Breeders' Cup Inaugural Marathon Goes to Ireland
Great Britain's Sixties Icon Had Four Wins; Muhannak Took Title
Nov 19, 2008 BarbaraAnne Helberg
History was going to be made one way, or another at Santa Anita Park October 25 when the Breeders' Cup World Championships launched its boys' events with the first ever Marathon race, a 1-1/2 miles jaunt captured by Ireland's Muhannak.
Great Britain and Ireland brought to the BC Marathon sons of Galileo and Chester House, while America countered with a son of Pulpit. Muhannak was proven on synthetics and in 12-furlong events. Sixties Icon had four wins under his girth, with three consecutive triumphs coming into the new marathon.
BC savvy Frankie Dettori had Sixties Icon in position along the rail, but a road block ahead thwarted the Brit star's path.
Complete Order of Finish of BC Marathon
The complete order of finish of the Breeders' Cup Marathon, including the entrants' 2008 race records, pedigrees, and jockeys, follows:
- Muhannak (IRE) ----- 4:3-0-0 ----- Chester House--Opera (GB), by Forzando (GB) ----- P. Smullen
- Church Service ----- 6:2-2-0 ----- Pulpit--To Be Approved, by With Approval ----- E. Prado
- Big Booster ----- 7:2-0-2 ----- Accelerator--Waterside, by Topsider ----- R. Bejarano
- Delightful Kiss ----- 6:2-1-0 ----- Kissin Kris--Deputy's Delight, by French Deputy ----- C. Borel
- Sixties Icon (GB) ----- 6:4-1-0 ----- Galileo (IRE)--Love Divine (GB), by Diesis (GB) ----- F. Dettori
- Cedar Mountain (IRE) ----- 4:2-1-1 ----- Galileo (IRE)--Ventura (IRE), by Spectrum (IRE) -- J. Castellano
- Zappa ----- 9:2-0-1 ----- Afternoon Deelites--Julie's Angel, by Theatrical (IRE) ----- G. Gomez
- Booyah ----- 7:2-1-1 ----- Running Stag--Coral Necklace, by Conquistador Cielo ----- J. Talamo
Humble Apologies from Trainer Beckett
English trainer Ralph Beckett was apologetically humble after his victory in the BC's inaugural Marathon. He was on American soil with a newly crowned Irish-bred champion.
Beckett's post-race remarks included the declaration that the BC win with his first career BC starter was a thrill second only to that of his previous win this year with 33-1 longshot Look Here in the Juddmonte Epsom Oaks (Eng-1).
Jockey Patrick Smullen was more smitten. "It's a dream come true," the jockey said of his thrilling neck win aboard Muhannak. Smullen's four-year-old mount achieved a track record 2:28.24 for 12 furlongs.
Muhannak Fresher, Owner Said
In the making of history, winning the first ever Marathon race at the Breeders' Cup, Thoroughbred owner Richard Pegum said after the race, "I think the other horses were caught flat-footed." He referred to the fresher demeanor of his Marathon victor.
Pegum, an Australian native, lives in England. He was certain his horse would at least place in the Marathon based on Muhannak's ability at distance and experience on Polytrack. Those factors combined with the larger number of starts -- from six to nine -- made by the other entrants, with the exception of Irish-bred Cedar Mountain, who also had just four starts, caused Pegum to believe Muhannak would be more rested and ready than his seven rivals.
"He's a specialist," said Beckett of Muhannak. The BC Marathon matched Muhannak's specialties. "...With the money they offer in the Breeders' Cup, we had to come..." Beckett noted.
Sixties Icon Connections Left With What-If
If Sixties Icon, who had been in perfect position for a big move, had not been smothered along the rail, Muhannak's story may have turned out differently. Dettori never got an opening for Sixties Icon.
As Muhannak scored, encountering a no-where-to-go trap left Sixties Icon fading into history.
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