While European career undebeaten Frankel (9-0) has finished his turf hoofing for the season, fabulous three-time Breeders' Cup champion Goldikova will cross the pond to America and seek an unreachable star -- a fourth straight victory in the Breeders' Cup Mile.
On November 4 and 5, Churchill Downs hosts the Breeders' Cup World Championships for a second straight season.
Frankel Conquers Europe
Frankel, a three-year-old named for American trainer Bobby Frankel, was conditioned up to Europe's first ever Champions Day, held October 15 at Ascot, England. Most of Britain's prize Thoroughbreds were pointed to the event after various opinions of the new race day finally came together. Its scheduling will mean many of the entries will not travel to the USA for the Breeders' Cup.
Frankel galloped to a dramatic ninth straight victory, his fifth consecutive win this season, in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Eng-I) on Qipco Champions Day's inauguration. The Galileo (IRE)--Kind, by Danehill colt blitzed the field in the mile event, finishing on good turf in 1:39.45 under jockey Tom Queally and besting Excelebration.
According to Frankel's trainer, Sir Henry Cecil, the colt raced his last competition for the season, but his appearance as a four-year-old is forthcoming in 2012.
Frankel has earned $2,210,961 in his nine victories.
In the meantime, Cirrus des Aigles, at five, won his first grade one race from his seventh try in the 10-furlong main event Qipco Champion Stakes (Eng-I). He was scheduled to next compete in Hong Kong.
Can Goldikova Capture America?
Now six years old, Goldikova may be trying to gain American hearts as well as what would be an amazing fourth Breeders' Cup race.
Freddy Head is Goldikova's trainer and is one of those magical stories that pop up among things Thoroughbred. Head won the BC Mile twice as a jockey aboard the wonderful Miesque, a rare back-to-back winner of that event (1987-'88).
Last season, Europeans were less than excited that Goldikova, trying for an unprecedented third straight victory in the Breeders' Cup Mile, was playing second fiddle in billing to America's six-year-old undefeated mare Zenyatta, who was attempting to win a second consecutive Breeders' Cup Classic.
Even in victory, to Zenyatta's nose defeat, Goldikova was given less publicity. Will the Churchill Downs crowd embrace Goldikova this time around?
Why Euros Skip America's Breeders' Cup
There are a number of reasons that European Thoroughbred champions skip the American Breeders' Cup World Championships.
European Thoroughbreds race only on turf, and no drugs (primarily Lasix, a popular anti-bleeding medication) are allowed in the industry. These two things alone differ greatly from Thoroughbred racing in America.
Another detrimental factor that keeps European horses from flooding the seas and skies to get to America's Breeders' Cup World Championships every season include scheduling and which track will host the championships. American tracks are traditional dirt, like Churchill Downs, or synthetic, which simulates European turf racing. European horses trained up to an October seasonal ending aren't always prepared to extend their campaign to the Breeders' Cup.
In addition, two-year-olds are being trained toward their own country's Triple Crown races, making the Breeders' Cup an extra bump in their road.
How an individual Thoroughbred handles air travel, or cross-country shipping, is another consideration.
With all things taken into account, the Euros' four-year-olds and up are the most likely candidates to cross the pond to Churchill Downs next month.
Breeders' Cup World Championships Schedule 2011
Breeders' Cup races scheduled for November 5, Saturday, are:
- Marathon 1:20 p.m., $500,000, 1-3/4 miles
- Juvenile Turf, 2:02 p.m., $1 M, 1 mile
- Sprint, 2:37 p.m., $1.5 M, 6 furlongs
- Turf Sprint, 3:21 p.m., $1 M, 5 furlongs
- Juvenile, 4:01 p.m., $2 M, 1-1/16 miles
- Mile, 4:45 p.m., $2 M, 1 mile
- Dirt Mile, 5:25 p.m., $1 M, 1 mile
- Turf, 6:07 p.m., $3 M, 1-1/2 miles
- Classic, 7 p.m., $5 M, 1-1/4 miles
Races on November 4, Friday, include:
- Juvenile Sprint, 4:10 p.m., $500,000, 6 furlongs
- Juvenile Fillies Turf, 4:50 p.m., $1 M, 1 mile
- Filly & Mare Sprint, 5:30 p.m., $1 M, 7 furlongs
- Juvenile Fillies, 6:10 p.m., $2 M, 1-1/16 miles
- Filly & Mare Turf, 6:50 p.m., $2 M, 1-3/8 miles
- Ladies Classic, 7:30 p.m., $2 M, 1-1/8 miles
Television broadcasts of the races begins Friday on ESPN2. On Saturday, TVG will telecast the Marathon, ABC will handle the Juvenile Turf, Sprint, and Turf Sprint, while ESPN will broadcast the remainder of the day's schedule.
Sources:
- The Blood-Horse, October 29, 2011/No.43
- The Blood-Horse, October 22, 2011/No.42
BarbaraAnne Helberg - Barbara Anne Helberg, Supporter of Better Lives for Animals and Clean, Spirited, Competitive Sports
