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Paddy O'Prado to run in BC Classic

Can the Iowa horse also be Horse of the Year?

That’s what Paddy O’Prado’s owners will find out Nov. 6. The group, whose 11 owners include 10 Iowans, decided Thursday to run Paddy O’Prado in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, America’s richest horse race. The Classic is the marquee race of the two-day Breeders’ Cup program on Nov. 5 and 6 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

Paddy O’Prado, owned by the Donegal Racing partnership, was third in the Kentucky Derby in May, sixth in the Preakness, and reeled off three major stakes wins on grass — the Colonial Turf Cup, Virginia Derby and Secretariat Stakes. His streak was snapped in his last start when he finished second by a length in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park in New York.

Paddy O’Prado has done enough that if he wins the Classic, he will have a strong chance to be voted Horse of the Year.
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What the Nation is saying about Paddy O'Prado to run in BC Classic...

Most likely, this will turn out to be a smart move on the part of Paddy O' Prado's connections. Provided that Paddy O' Prado can handle a dry conventional dirt track as well as he handled the swimming pool that was Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby day? This colt seems pretty versatile on all three surfaces. He's had reasonable success on both synthetics and conventional dirt. But it's been the turf that Paddy O' Prado has really found his niche on, and really began to shine. The problem with Paddy O' Prado running in the Breeders Cup Turf would've been the same problem that Gio Ponti would've encountered. Both's best distance is 10 furlongs. Both are very vulnerable to defeat at 12 furlongs. You can't be vulnerable against turf horses the class of Workforce and Behkabad. That have raced, and really thrived at 12 furlongs in Europe. I think Paddy O' Prado is a bit of a long shot in the Classic. Although he has improved a great deal since May. But I believe he's better off taking his chances on the dirt at 10 furlongs, than he will be trying to go against the Euro monsters on turf at 12 furlongs. JMO.

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