Who Are The Breeders' Cup Classic Entrants?
Colonel John, Big Brown Lead Without Curlin; Others Are Dark Horses
Oct 5, 2008
Colonel John's trainer is thirsting for another shot at Big Brown, and he may get it in the two colts' next race, the Breeders' Cup World Championships Classic scheduled for Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, California on October 25. If Curlin doesn't participate in the championships final, Colonel John, racing with experience on synthetic tracks, may be the horse to beat on Santa Anita Park's refurbished Pro-Ride surface.
Probable Starters in the Classic Include:
- Anak Nakal --- trainer, Nick Zito; jockey, Joe Bravo
- Big Brown -- Richard Dutrow, Jr.; Kent Desormeaux
- Casino Drive -- Kazuo Fujisawa; Kent Desormeaux
- Colonel John -- Eoin Harty; Corey Nakatani
- Commentator -- Zito; John Velazquez
- Go Between -- William Mott; Garrett Gomez
- Henrythenavigator -- Aidan O'Brien, ENG; John Murtagh
- Mambo in Seattle -- Neil Howard; Robby Albarado
- Tiago -- John Shirreffs; Mike Smith
- Well Armed -- Eoin Harty; Aaron Gryder
Curlin's connections remain uncommited for the BC Classic
What Eoin Harty Says About C-John
After Colonel John squeaked out a nose victory in the $1 millionTravers Stakes in August, trainer Eoin Harty spoke lavishly about his charge, indicating that the colt's trip in the Kentucky Derby against Big Brown was problematic and unfortunate. He didn't claim having a better trip would have gotten Colonel John to the Churchill Downs winner's circle first, but he "certainly (would) love to get Big Brown somewhere down the road, hopefully, at the Breeders' Cup.
"...not to take anything away from Big Brown...(but) I never lost any confidence in him (Colonel John after the Derby)."
Colonel John's Travers score at Saratoga came at the wire over Mambo in Seattle. A Kingmambo colt who had won three straight races. Mambo in Seattle barely missed in the Travers, then went a long 4th to Curlin in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Pyro, who spent the early part of the season reigning at the top of the Kentucky Derby list of hopefuls, ground out a third place finish behind Colonel John's nose victory.
Anak Nakal Darkest Horse for BC Classic
Nick Zito-trained Anak Nakal may be the darkest horse of the Breeders' Cup Classic entrants. With great pedigree -- Victory Gallop - MIsk, by Quiet American, Anak Nakal has not come full circle, but he showed improved form in the $1 million Pennsylania Derby, running down the leader at the wire. Just like his daddy, Victory Gallop, who stopped Real Quiet's Triple Crown hopes in a hoofbeat at the wire in 1998, Anak Nakal displayed a winner's heart in Pennylvania.
The colt's promise as a two-year-old hasn't always bloomed into this, his three-year-old season. He finished a respectable third in the tiring Belmont Stakes; then he went a disinterested 5th in the Jim Dandy Stakes in August. Anak Nakal is not on anyone's short list of probable individual's to derail the Breeders' Cup favorites.
He is, however, trained by Zito, a man who knows a lot about upsets.
