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BC Special Report: Rainy Weather, 2 Winning Jockeys
By GREG MELIKOV
Rain may be a major player in the 24th Breeders Cup on Friday and Saturday at Monmouth Park. There’s an 80 percent chance of rain on Friday and Saturday, according to the Weather Channel, up from forecasts earlier in the week.
“We got rain Tuesday night into Wednesday morning and the track was sealed and then harrowed during the (showery) day,” reported Paul Grimm, editor of the Oceanport Racing Report. “The main track was listed as muddy for the first two races and then upgraded to good.
“The turf course was listed as good although they only ran one of the two carded grass races. The time was good (1:41 4/5 for 1 1/16 miles) with the temporary rail out. I have never seen the turf course look this good – even when they installed it last year. If the rain continues, it should set up well for the Europeans.”
As for the main track Wednesday, the times weren’t bad. “Horses for the most part needed to be near the pace to win,” Grimm said, “which was the case this summer as well.”
While there was only one wire-to-wire performance in nine races, six winners were within two lengths of the lead after a half-mile no matter the distance. “Overall,” Grimm said, “the track was fairly honest by Monmouth standards.
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Mike Smith, who leads active jockeys with the most Breeders’ Cup victories, 10, decided to skip the first two days in the four-day meet at Monmouth Park.Smith was scheduled to ride four horses in eight Saturday stakes, but lost his mount in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies when Cry and Catch Me developed a fever and was scratched. Although she was early third co-choice at 6-1, the filly was scheduled to break from post 13 in the 14-horse field.The odds on Smith’s other mounts are much greater: Tiago, 12-1, Breeders’ Cup Classic; Tough Tiz’s Sister, 20-1, Breeders’ Cup Distaff; and Shore Do, 30-1, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Joe Bravo, however, decided to get his feet wet Wednesday where he’s known as the King of Monmouth because of 13 riding titles.Bravo didn’t do well, finishing in the money only once in four races, but he just recently returned to action after an injury on opening day of Belmont Park’s fall meeting.
Jersey Joe fractured his collarbone in a spill after his horse broke down in the stretch Sept. 7. Physical therapy paid off and he recorded a victory before Belmont closed.
He has three mounts at long odds, including Park Avenue Ball, 15-1, in Friday’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile extended to a mile and 70 yards because of the oval’s configuration. While Bravo rode the horse only once, finishing second at Monmouth, the son of Citidancer is 6-3-1 in 10 starts there.
Jersey Joe will face Smith in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Saturday aboard Prop Me Up, 50-1. But the son of Reparations is 4-4-1 of 9 at Monmouth, where Bravo was aboard three times this year as the horse won twice and finished third in dirt routes. He also rides Commentor, 20-1, in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
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Greg Melikov has been handicapping and writing about horses for decades. His articles and columns appear in print and on the Internet around the world. Greg is a retired newspaperman who became a racing fan at 13 when he saw 1948 Triple Crown winner Citation, his favorite horse, whip 20 older horses at old Arlington Park.
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Greg Melikov has been handicapping and writing about horses for decades. His articles and columns appear in print and on the Internet around the world. Greg is a retired newspaperman who became a racing fan at 13 when he saw 1948 Triple Crown winner Citation, his favorite horse, whip 20 older horses at old Arlington Park.
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