Canadian Horses Winless in 2009 Breeders' Cup
Bridgetown Only Canadian-Based Horse to Place at World Championships
Nov 10, 2009
It was up to the colts and geldings to rescue Canada’s pride after the fillies failed to crack the top three on Day One of the World Thoroughbred Championships. One 2-year-old was up to the task, but couldn’t pull off the win.
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf
Bridgetown, owned by Eugene Melnyk of Toronto and ridden by Woodbine jockey Robert Landry, drew post seven in the Juvenile Turf. The Speightstown colt is trained by Ken McPeek.
The colt broke well and Landry took a strong hold and kept him on the rail. Bridgetown and Interactif raced together until the final turn, when Landry let him go. He looked a sure winner, but Interactif blew the turn, leaving room for Pounced to come between horses and catch Bridgetown just before the wire to win by three-quarters of a length. Interactif was third.
The Two Breeders’ Cup Sprints
Square Eddie, based in England but bred in Ontario by Kinghaven Farms Ltd., was second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in 2008, but has had a troubled season as a 3-year-old. The son of Smart Strike drew post eight in the 6-1/2 furlong Turf Sprint. California Flag set a new Breeders’ Cup stakes record with his win. Square Eddie was never really in contention and was a well-beaten tenth.
In the “dirt” Sprint, Albertan Danny Dion entered champion sprinter and Canadian 2008 Horse of the Year Fatal Bullet. The gelded son of Red Bullet was second in last year’s Sprint to Midnight Lute.
The Reade Baker trainee, ridden by Eurico Rosa Da Silva, broke from post three and was in contention until the home stretch, when he faded to sixth. The winner in a four-horse photo finish was 50-1 longshot Dancing in Silks.
Breeders’ Cup Turf
In the 1-1/2-mile BC Turf, Red Rocks, owned by John P. Reddam of Windsor, Ontario, drew post three. The 6-year-old Irish-bred son of Galileo was competing for his fourth time in the BC Turf, which he won in 2006. He was third in 2007.
Precious Passion tried to steal the race with an early lead and nearly pulled it off, but was caught at the wire by last year’s winner, Conduit. Red Rocks was never a threat to those two and finished sixth in an eight-horse field.
Breeders’ Cup Classic
The big race of the day was the BC Classic. Canadians were cheering for two entries. Einstein, a 7-year-old son of Spend A Buck owned by Stronach Stables of Ontario, broke from post eight.
Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird was a Sovereign Award winner in Canada last year while owned by then-trainer and co-owner Dave Cotey, whose stable is based at Woodbine, and co-owner and co-breeder Peter Lamantia of Toronto. The Birdstone gelding was sold to the United States in late 2008. He drew the rail position.
The race was delayed. First the favourite, Zenyatta, acted up going into the gate. Then Quality Road refused repeatedly to load, was forced into the gate blindfolded and began bucking hard. He was extricated and scratched. The remaining entries had to be backed out and reloaded into the gate.
This had little effect on the eventual winner, the brilliant filly Zenyatta, but may have negatively affected the others. Some, like Mine That Bird, were in the gate for between seven and 10 minutes during all the commotion.
Mine That Bird had a good trip on the rail and tried to rally in the stretch, but could not catch up and ended up ninth. Einstein was near the lead early, but faded to finish 11th of 12. Zenyatta roared past them all to win, with Gio Ponti second, Twice Over third and Summer Bird fourth.
Zenyatta Makes History in the BC Classic
The day belonged to Zenyatta. The amazing filly won her 14th straight race to stay undefeated while becoming the first filly to win the Classic in the 26-year history of the Breeders’ Cup. It has made her a candidate to become only the 11th filly to be named Horse of the Year, and her win was a highlight fans may never forget.
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