of Rip Van Winkle. The conditioner has twice been second in the BC Classic, first with Giant’s Causeway in 2000 and last year with Henrythenavigator. He would like nothing more than to add a Classic win to his impressive list of accomplishments. In Rip Van Winkle, O’Brien has a horse who is currently healthy after dealing with some nagging sore feet and is now putting it all together in the afternoon. The QE II score was his fourth win in eight starts, a record that becomes more impressive when you consider that all three of his losses this year were to European Superhorse, Sea the Stars. In fact in his last loss to Sea the Stars in the Group 1 Coral Eclipse, it was Rip Van Winkle who gave the champion his toughest race this year according to his trainer John Oxx. In that race, Rip Van Winkle gave every indication that the 1 ¼ mile distance of the Breeders’ Cup Classic should be right in his wheelhouse and judging by how well turf horses have adapted to Santa Anita’s synthetic surface, he could well be one of the main horses to beat come November 7.

The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at The Ascot Festival

An accomplished field of five is set to do battle in the QE II stakes in England on Saturday afternoon. This one mile affair run over the hallowed grounds of Ascot Racecourse looks to be easily the most important race of the weekend and possibly one of the more important miles of the year. This should be enough reason for me to preview the race, but no, I have a completely different reason in mind. Remember last years Breeders’ Cup Classic? Sure you do…Raven’s Pass and Henrythenavigator, English 3-year-olds, running past our tiring champion Curlin. What got them ready for that performance? None other than the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at The Ascot Festival, of course. Raven’s Pass finally got the better of his rival Henrythenavigator that day and that form carried over to our richest race. This year’s race should be another good one with, once again, major Breeders’ Cup implications. Before the Sussex Stakes, Rip Van Winkle was favored largely due to the promise that people close to him have placed on the beautiful bay since a very early age. The son of Galileo has only one win this year, but seems to run more impressively with each race. His win in the Sussex, last out, was visually splendid as he ran away from older horses. Before that he ran a bang up second to Sea the Stars while easily defeating four-year-old Conduit, last years BC Turf hero. Often promise never materializes on the racetrack, but in Rip Van Winkle’s case, it appears to be on the verge of happening in a big way. Delegator, who was purchased by the powerhouse Godolphin Stable before his last start, ran the best race of his life four weeks ago while winning the Celebration Mile in impressive form. He was ridden by Frankie Dettori for the first time and displayed an explosive turn of foot. The son of Dansili looks to be better than ever and is a major threat to keep the Godolphin fortunes rolling. Matercraftsman gets a reprieve from two straight losses to Sea the Stars and also a drop back in distance to one mile. He outgamed Delegator in the one mile St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot this June and before that he romped in the Irish 2000 Guineas. Without Sea the Stars to worry about, and a run at his most accomplished distance, Mastercraftsman, a possible late scratch in favor of his stablemate Rip Van Winkle, could have enough to surprise the favorites. The only older horse in the field is the four-year-old Aqlaam. Recent winner of the Prix de Moulin, Aqlaam is most likely taking a step up in class to face these top 3-year-olds and will have his work cut out for him tomorrow, much as he did when a distant second to the great Goldikova two starts back. Zacinto was a well beaten second to Delegator in his latest and would be easily the biggest surprise in the field of five. Is there a Breeders’ Cup winner in this field? Odds are against it, but with the quality of these runners, history could well repeat itself.

Euro-Trashing

I am getting a little tired of the disrespect shown to American racing by blokes on the other side of the pond. Timeform, out of England, creates their own Global Ranking while The International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, based in France, puts out the World Thoroughbred Ranking. Both lists are an insult to the very best of the American horses. Too much emphasis is placed on the Breeder’s Cup and the Dubai World Cup and not enough is placed on all of our other races. If an American horse doesn’t compete in the BC or Dubai, than they are barely a blip on the world radar. Also, they place far too great an importance on the results of last year’s Breeder’s Cup where European horses had some solid success. As far as their world rankings, here are some notable examples causing my displeasure: Rachel Alexandra, the greatest 3-year-old filly we have seen for many years, is rated behind Rip Van Winkle on the Timeform rankings. Rip Van Winkle is clearly a nice Irish 3-year-old, but to rate this horse, who has won once out of four tries this year, a whopping five pounds ahead of Rachel Alexandra is insulting. Meanwhile, the World Thoroughbred Ranking lists her in a tie for ninth globally and six pounds below Rip. I guess the International Federation people have not seen her last eight races! Gio Ponti, winner of four consecutive Grade 1 turf races, is judged to be below at least 15 other turf horses on these respective European rankings, or excuse me, World rankings. 15 or more turf horse are better than Gio Ponti??? This is nothing less than a slap in the face to American race horses. Reminds me of the lack of respect given to Manila, the year he thrashed Europe’s star Dancing Brave. Our consistent success in the Dubai World Cup proves our dominance on our best surface, dirt. America has won five of the last six runnings of the world’s richest race. While on our secondary surface, turf, sure the Europeans are tough to beat, but we hold our own as evidenced by winning the Breeder’s Cup Turf 12 times out of 25 runnings. Europeans are quick to point out their win in the BC Classic last year. OK, you got that one, but on our third surface, synthetics, and it was the first European win in the Classic for 15 years. This gives them two Classic wins in total. I am confident that if we sent a few horses every year to the Arc, the Americans could also claim a victory every 15 years or so. With the chip that is currently on their shoulder, I am sure the Euros will expect to come over here and sweep our Breeder’s Cup this year. Sorry blokes, it is not going to happen. Bring your superhorse, Sea the Stars, bring all your best Europe. You are going to need it to compete with the USA in 2009.