What did the 2019 winner of the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Vino Rosso, have in common with Alphabet Soup, the 1996 winner of the race? Answer: They both failed to win their final prep for the great race.
That may not be so unusual, but it’s somewhat bizarre that they had both been demoted after passing the winning post first in their final pre-BC runs, and in both cases the horse had only a handful of rivals in opposition. This is not a Breeders’ Cup quiz, however. Just a reminder that trouble and/or defeat en route to the Breeders’ Cup is not necessarily a bad thing.
The list of horses who were coming off defeats when winning at the Breeders’ Cup is long.
Alphabet Soup caused some upset when he won the Classic at Woodbine in 1996. Cigar, who had crushed the field in the ‘95 edition, was odds-on to make history as the first back-to-back winner. That time and mileage were finally catching up with him was not so surprising, but as he was beaten into third, behind 19/1 shot Alphabet Soup and 18/1 Louis Quatorze, it seemed absolutely unreal, triggering a massive 311/1 exacta payout.
Where on earth did that result come from? Alphabet Soup had beaten three rivals to the winning post in the G2 Goodwood Handicap at Santa Anita, but he was demoted to third for having caused interference to both Savinio, who was awarded the race, and Dare And Go. Louis Quatorze exited the G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park, where he had to settle for third, beaten by Skip Away and Cigar (even the mighty Cigar was coming off a defeat as he went for the '96 Classic).
Five years later, a horse finally became a back-to-back winner of the Classic. His name was Tiznow, and he also used the Goodwood as his final tune-up, finishing third in the Santa Anita prep, beaten 1½ lengths by rank outsider Freedom Crest, who then finished last in the Classic and was winless in eight subsequent starts.
Fast forward to the 2019 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park, contested by just five horses. Vino Rosso had his nose slightly in front of Code Of Honor’s as the pair hit the line after a tremendous stretch battle, but he had come off a true line, impeded his rival, and was demoted to second. Five weeks later, Vino Rosso won the BC Classic at Santa Anita, beating favorite McKinzie with ease. Code Of Honor trailed home in seventh place.
The biggest upset in BC Classic history came about when the French-trained Arcangues won at Santa Anita in 1993, beating the heavy favorite Bertrando. Trained by Andre Fabre, the Wildenstein flag bearer went off at 133/1 - and not just because he was a turf horse making his first start on dirt. Surely Arcangues had no chance - he was a badly beaten fourth of five in the G2 Prix Dollar at Longchamp last time out.
Placed in the Arc
Then there was 2020. Kentucky Derby winner Authentic’s race prior to the Classic was the October-staged Preakness, where he was beaten by Swiss Skydiver. Authentic bounced right back to win the Classic at Keeneland, where he beat his barnmate Improbable. A couple of hours earlier, Swiss Skydiver ran unplaced in the BC Distaff.
Some BC Turf winners have also hit top form after losing their preps. Found (1995) ran second to Fascinating Rock in the Champion Stakes at Ascot prior to defeating Arc hero Golden Horn at Keeneland. Found was no better than ninth, five lengths behind Golden Horn, in the Arc, and she had previously succumbed by a length when Golden Horn beat her in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.
Found went on to win the Arc the following year, beating Highland Reel – who on his next outing won the BC Turf at Santa Anita, with Found back in third.
Running placed in the Arc has often been an ideal way to get ready for a crack at the BC Turf, as was the case when In The Wings was successful at Belmont Park in 1990, having run fourth to Saumarez at Longchamp three weeks prior. At the Breeders’ Cup, Saumarez had to settle for fifth.
Talismanic, who won the Turf at Del Mar four years ago, was also exiting the Arc, having been beaten by no fewer than 12 of his rivals at Longchamp.
The Breeders’ Cup of 1995 was a memorable Belmont Park experience for yours truly. Not only was the Pick 7 hit (I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to mention that), as Cigar made solving the puzzle a little bit easier, but it was hit for small stakes thanks to singles on Unbridled’s Song in the Juvenile and Ridgewood Pearl in the Mile. Ridgewood Pearl went off favorite in New York, despite having been slammed six lengths by Bahri in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot five weeks earlier, while Unbridled’s Song improved from having been an eye-catching fourth to Maria’s Mon in the G1 Champagne Stakes.
The juvenile contests can also be won by horses who failed to shine in their races closest to the Breeders’ Cup. It’s in this age group we find particularly fast improvers. Even a maiden can win the BC Juvenile - Good Magic managed it at Del Mar in 2017. It was his third start and he had been runner-up in the Champagne Stakes, beaten by Firenze Fire, who was no better than seventh when they met again at Del Mar.
On the same day, Caledonia Road caused an upset in the Juvenile Fillies. She proved far too good for Alluring, Blonde Bomber and Separationofpowers, who had beaten Caledonia Road readily in the G1 Frizette just under a month earlier.
Hard to fancy
History repeated itself at Keeneland three years later, when Vequist turned the tables on her comfortable Frizette conqueror Dayoutoftheoffice as they ran 1-2 once more in the Juvenile Fillies.
What about California-based fillies when the Breeders’ Cup goes west? There have been serious win machines on the podium after the Juvenile Fillies, like Brave Raj, Halfbridled and Stardom Bound, but don’t forget the 2016 running, when the locally trained longshot Champagne Room won at Santa Anita. Trainer Peter Eurton’s surprise package was hard to fancy. A month earlier, she had been a well-beaten fourth in the G1 Chandelier Stakes over the same course and distance (won by Noted And Quoted, who was only seventh in the Juvenile Fillies).
Three years ago, Eurton saddled another surprise winner at Santa Anita, 46/1 shot Storm The Court, a colt who had been beaten more than eight lengths when third to Eight Rings in the G1 American Pharoah Stakes. Come the Breeders’ Cup, Eight Rings was only sixth, more than 12 lengths behind Storm The Court. Eight Rings won the battle but he lost the war.
There have been so many who have done the opposite.