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Following on from the announement that the Breeders’ Cup would extend from 12 races to 14 races there has a been a major shake-up in the 2 day programme.
The Friday card will 5 feature 5 events and the Saturday 9 BC races.
The Juvenile Turf and Dirt Mile will move to Saturday joining the new Turf Sprint and Dirt Marathon as well as the Turf, Mile, Juvenile, Sprint and Classic.
The Filly and Mare Turf and the Juvenile Fillies will move to Friday and join the Filly and Mare Sprint and the Juvenile Fillies Turf. The feature of the day will be the Distaff-which creates an all Filly and Mare day.
This has proved to be very controversial and made even more so by the fact that the Distaff is going to be renamed the Ladies Classic.
They are sure to smash the attendance and handle records by a big margin but expect there to be protests both at the event and a lot of lobbying in the next few months.
But ?????? will the track be raceable , and how safe will it be
Major questions to be answered in my opinion
Ricky
But ?????? will the track be raceable , and how safe will it be
Major questions to be answered in my opinion
Ricky
Absolutely Ricky and I thought that perhaps the recent annoucement of Santa Anita getting 2009 as well might be a precursor to them losing this year and Belmont being awarded the event-especially as the protracted franchise discussions were finally resolved in mid-February. There aren’t many other especially as Churchill Downs doesn’t appear interested in holding the event again because of a disagreement with the Breeders’ Cup
I don’t know when the newly laid surface at Santa Anita will be ready for horses to start training but they will only have about 3-4 weeks of racing on it before Breeders’ Cup.
I’m sure Adrian would know-but I think there may have been one time before that Breeders’ Cup might have been moved at short notice. The 1996 event at Woodbine was dogged by a General Strike in Ontario and we heard rumours whilst in the US before the event that it would be moved if there was any sign of civil unrest in Toronto
the Distaff is going to be renamed the Ladies Classic.
Deary me, is this for real?
The all-time high recorded on the naffometer caused by the change from Stayers’ to World Hurdle has been exceeded: a record I didn’t expect to see broken in my lifetime.
Drone, this is almost matched by a new race they’re introducing on the Saturday of the BC meeting, run over 12f.
It is to be called…wait for it…"the Dirt Marathon"!!
I know – ‘The Dirt Marathon’ sounds like a XXX film doesn’t it?
‘Ladies Classic’ is unspeakably awful, and is more reminiscent of a range of sports-casual clothing in BHS…
If they upped it too two miles and one furlong ONCE UPON A CAT would uncork a savage and thunder down the centre of the maintrack sprinting through the pack too control of the race in the last ffity yards. The fact that Timmys filly isnt BC nomiated is a slight pain.
It was Tapeta in California. If it still is today …
Because the Santa Anita course is not as sharp as your traditional American track, I’d expect a slightly larger international squad this year.
Santa Anita race (when they race) on Cushion Track. I don’t know how this differes from Polytrack or Tapeta . . .
It is a mixture of Cushion Track and Pro-Ride which is used on the training tracks in Australia.
Sorry – Tapeta is used further East.
Santa Anita were racing on Cushion Track until there well reported problems with drainage in January. They mixed in some Pro-Ride fibres from Australia to see them through to the end of the meet on April 20th.
It is expected they will then have to dig this up (although they will leave the drainage) and relay it with a new surface. What this surface will be (Tapeta or Polytrack would be possible alternatives) has yet to be decided. The timing will also have to suit Hollywood Park because Santa Anita is used for training horses for the Hollywood Park meet which runs until Del Mar.
Santa Anita is a one mile oval on the synthetic track.
The turf course is 7f furlongs round and they have a hill side chute (which crosses the main track) which can run a mile (this will home to the 6 1/2 furlong turf sprint at Breeders’ Cup).Thanks for all the replies.
It seems we shall have to wait and see.
I expect they’ll lay Tapeta.
Anybody have any news about obtaining tickets for the Breeders Cup meeting?
Which day would be the best racing, or will the new program make them equally good?
It is essentially "Ladies’ Day" on the Friday. I would not waste your time if you had to choose only one day to attend.
Nothing better than the Classic, Mile, Turf and Juvenile, with addition the Juvenile Turf, Turf Sprint, Dirt Mile … OK, and the Dirt Marathon.
Only in America.
Sean,
I’d suggest you can call Santa Anita ticket office – 001 626 574 6473
and ask them about Breeders’ Cup tickets. They will tell you when they come on sale and what is available/price structure.If you have any trouble call the Breeders’ Cup – 001 859 223 5444 and ask for Customer Services but normally they only sell tickets to connections of runners, sponsors etc.
They have beefed up the Friday and I’d suggest that if you are going all that way you should try and go both days. I’d also suggest you go for an option which includes a reserved seat (usually called a box seat) as, although we rarely do this over here, it would be much preferrable to standing on ground level.
Not only will you see great racing on Friday but it will give you a chance to suss out your favourite spots to watch the racing on Saturday.
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