In the first installment of the 2008 Sprint Diary, published right around
this time a year ago, we wrote the following:
Whether they like it or not, horsemen and fans alike will have to get used
to the idea that in order for their charges or favorites to win divisional
honors in the sprinting categories over the next two years, some semblance of
ability on, if not outright fondness for, synthetic surfaces will be essential.
This, of course, is entirely due to the fact the Breeders' Cup World
Championships will be held at Santa Anita both this fall and next year. Also,
participation in the Breeders' Cup has been a virtual requirement in order to
nail down a sprint championship. Since the Breeders' Cup's inauguration in 1984,
only Housebuster (1990) and Smoke Glacken (1997) have been able to bypass the
big day and come out on top in year-end tallies.
It goes without saying that this dash of prophecy turned out to be woefully
inaccurate. And while the crow was far from tasty, a virtual perfect storm of
events came about to make it so.
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