Breeders' Cup
Breeders' Cup 2011: Figures and Facts (Updated)
by Matt Gardner on Nov 14, 2011 10:21 AM EST
in Breeders' Cup
UPDATE: The Equibase numbers are now included in the charts.
A happy Monday to everyone out there. I hope your weekend was a good one and, if you were at the track, a profitable one. I didn't pick up a Form or turn on HRTV/TVG all weekend as I took a few days to re-charge the batteries a little bit after the hectic weeks leading up to the Breeders' Cup. Never fear, the vacation was short-lived and it's time to prepare for the long, cold season of winter racing.
There wasn't a whole lot of action on the racing calendar this past weekend but we've got a couple of Grade 1 races on the horizon. This Saturday the Hollywood Park will feature the Hollywood Turf Cup, followed by the Clark Handicap, Matriarch Stakes, Gazelle Stakes, Cigar Mile, and Hollywood Derby over Thanksgiving weekend. That should gets us back into the mix in fine fashion.
As kind of a final Breeders' Cup re-cap I went through and pulled the speed figures for all of this year's winners. I've got the Beyer and Bris figures but only could find an incomplete list for Equibase. [Thank you to Equibase for alerting me to the location of their numbers.] Below is a snapshot of the Beyer, Bris and Equibase figures for each 2011 Breeders' Cup winner, along with a second chart illustrating how each figure ranks under each system.
12 comments2011 BREEDERS' CUP CLASSIC WRAP-UP
by Matt Gardner on Nov 7, 2011 11:12 AM EST
in Breeders' Cup
Another Breeders' Cup has come and gone, leaving us with the usual assortment of bombs and upsets, along with huge questions with some of the Eclipse awards. Overall, business was down slightly at this year's Breeders' Cup, but I'm not sure that's a surprise to anybody; it was going to be very hard to match or top the level of interest generated by Zenyatta in 2010. In that perspective, the numbers aren't that bad. It is a little disconcerting when you consider that there was an extra race this year (Juvenile Sprint), but that's the way it fell.
My posting will probably be a little light the rest of the week as I'm going to unplug for a few days (or at least as much as I can). I'd like to say a special "thanks" to all those that stopped by to read or comment this weekend (or at any time throughout the season). I greatly appreciate it.
Okay, enough with that, let's take a look at the Classic.
BREEDERS' CUP CLASSIC 2011 RESULT: Drosselmeyer Shocks At Churchill Downs
by Matt Gardner on Nov 5, 2011 7:23 PM EDT
in Breeders' Cup
Drosselmeyer, winner of the 2010 Belmont Stakes, put in a late, grinding move down the center of the track to pass Game On Dude and win the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic. Game On Dude had set the early pace but turned back a challenge from Uncle Mo at the top of the lane but couldn't hold on in the final strides. Game On Dude finished second, while Ruler On Ice and Havre de Grace rounded out the superfecta.
Drosselmeyer is a four-year-old son of Distorted Humor out of a Moscow Ballet mare (Golden Bullet). He is trained by William Mott and was ridden by Mike Smith, who won his record-tying 15th Breeders' Cup race (Jerry Bailey).
The upset by Drosselmeyer keyed balloon payouts at the windows. Full payout information is below the jump. You can find the results to all of this weekend's Breeders' Cup races at the link below.
Scroll past the payouts to see post-race quotes from the trainers and jockeys.
BREEDERS' CUP 2011: Saturday Results And Open Thread
by Matt Gardner on Nov 5, 2011 6:29 PM EDT
in Breeders' Cup
It's been a long and winding road through this year's racing calendar, much of which will culminate this afternoon at Churchill Downs on the second day of the 2011 Breeders' Cup. The first race of the day at Churchill Downs will go to post at 12:05pm Eastern, with the first Breeders' Cup race, the Marathon, slated for 1:20pm. The Marathon will be broadcast on TVG, not ESPN/ABC.
You can find a running tally of all of the weekend's results at the link below:
2011 Breeders' Cup Entries and Results
| Race | Post | TV | Race | Winner |
| 3 | 1:20 / 10:20 | TVG | Marathon | Afleet Again |
| 4 | 2:02 / 11:02 | ABC | Juvenile Turf | Wrote (IRE) |
| 5 | 2:37 / 11:37 | ABC | Sprint | Amazombie |
| 6 | 3:21 / 12:21 | ABC | Turf Sprint | Regally Ready |
| 7 | 4:01 / 1:01 | ESPN | Dirt Mile | Caleb's Posse |
| 8 | 4:45 / 1:45 | ESPN | Turf | St Nicholas Abbey |
| 9 | 5:25 / 2:25 | ESPN | Juvenile | Hansen |
| 10 | 6:07 / 3:07 | ESPN | Mile | Court Vision |
| 11 | 7:00 / 4:00 | ESPN | Classic | Drosselmeyer |
- Afleet Again shocks the Marathon as the longest price on the board (41/1).
