Do Deuce set down in beast-mode as he leaves Auguste Rodin struggling for a seam.
Reports would have everyone thinking that the 2024 Breeder's Cup Weekend was a rousing success. In reality, our sport here in America continues to get weaker and weaker.
On Friday, November 1st, DelMar played host to 30,982 fans.
On Saturday, November 2nd, attendance was 36,436.
Total for the two days combined: 67,418 spectators for the entire Breeder's Cup 2 day Weekend.
The Breeders Cup Championship Races are the culmination of a year's worth of "Win and You're In" hyped up races across the country. These races draw superstars from across our country and also abroad. The two days consist of 14 Championship Races, basically the Super Bowl of each division. Again, this major USA two day spectacle attracted 67,418 to walk through DelMar's gates.
To put this into perspective, just three days prior to Breeder's Cup weekend, on October 27, Do Deuce won the Autumn Tenno Sho at Tokyo Racecourse. It was one single main race on deck that day with a couple of minor stakes races.
In attendance that one single day: 72,485 spectators for the Autumn Tenno Sho.
(Just this past weekend, Do Deuce captured the Japan Cup with 79,720 fans attending.)
The love and adoration that the Japanese people have for their horses, jockeys and trainers is on a completely different level.
There is something so magical about these overseas thoroughbreds. Their consistent success and perseverance is a testament to their impeccable breeding, almost a way of silently paying homage to their ancestors and justifying their charts. Every year, we attach ourselves to the romance of a certain select few, only to watch them gallop off into the sunset in hopes that he morphs into an influential stallion that keeps his name alive.
The CARTIER HORSE OF THE YEAR QUIETLY EXITS
City of Troy was named the 2024 Cartier's top Three Year Old Colt and also Cartier's Horse of the Year. He becomes only the second horse in history (with Frankel) to win Cartier's best two year old for the previous year and then Horse of the Year for the following year.
It is unfortunate that Aiden sought a shot on the DelMar dirt as opposed to wrapping up Troy's stellar career in the Breeder's Cup Turf, but he deserves high praise for attempting the feat in the first place. It would seem that if the 2024 Breeders Cup races were held at Aqueduct or even Keeneland, the attempt may have produced much better results.
Never-the-less, City of Troy was arguably the most exciting thoroughbred to hit the track over the past several years and his accomplishments on turf were spectacular. The DelMar track bias will not change that sentiment.
Horse of the Year: City Of Troy (Aiden O'Brien)
Sprinter: Bradsell
Stayer: Kyprios (Aiden O'Brien)
Three-year-old colt: City Of Troy (Aiden O'Brien)
Three-year-old filly: Porta Fortuna
Two-year-old colt: Shadow Of Light
Two-year-old filly: Lake Victoria (Aiden O'Brien)
Older horse: Charyn
Additionally, City of Troy topped The Longines # 1 Turf Horse of the Year as well. The over-achieving young colt will now find his home at Coolmore Stud in Ireland, commanding approximately $79,000 opening fee.
Unfortunately, Troy's last performance leaves us with this image - A beast of a horse running with his eyes closed, navigating his way through the flying soft dirt of DelMar. It is a closing script that falls woefully short of his Champion status.
There was no closing fanfare, no mention of his unmatched stride length, nor of his accomplishments that far exceeded his dirt competitors that day. No farewell nor a congratulations. Silence as a true Champion thoroughbred made his final procession past a finish line.
No salute to the superstar in California because in America, it is not about the horse. It is about the check and the trophy, the trainer and the owner of the winner.
DelMar officials could care less that Cartier's # 1 Top Thoroughbred in the World and the Longine's # 1 Turf Horse in the World had just ran the final race of his career. This is why horse racing in America is becoming a joke and why people are fleeing.
REPOLE IS A MORON
In the days leading up to the race, the owner of Fierceness, Mike Repole continually ran his mouth, trash talking not only the most accomplished horse of the entire Breeder's Cup weekend, but the most accomplished trainer in the world, Aiden O'Brien. It was disrespect of the highest order, coming from a complete moron who was dressed like a slob on live TV, representing USA horse racing.
A most embarrassing spectacle from a classless owner who couldn't even remember the correct name of his charge's sire. This is what we offer in America, hosting the # 1 Horse in the World for the biggest racing event of OUR YEAR.
Cringe-worthy, embarrassing, disrespectful.
