Horse Racing News is the source of thoroughbred racing information with horse racing odds, betting tips, racing picks, race results, and handicapping. Latest news and articles on top horse racing contenders, jockeys, trainers, three-year-olds, race tracks, and major stakes races such as the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeders' Cup horse races.Breeders’ Cup Challenge: Sword Dancer Invitational at Saratoga August 16
Posted on Thursday, August 14th, 2008
Red Rocks, who won by 2 lengths over Curlin in the Man O’ War Stakes, head a field of 8 race horses in the $500,000 Sword Dancer Invitational (G1) August 16 at Saratoga Race Course.
The Sword Dancer Invitational at 1 1/2 miles on turf is part of the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Challenge series of races where the winner will automatically be one of the Breeders’ Cup horses allowed to race in the Breeders’ Cup Turf on October 25 at Santa Anita Park.
Saratoga’s Sword Dancer field of race horses with jockeys, weight and morning line odds in post position order:
- Equitable under jockey Kent Desormeaux carries 116 lbs. with morning line odds of 10-1
- Grand Couturier under jockey Alan Garcia, 120 lbs., 8-1
- Red Rocks under jockey Javier Castellano, 123 lbs., 9-5
- Interpatation under jockey Jose Espinoza, 116 lbs., 30-1
- Presious Passion under jockey Eddie Castro, 123 lbs., 15-1
- Better Talk Now under jockey Ramon Dominguez, 120 lbs., 4-1
- Dancing Forever under jockey Rene Douglas, 123 lbs., 5-2
- Champs Elysees under jockey Edgar Prado, 118 lbs., 8-1
On July 12 at Belmont Park, the reporters flocked around 2007 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner and Horse of the Year Curlin and majority owner Jess Jackson following the running of the Man o’War (G1), which normally would have been expected. Trouble was that Curlin, making his turf debut, wasn’t the winner.
That distinction belonged to the Irish-bred Red Rocks, whose trainer, Brian Meehan, told anyone in earshot after the race: “Today, (Red Rocks) confirmed he is one of the best middle distance turf horses in the world and has been for the last two, three years.”
This Saturday afternoon, J.Paul Reddam’s Red Rocks will get another chance to get the attention he deserves when he takes on some salty grass specialists in the 34th running of the $500,000 Sword Dancer Invitational (G1) for 3-year-olds and up.
Red Rocks’ two-length victory in the Man O’War forced Culin’s connections to re-think the grass. He will come back on the final weekend of the Saratoga Race Course season on the dirt in the $500,000 Woodward (G1) at 9 furlongs on August 30.
The Sword Dancer will be Red Rocks’ first start under race horse trainer Mark Hennig, who took over from Brian Meehan after the Man O’War. Hennig, who also trains for Robsham, hit the jackpot, as Red Rocks, the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Turf winner, is on a schedule likely to include Belmont Park’s $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (G1) at 1 1/2 miles on September 27 and the $3-million Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) at Santa Anita Park on October 25 at the same distance.
“He showed so much in the Man o’War,” race horse trainer Brian Meehan said from his yard at Manton House Stables in Marlborough, Wiltshire, England. “We avoided Epsom with him when he was a three-year-old and again last year because he just doesn’t like it there. This year, he again showed us that he doesn’t like Epsom.
“But he has proved himself throughout his career. In 2006, he beat Papal Bull (in the Group 2 King Edward VII at Ascot). I know Papal Bull can be quirky, but he is still a wonderful race horse. Then, he came back and ran second to Rail Link, who went on to win the (2006) Arc de Triomphe, shipped to America and beat Better Talk Now and English Channel in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (at Churchill Downs). Last year’s Breeders’ Cup was run in atrocious conditions, and he still ran third. And now, he’s beaten Curlin on grass.
“The plan has always been to keep him with Mark (Hennig) after the Man o’War and point for the Breeders’ Cup. I’m sure there is always a period of adjustment for a horse and the people caring for him, and vice versa, but my understanding is that everything so far has been spot-on with Mark; no hiccups Red Rocks is just a straight-forward horse. He’s easy to get along with and always has been.”
Trainer Bobby Ribaudo got his first Grade 1 victory last year when Grand Couturier came up the inside under jockey Calvin Borel to win the 2007 Sword Dancer. Grand Couturier is winless in four tries since, and jockey Calvin Borel is unavailable to ride but the 5-year-old Grand Lodge horse is on a mission to repeat. Jockey Alan Garcia has the mount.
“Of course, last year, we had an ideal set-up,” race horse trainer Bobby Ribaudo said. “This will be a different scenario this year. Naturally, the course will be a lot softer because of the all the rain we’ve had, and the pace will probably be a lot softer.
“That being said, his first race back this year he closed into a very slow pace going a mile and a quarter and only got beat a half-length. Everything is a ‘go’ with him. He’s doing well, and we’ve been able to get some works into him on the turf, despite the rain.”
Bushwood Stable’s venerable Better Talk Now, who had to scratch last year the day before the Sword Dancer, is here to match John’s Call as the only 9-year-olds to win the Sword Dancer. Better Talk Now won the 2004 Sword Dancer as a 5-year-old, the same year he won the Breeders’ Cup Turf, and won Belmont Park’s Manhattan Handicap (G1) in 2007. Better Talk Now was second by a half-length to Red Rocks in the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Turf, and would love to settle that score in the 2008 Sword Dancer Invitational.
Hall of Fame race horse trainer “Shug” McGaughey will saddle Phipps Stable’s Manhattan Handicap winner Dancing Forever in the Sword Dancer. The 5-year-old Rahy horse, Dancing Forever, has won 3 of his last 4 starts, with the only blemish in that span a neck loss to Einstein in the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (G1).
Patricia A. Generazio’s Presious Passion jumped up to win Monmouth Park‘s United Nations Handicap (G1) on July 5. Presious Passion won by a neck over Strike a Deal over a yielding course.
Grade 2 winner Champs Elysees (GB) and Equitable, who was third in the United Nations, complete the Sword Dancer field.
The Sword Dancer Invitational is race 8 of 10 horse races in Saratoga‘s August 16 card. Sword Dancer post time is 4:56 pm Eastern. The Sword Dancer is the co-feature on the day with the 128th running of the $600,000 Alabama (G1) for three-year-old fillies at 1 1/4 miles on the main track.
Horse racing news edited from www.nyra.com.
Tags: Better Talk Now, Champs Elysees, Dancing Forever, Equitable, Grand Couturier, Interpatation, Presious Passion, Red Rocks
"Breeders’ Cup Challenge: Sword Dancer Invitational at Saratoga August 16" was posted on Thursday, August 14th, 2008 at 8:35 pm and is filed under Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Race Tracks News, Saratoga, Stakes Races, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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