Horse Racing

Biggest Breeders’ Cup Upsets, Race by Race (Part 2)


By Ray Wallin

In Half 1, we noticed the primary half of the most important Breeders’ Cup upsets. There have been some recognizable names and some one-hit wonders, however the costs they paid had been no less than memorable.

Are you prepared for the highest half of the checklist? There are some distinctive horses with some nice tales as we rely down our strategy to the highest.

8 Juvenile

Storm the Court ($93.80) – 2019

His contested wire-to-wire victory in the Juvenile earned him an Eclipse Award. While his 3- and 4-year-old campaigns would be a disappointment, his connections decided to give him a few months off, and he is training to return in 2022 as a 5-year-old.

7 Filly & Mare Turf

Shared Account ($94) – 2010

In what is one of the best stretch runs in Breeders’ Cup history, Shared Account got a neck out in front over odds-on favorite Midday to capture her lone Grade 1 victory. She would return in 2011 to defend her crown but would finish seventh.

6 Turf

Lashkari ($108.80) – 1984

This is the longest standing upset on the list. After beating lesser competition in France, this lightly-raced colt shipped to Hollywood Park where he upset the 1983 Horse of the Year All Along. All Along had captured the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and three North American Grade 1 races. He would return to defend his crown in 1985 but would finish fourth and be disqualified from purse money for a medication violation.

5 Distaff

Spain ($113.80) – 2000

This multi-graded stakes winning mare trained by D. Wayne Lukas was ever the contender over her career notching nine wins in 35 tries while finishing second nine times and catching third seven times. After a fourth in the 1999 Juvenile Fillies at 16-1 with Gary Stevens in the irons, she finally hit her groove during the second half of her sophomore campaign. She took the Grade 2 Monmouth Breeders’ Cup Oaks and the Grade 3 Turfway Breeders’ Cup Stakes before running down the pace-setter Surfside to score her first Grade 1 victory in the 2000 Distaff. She would string together a competitive 2001 before returning to defend in 2001 and was beaten a head by Unbridled Elaine. She was retired the following year after winning the Grade 2 Louisville Breeders’ Cup Handicap and the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis, then finishing third in the Molly Pitcher Handicap. What is more impressive is that she was in foal when she won the Fleur de Lis.

4 Juvenile Fillies

Take Charge Brandi ($125.40) – 2014

After breaking her maiden and a solid place in the Grade 3 Schuylerville, this juvenile filly ran unimpressively in her next three starts. She was then shipped west to Santa Anita where she took the field wire-to-wire under Victor Espinoza to score another big win for trainer D. Wayne Lukas. She rattled off three more stakes victories before being sidelined by injury that took her out of contention for the Kentucky Oaks. She returned and after two unimpressive efforts was retired.

3 Filly & Mare Sprint

Bar of Gold ($135.40) – 2017

Not only did she provide a thrilling finish to the 2017 Filly & Mare Sprint she scored as the third longest shot in the race at 66-1. This daughter of Medaglia d’Oro saved her best for her racing finale after never winning more than a couple minor stakes. As a broodmare, her first foal Coinage, out of Tapit, was a stakes winner this summer at Saratoga in the Grade 3 With Anticipation Stakes and her second foal, out of Justify, sold for $825,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale this past summer.

2 Mile

Order of Australia ($148.40) – 2020

This bay colt headed up an Ireland-bred trifecta that paid $8,786 for a $1 wager while winning as the longest shot on the board at 73-1. He was originally an also eligible but drew into the race after One Master was scratched.

1 Classic

Arcangues ($269.20) – 1993

It will be hard to beat the price of this chestnut horse that closed strong enough to catch the front-running favorite Bertrando in the stretch at Santa Anita in 1993. He had been a multiple graded stakes winner in France before trying dirt for the first time in the 1993 Classic. He remained in the U.S. and returned to take the Grade 2 John Henry at Hollywood Park before two lackluster efforts that sent him into retirement.



Source link

news7g

News7g: Update the world's latest breaking news online of the day, breaking news, politics, society today, international mainstream news .Updated news 24/7: Entertainment, Sports...at the World everyday world. Hot news, images, video clips that are updated quickly and reliably

Related Articles

Back to top button