In the arena of competition, there usually can only be
one winner. This past weekend, with the glorious backdrop of Santa Anita Park
playing a supporting role beautifully, 15 thoroughbred stars possessed the
talent, and had the luck, to forever etch their name on the illustrious list of
Breeders’ Cup champions. Each deserves all the credit in the world for their
career defining victories. The tale, of what I had the great privilege of
seeing in person, does not end there, though; far from it in fact. Perhaps four
decades of rooting for the Chicago Cubs have afforded me with a different
appreciation than many. I not only feel the pain of all those horses that did
not make it to the winner’s circle on Friday and Saturday, but I celebrate
them. Many of these non-winning Breeders’ Cup participants ran excellent races,
and deserve recognition. Three of them especially, need to be recognized in
this column, and I can wait no longer than my first morning back home to do so.
ANIMAL KINGDOM
Not to be lost in the track record breaking, and, in my
opinion, Horse of the Year clinching performance of Wise Dan in the Breeders’
Cup Mile, was a stunning return to the races of the 2011 Kentucky Derby winner,
Animal Kingdom. A truly magnificent specimen of the thoroughbred horse, the
four-year-old son of Leroidesanimaux, has never run a bad race in his career,
(keep in mind that he was completely wiped out in the early stages of the
Belmont Stakes) but this race seemed to be asking an awful lot. After all, he
had not raced in 8 ½ months, and that race, an allowance at Gulfstream, was his
only run in the past 17 months. Surely, he would not be able to keep up with
the likes of Wise Dan, Excelebration, and Obviously, considering such
inactivity.
Tell that to the copper, green, and red flash rolling
down the Santa Anita stretch like a steam locomotive Saturday afternoon. I
cannot fairly say that the Graham Motion charge would have won the race with a perfect trip, because
I do not quite believe that, but a little trouble along the way certainly was
part of the 1 ½ length margin between Animal Kingdom and the fastest winner in
the history of the Mile. Animal Kingdom may have only run two races in 2012,
but I am convinced more than ever that he is all racehorse. Before the Breeders’
Cup, I made him my early tab for Horse of the Year in 2013; let’s just say his
awesome performance on Saturday did nothing to discourage that pick.
MY MISS AURELIA
Royal Delta is a champion, and on Friday, she did what
champions do, with a tour-de-force, front-running thing of beauty. At
four-years-old, and a veteran of countless big races, she also holds a sizeable
experience edge over My Miss Aurelia. Of whom, my friend and colleague, Matt Shifman has been singing the praises since her return … color me convinced.
First of all, like Animal Kingdom, she is simply striking to see in person.
Feminine, but rippling with muscles, the bay daughter of Smart Strike is simply
not to be looked away from. Unlike Animal Kingdom, she really had no trouble in
the running of the Ladies’ Classic, other than having the monumental task of
having to run down the back-to-back winner of America’s biggest race for
females. Of course, she was not able to get that done, but what she did in the
process was earn my ultimate respect.
The previously unbeaten Stonestreet and George Bolton champion gave it
everything she had from the get go, and made the favorite run her very best to
beat her. The final margin of 1 ½ lengths complimented both the winner, and her
game, young challenger. After having only a sprint this year to prepare, My
Miss Aurelia has now run two super races in winning a grade 1 showdown in the
Cotillion, and then following that up with a Breeders’ Cup performance that was
proof pudding that she is the finest three-year-old filly in the land. Second
best in this race was nothing of which to be ashamed.
MUCHO MACHO MAN
Last, but certainly not least, was the big run by the
big boy in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. As Mucho Macho Man chased Fort Larned
down the Santa Anita stretch, leaving the rest of the large field far behind,
the crowd went wild for a thrilling climax to the World Championships. Fort
Larned was a narrow half-length winner, but both of the horses ran the race of
their respective lives. Making all the pace, on a speed-favoring track, Fort
Larned was always going to be tough to catch, just ask the other ten Classic
horses left in his wake. The vastly improved Ian Wilkes charge had every right
to go wire-to wire on that day, and he did in magnificent fashion. Only adding
to his win was the one horse that made him earn the victory every step of the
way.
As Fort Larned, clearly on top of his game, twice
spurted clear, it was up to the Kathy Ritvo trained, and Reeves Thoroughbred
Racing owned, Mucho Macho Man, and only Mucho Macho Man, to do all the chasing.
It would have been so easy for the massive son of Macho Uno to throw in the
towel and finish a clear but non-threatening second to the speedy winner, but
that was not what Mucho Macho Man did. Cornering the far turn like a sizable,
fine sports car, the big fella dug in and took the race right to Fort Larned,
and in the process gave the fans something to remember. He kept coming, and in
the end, only a world class performance denied him America’s richest race. It’s
hard to believe he still has yet to notch that first grade 1 win, but on the
other hand, it’s scary to think how good this still improving colt might become
next year as a five-year-old.
Some may callously call Animal Kingdom, My Miss
Aurelia, and Mucho Macho Man, Breeders’ Cup “losers”. Nothing could be farther
from the truth.