Reasons to Cheer for Each Classic Contender
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Moreno wins the Whitney at Saratoga. Read on to find a reason to cheer for each Classic contender. (All photos by Eclipse Sportswire unless otherwise noted)
Finding just one horse to cheer for in a race at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships can be difficult.
With competitive fields, it is easy to convince yourself to root for multiple horses, even if you have no betting interest in the field. So, for the sake of giving one of the horses in the Breeders’ Cup Classic your full cheering power, I have put together this handy guide providing some reasons to cheer for each horse in the race.
While this doesn’t give you a specific horse to cheer for, maybe you’ll see a storyline that you just can’t resist about a certain horse attempting to win the Classic.
Bayern
If you get more excited for the UEFA Champions League than the NFL season, perhaps Bayern is for you.
Named after the FC Bayern Munich soccer club, Bayern burst onto the scene in January and has done very well since his debut victory. He won the Haskell Invitational Stakes in July and defeated California Chrome and six others in the Pennsylvania Derby in his most recent start.
BAYERN WINS THE HASKELL
Bayern’s owner Kaleem Shah is the son of famous Indian horse trainer Majeed Shah, who told Kaleem that he wanted him to focus on his studies rather than pursue a career as a horse trainer. Those studies allowed Kaleem to join the industry as a horse owner years later after becoming an American citizen. Shah has had three Breeders’ Cup starters but has never won or hit the board in a Breeders’ Cup race, something he is hoping Bayern (and Dirt Mile starter Fed Biz) can change for him.
California Chrome
California Chrome is the hometown boy who has done nearly everything right this year. Born and raised in California, the chromed-out, chestnut colt was at Santa Anita during the Breeders’ Cup last year, when he finished sixth in an undercard race. But California’s pride has made it to the biggest race in California this year, the Breeders’ Cup Classic. He became the first California-bred since Decidedly in 1962 to win the Kentucky Derby in May, and if he wins the Breeders’ Cup Classic, he’ll be only the second Cal-bred to win that race. The other horse bred in California who won the Breeders’ Cup Classic? The great Tiznow, who won the race in 2000 and 2001. Chrome’s the pick if you love a storybook ending.
CALIFORNIA CHROME AFTER HIS DERBY WIN
Candy Boy
Candy Boy has been an unlucky bridesmaid in all but one race since breaking his maiden last November. Since then, he’s finished second or third in five of his races, winning a Grade 2 and finishing a hard-luck 13th in the Kentucky Derby. Those horses he’s finished close behind include the who’s who of the 3-year-old crop with both Shared Belief and California Chrome beating him twice. Tapiture is his newest rival, beating him by a nose for the win in the West Virginia Derby and by a head for third in the Pennsylvania Derby (where they both beat California Chrome). Candy Boy is one of those hard-luck horses that makes his fans think that he could be something good if his luck turns around … will the Classic be the race where he proves them right?
Cigar Street
Cigar fans should immediately fall in love with Cigar Street. He is trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Cigar’s trainer, and is out of a half-sister (same dam [mother], different sire [father]) to the legendary Cigar. If that isn’t enough of a hook for fans, Cigar Street also is co-owned by veteran NBA All-Star Rashard Lewis and has a big comeback story. After finishing fourth in the 2012 Louisiana Derby, Cigar Street was put on the bench until that December but had to spend more time on the sidelines after injuring himself after a win in the 2013 Skip Away Stakes. Cigar Street will be making only his third start after a nearly 17-month layoff in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. With Hall of Famer Cigar’s recent passing, believers in fate and/or the racing gods probably will find a Classic hopeful in Cigar Street.
THE GREAT CIGAR
Photo by HorsePhotos
Footbridge
Footbridge is coming into the race as the underdog, and if he wins it will be a big celebration for everyone associated with Godolphin and Darley. Footbridge is by Darley’s recently departed stallion Street Cry, sire of the great Zenyatta, and out of a mare by Dubai Millennium, who was one of Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s favorite horses. If you like the Darley and Godolphin horses, Footbridge is the colt for you.
Imperative
At the end of last year, Imperative could have been claimed by anyone for $50,000, this week he’s running in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Claimed by George Papaprodromou out of that race for owner Kenji Morinaga, Imperative has made the team look extremely smart by making more that $1.2 million this year. He won the Charles Town Classic Stakes in April, and has finished third in two Grade 1 events this year. He may be the ultimate rags-to-riches story of the weekend if he pulls off the Classic victory.
Majestic Harbor
When his half-brother Danza went to the sidelines before the Belmont Stakes this year, Majestic Harbor took it as a sign that it was his time to shine. Only a few days after it was announced that Danza was taking a break from racing, Majestic Harbor finished third in a graded stakes race. But his big moment came a month later when he won the Gold Cup at Santa Anita by 6 ¼ lengths, showing that his little brother isn’t the only horse in the family who can shine. If you backed Danza in the Kentucky Derby or were a fan of “Who’s the Boss?” take a close look at Majestic Harbor.
