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By GREG MELIKOV
Breeders’ Cup officials, not to be outdone by President Obama, have decided this is the year of change for the 26th renewal of the Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships.
Early on two fan friendly changes were made. First, tickets to the Breeders’ Cup races at Santa Anita Park during the Oak Park meeting were made available online for the first time.
Secondly, those hard-to-read purple saddlecloths were pulled in favor of the more sensible variety of colors used at North American tracks. Naturally, the purple saddlecloth with the traditional No. 10 remains. In addition, sponsors of specific races will still display their logos.
The switch was made, Breeders’ Cup officials said, after consulting with a fan advisory council and bettors across the U.S. and Canada.
There’s also a new betting wrinkle involving the Pick 6. There will be another one on the first BC program. The $500,000 Breeders’ Cup Marathon was shifted to Friday, Nov. 6, to lead off five consecutive contests for females while the Pick 6 ends with the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic.
The Pick 6 on Saturday, Nov. 7, starts with the third of eight Breeders’ Cup races, the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, and ends with the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.
“We believe that the schedule of six championships races on Friday and eight on Saturday will provide better balance to the program and greater betting opportunities for the fans,” said Kenneth Kirchner, president of FalKirk International and BC wagering consultant.
There are two possible firsts invloving female runners committed to Breeders’ Cup races.
“I’m going to run Lethal Heat in the Ladies’ Classic on Friday and down the hill on Saturday,” Barry Abrams told BloodHorse.com. “They do it in other countries.”
But no horse has attempted two races since the BC expanded to two days in 2006. Lethal Heat did race twice within seven days in early October, finishing second both times in routes at Santa Anita.
On Oct. 3, she ran against the boys in the $200,000 California Cup Classic, beaten 1 1/2 lengths by Bold Chieftain at 1 1/8 miles. On Oct. 10, she was 1 1/4 lengths behind undefeated Zenyatta in the $300,000 Lady’s Secret at 1 1/16 miles.
The 4-year-old California-bred daughter of Unusual Heat, has a record of 6-2-5 in 16 starts, but hasn’t won on the grass in four outings since July in ‘2008. She was third against the girls back in January at Santa Anita at the same distance as the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, about 6 1/2 furlongs, against males on Nov. 7.
Abrams is counting on Zenyatta going in the Breeders’ Cup Classic against the boys on that Saturday giving Lethal Heat a better chance of winning the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic 24 hours earlier.
But the Zenyatta camp is keeping every one guessing about whether the 5-year-old will defend her Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic title or opt for the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 7. The daughter of Street Cry would make history if triumphed in the big one. She’d become the first to take two different Breeders’ Cup races.
Asked if Zenyatta could compete with males in the richest Breeders’ Cup race after taking the Lady’s Secret, trainer John Shirreffs said, “I don’t think there’s any indication that she couldn’t. But there’s absolutely no reason to rush into that decision now.”
The decision will be made by Shirreffs along with Jerry and Ann Moss, who own Zenyatta, and Shirreffs’s wife, Dottie, racing manager for the Mosses. She likely will be pre-entered in both contests. Final entries are due on Nov. 3.
