Sunday, November 28, 2010

Japan Cup 2010 1-2 or 2-1 finish for the Grandkids

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It was a controversial 30th running of the Japan Cup with descendants of our hero finishing 1-2 (or 2-1 after the stewards ruling). Winner Buena Vista came from way off the pace to clearly win the race but was demoted to second after stewards ruled her jockey interfered with runner-up Rose Kingdom. So Rose Kingdom was handed the 250,000,000 yen first place money.

Rose Kingdom - great great great grandson x3
Buena Vista - great great grandaughter x2
Victoire Pisa

That's the jockey aboard Buena Vista celebrating after the win but before the stewards took him down. Photos from AP and yahoo sports.

English video of the race
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6bZphmBBpEU

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Breeders Cup 2010 - In the books

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Well the 2010 Breeders Cup is in the books and it was a great 2 days of thoroughbred racing and drama. I am hoping our deer friend Ted Beare made it down to Louisville for his annual adventure. ESPN did an outstanding job with the coverage. There were plenty of highlights you can read about below or on any of the sports pages. Europe and the rest of the world certainly took a back seat to the Americans this year running on the two surfaces at Churchill Downs but once again it didn’t alter the performance of our little Dancer’s descendants. They won over 20 million in purses and had 35 of the 42 top 3 finishers in the 14 races. You can start to see AP Indy and Mr Prospector having a bigger presence but Northern Dancer remains the most influential sire over the past century. His offsprings’ earnings on and off the track are in the billions and all this from the little runt of a thoroughbred nobody wanted in 1962 for $25,000 with his crooked white star, three white legs and oversized heart. I am just as proud of what he has accomplished this weekend as I was that first Saturday in May of 1964. It is getting a little harder to do this research as I had to dig down 7 generations to determine the Juvenile runner-up Boys at Tosconova was a descendant of the Dancer.

The individual race results and video links follow.

That's the climax of the two days with Blame holding off the hard charging Zenyatta in the dramatic Breeders Cup Classic 2010. Thanks to Getty Images, AP and yahoo sports for the images.

Breeders Cup 2010 - Day 2 - The Classic

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What is there left to say, everyones heroine came up a nose short on her bid to end her career undefeated. It was the toughest field of males she had ever faced and she gave them a 20 length head start. She ran out of track (distance and room) or she could have put a punctuation mark on one of the greatest thoroughbred stories of all time. We were all rooting for her (I think even our little hero would have been rooting for her to beat his great-grandson Blame). She gave us a thrill as promised and as always but it wasn't meant to be. She was beaten by a great horse and probable Eclipse winner in Blame (not his fault he was just doing his job) but there were 114,000 sad (not disappointed) people in the stands at Churchill this Saturday evening. From the time she left barn #41 until she came through the tunnel to enter the paddock, thousands of people greeted her while she did her usual Zenyatta dance (what a ham). I think she will miss the stage she has made for herself over the past two years and thoroughbred racing will certainly miss her. Farewell Zenyatta it has been an incredible run.

1) Blame - great-great grandson (x2)
2) Zenyatta
3) Fly Down

No one felt worse than jockey Mike Smith who had been with his best friend for her entire 19-1 career but like he said before the race "she is the only girl in my life who has never disappointed me" and she didn't again Mike. Thanks to Getty Images and yahoo sports for the photo).

Video Link to race
http://www.breederscup.com/content.aspx?id=46152

Breeders Cup 2010 - Day 2 - The Turf

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It was not the European everyone expected to win this race. Behkabad finished third to the upset winner Dangerous Midge with Champ Pegasus wedged between them. All three were great-grandsons of our little Dancer.

1) Dangerous Midge - great-great-great grandson
2) Champ Pegasus - great-great grandson (x2)
3) Behkabad - great-great grandson

That's Lanfranco Dettori in the saddle of Dangerous Midge winning the Breeders Cup Turf (photo from Getty Images and yahoo sports).

