We have seen it before and we will probably see it again - riders losing their heads in the Kentucky Derby, at the Breeders’ Cup and other on other major races. It happens mainly in dirt races. Jockeys press the accelerator hard as soon as the gates open, as if they are sitting on a Quarter Horse. Three of this year’s Breeders Cup Saturday contests were classic examples. Did we witness some of this year’s worst rides in the space of just over four minutes of action?
ITV Racing’s Johnny Murtagh, talking about pace scenarios before the Breeders’ Cup Classic, said, “Sometimes, when the stalls open, silly things happen.”
What had happened in the BC Filly & Mare Sprint, the Sprint and the Distaff had not gone unnoticed. Suicidal pace duels led to absolute meltdowns in all three races. Top jockeys you can normally rely on to do the right things gave their mounts terrible rides.
Several of the runners, including three heavy favorites, were simply beaten by running way too fast way too soon. Some of these performances must be contenders for worst ride of the year.
Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint
Fractions: 22.31 – 44.92 – 1.08.66 Winning Time: 1.21.00
Gamine (John Velazquez) and Bella Sofia (Luis Saez) went into a speed duel in this 7-furlong event. After clocking 22.31 for the first quarter, the boss, Gamine, ran the second quarter in 22.61.
While the two leaders were being niggled along, Edgeway was travelling better than both a couple of lengths behind them. Her rider, Joel Rosario, had found the right rhythm.
The writing was on the wall as they turned for home, when Edgeway (saving ground by the rail) and Ce Ce (closing in going wide) gained momentum, while the two favorites were about to hit the wall. Ce Ce won from Edgeway. Gamine, who had beaten Ce Ce easily by 3 lenghts when spotting her three pounds in the Ballerina Stakes, was a tiring third, beaten 3¼ lengths.
Before the race, Edgeway's trainer, John Sadler, had said, “Nobody can beat Gamine.” Little did he know.
Breeders’ Cup Sprint
Fractions: 21.91 – 44.11 – 56.05 Winning time: 1.08.49
Jackie’s Warrior (Joel Rosario) went straight to the lead, as expected. Running fast, while closely stalked by Matera Sky (hard ridden by Yuga Kawada) and Special Reserve (niggled by Irad Ortiz), the odds-on favorite completed the first quarter in 22.91 while on a loose rein, then zipped through the second in 22.20.
Dr Schivel enjoyed a trip similar to Edgeway's in the F&M Sprint, though he raced wide when making what looked a winning move at the top of the lane, where Matera Sky was retreating and Jackie’s Warrior was beginning to do the same. At this stage, Aloha West had five horses in front of him and just three behind. He began passing tiring foes and got up in the very last jump to beat Dr Schivel by a nose.
It was a good ride by Jose Ortiz on a winner who got a perfect set-up. These were poor rides for sure, but, having seen how Jackie's Warrior’s Jerkens Stakes runner-up Life Is Good performed in the Dirt Mile, it’s fair to ask whether something may have been amiss with Jackie’s Warrior. In the end, even Matera Sky beat him (they finished fifth and sixth).
That second quarter certainly did the Warrior no favors.
Longines Distaff
Fractions: 21.84 – 44.97 – 1.09.70 – 1.35.28 Winning time: 1.47.67
Running the first quarter in 21 and change in a sprint had proved to be seriously detrimental earlier on the day. So what happened in the 9-furlong Distaff?
The Flavien Prat-ridden Private Mission was being sent from post 1 and completed the first quarter in 21.84, running marginally faster than Jackie’s Warrior. Incredible.
Ensuring that the race developed into even more of a farce, Irad Ortiz put Letruska right on the flank of the leader, and Florent Geroux joined in to his outside on Shedaresthedevil. As Time Goes By (Luis Saez) was also close. Having negotiated the first bend, the pace inevitably dropped, but the second quarter was still brisk enough - 23.13.
At this stage Private Mission, Letruska and As Time Goes By were 1-2-3. As the race was over, the same trio filled three of the last four places in the 11-runner field.
The same horses still led after 6 furlongs, when the clock showed 1.09.70 (Knicks Go ran the first 6 furlongs of the Classic in 1.10.04).
Already at this stage, Japanese 49/1 shot Marche Lorraine, having been been second last and way off the pace going down the back straight, had crept up to be just behind them. The leaders were already in trouble. Private Mission and Letruska were beaten before coming into the straight, and Shedaresthedevil hung tough still but was beginning to struggle.
Marche Lorraine took the lead. Dunbar Road, coming within a nose of catching Marche Lorraine, Malathaat and Clairiere were all staying on for places.
The exception
We have all heard that U.S.-based riders have a ‘clock in their heads’ and so often that’s how it seems. Unfortunately, some of these clocks seemed to have had flat batteries on Breeders’ Cup Saturday, 2021.
However, it's not possible to elaborate on these wickedly fast paces without touching on Life Is Good, who won the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile by running fast from start to finish. He set fractions close to those in the 7-furlong Filly & Mare Sprint, and kept on going to win comfortably. This son of Into Mischief must be some horse.