Breeders' Cup - 2001

October 27, 2001

Host Site: Belmont Park, Elmont, Long Island, New York

In the aftermath of the tragic events of September 11, 2001 Breeders' Cup day took on a new meaning for everyone involved with thoroughbred racing. With a portion of the proceeds raised during the daylong event going to various charities relating to World Trade Center relief efforts, thoroughbred racing rose to the occasion and put on a spectacular event showing off the best the sport has to offer.  However,  the day started on a bad note when the filly Exogenous flipped entering the track and subsequently fell to the ground smacking her head on the concrete.  At the time of this writing the filly had to be euthenized due to the serious injuries sustained on Breeders' Cup day.  

The remaining races on the card were highly competitive and the European contingent raced exceptionally well as the weather and some track bias' played to their advantage.  Here are some news and notes from Breeders' Cup day 2001:

·        Tiznow won his second straight classic.  Becoming the first horse to defend a Breeders’ Cup Classic.

·        Bobby Frankel gets first Breeders’ Cup victory with his 39^th BC starter.

·        Juddmont Farm gets first Breeders’ Cup win with Banks Hill in BC Filly & Mare Turf.

·        After a freak spill before entering the track for the first race, BC Distaff, Exogenous flipped and smacked her head on the concrete and then got her leg caught in a nearby fence forcing her scratch of the opening BC race, the BC Distaff. 

·        $2.7 million was raised for NYC victims. A fund was established to help the children and spouses of firefighters, police officers, emergency workers and other victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and received $2.7 million from Breeders’ Cup purses.

·        Godolphin’s Fantastic Light won the Turf, worth $1,112,800. In the Juvenile Fillies Godolphin stable mates, Tempera and Imperial Gesture, finished 1-2, earning Godolphin a total of $720,000.

·        NBC coverage was mediocre as a no-frill simulcast was given with few pre-packaged vignettes regarding the days participants.  The beginning of the coverage made you feel as if you were late to the event by like at least an hour interrupting in the middle of a party.  Then immediately before the first race on the card, the BC Distaff,  the horrific scene involving the accident of the filly Exogenous did not make matters any better.  However, the broadcast did a decent job trying to get as much information out as they could when they received it.  There have been other articles written about Charlsie Cantey making suggestions about what had happened and injuries probably sustained, but that criticism was unwarranted, considering the circumstances she gave the viewers as much insight as she could and should not be faulted for that.  She is still one of the most knowledgeable broadcasters in the game and did a good job considering the circumstances.  Donna Brothers was good on horseback and should probably be moved into a bigger role.  In addition,  NBC should use the expertise of Southern California track announcer, Trevor Denman, to their advantage as he is not used nearly enough.  Maybe next year they should put him in with Neumier and Battaglia breaking down the handicapping angles and getting him in front of the camera more because he has a unique ability to break down races and explain things that may help newer fans as well as more knowledgeable fans.

·        There was a big track bias which unfortunately dictated the outcome of a number of races on the card.  The inside rail compromised the races of anyone who was unlucky enough to have to run on it.  In addition, any runners on the front end had to compete with a very stiff headwind blowing down the backstretch which set the races up well for anyone who could sit off the pace and draft saving energy until the stretch.

Special thanks go to Cindy Pierson for her photo contribution to the archive and please make sure you visit her new site http://www.horse-races.net.

Breeders' Cup 2001 Card:

Stuyvesant Handicap

Sport Page Handicap

Breeders' Cup Distaff - Grade I

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies - Grade I

Breeders' Cup Mile - Grade I

Breeders' Cup Sprint - Grade I

Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf - Grade I

Breeders' Cup Juvenile - Grade I

Breeders' Cup Turf - Grade I

Breeders' Cup Classic - Grade I

Stuyvesant Handicap 

$100,000 Added

Stakes - For Thoroughbred Three Year Olds and Upward

One And One Eighth Miles  - Main Track

Track: Fast 

Finish Wire:

Burning Marque set the early pace and led the field through three-quarters of a mile in 1:11.85.  Open Sesame and Graeme Hall pressed the pace in second and third while Cat’s At Home stalked the leaders in fourth position.  In the stretch, Burning Marque gave way, tiring in the stretch, as Graeme Hall drew off after making a three wide run in the far turn.  At the wire Graeme Hall was a winner by six and one-quarter lengths while Country Be Gold rallied for second as Cat’s At Home held on for third.  Graeme Hall is a four-year-old chestnut colt owned by Eugene and Laura Melnyk, trained by Todd A. Pletcher and was ridden by John Velazquez.

