Horse Racing / Graham Cunningham / 21 October 2008 / Leave a comment

Our top man is in Santa Anita all week building up to the Breeders' Cup, so what's he found down at the track today? Read on...

I flew out of Los Angeles after Breeders' Cup 2003 and stared down in awe as forest fires raged through the mountains like, well, wildfire.

Guess what, five years down the line I'm back - and so are the fires. Early reports suggesting that Stevie Wonder's mansion and all his musical memorablia had been ravaged now seem wide of the mark, but some prime real estate has been lost as damaging Santa Ana winds combine with sustained hot weather and a few crazed arsonists to remind the locals that there is a price to pay for living in California.

Fortunately, Santa Anita racetrack and its jawdropping backdrop of the San Gabriel mountains are primed and ready for Breeders' Cup 2008.

In case you are a new arrival to these transatlantic tussles, here are the nuts and bolts. There are 14 races; there is well over $20m in prize money; there is a team of over 20 European raiders and there is a new synthetic surface for the main track which might just create a more level playing field for the Breeders' Cup than ever before.

It's three days of glorious weather and fevered speculation followed by two days of stellar racing which could have been scripted in nearby Hollywood. A combination of jet lag and anticipation meant I was wide awake well before dawn broke this morning. Here's part one of my BC Blog for 2008...


Curlin stays cool as his big day beckons......just don't get too close, sir

You can't get away from the fact that Curlin is the headline act of this Breeders' Cup. And where last year's Horse of the Year goes, so does Amy Kearns.

Granted, trainer Steve Asmussen and jockey Robbie Alborado are the names most closely linked with the huge red chestnut who blasted through the Monmouth slop to land last year's Classic, but Kearns has also played a significant role as "move back person" to the main attraction.

Ms Kearns may not look much like your traditional minder - in fact, she wouldn't be out of place at the Staples Centre as one of the Laker Girls - but she knows just how much space to keep between Curlin and his public and isn't afraid to make he presence felt if anyone gets too close.

"Since he won the Dubai World Cup he's now this huge rock star," she said. "He knows when it's time to pose for the cameras, but we have to draw the line when people start asking for a piece of his mane."

So, Amy, is there any chance we can just pat the great Curlin? "Absolutely not," smiles the move back person. We'll take that as a no, then.

* * *

Californication to the fore as the Crushers return

Anyone familiar with betting.betfair.com's coverage of last year's Breeders' Cup might remember the "Crushing The Cup" duo of Peter Mallett and Jim Mazur.

Think of the Racing Post's trusty trends guru Gerald Delamere on speed and you are getting close to understanding two inveterate American horse players who put in a labour of love to produce over 150 pages of mind boggling analysis of the week's big races.

I lapped it up during the 11-hour flight over and, although much of the analysis can be questioned, there are plenty of golden nuggets if you dig hard.

First, the Crushers aren't mad on the two-day format and liken it to "a guy on an overdose of Viagra who winds up in the emergency room with a 10-hour erection."

Second, they stress the importance of home advantage by pointing out that California-based horses have won 11 of the 15 BC dirt races run at Santa Anita and all six of the juvenile contests.

Third, they point out that the home straight at Santa Anita is a relatively short 990 feet and that winning from well off the pace in most races can be very tricky.

Fourth, they argue that horses who have won or run well in the Mile and the Filly & Mare Turf before tend to return and shine again. And fifth, they tend to be extremely wary of American raiders from the East coast with no experience of California racing.

In short, the Crushers are always "looking for a karma move to shake things up." Aren't we all, lads.

* * *

Crushers sound a note of caution for backers in search of Stardom

Lumber a horse with a top-of-the-bill name and you end up looking a pillock if the beast in question ends up among the supporting cast in claimers at Palooka Downs. But the racing gods seem to have smiled on local trainer Christopher Paasch, who reserved the name Stardom Bound five years ago and has finally used it on something special judged on the way that the big grey filly he finally used it on has been shaping ahead of Friday's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies race.

Stardom Bound will be one of the bankers of the weekend for many punters after bolting up in two Grade 1 contests including the Oak Leaf Stakes over Friday's course and distance.

And she also has the potential to cause major ructions in Betfair's in-play market given that she tends to loaf around well in rear before unleashing a fearsome finish on the wide outside of her rivals in the home straight.

Such tactics are traditionally dangerous in championship races with big fields and the Crushers are adamant that this race offers "a pronounced advantage to those who have the speed to rate on the lead or stalk the leaders."

However, Paasch seems unconcerned. "She's not "bound" anymore," he said. "I think she's become a star."