Breeder's Cup Meeting

STS's connections definately ducked a challenge. Just because US horses do not travel in this direction, doesnt negate that point at all. Also if the horse wasnt ready this year, then he could have gone next. Any horse retired after so few races, from wherever, is not fulfilling its potential as far as true racing fans (rather than breeders) are concerned
 
Hamm said:
But, do Europe currently have a dominance in breeding? It seems to be that Coolmore dominate Europe, but how many Galileos, Montjeus and Danehill Dancer's are running in the US? But, European racing still features many expensive purchases of offspring of US based sires.
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Giant's Causeway has quickly become the pre-eminent sire in America this year.
 
Really? I could be wrong but I didn't think he was top of the pile in America this year. I can't find any stats anywhere so maybe you're right.
 
Thanks IS. Yes, he is top in earnings, but I wouldn't necessarily call him top sire - he has had many, many more runners than his nearest rivals, and I think without Coolmore's aggressive policy with their stallions (in terms of number of mares), he would be a little bit down the list.

I also don't think he's produced a top, top horse this year (in the US).
 
I struggle to see how any horse that ran in and won a Group 1 every month from May to October ducked a challenge .

Recently, top horses have simply been unable to sustain that level of form all season hence the trad Arc prep Zarkava had - or are burned out by then.

I tend to the view that STS is such a one-off that he would have maintained his form and swept clear in the Classic and Zenyatta would have been chasing fresh air .

The risk however wasn't worth taking .

On the other hand , although I understand why they did not do it I wish he had stayed in training I think he would have been even more of a monster next year .
 
Gareth Flynn said:
By that logic, all of the US horses 'ducked' the challenge of coming to Europe and taking on Sea The Stars in a major international race like the Arc.

Also, connections in the US are just as quick to retire a horse. The gelding Funny Cide apart, it's been over a decade since a Kentucky Derby winner has raced at 4. In the same period of time, Sir Percy, North Light, High Chaparral and High Rise have all been kept in training in the season after their Epsom success.
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True but with the exception of HC I would imagine with hindsight their respective connections wished they hadn't. At then end of the day it's a commercual decision and no matter how good a horse is as a 3yo if it stays in training at 4 and performs poorly, that's what people tend to remember.
 
Hamm said:
Thanks IS. Yes, he is top in earnings, but I wouldn't necessarily call him top sire - he has had many, many more runners than his nearest rivals, and I think without Coolmore's aggressive policy with their stallions (in terms of number of mares), he would be a little bit down the list.

I also don't think he's produced a top, top horse this year (in the US).
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Giant's Causeway is leading sire in America based on -Prizemoney, toat Stakes winners and total Group winners

He is second based on number of winners and number of Group 1 winners. He might not have a superstar this year (like Street Cry) but he is clearly the leading American stallion or at the very least one of top stallions.
 
Galileo said:
Giant's Causeway is leading sire in America based on -Prizemoney, toat Stakes winners and total Group winners

He is second based on number of winners and number of Group 1 winners. He might not have a superstar this year (like Street Cry) but he is clearly the leading American stallion or at the very least one of top stallions.
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I haven't checked recently but his winners to foals used to be poor.
 
Santa Anita please....