  23.96, 47.45, 1:11.85, 1:35.76, 1:47.95

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Sport Page Handicap

$100,000

Stakes - For Thoroughbred Three Year Old and Upward

Six And One Half Furlongs - Main Track

Track - Fast 

Finish Wire:

Late Carson led the field at the half-mile marker running the half-mile in 46.16.  Mr. Epperson ran second as Yonaguska pressed the pace in third position.  As the field made its way through the turn and into the stretch Yonaguska made a four wide move then lugged in slightly before straightening out and drawing clear to win the Sport Page Handicap by one and one-half lengths at the wire.  Silky Sweep finished a game second as Big E E, got up for third position.  Yonaguska is a three-year-old dark bay/brown colt owned by Michael B. Tabor, trained by D. Wayne Lukas and was ridden by Chris McCarron.

  23.02, 46.16, 1:09.50, 1:15.54 

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Breeders' Cup Distaff

Grade I

$2,000,000 Guaranteed

For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward

One and One Eighth Miles - Main Track

Track: Fast 

Finish Wire:

  23.62, 46.94, 1:11.87, 1:36.51, 1:49.21

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Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies

Grade I

$1,000,000 Guaranteed

For Fillies Two Years Old

One and One Sixteenth Miles - Main Track

Track: Fast 

Finish Wire:

Shesastonecoldfox led the field through an opening half-mile in 46.89 as Take Charge Lady ran a head back pressing the pace in second while Bella Bellucci ran another head back in third position.  At the three-quarter marker Shesastonecoldfox gave way to Bella Bellucci who put a head in front of Imperial Gesture, now running second, as Tempera running five wide in the turn was gaining while in hand.  At the top of the lane Imperial Gesture took the lead from Bella Bellucci, who was now tiring while Tempera was gearing up on the outside for the stretch run.  In deep stretch, Tempera pulled away from stablemate Imperial Gesture to win by a length and one-half at the wire.  Godolphin stablemates ran one-two while Bella Bellucci was a distant third.  Tempera is a two-year-old dark bay/brown filly owned by Godolphin, Inc., trained by Eoin G. Harty and was ridden by David Flores.

  23.50, 46.89, 1:10.96, 1:35.34, 1:41.49 

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Breeders' Cup Mile

Grade I

$1,000,000 Guaranteed

For Three-Year-Olds and Upward

One Mile - Turf Course

Turf: Firm 

Finish Wire:

City Zip set the pace through the first three-quarters of a mile running split times of 22.79, 45.49 and 1:08.65 as Balto Star and Express Tour stalked the leader intently.  As the field reached the stretch Forbidden Apple, who rated in fourth position early on moved to the lead and opened up a one and one-half length lead as City Zip was starting to throw in the towel.  Val Royal, who ran in eleventh position early on, had moved through the field and was now in third and gaining on the leaders as the field reached mid-stretch.  In deep stretch, Val Royal took the lead and drew off to win the 2001 Breeders’ Cup mile by a length and three-quarters stopping the tele-timer in 1:32.05, a new Breeders’ Cup record for the distance.  Forbidden Apple ran well for second as Bach finished well for the show spot.  Val Royal is a five-year-old bay horse owned by David S. Milch, trained by Julio C. Canani and was ridden by Jose Valdivia, Jr.

  22.79, 45.49, 1:08.65, 1:32.05 

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Breeders' Cup Sprint

Grade I

$1,000,000 Guaranteed

For Thoroughbreds Three Years Old and Upward

Six Furlongs - Main Track

Track: Fast 

Finish Wire:

Xtra Heat drilled a 22.45 quarter mile and a 44.75 half-mile as Caller One stalked the leader in second and Squirtle Squirt ran a close length behind in third.  As the field moved through the lane Xtra Heat dug in running a game effort but at the wire Squirtle Squirt got up to win the Breeders Cup Sprint by a nose in a time of 1:08.41.  Xtra Heat ran a game second, along a dead rail, while Caller One held on for third over Swept Overboard, who ran fourth.  Squirtle Squirt is a three-year-old dark bay/brown colt owned by David Joseph Lanzman, trained by Robert J. Frankel and was ridden by Jerry Bailey.  Squirtle Squirt’s victory gave Bobby Frankel his first Breeders’ Cup victory in thirty-nine starters.

  22.45, 44.75, 56.30, 1:08.41

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Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf

Grade I

$1,000,000 Guaranteed

For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward

One and One Fourth Miles - Turf Course

Turf: Firm

Finish Wire:

After a good start England’s Legend took the early lead and ran through fractions of 24.21, 48.65, 1:13.69 as Mot Juste and Starine took turns trying to wear down the leader.  Banks Hill and Lailani ran in fourth and fifth positions early on rating and drafting in behind horses saving energy for the stretch drive.  Approaching the mile marker Banks Hill, on the inside, moved into second position in the turn and took the lead at the top of the lane before drawing off by five and one-half lengths to win the 2001 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf in a time of 2:00.36.  Spook Express ran in the back of the pack early on but came running late in the middle of the track to get the place spot while Spring Oak hung on for third position.  Banks Hill is a three-year-old bay filly owned by Juddmonte Farms, Inc, trained by Andre Fabre and was ridden by Olivier Peslier.  Banks Hill’s victory gave Juddmonte Farms, Inc. their first Breeders’ Cup victory.