The most egregious part is that this obnoxious asshole has no idea that it is his ilk which plays the biggest part in the downfall of American Racing and why the Breeder's Cup Main Event could not attract even half of one day overseas.
All he accomplished with his loud mouth is a direct stain on his own horse, Fierceness. One may want Fierceness to take home the horse of the year trophy, but they certainly don't want Repole near it.
As if the great Aiden O'Brien would ever entertain the mundane ramblings of a self-centered, inconsequential Repole.
The "faces" of American horse racing are disturbing and getting worse on a daily basis, to say the least.
THE BIG DIFFERENCE:
Troy's stablemate, Auguste Rodin, also had the final race of his career in November in the Japan Cup in Tokyo. Both of Aiden O'Brien's boys took home an 8th place trophy for their last efforts but the difference between America and Japan in their treatment of both Champions is like night and day.
After Do Deuce took his final bow for securing his trophy in the Japan Cup, all eyes turned to Auguste Rodin and his connections. The JRA World Racing Association along with 1000's of Japanese fans honored the Irish Invaders in an elaborate Retirement Ceremony. It was so classy and respectful of not only the horse but to Aiden O'Brien, Ryan Moore and Auguste's owners. This is what horse racing is all about.
The elegance, respect, honor and heroism portrayed by Japan to their Irish visitors as compared to the pompous and obnoxious actions of Mike Repole (and the non-actions of DelMar) is massive. The severe split in attitudes mimics the state of affairs within each country. They thrive while we decline. And they wonder why.
Perhaps treating the sport and the horses with the class they deserve would return it to the glory it once was.
LEMON POP
Lemon Pop ends his magnificent career with another trophy in the Champion Stakes at Chukyo. This is Horse Racing, where the horse is center stage - not the owners.
Guys like Mike Repole are a dime a dozen in American Horse racing. Obnoxious loudmouths with deep pockets gives them an ability to buy thoroughbreds and send them off to hotshot trainers. They sit back and make fools of themselves on camera. They boast and brag like obnoxious tourists and place themselves up on some sort of pedestal.
They forget about the horse and the majesty of the sport, placing the spotlight on themselves. They will always lack class, chopping down our diminishing sport every time they open their mouths or show themselves on TV. This will never change but continue along in its downward spiral until its gone.
"All the class of an unflushed toilet" covers most of the modern day boasting. Just be aware that the flawed boasts, as well as the oats consumed and being presented to us, well most of it all has already been processed through the horse and through the owner as well. Such is the case with the recent 2024 Repole commentary.
(Thanks noted at this point that we still have horsemen and sportswomen like Kenny McPeek still involved on the American side of racing.)
How have the stewards of modern day racing allowed for the U.S. to decline so quickly? All about greed and the dollars to be had today is my take away. There is just never enough ($) …
I always thought Repole was a total prick and he proved it when he tried to force Forte to run in the Kentucky Derby ( despite the fact that the horse was injured).I can’t blame Aiden for taking a shot in the Classic but it might have been a good idea to use an established dirt jockey.As good as Ryan Moore is,his record on dirt is terrible.
O’Brien’s true genius was shown when he brought Kyprios back from death’s door to win on Champions Day in England.As usual,he deflected all credit from himself.
Bravo, Lisa. The game here in the United States is crumbling away. And how much critiquing of what is happening is provided by our traditional media (DRF, Bloodhorse, etc.)? Virtually none. The game will never recover without courageous people questioning just what the hell is going on. Thank you for shining your intelligent and logical light upon the situation.
Of course, the Euros and Japanese have it figured out that the HORSE is what must be held paramount at all times. American owners and trainers have somehow lost sight of this incontrovertible fact. I'm afraid that it's difficult to imagine they will ever realize just what is truly important.
Nice write-up. I especially liked the part about Repoli being a stain on American racing. The world sees him and Baffert (two blowhards) as the faces of our racing. Time will tell if Repoli falls like Baffert did.
On another note, there are way too many "win and you're in" races. Racing should bring back races like the Marlboro Cup for U.S. horses
In the inaugural race, Secretariat set a world record time for 1+1⁄8 miles on dirt while winning by 3+1⁄2 lengths on a track officially rated as being only "good".[2] The race became a very important annual event and 1978 marked the first of only two times in racing history that two American Triple Crown winners met in…