Wednesday, October 28, 2009

The nominations are in ...

And it's interesting to me that there are as many horses pre-entered for the Breeders' Cup Marathon at 14 furlongs as there are for either the Filly & Mare Sprint and the Breeders' Cup Sprint -- 11 for each race.

Of the races less than a mile, only the turf sprint -- of which there's no comparable race for females, so some fillies and mares are in it -- has more pre-entries, 22. And seven of those horses are cross-entered into other Breeders' Cup races.

It's worth noting that there's no "marathon" specifically for females, as well. But fillies and mares can go 10 furlongs on grass in the Filly & Mare Turf and 9 on the synthetic in the Ladies Please-Call-it-a-Distaff-Again and those races drew only 10 and nine pre-entries.

I look forward to the Marathon and I hope it continues.

2 comments:

  1. Yes, there are several races for horses 3 and up who can compete only at distances shorter than the classic distance of 10f on the main track - 2 sprints, 1 mile, and a 'ladies' race'. But only one for for horses whose best distance is beyond 10f. Hardly seems fair, does it?

    Ann Ferland

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  2. Still sad that Fabulous Strike and Zensational won't meet in the BC Sprint, but I like the Sprint's field. Gayego, Kodiak Kowboy, and possibly even Square Eddie. There are Euro contenders, and this should be a classic barn burning sprint.

    The BC Turf should be interesting, as is any race in which Precious "I'm addicted to speed like no one you've ever watched" Passion is entered :)

    The Classic turned out to be much more competitive than I thought it would be. I had a feeling we were in for a yawn fest, but this is quite a field. Rip Van Winkle, Gio Ponti, Einstein, and a big, powerful mare named Zenyatta (and no, I'm not giving Summer Bird a chance here; he's likely peaked in his form cycle, and is due for a rest, in my opinion).

    Good stuff!

    BTW, I'll bet anyone that Careless Jewel wins the Distaff. She's that good. :)

    -extemporaneousexpressions, who has given up on anything but anonymous :)

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