Breeders' Cup Preview

Written by Pete Cataldo

Thursday, 05 October 2006

The sponsors of the Breeders' Cup races would like it to be called the World Championship of Racing, but there is no way those of us who know racing will ever call it anything but it’s original name.

This weekend, there will be nine grade one races run throughout the country, five of them at Belmont Park this Saturday. Five grade ones is a year's worth of racing at most tracks.

You will get to see Bernardini, however Invasor the Classic Division leader, will miss this week's race as he came down with a fever. Fever is common in thoroughbreds and should not keep Invasor out of the Cup Classic on November 4th.
Lava Man, the left coast’s best, will also be in action at Santa Anita, and will prep for the Cup Classic. Lava Man has won six races in a row; Brother Derek will challenge him.

Bet on the Breeders Cup at BetUS.com

In addition to all the classic division horses and the best grass runners and sprinters, we will get a great preview of next year’s Kentucky Derby, as the Vosburg at Belmont and the Lane’s End Futurity at Keeneland will feature the best two-year olds on the planet. Let me throw in a pick for you here in the Lane’s End…I like two horses perhaps in an exacta box…Circular Quay (ridden by my pool playing buddy Garrett Gomez) and a Horse called Birdbirdistheword.

Five of the top eight rated horses in America will be in action this week, including Europe’s best; Dillon Thomas, winner of the Irish Darby.

Six of the nine grade one races will be on national TV, so plan to get on BetUS and make a bet.

FURLONGS:

The top three horses by earnings in 2006.

1.) Lava Man $ 2,470,000

2.) Barbaro $ 2,203,200

3.) Bernardini $ 1,610,480

The top three jockeys…

1.) Edgar Prado $ 14,292,403

2.) Garrett Gomez $ 13,612,618

3.) Victor Espinoza $ 12,637,088

-Magna Entertainment has announced that a shopping mall will be built at Santa Anita racetrack in Arcadia, California. Plans will be submitted early in 2007.

-Pat Valenzuela, back from another suspension won on his first mount back. The 43-year-old P-Val won aboard Gayle’s Gala at Santa Anita after a hospital stay for substance abuse and mental health reasons. For those of you who may not know, P-Val is the Steve Howe of racing.

-A tip: don’t bet losers. It’s common sense, if a horse looks good and his price is high stay off him. If you have a horse that is favored and his price on the board is higher than his morning line, leave him alone. Look for the other horse who looks like a sleeper and is getting bet, that’s where the smart money is.