Breeders’ Cup seeks permanent World Championships site





by Ed DeRosa
When Breeders’ Cup Ltd. announces the site of the 2011 World Championships it might also be announcing the site of its event in ’12, ’13, and beyond.
The Breeders’ Cup Board of Directors on December 11 authorized management to “explore the feasibility of a single permanent host site location for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships” as one of the four pillars of its strategic plan.
“It’s possible that the permanent site could be announced for the 2011 event,” said Breeders’ Cup spokesman Jim Gluckson. “We would have one site—not a rotation.”
Belmont Park, Churchill Downs, and Santa Anita Park have held the World Championships most often, including four of the past five editions with Oak Tree Association being the first to stage the event in consecutive years in 2008-’09 at Santa Anita. Of those three entities, only Santa Anita had had discussions with Breeders’ Cup about becoming a permanent host before the December 11 board meeting.
“We were a part of some very preliminary discussions,” Santa Anita President Ron Charles said. “After the [board’s] announcement, I anticipate there will be some additional talks and discussions as other tracks look at the options.”
Churchill Downs is slated to host the event for a record seventh time in 2010. Churchill Vice President of Communications Liz Harris said on December 11 that she was not aware of any discussions between Breeders’ Cup and Churchill concerning making the Louisville track the permanent home of the richest days in racing.
“No one yet has spoken with Breeders’ Cup executives about specific plans, but I know that we’ll be happy to discuss this with Breeders’ Cup executives once they have specific proposals,” Harris said. “The only thing we have had with Breeders’ Cup is some very informal discussions regarding whether the first day [of the two-day World Championships] could include some night racing.
“Breeders’ Cup always does well here, so I would hope that Churchill would be a part of long-term discussions.”
Belmont Park has played host to the event on four occasions—most recently in 2005—and is believed to be in the running to stage the ’11 event, but the New York Racing Association has had no discussions with Breeders’ Cup about being a permanent host.
“We know nothing about it and have no details about it,” NYRA Chief Operating Officer Hal Handel said on December 11.
Keeneland Race Course has never held a Breeders’ Cup, but its president, Nick Nicholson, did travel to this year’s event as the guest of Oak Tree President Sherwood Chillingworth with the intent to see how a host track handles the event.
“If [Keeneland is] ever going to have one of these, I figured I should go see how it’s done,” Nicholson said in October.
The other three points listed by the board’s strategic plan are:
* Establish a new Breeders’ Cup Racing Series in partnership with North American and European racetracks to better define and market the road to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships;
* expand brand marketing and commercial development programs, with an emphasis on digital marketing and social media; and
* take a new approach to nominations to significantly expand the number of Breeders’ Cup eligible horses.
Gluckson said the Racing Series actually would be more likely to be geared toward North American-based horses but that the goal in expanding the number of Breeders’ Cup eligible horses would be to ensure more participation from the best horses throughout the world—not just North American and Europe.
 
The other tracks can get lost, Santa Anita every year would be absolutely brilliant. I imagine the Southern mob may moan about the synthetics however.

Disappointing no European track has laid an artificial surface and make a fist at hosting it.

Be a disaster for European audiences if they let Churchill race at night next year too.
 
I'd personally like to see it continue to rotate. Doesn't seem to be broke to me, so why fix it?

I'd favour Belmont if it was to be at one spot. Fairest track in the States.
 
Come on Santa Anita...

