MERCOLEDÌ 28 OTTOBRE 2015America: Ecco i partenti delle Breeders’ 2015 da Keeneland. American Pharoah partirà dal 4 nel Classic, Golden Horn dall’1 nel Turf
American Pharoah in his barn at Keeneland on Wednesday
PICTURE: Getty Images
Pharoah fever sets in despite wet weather
USA: Swirling wind and heavy rain greeted the arrival of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah but little could dampen the excitement in advance of the three-year-old’s final start in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday.
American Pharoah was greeted on Tuesday afternoon by around 150 photographers, news crews and journalists when he arrived at Keeneland after flying across from his base in California.
The cold and wet weather in Kentucky has restricted American Pharoah to walking around the barn with his every move watched and recorded by those at the course, but trainer Bob Baffert says conditions are actually preferable to the horse compared to the heat of California.
“He shipped well and everybody’s happy,” Baffert told DRF.com. “I’m sure when the cold air hit him, he probably loved that, too. Horses love that.”
‘I’m so excited, I think I’m going to cry’
Racing Post chief reporter Jon Lees reports from Keeneland
It must have been quite a shock to the system as American Pharoah touched down on a wet, thoroughly miserable Keeneland afternoon, stepping down the ramp from the horsebox and through the puddles to his home for the next few days in barn 62.
Behind him in California the weather was 82F and dry. In Lexington it was 54F and raining hard. No doubt as a consequence the bedgraggled group that greeted him did not seem quite on the scale that met the arrival of Zenyatta to Churchill Downs at the 2010 Breeders’ Cup.
But his presence certainly raised a stir at the barn area where one local journalist admitted: “I am so excited I think I am going to cry.”
American Pharoah is favourite to land the $5 million Classic on the dirt on Saturday, with the rain expected to stop before the weekend, letting the surface dry before the big contest.
The Classic will be American Pharoah’s final outing before he retires to Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in nearby Versailles and Baffert admits he would have liked to keep his champion for longer.
“He’s been terrific to us, so it’s going to be sad,” Baffert said. “I’d like to keep him another year or two.”
Connections had considered retiring American Pharoah after his defeat in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga last time out, his first loss of a season when he became the first horse in 37 years to win the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.
However, the decision was taken to race him one more time and his owner/breeder Ahmed Zayat, said: “It’s sad [it's his last run], but it’s exciting. We became so emotionally attached. I’m just happy that he’s healthy and here.”
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Golden Horn: the Arc winner will not race on lasix at Keeneland
PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)
Top British hopes shun Lasix at Breeders’ Cup
THE highest-profile British-trained runners at the Breeders’ Cup will not run on Lasix with their connections shunning the anti-bleeding medication at this year’s event.
Golden Horn, Time Test, Secret Gesture, Birchwood, Cymric and Illuminate will race Lasix-free, joining Miss France, Make Believe and Esoterique – whose trainer Andre Fabre has adopted a consistent stance against the drug’s use at every Breeders’ Cup he has contested.
All the Aidan O’Brien-trained challengers, including Gleneagles, and and the David Wachman-trained Legatissimo have been declared to run on Lasix, as well as the rest of the French contingent, plus Britain’s Mondialiste and Nemoralia, who both ran on it on their latest starts in North America.
Efforts to outlaw the use of raceday medication like Lasix in the United States are being championed by the Water, Hay, Oats Alliance. It has the support of many prominent figures in the sport in the US, as well as Golden Horn’s trainer John Gosden and wife Rachel Hood as president of the Racehorse Owners Association.
Opinion in the States, however, is generally divided and on Saturday there will be only three US-based horses not running on Lasix, Sprint joint-favourite Runhappy being the most prominent.
‘It flattened her’
Secret Gesture’s trainer Ralph Beckett has used Lasix in America previously and said: “I ran Look Here in the EP Taylor on Lasix and regretted it. It flattened her and she is a very similar make and shape to Secret Gesture. She didn’t need it in the Beverly D. I think it is great that Andre Fabre leads the way on this issue and I think there should be more of it.”
He added: “I cannot be too dogmatic though. Muhannak [2008 Breeders' Cup Marathon] won on Lasix. He did bleed a little, which was why he ran on it. You tailor it for each horse.”