AU Miner and Meeznah were eased during the race. Meeznah was suffering from fatigue and should be okay. AU Miner suffered fractures in the fetlock joint and is still being assessed. - The Europeans dominate the Juvenile Turf, finishing 1st, 3rd and 4th. Wrote (IRE) was much the best.
- Big prices continue to roll home today. Amazombie wins the Sprint, finishing off an early $0.50 Pick 5 that returns a fat $71,510.80.
2/1 favorite Jackson Bend rallied for 3rd but didn't threaten the winner. - A small amount of order is restored as 2/1 choice Regally Ready dominates the Turf Sprint and puts and end (at least temporarily) to the double digit winners on Breeders' Cup Saturday.
- Caleb's Posse unleashed a powerful late kick to run past Shackleford and win the Dirt Mile.
- St Nicholas Abbey powers past Brilliant Speed in the stretch to win the Turf, the second Aidan O'Brien horse to win on Saturday.
- Hansen makes every yard a winning one to take the Juvenile. Union Rags has a troubled trip to finish second.
- Court Vision held off Turallure in a wild Mile to score at boxcar odds. Goldikova (IRE) briefly led in the stretch but couldn't put away her rivals. She finished third.
BREEDERS' CUP 2011 RESULTS: Court Vision Wins The Mile; Goldikova (IRE) Denied 4th Mile Win
by Matt Gardner on Nov 5, 2011 6:27 PM EDT
in Breeders' Cup
Court Vision held off Turallure in the final strides to spring a huge upset in the 2011 Breeders' Cup Mile and deny Goldikova (IRE) a fourth consecutive win in the race. Turallure, the winner of the 2011 Woodbine Mile, made a huge run from the back of the pack but could not get his nose ahead of Court Vision. Three-time Mile winner Goldikova (IRE) ran her heart out but couldn't hold off the late charging horses in the final furlongs.
An objection was lodged against Goldikova at the end of the race for coming out off the hedge and interfering with Courageous Cat. The stewards denied the objection and made no change to the running order.
American champion turf horse Gio Ponti finished 4th in his fourth Breeders' Cup race.
Court Vision is a six-year-old son of Gulch out of a Storm Bird mare (Weekend Storm). He is trained by Dale Romans and ridden by Robby Albarado. His last win came in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile on Sept. 19, 2010.
The win by a 65/1 Court Vision, the highest priced winner of the weekend and the second highest win payout in the history of the Breeders' Cup, set off box car returns.
BREEDERS' CUP 2011 RESULTS: Hansen Wins The Juvenile
by Matt Gardner on Nov 5, 2011 5:40 PM EDT
in Breeders' Cup
Hansen, doing all the dirty work in the early stages, held off the previously undefeated Union Rags to win the 2011 Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Hansen came into the Juvenile off of a couple of blow out wins at Turfway Park but stepped up his game on the big stage to win his third race in three starts. Creative Cause, winner of the Grade 1 Norfolk last time out, finished in third. Dullahan closed from well back to finish fourth.
Union Rags had a tough trip throughout the race but displayed his class and mounted a spirited late charge in the final furlongs. He bore out slightly in the lane but continued to gain on Hansen but couldn't get past the winner at the wire.
Hansen is a two-year-old son of Tapit out of a Sir Cat mare (Stormy Sunday). He is trained by Kentucky native Michale Maker and ridden by Ramon Dominguez.
BREEDERS' CUP 2011 RESULTS: St Nicholas Abbey (IRE) Wins The Turf
by Matt Gardner on Nov 5, 2011 4:59 PM EDT
in Breeders' Cup
St. Nicholas Abbey (IRE), trained by Aidan O'Brien and ridden by his 18-year-old son, Joseph O'Brien, settled behind the early pace early, found a seem at the top of the lane, and put away his rivals with a strong late kick to win the 2011 Breeders' Cup Turf by open lengths. By winning the Turf, Joseph O'Brien becomes the youngest jockey to win a Breeders' Cup race.
Sea Moon (GB) ran on for second, while Brilliant Speed runs a huge race to finish third. Race favorite Sarafina (FR) could only muster a fourth place finish.
St Nicholas Abbey is a four-year-old son of Montjeu (IRE) out of a Sure Blade mare (Leaping Wager (GB)).
BREEDERS' CUP 2011 RESULTS: Caleb's Posse Wins The Dirt Mile
by Matt Gardner on Nov 5, 2011 4:13 PM EDT
in Breeders' Cup
Caleb's Posse sat well back of the early leaders, made a move on the turn, and unleashed a tremendous late kick in the lane to easily win the 2011 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. Preakness winner Shackleford came in second, while long-shot Tres Borrachos rounded out the trifecta. The Factor set the early pace but faded badly at the top of the stretch.
Trained by Donnie Von Hemmel and ridden by Rajiv Marach, Caleb's Posse is a three-year-old son of Posse.
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