Video Link to race
http://www.breederscup.com/content.aspx?id=46153

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Breeders Cup 2010 - Day 2 - The Dirt Mile

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Dakota Phone came from far off the pace to just nose out Morning Line to win the dirt mile making it a 1-2 finish for the Dancer's grandsons.

1) Dakota Phone - great-great grandson
2) Morning Line - great-great-fgreat grandson
3) Gayego

That's Dakota Phone on the outside with Joel Rosario in the irons nosing out Morning Line with Javier Castellano up. (thanks to AP and yahoo sports for the image).

Video Link to race
http://www.breederscup.com/content.aspx?id=46151

Breeders Cup 2010 - Day 2 - The Mile

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The incredible mare Goldikova became the first ever three-time winner of a Breeders Cup race beating the best boys again (shades of Makybe Diva). It was yet another 1-2-3 for the Dancer's descendants.

1) Goldikova - great granddaughter (x2)
2) Gio Ponti - great-great grandson (x2)
3) The Usual Q T - great grandson (x2)

That's Olivier Peslier celebrating aboard the amazing mare Goldikova after she wins her 3rd Breeders Cup mile in three years (thaks again to AP and yahoo sports for the pic).

Video Link to race
http://www.breederscup.com/content.aspx?id=46147

Breeders Cup 2010 - Day 2 - The Juvenile

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Uncle Mo automatically becomes the favorite for next year's Kentucky Derby by winning the Breeders Cup Juvenile convincingly and it's another 1-2-3 finish for our Dancer's grandsons.

1) Uncle Mo - great-great grandson (x2)
2) Boys At Tosconova - great-great-great-great-great grandson
3) Rogue Romance - great-great-great grandson (x2)

That's John Velazquez aboard Uncle Mo winning the Juvenile (thanks to Getty Images and yahoo sports for the pic).

Video Link to race
http://www.breederscup.com/division.aspx?divisionname=juvenile

Breeders Cup 2010 - Day 2 - The Turf Sprint

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It was Chamberlain Bridge winning the Turf Sprint and a 1-2-3 finish for the grandkids.

1) Chamberlain Bridge - great grandson (x2)
2) Central City - great-great grandson (x2)
3) Unzip Me - great-great granddaughter (x3)

That's Chamberlain Bridge with Jamie Theriot aboard winning the Turf Sprint (thanks to Getty Images and yahoo sports for the pic).

Video Link to race
http://www.breederscup.com/division.aspx?divisionname=turfsprint

Breeders Cup 2010 - Day 2 - The Sprint

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It was Big Drama winning the exciting Sprint and a 2-3 finish for Northern Dancer's grandsons.

1) Big Drama
2) Hamazing Destiny - great-great grandson
3) Smiling Tiger - great-great grandson

That's Big Drama with Eibar Coa in the saddle winning the Sprint. (thanks AP and yahoo sports for the image)

Video Link to race
http://www.breederscup.com/division.aspx?divisionname=sprint

Breeders Cup 2010 - Day 2 - The Juvenile Turf

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Pluck went from last to first to win the Juvenile Turf. It was another 1-2-3 for the Dancer's grandsons.

1) Pluck - great-great grandson (x3)
2) Soldat - great grandson (x2)
3) Willcox Inn - great-great-great grandson (x2)

That's Pluck with jockey Garrett Gomez on board. Gomez was injured in a spill on Thursday but wouldn't give up his Breeders Cup mounts. He wasn't finished yet. (thanks to Getty Images and yahoo sports for the pic)

Video Link to race
http://www.breederscup.com/division.aspx?divisionname=juvenileturf

Breeders Cup 2010 - Day 1 - Ladies' Classic

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Day 1 wrapped up with the Ladies' Classic. It was just another 2-3 finish for the Dancer's granddaughters but after the first 6 races of Breeders Cup 2010 it was 15 out of 18 top 3 finishes for Northern Dancer descendants.