Keeneland (USA)FRI 30 OCT 2015
7:30 |
BREEDERS´ CUP JUVENILE TURF (GRADE 1) (2YO COLTS & GELDINGS) (TURF) (2yo) Winner £352,564 14 runners 1m Soft ATR Race Conditions: £589,744 For 2yo colts & geldings Penalty value 1st £352,564.10 2nd £115,384.62 3rd£64,102.56 4th £38,461.54 5th £19,230.77 |
8:10 |
LAS VEGAS BREEDERS´ CUP DIRT MILE (GRADE 1) (3YO+) (DIRT) (3yo+) Winner £352,564 11 runners 1m Fast ATR Race Conditions: £589,744 For 3yo+ Penalty value 1st £352,564.10 2nd £115,384.62 3rd £64,102.56 4th£38,461.54 5th £19,230.77 |
8:50 |
BREEDERS´ CUP JUVENILE FILLIES TURF (GRADE 1) (2YO FILLIES) (TURF) (2yo) Winner £352,564 14 runners 1m Soft ATR Race Conditions: £589,744 For 2yo fillies Penalty value 1st £352,564.10 2nd £115,384.62 3rd £64,102.56 4th£38,461.54 5th £19,230.77 |
9:35 |
LONGINES BREEDERS´ CUP DISTAFF (GRADE 1) (3YO+ FILLIES & MARES) (DIRT) (3yo+) Winner £705,128 14 runners 1m1f Fast ATR Race Conditions: £1,179,487 For 3yo+ fillies & mares Penalty value 1st £705,128.21 2nd £230,769.23 3rd£128,205.13 4th £76,923.08 5th £38,461.54 |
Keeneland (USA)SAT 31 OCT 2015
4:05 |
14 HANDS WINERY BREEDERS´ CUP JUVENILE FILLIES (GRADE 1) (2YO FILLIES) (DIRT)(2yo) Winner £705,128 10 runners 1m110y Fast ATR Race Conditions: £1,179,487 For 2yo fillies Penalty value 1st £705,128.21 2nd £230,769.23 3rd £128,205.134th £76,923.08 5th £38,461.54 |
4:45 |
TWINSPIRES BREEDERS´ CUP TURF SPRINT (GRADE 1) (3YO+) (TURF) (3yo+) Winner £352,564 14 runners 5f110y Soft ATR Race Conditions: £589,744 For 3yo+ Penalty value 1st £352,564.10 2nd £115,384.62 3rd £64,102.56 4th£38,461.54 5th £19,230.77 |
5:25 |
TWINSPIRES BREEDERS´ CUP FILLY & MARE SPRINT (GRADE 1) (3YO+ FILLIES & MARES) (DIRT) (3yo+) Winner £352,564 14 runners 7f Fast ATR Race Conditions: £589,744 For 3yo+ fillies & mares Penalty value 1st £352,564.10 2nd £115,384.62 3rd£64,102.56 4th £38,461.54 5th £19,230.77 |
6:10 |
BREEDERS´ CUP FILLY & MARE TURF (GRADE 1) (3YO+ FILLIES & MARES) (TURF) (3yo+) Winner £705,128 12 runners 1m1f110y Soft ATR Race Conditions: £1,179,487 For 3yo+ fillies & mares Penalty value 1st £705,128.21 2nd £230,769.23 3rd£128,205.13 4th £76,923.08 5th £38,461.54 |
6:50 |
TWINSPIRES BREEDERS´ CUP SPRINT (GRADE 1) (3YO+) (DIRT) (3yo+) Winner £528,846 14 runners 6f Fast ATR Race Conditions: £884,615 For 3yo+ Penalty value 1st £528,846.15 2nd £173,076.92 3rd £96,153.85 4th£57,692.31 5th £28,846.15 |
7:30 |
BREEDERS´ CUP MILE (GRADE 1) (3YO+) (TURF) (3yo+) Winner £705,128 12 runners 1m SoftATR Race Conditions: £1,179,487 For 3yo+ Penalty value 1st £705,128.21 2nd £230,769.23 3rd £128,205.13 4th£76,923.08 5th £38,461.54 |
8:10 |
SENTIENT JET BREEDERS´ CUP JUVENILE (GRADE 1) (2YO COLTS & GELDINGS) (DIRT) (2yo) Winner £705,128 14 runners 1m110y Fast ATR Race Conditions: £1,179,487 For 2yo colts & geldings Penalty value 1st £705,128.21 2nd £230,769.23 3rd£128,205.13 4th £76,923.08 5th £38,461.54 |
8:50 |
LONGINES BREEDERS´ CUP TURF (GRADE 1) (3YO+) (TURF) (3yo+) Winner £1,057,692 12 runners 1m4f Soft ATR Race Conditions: £1,769,231 For 3yo+ Penalty value 1st £1,057,692.31 2nd £346,153.85 3rd £192,307.694th £115,384.62 5th £57,692.31 |
9:35 |
BREEDERS´ CUP CLASSIC (GRADE 1) (3YO+) (DIRT) (3yo+) Winner £1,762,821 10 runners1m2f Fast ATR Race Conditions: £2,948,718 For 3yo+ Penalty value 1st £1,762,820.51 2nd £576,923.08 3rd £320,512.824th £192,307.69 5th £96,153.85 |