  24.21, 48.65, 1:13.55, 1:37.69, 2:00.36 

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Breeders' Cup Juvenile

Grade I

$1,000,000 Guaranteed

For Two Year Old Colts and Geldings

One and One Sixteenth Miles - Main Track

Track: Fast

Finish Wire:

After a good start Came Home established the early lead running the opening quarter mile in 23.61.  Officer in a somewhat mysterious move was trailing the leader by a half-length into a stiff wind as the leader led the field down the backside.  Siphonic ran another length and one-half back in third.  As the field moved passed the half-mile pole Officer stuck a neck in front and led the field into the far turn as Came Home was relegated back to second as Essence of Dubai ran third a head in front of Siphonic in fourth.  Officer continued to lead at the three-quarter mile marker in a time of 1:11.01 as Came Home and French Assault pressed the leader as the field entered the stretch.  At the top of the lane Siphonic took the lead as Officer was starting to labor.  Came Home was still running evenly in third as Johannesburg, who ran under wraps for the early portion of the race was now splitting horses in fourth and angling out for the final run to the wire.  In deep stretch, Johannesburg passed the front-runners and drove to the wire in impressive fashion to win the 2001 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile by one and one-quarter lengths at the wire.  Repent, after a three-wide trip, finished gamely for second.  After stalking the pace for most of the race Siphonic finished in the show spot.  Johannesburg is a three-year-old bay colt owned by Michael Tabor and Mrs. John Magnier, trained by Aidan P. O'Brien and was ridden by Michael Kinane.

  23.61, 46.85, 1:11.01, 1:36.01, 1:42.27

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Breeders' Cup Turf

Grade I

$2,000,000 Guaranteed

For Thoroughbreds Three Years Old and Upward

One and One Half Miles - Turf Course

Turf: Firm

Finish Wire:

With Anticipation led the field through a half-mile in 48.02 as Timboroa and Quiet Resolve rated just off the leader. Fantastic Light was unhurried running in fourth position as Mutamam ran fifth.  Approaching the mile marker Timboroa had taken the lead as Quiet Resolve moved into second position as With Anticipation was starting to give way.  Moving into the stretch Fantastic Light, as Equibase states, “charged to the front nearing the furlong marker then held off Milan (GB) under steady right hand urging, establishing a course record in the process.”  Milan after running five-wide in the far turn closed well for second as Timboroa, who ran close to the pace the entire race, held on for third.  Fantastic Light is a five-year-old bay horse owned by Godolphin, Inc., trained by Saeed bin Suroor and was ridden by LanFranco Dettori.

  24.40, 48.02, 1:12.34, 1:36.66, 2:01.15, 2:24.36 

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Breeders' Cup Classic

Grade I

$4,000,000 Guaranteed

For Thoroughbreds Three Years Old and Upward

One and One Fourth Miles - Main Track

Track: Fast

Finish Wire:

Albert The Great stalked front-runner Orientate through the opening half-mile of the mile and one-quarter race.  Tiznow stalked the pace setter in third position as Guided Tour settled in good position in fourth.  As the field moved past the three-quarter mile marker Albert The Great took the lead and looked strong running on his home track.  Guided Tour made a move into second as Tiznow continued to run an unhurried third saving ground and energy.  Moving through the far turn Albert The Great maintained a one-length lead over Tiznow, who made a move between horses, now running second.  Guided Tour dropped to third as the field moved to the head of the lane.  At the top of the stretch, Sakhee, who ran in the middle of the pack early on, now took a half-length lead as Albert The Great was digging in second as Tiznow dropped back slightly in the stretch to third.  In deep stretch, Tiznow made a second move splitting horses (Sakhee and Albert The Great) through the lane and put a head in front nearing the wire, in a stirring stretch duel, and on the bob won the 2001 Breeders’ Cup classic by a nose in a time of 2:00.62.  Sakhee finished a game second while Albert The Great held on running a credible third.  Tiznow’s win makes him the  only horse to defend a Breeders’ Cup Classic title. Tiznow is a four-year-old bay colt owned by Cee's Stable, trained by Jay M. Robbins and was ridden by Chris McCarron.

  23.27, 47.04, 1:11.32, 1:35.87, 2:00.62

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Belmont Park

October 27, 2001

Track Attendance: 52,987