October 1, 2005
In just four short weeks, the 22nd renewal of the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships will be contested at Belmont Park, which decide most of the year-end championships. Four weeks earlier, Belmont hosted five Grade 1 events for horses to make their final preps over the same track, with a crowd of 15,737 on hand to witness one of the best cards of racing so far this year. The highlight event of the afternoon was the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles on the main track for older horses with the $4 million Classic as their target. The undercard included the Beldame for Distaff hopefuls, Joe Hirsch Turf Classic for Turf contenders, the Flower Bowl for Filly and Mare Turf entrants, and the Vosburgh, a major prep for the Sprint
The talk here was of Borrego, a four-year-old El Prado colt who has suddenly put himself into the Horse of the Year picture. Under Garrett Gomez, who had already won the Grade 1 Vosburgh earlier on the program with Taste of Paradise, Borrego unleashed a powerful rally off the far turn and muscled his way to a 4 1/2 length victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. It was his second victory in a row in a million-dollar race, coming after a victory in Del Mar's Pacific Classic (G1). Borrego had help in the race, as Jim Dandy and Travers winner Flower Alley, the 3-2 favorite, found himself battling stablemate Bishop Court Hill on the lead through fractions of 23.59, 46.73, and 1:11.30. As Flower Alley was cooked, Borrego launched a wide bid that caught everyone by surprise. He was in hand when he reached the finish line in 2:02.86.
Results Chart from DRF
"This is two 'millions' in a row," said winning trainer Beau Greely. "He's a very honest horse. Garrett did a great job with him. (Borrego) did it like a nice horse today. I think he has definitely developed. That being said, we have the next level to step up to now. This was a very solid Grade 1. I never looked at the Breeders' Cup until right now. He's going to tell me in the morning. Today, I am delighted. I like to think I have the horse to beat. He is a very easy horse to train and he makes me look good. I thought he would win today, but I knew we had serious horses running in this race. He excels at a mile and a quarter. That was a lot of fun. He'll stay here for the Breeders' Cup."
"I really wasn't planning to move as early as I did, but he was doing everything so easy," Gomez said. "I came about six-wide and lead him on his way. I was a little leery when I did it because he's never been put in that circumstance before with me riding him. I didn't know how he was really going to respond to it. He was absolutely perfect. I wanted to settle him down late. We've got a month to the Breeders' Cup and I didn't want him to overdo it. "
Suave was second, nearly 6 lengths ahead of Sun King in third. It was another four lengths back to Flower Alley. "The rabbit (Bishop Court Hill) kind of messed with Edgar (Prado) all the way around," said Suave's trainer, Paul McGee. "He mentioned that the rabbit was rank early and my take on it was that Edgar was shopping for a spot all the way through the turn and never got clear sailing. I thought he ran a good race. We'll see, but I think (the Breeders' Cup) is still on the radar.."
"I think he could have been second today with no problem," Sun King's trainer Nick Zito said. "We had him where we wanted him. My horse tries so hard, a gallant horse that he is, one of the better three-year-olds. The winner was fabulous, but I think he could have been second, and second to me is big in this race. We'll talk to Mr. (Tracy) Farmer and if he has a good month, why not (go in the Breeders' Cup)?"
Jockey John Velazquez aboard the beaten favorite Flower Alley said, "My horse was fighting and game, but the horse next to me (entrymate Bishop Court Hill) was bad. They chirped coming out of there. My horse took off. Now, my horse is rank and the other horse is in front. I said, 'Look at this.' I tried to stay away from him, but then Patrick (Valenzuela on Lava Man) came to the outside. I said, 'Now, there is nothing I can do.' We were going fast enough. I'm not sure how fast Patrick wanted to go." Still, trainer Todd Pletcher saw it differently. "Flower Alley was just a little too fresh. I know everyone is going to say that the rabbit (Bishop Court Hill) is why he got beat. Flower Alley was just too rank. Johnny said that (Rafael) Bejarano left the gate chirping, and Flower Alley went on the bridle too fast. He was either going to be locked up with Lava man on the outside or Bishop Court Hill on the inside. It really didn't, in my eyes, have anything to do with the rabbit. I think we will try again. He ran a hell of a lot better than the other two that were up there with him."
Jockey Club Gold Cup
Beldame Stakes
Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational
The Vosburgh
Flower Bowl Invitational