DANZA WINS THE ARKANSAS DERBY
Photo by Coady Photography
Moreno
If you like a good story to tell around a campfire, Moreno is for you. His trainer Eric Guillot is one of the most quotable guys in the industry. If Moreno wins (or loses), you can expect a memorable quote from Guillot that will be repeated for months, if not years. If a hilarious trainer isn’t good enough for you, Guillot also has a secret training weapon in his arsenal … voodoo dolls. You read that right, Guillot gives his horse a little extra luck by hanging voodoo dolls of rival trainers outside his barn before the big races. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t like seeing a SpongeBob SquarePants voodoo doll of Bob Baffert? OK, who besides Baffert doesn’t get a kick out of that voodoo doll.
Prayer for Relief
Prayer For Relief is an old warrior who has danced every dance. We’ve seen him on the big stage since 2011 when he won the Iowa Derby. Since then, he’s competed in 21 graded stakes races and hit the board in 12 of them. But even with all of those appearances, he will be making his Breeders’ Cup debut on Nov. 1. He needs only $92,062 to cross the $2-million mark, something he can do with a good showing in the Classic. If you have a fondness for the hard-hitting veteran, Prayer for Relief is a great choice.
Shared Belief
The past two years, sports talk radio host Jim Rome has stood in the winner’s circle with Mizdirection after the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. Mizdirection has been retired and is now living in France, but Rome is back with the undefeated Shared Belief. Named last year’s champion 2-year-old male, Shared Belief skipped the Triple Crown this year but has spent the late summer and fall beating up on older males at the top level of the sport. If he lives up to his morning line favoritism, Shared Belief will earn Rome a spot in the winner’s circle again this year, this time in the biggest race of the weekend. Rome’s Clones will undoubtedly be backing Shared Belief.
JIM ROME (LEFT) ENTERS THE BREEDERS' CUP WINNER'S CIRCLE
Toast of New York
Toast of New York has taken his connections around the world. The England-based colt won the United Arab Emitrates Derby in March and has made two trips to the United States, including one trip that saw him finish second in the Pacific Classic Stakes, not too bad for a horse who sold for only $35,000 as a yearling at Keeneland September sale. But while “Toast” has been ushering his connections in to the world of international racing, he also has the distinction of being the final horse jockey Jamie Spencer will ride in the United States. The jockey will be retiring at the end of the year and will be looking for his first win in the Breeders’ Cup. He’s had 12 mounts at the event since making his Breeders’ Cup debut in 2000. Another horse who fals into the storybook ending category, only in this case for his veteran rider.
Tonalist
Tonalist was unlucky this spring when he had to miss qualifying for the Kentucky Derby due to illness. The Tapit colt came back in the middle of May and won the Peter Pan Stakes before taking home the Belmont Stakes. If Tonalist wins for owner Robert S. Evans, it will be a win generations in the making for the Evans family. Tonalist is out of a mare by Pleasant Colony, who was bred and campaigned by Robert’s father, Thomas Mellon Evans, to wins in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness in 1981. If you are a fan of the traditional family racing operations, look no further than Tonalist.
V. E. Day
Named for a holiday in Europe celebrating the end of World War II, V. E. Day is a living tribute to all those who served in that war. V. E. Day is owned by prominent steeplechase owner Magalen O. Bryant, who won her first flat-racing graded stakes race with V. E. Day and will be making her Breeders’ Cup debut with the colt. V. E. Day is an easy horse to support because of the tribute to brave veterans.
V. E. DAY AFTER HIS TRAVERS WIN
Zivo
Owned and bred by Thomas Coleman, Zivo gave Coleman the owner’s first-ever graded stakes win when winning the Suburban Handicap earlier this year. Zivo will be another first for Coleman when he starts in the Breeders’ Cup and will be only the second Breeders’ Cup Classic starter for trainer Chad Brown. Zivo comes from the family of the popular Dubai World Cup-winning gelding Well Armed, who was a fan favorite during his career, a spot that Zivo is quickly moving toward as a popular New York-bred. Love New York-breds or cheer for new owners breaking into the sport? Make Zivo your Classic horse.
$5-million Breeders' Cup ClassicSaturday, Santa Anita Park, Race 12, 8:35 p.m. ET1 1/4 miles, dirt, 3-year-olds and older
PP
Horse
Jockey
Trainer
Odds
1
Prayer for Relief
Irad Ortiz Jr.
Dale Romans
30-1
2
Cigar Street
John Velazquez
Bill Mott
12-1
3
Imperative
Frankie Dettori
George Papaprodromou
30-1
4
Moreno
Javier Castellano
Eric Guillot
20-1
5
V. E. Day
Joe Talamo
Jimmy Jerkens
20-1
6
Shared Belief
Mike Smith
Jerry Hollendorfer
9-5
7
Bayern
Martin Garcia
Bob Baffert
6-1
8
Zivo
Jose Lezcano
Chad Brown
15-1
9
Toast of New York
Jamie Spencer
Jamie Osborne
12-1
10
Footbridge
Rafael Bejarano
Eoin Harty
30-1
11
Tonalist
Joel Rosario
Christophe Clement
5-1
12
Candy Boy
Corey Nakatani
John Sadler
20-1
13
California Chrome
Victor Espinoza
Art Sherman
4-1
14
Majestic Harbor
Tyler Baze
Sean McCarthy
20-1
15AE
Big Cazanova
Elvis Trujillo
Peter Miller