Posted on 10/16/2007 7:35:45 PM

Horse Racing Wagering: Some Automatic BC qualifiers in a No-Win Situation

By Greg Melikov

There were 24 horses that received a free pass to the 24th Breeders’ Cup at Monmouth Park via the inaugural “Win and You’re In” series of qualifying races.

However, several winners have a couple of hurdles to overcome before going for the gold the gold Oct. 26-27. First, health: So far, only one horse will miss the festivities because of injury.

Shortly after Fabulous Strike earned a berth in the BC Sprint by capturing the Vosburgh at Belmont Park on Sept. 30, the speedster contracted a lung infection and was declared a no-go.

Three of four other winners in 24 stakes staged from late July to early October will race in the six-furlong event: Diabolical, victorious in the Vanderbilt at Saratoga on July 28, Greg’s Gold, the Pat O’Brien winner at Del Mar on Aug. 19 and Idiot Proof, Ancient Title champ at the Oak Tree meeting staged at Santa Anita on Oct. 29.

Off Duty qualified by scoring in the Phoenix Stakes at Keeneland on Oct. 6, but needs owners to fork over a supplemental $180,000 fee to join a deep field.

Several others that qualified for seven off eight races slated for Oct. 27 are in the same financial boat. They include BC Distaff qualifiers Ginger Punch and Tough Tiz’s Sis, but both are likely to race.

Four that qualified for the BC Classic would have made the $5 million headliner anyway because they were among a half-dozen that earned $1 million or more during the year.

Student Council, however, opted for the $2.3 million Japan Cup Dirt on Nov. 24 after winning the Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 19.

Quite a few others skipping the Classic either decided to run in other BC races or chose stakes at tracks later in the fall.

The three millionaires that qualified for the headliner are Saratoga’s Whitney winner Lawyer Ron, Belmont’s Jockey Gold Cup champ Curlin and Oak Tree’s Goodwood victor Tiago.

Others with enough earnings to race are Derby/Travers champ Street Sense, top money-winning horse in 2007 with nearly $3 million banked; Hard Spun, No. 3 on the list behind Curlin, who also won the Preakness; and Any Given Saturday, with three straight victories in the Dwyer, Haskell and Brooklyn who fell $5,680 short of a million.

Millionaire Unbridled Belle, who scored in the Beldame at Belmont on Sept. 30, would have made the BC Distaff anyway. One mare that won’t race is Take D’ Tour, who came out of a last-place finish in the Beldame with an injury to her left foreleg and was retired.

English Channel, the 12th and last millionaire on the list, is in the BC Turf because of his victory in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont on Sept. 30.

Horses that will seek greener pastures elsewhere include:

Lava Man, No. 4 on the money-winning list, won’t go in any of the 11 BC races worth $23 million after running last in the Oak Tree Mile. Instead, he’s going in the California Cup Classic for state-breds at Santa Anita on Nov. 4.

The Tin Man, runner-up in the Hirsch, probably will race in the Citation at Hollywood Park on Nov. 23.

Vacare, who qualified for the Filly & Mare Turf by capturing the First Lady Stakes Keeneland on Oct. 6, will run in the Matriarch at Hollywood Park on Nov. 25.

Others that won’t make race because of injuries include:

Shakespeare, who launched his comeback from a serious tendon injury by winning the Woodbine Mile, won’t make the BC Turf because he suffered another tear in the tendon of his left foreleg and was retired.

Rosinka, third in the Flower Bowl at Belmont, is out of the BC Filly & Mare, with a bone chip in an ankle.

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