1) Unrivaled Belle
2) Blind Luck - great-great granddaughter (x3)
3) Havre de Grace - great-great granddaughter (x3)

That's Unrivaled Belle with Kent Desormeaux aboard winning the Ladies' Classic (photo from Getty and yahoo sports)

Video Link to race
http://www.breederscup.com/division.aspx?divisionname=lclassic

Breeders Cup 2010 - Day 1 - Filly and Mare Turf

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It was the first ever Breeders Cup under the lights but not the first ever 1-2-3 finish for Northern Dancer granddaughters. Winner Shared Account is owned by another relative newcomer in Kevin Plank of Under Armour fame.

1) Shared Account - great-great granddaughter (x2)
2) Midday - great-great granddaughter (x3)
3) Keertana - great-great granddaughter

That's Edgar Prado and Shared Account upsetting last year's winner Midday in the Filly and Mare Turf (photo from AP and yahoo sports)

Video Link for race
http://www.breederscup.com/division.aspx?divisionname=fmturf

Breeders Cup 2010 - Day 1 - Juvenile Fillies

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Could this be the next Zenyatta? Awesome Feather remains undefeated to take the Juvenile Fillies and it's a 1-2-3 finish for our Dancer's granddaughters.

1) Awesome Feather - great-great granddaughter (x2)
2) R Heat Lightning - great-great-great granddaughter
3) Delightful Mary - great-great granddaughter (x3)

That's Jeffrey Sanchez riding Awesome Feather to victory in the Juvenile Fillies (photo from Andy Lyons/Getty Images and yahoo sports)

Video Link for Race
http://www.breederscup.com/division.aspx?divisionname=juvenilefillies

Breeders Cup 2010 - Day 1 - Filly and Mare Sprint

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Finally things are settling down. This time it's only a 2-3 finish for the Dancer's granddaughters as the non-descendant Dubai Majesty pulls off the victory.

1) Dubai Majesty
2) Switch - great-great granddaughter
3) Evening Jewel - great-great granddaughter (x3)

That's Switch chasing Dubai Majesty in the stretch of the Filly and Mare Sprint (courtesy of AP and yahoo sports)

Video Link for Race
http://www.breederscup.com/division.aspx?divisionname=fmsprint

Breeders Cup 2010 - Day 1 - Juvenile Fillies Turf

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Day 1 continued with some unusual happenings as the horses were loaded in the wrong gate positions and all had to be reloaded but it was a 1-2-3 finish this time for Northern Dancer granddaughters. The winner More Than Real is owned by celebrity chef Bobby Flay.


1) More Than Real - great-great granddaughter (x2)
2) Winter Memories - great grandaughter
3) Kathmanblu - great-great granddaughter (x2)

That's More Than Real with Garrett Gomez on board - well back early in the race and then crossing the finish line (photos from Getty Images and yahoo sports)

Video Link
http://www.breederscup.com/division.aspx?divisionname=jfturf

Breeders Cup 2010 - Day 1 - The Marathon

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The Breeders Cup got off to a rowdy start with a DQ and a jockey brawl but it was a typical 1-2 finish for grandkids of our Dancer.

1) Eldaafer - great-great-great grandson
2) Gabriel's Hill - great grandson
3) A U Miner

That's Eldaafer with John Velasquez aboard after crossing the finish line in the Breeders Cup Marathon. (phoyo from Gette images and Yahoo sports)

Video link for the race
http://www.breederscup.com/division.aspx?divisionname=dirtmarathon
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Melbourne Cup 2010

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It was another 1-2-3 finish for descendants of Northern Dancer in this year's 150 th running of Australia's Melbourne Cup.

1) Americain great-great grandson (x2)
2) Maluckyday great-great grandson
3) So You Think great-grandson

Gerrald Mosse abaord Americain celebrates crossing the finish line.

Link to the race video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3QxFt6AA8Q