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Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

Breeders' Cup overview: Owner Ramsey smiles for miles

ARCADIA, Calif. — Highlights from the second day of the Breeders' Cup:

Most enthusiastic owner

Ken Ramsey.

The Nicholasville-based owner is notorious for leading his horses into the winner's circle, but he has rarely flashed his smile wider than when he guided Furthest Land after the gelding scored the 21-to-1 upset in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

Furthest Land gave the ebullient Ramsey and his wife Sarah their first Breeders' Cup victory and he was arguably their unlikeliest candidate. The 4-year-old was claimed by the Ramseys for $35,000 a little more than a year ago after winning once in his first five starts.

"We hope to turn him into a Kelso or a Forego," Ken Ramsey said. "We have a motto, if you're not in the dance, you have no chance. So he was in the dance."

Most asked-about issue

First time Lasix in European horses.

Marathon winner Man of Iron, Juvenile Turf champ Pounced, and repeat Mile winner Goldikova all triumphed after getting the anti-bleeder medication for the first time.

"I personally like the European horses where we don't run on medication ... but I've been around the block a few times and I know everybody else is using it," said John Gosden, trainer of Pounced. "The cauldron of racing here on Breeders' Cup day puts horses under a lot of pressure. I don't want to find out under that pressure he's bled when others had the advantage of using Lasix."

Best breakout performance

Jockey Julien Leparoux.

He booted home three winners over the two days, taking the Dirt Mile with Furthest Land, the Filly & Mare Sprint with Informed Decision and the Juvenile Fillies with She Be Wild.

Best averted disaster

California Flag's training jaunt.

Though he gave his connections the ultimate thrill when he won Saturday's $1 million Turf Sprint, the 5-year-old gelding put a scare into everyone Wednesday when he dumped his rider and ran off the wrong way through the stretch during his regular training session.

Trainer Brian Koriner said he felt "helpless when he threw her off and ran down the racetrack. That was the point (when) I was thinking about the phone call I was going to have to make. But the horse came back fine. Was kicking and playing, and the next day we trained as scheduled."

Biggest reason Breeders' Cup executives are smiling

People, money, good health.

Not only did attendance and handle increase for the two-day event compared to 2008, but for the second straight year there was not a single breakdown in 14 races over the artificial surface.