Classic winner Tiznow with Chris McCarron up.

Breeders' Cup Classic

Dateline: 11/04/00

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The Breeders' Cup Classic has become the deciding race for Horse of the Year, and this year's edition was no exception. The best older horses assembled for the 1 1/4 mile event, including the much-hyped Fusaichi Pegasus returning to the track on which he won the Kentucky Derby, for his final start before retiring to stud. He was sent off as the 6-5 favorite. Also in the field were last year's winner Cat Thief, Woodward Stakes winner Lemon Drop Kid, Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Albert the Great, and the late-blooming three year old Tiznow, winner of the Super Derby and the Goodwood. Europe was represented by Giant's Causeway, dubbed "The Iron Horse", who had a record of 6 wins and 3 seconds in 9 starts this year going in, mostly in Group 1 competition.

Tiznow out front first time by with Albert the Great to his inside and Giant's Causeway to his outside.

Tiznow winning by a neck over Giant's Causeway after an exciting stretch battle.

Pgm  Horse              Jockey            Win   Place  Show
13   Tiz Now            McCarron        20.40    8.20  6.20
14   Giant's Causway    Kinane                   7.80  5.20
 1   Captain Steve      Sellers                        7.40

Winning Time:   2:00.75

$2 Exacta 13-14             140.80
$2 Trifecta 13-14-1       1,678.20
$1 Superfecta 13-14-1-6   6,121.30

Tiznow prepares to enter the winner's circle. His co-owner Michael Cooper said: "The decision to supplement was easy, the horse earned the money. This is the most exciting thing that has happened to me since my daughter was born 24 years ago. I am a very excited man. He will run next year, hopefully to defend his title.

Tiznow in the winner's circle. His trainer Jay Robbins said: "The fractions weren't that quick and I thought he should have plenty left. I saw no signs of fatigue. His deportment in the paddock was as good as a horse could be. He's tough to get by, he just loved to compete. I think he should be under consideration for Horse of the Year -- I'm glad I don't have to vote! -- but more important to me is that a California bred has won a Breeders' Cup. I'm going to give him some time off. He'll probably come back in the San Fernando (at Santa Anita) and the Strub Series."

The happy connections at the trophy presentation celebrate the first ever win in a Breeders' Cup race by a California bred. The lady in the middle with the glasses is his breeder and co-owner Cecilia Straub-Rubens. She had been battling cancer and was admitted to the hospital when she returned home but died of a heart attack during surgery Tuesday night. Her friend and co-owner Michael Cooper said: "Those two minutes it took Tiznow to run that race were the best she had felt in a long time. I think it was Tiznow that kept her going. She went out in style, a true winner." Full details here from the LA Times.


Tiznow in the post parade. His jockey Chris McCarron said: "I didn't know exactly where I'd be placed prior to the race. If nobody wanted the lead, and they allowed me to have it at a slow pace, I was going to take it. And that's what happened. This horse will run all day. I had a ton of horse at the 3/8 pole. I gigged him on at the 5/8. It was like a test; do I have so much horse? I don't think Giant's Causeway ever passed me in the stretch. He may have gotten to Tiznow's throatlatch but that's it. What a fighter! I want to thank [owners] Mr. Cooper and Mrs. Straub-Rubens for putting up $360,000 to supplement to the race."

Second place finisher Giant's Causeway in the post parade. His owner Michael Tabor said: "He ran his heart out and it was a great race. You can always find one to beat you. He was drawn post 14 which wasn't great, and that may have made a difference, but you can't make excuses. Based on that performance maybe we should have had him in training here (in the USA). Trainer Aidan O'Brien said: "He ran a great race, he kept battling." Jockey Mick Kinane added, "I thought I was going to win, but Chris (McCarron on Tiznow) just had a little more horse. The problems at the gate were not a surprise, that's just him. I'm so proud of my colt, he's just an amazing horse."

Third place finisher Captain Steve in the post parade. His jockey Shane Sellers said: "Going into the first turn everybody was bunching up and I thought there was going to be a wreck; I was able to avoid that. Bob (Baffert) has done a terrific job with him. He had to step up today and he did. I feel great." Trainer Bob Baffert added, "He ran his race. He was right there. He was doing great and Mike (Pegram) wanted to take a shot (supplement) and that's why he was in there.

Fourth place finisher Albert the Great in the post parade. His trainer Nick Zito said: "He ran a super race. Just look at how tough the 3-year-olds are that were in this race. I'm disappointed, sure, but not by his effort. He was phenomenal." Jockey Jorge Chavez added, "I thought he ran very good, but it seemed to me he didn't like the track too much. He was struggling to get over it.

Fifth place finisher Lemon Drop Kid in the post parade. His trainer Scotty Schulhofer said: "He might have been a little closer than I wanted early, but he was still running easily. He looked good. When Edgar (Prado) asked him to fire, he didn't run like he usually does. Maybe it's true that he didn't like this track; if that's true, then he still deserves to be Horse of the Year. You don't throw out all he's done after one race. He's done more than anybody else in that field."

6-5 favorite Fusaichi Pegasus who finished 6th in the post parade. His jockey Kent Desormeaux said: "I had a horrible trip. I was bouncing off other horses early and he got aggressive. But I had to convey to him to settle. I tried to keep him back, but I was depriving him of progressing (down the backstretch). The horse got confused; he wanted to run but I signalled him to settle. Right after that the pace quickened and I signalled him to go. He was confused and didn't pick up the bridle. Finally at the top of the stretch I turned him loose and he responded but he was 15 lengths back (actually 6). Trainer Neil Drysdale added, "He got banged around a little bit and there wasn't as much pace as we thought there would be. He didn't settle as well as he should have. He finaly relaxed at the wrong point (the stretch).

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All photos by Cindy Pierson and Terence Dulay. Logo courtesy of Breeders' Cup Limited.

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