Breeders' Cup Diary: Countdown to the action in Keeneland
Ben Linfoot is our man at Lexington and he's caught up with Aidan O'Brien as the Europeans emerge from quarantine at Keeenland.
‘UK, UK, UK, UK!’ shouted the cheerleaders and baton twirlers as we strolled into the Rupp Arena, in the heart of downtown Lexington, for the Breeders’ Cup draw. A lovely welcome, if not for us then draw host Rishi Persad, was echoing round the 23,000-seater arena. What a nice touch.
Alas, the chant was for the University of Kentucky, home of 30,000 students just down the road, their blue and white colours draping the venue. The university’s hugely successful basketball team Kentucky Wildcats play at the Rupp and head coach, local legend John ‘Coach Cal’ Calipari, is here to draw the post positions for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
With his near $10,000,000 annual salary, what better man to be in charge of the starting berths for a $6,000,000 horse race? Unfortunately it almost went wrong as early as the first ball, a seven called for Flightline before a quick correction to a four – it was upside down and he missed the vital line.
No harm done, everybody seemed happy. Team Hot Rod Charlie were vocally delighted with stall five, while Eric Reed, trainer of Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike, who won the Churchill Downs race from stall 20, accepted the widest stall in eight like it had been written in the stars.
With just eight runners in the Classic the draw didn’t matter so much, but there were some groans all the way from Malton when The Platinum Queen drew stall 12 in the Juvenile Turf Sprint. Of course, you wouldn’t pick it, but Richard Fahey can take heart from the fact Golden Pal won the same race at the same track from stall 13 two years ago.
More important than the draw is how the course is riding. With no more rain forecast and no watering planned it’s looking like it’s going to be ‘Firm’ on the Turf track, which is music to the ears of those trainers who have come over to America in the hope of finding traditional US racing turf. Im talking about the quick stuff – not always guaranteed at Keeneland in the fall.
Aidan O’Brien, in jovial mood as he appeared from the quarantine barns on Tuesday morning, is certainly one of those.
After politely batting away an American journalist’s thoughts on the training methods of Charlie Appleby – “we’re watching and trying to learn. We’re always just hanging in there, hanging on everyone’s coat tails, trying to learn from them!" – he was pleased to hear the official description for the Turf races.
“I don’t mind that [fast ground],” O’Brien said. “I’d always prefer quick than soft. Soft is for your National Hunt racing, these are Flat horses and it’s all about speed, I prefer fast than slow, always. For us it would never get too quick.
“That’s what we come here for. It makes us sharpen up. If we can’t lay up we can’t lay up. We’ll try.”
O’Brien will be trying with seven horses at this year’s Breeders’ Cup but the twinkle was reserved for Tuesday in the Filly & Mare Turf. Of course there’s a twinkle, she’s by Galileo, but the combination of nine-and-a-half furlongs, a good draw in five and fast ground means there’s plenty of positives coming in here for the Oaks winner.
“She’s very well, she’s a nice draw,” O’Brien said. “She had a very bad draw the last day in France, on very bad ground, so two things weren’t ideal for her. Her work has been very good since the last time, though, very good.”
Two very goods for Tuesday and a positive word for Emaraaty Ana, too, ahead of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.
Kevin Ryan isn’t here this week but son and assistant Adam is and he believes everything is coming together nicely for the son of Shamardal, a 20/1 chance at best with the UK bookmakers ahead of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.
“There’s no point in running him on autumn ground in England, races like the Champions Sprint,” Ryan said. “It can’t be too fast for him and this is ideal. He ran well it in last year when he was fourth, the extra half furlong is better for him and he’s got a great draw (in three).
“He’s been training well since Haydock, he likes this time of year. Ryan Moore rides as well – and he’s done us a few favours before. We’re hopeful.”
‘UK, UK, UK, UK (& Ire)!’ It was good to see the Euros stretch their legs for the first time today. On paper it looks a strong team. More on them and a few of the interesting home-trained hopefuls later in the week.
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