THE CASE FOR A CALI CUP

By Ray Paulick
The Breeders’ Cup, like many mature businesses in faltering industries, has hit a flat spot, and the people who run it are faced with a difficult question: whether to continue on the same course and expect little to no growth, or to make bold, transformative decisions designed to enhance its standing as a major sporting event, improve market share in the pari-mutuel world, and increase its all-important revenue stream.
Whether to play offense or defense is usually a pretty easy question to answer. From playgrounds to boardrooms, everyone wants the ball. So, offense it is…until you show your team the playbook. That’s when people start hedging, saying a defensive strategy isn’t such a bad idea after all.
And so it was at the Breeders’ Cup, which embarked on a strategic planning process some 18 months ago, hired an international consultant experienced in sports marketing, and presented recommendations to the board of directors in December 2009. Foremost among those recommendations, though only one part of a multi-dimensional strategic plan, was to settle on a permanent location for the Breeders’ Cup—permanent meaning the next five to 10 years.
The board approved the core components of the strategic plan in December, discussed it at length in March with the larger board of members and trustees, and is expected to take a final vote at an April board meeting.
It’s not as if the Breeders’ Cup has been a failure since its inaugural running in 1984. In fact, it’s been one of the few shining lights in American racing over the last half century. But looking ahead, as the American Thoroughbred industry continues to retract in betting turnover, racing dates and foal crops, the Breeders’ Cup, if it continues on a similar path, faces declines in nominations and little to no growth in revenue on the championship event itself.
That’s why William Field, the consultant who has worked closely with Strategic Planning Committee chairman Satish Sanan and Breeders’ Cup president Greg Avioli, believes a permanent site will help transform the event and lead to a spike in annual revenue. Further, Field is convinced Santa Anita Park in Southern California is the best candidate to be that site, with the non-profit Oak Tree Racing Association acting as host.
The recommendation, not surprisingly, has been met with criticism, from several fronts. Easterners feel they are at a distinct disadvantage when shipping horses to California. Horseplayers are focused on their dislike of the Pro-Ride synthetic track at Santa Anita (which has produced two consecutive injury-free renewals in 2008-09). Many Kentucky breeders want to be able to drive to Churchill Downs to attend the event, especially when it is scheduled right on top of the breeding stock sales at Fasig-Tipton and Keeneland.
I asked Field, who consulted with English soccer’s Premier League during a phenomenal growth period, how a group of Kentucky breeders could realistically be convinced that it is in their best interest to approve a plan to relocate the Breeders’ Cup 2,000 miles away. They might agree in principle that a dramatic and bold step is needed to infuse the Breeders’ Cup with additional revenue, but what would convince them to put the interests of the organization ahead of their own self-interest?
“Make no mistake,” Field replied by email, “if all the right elements of a deal can be put in place, Santa Anita will be the best place for Breeders’ Cup to maximize its impact. With the sport facing such difficult times, the success that Breeders’ Cup can have there will make a real difference–not least to the benefit of those Kentucky-based breeders you refer to. So, I’m not sure I agree with the implication in your question that having Santa Anita as the long-term location won’t actually be in the interests of those breeders.”
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It's the best racecourse I've ever been to by a long long way. I suspect if it was made permanent, I'd probably go every year. The facilities, the backdrop and the track itself are all world class and bar the problems with drainage (which incidently is not the fault of Pro-Ride as they've had problems with every surface there) it's clearly the best venue for it.

"Horseplayers are focussed on their dislike of the Pro-Ride"
It's probably the fairest easiest surface to bet on along with Fibresand and Tapeta!

Also, who the feck wants to visit Kentucky over California? Hardly going to attract droves of international visitors.
 
I'm not a massive fan of the meeting, but going to a BC at Santa Anita would make my top ten things to do before you die list.
 
Well worth going having been to 2 there now. Could make it an annual event, GS? Perhaps this time though we'll stay closer to SA and watch the workouts?
 
I was lucky enough to go to last years's Breeders Cup with my stepdad who lives in California. I still have to pinch myself even now, as I thought I would never get to attend- a beautiful venue and fantastic atmosphere. Although I didn't back Zenyatta, to hear the roar of the crowd as she swept round the entire field will remain one of the greatest thrills of my life.
 
Grey said:
What's the surrounding area like? Anything to do at night or is it suburban desert?
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LA is crap imo, I've heard Pasadena is nice nearby but we stayed in Hollywood and drove there everyday (about 30-40 mins). You'd be better going for the 2-3 days of the BC and seeing other bits of California before/after.
 
I suspect I'll be very firmly in the minority here, but if the Breeder's Cup is to settle in one location, I for one would prefer it on a traditional dirt track. For all the success of European on the Pro Ride, it has always struck me as an American event at which the European horses are welcome guests. Comparisons between Cheltenham and the Irish are fundamentally incorrect imo. I'm already uncomfortable as it is with the juvenile turf/turf sprint races and the whole two day format overall.

I would favour Belmont myself. Surface aside, it is a far superior track to Santa Anita (admittedly I'm going by the impression I got from the television) ~ by far and away the best track in the States in my book. Facilities are fantastic, core "horse-player" audience on the doorstep and its easier and cheaper for us to get to as well!
 
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