While thoroughbred racing will continue through the end of the year, last weekend was the “official” end of the racing year with the running of the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland Racecourse. Fourteen races were contested over Friday and Saturday with entrants from throughout the world (United States, Ireland, Japan, United Kingdom, etc.).
We had no horses in the 43rd edition of the Breeders’ Cup this year but we did have two horses (McCoy and Highwaymen) run at Keeneland in races before the Breeders’ Cup and three over the weekend at Belmont Park in New York.
Both McCoy and Highwaymen are babies (two year olds) and their races were “interesting” for different reasons! McCoy went off the even money favorite in his race and immediately went to his knees leaving the starting gate. In the process of stumbling, his jockey was thrown and our pre-race excitement turned to disappointment. Both McCoy and his jockey (Jose Ortiz) were fine after the race, but it certainly wasn’t the outcome we were hoping for.
Highwaymen went off second betting choice (4-1) in his race with the favorite being a Flightline baby (Powerline). In a way we had two “betting interests” with ownership in Highwaymen and Flightline the stallion. Powerline prevailed by a length and Highwaymen came second in what was a very competitive race. Prior to the race, Churchill Downs released its first 2027 Kentucky Derby Future Pool and Highwaymen was one of the named betting interests. His performance in career start number one would suggest his inclusion in the pool was justified.
Click here for Highwaymen race replay.
Our runners at Belmont Park produced different results. Plenty of Mischief finished eighth in her first career start going 6 1/2 furlongs on the dirt. It appears dirt will not be her preferred surface and she will race next on the turf. Flightress, our two year old Flightline filly stretched out to a mile and a sixteenth after running third at Saratoga on Labor Day going 7 furlongs. Her trainer (Shug McGaughey) always felt Flightress wanted to go a route of ground and he was right. After contesting the lead early, she pulled away and won by 1 3/4 lengths!
Click here for Flightress race replay.
Pentathlon capped the weekend with an authoritative win in the $200,000 Grade 3, Forty Niner Stakes. It was Pentathlon’s second consecutive win, and the plan is to run him next in the $500,000, Grade 2, Cigar Mile at Belmont Part on December 5.
Click here for Pentathalon race replay.
Horse Racing Nation article on Pentathalon race.
Bloodhorse article on Pentathalon race.
It was a fantastic weekend of coast to coast racing action with lots to look forward to!