Breeders’ Cup shows both sides
NEW YORK – The Breeders’ Cup turned into a beginning and an end for two of racing’s biggest stars: Stevie Wonderboy emerged as the early Kentucky Derby favorite with his victory in the Juvenile, and Saint Liam’s win in the Classic was the final race of his career.
“It’s a long road to the Derby, but I think he’s got the capabilities to do it,” Stevie Wonderboy’s jockey, Garrett Gomez, said Sunday. “He’s never done anything that would make us second guess him, and hopefully we can keep on going.”
That won’t be the case with Saint Liam, who likely clinched Horse of the Year honors with a stirring one-length victory over Flower Alley in America’s richest race.
“We’re going to retire him and send him to Lane’s End (Farm),” trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. said.
The 5-year-old Saint Liam closed out a brilliant 2005 campaign with four victories in six attempts, all in Grade 1 races – the Donn Handicap, the Stephen Foster Handicap, the Woodward and the $4.7 million Classic.
By earning $2,433,600 in the Classic, Saint Liam boosted his career bankroll to $4,456,995 for owners William and Suzanne Warren.
Dutrow said getting his horse to the Classic was a goal since last year, when Saint Liam missed the ‘04 edition because he wasn’t in top form after losing by a neck to Ghostzapper in the Woodward less than two months earlier.
“That was the only thing on my mind,” Dutrow said. “I skipped Dubai (the World Cup in March). I just wanted him to have a chance to be Horse of the Year, and in a big race like this. And it happened.”
Saint Liam, ridden by Jerry Bailey, beat 12 rivals in front of a crowd of 54,289 on a crisp, fall Saturday, including Travers winner Flower Alley, Australian champion Starcraft (seventh) and Jockey Cup Gold Cup winner Borrego (10th).
But many of the stars from the first half of the year were missing, either injured or retired. Among them are Derby winner Giacomo, Preakness and Belmont winner Afleet Alex, ‘04 Classic winner Ghostzapper and Dubai World Cup winner Roses in May. A day before the race, top contender Rock Hard Ten was scratched with an injured foot.
“Yeah, we have the best horse around,” Dutrow said. “Anybody left standing, they were here and we beat them. We didn’t duck any kind of horse in any race.”
Stevie Wonderboy’s popularity will soar in the coming months. Besides being named after singer Stevie Wonder, the 2-year-old colt is owned by TV impresario Merv Griffin, a 15-time Emmy Award winner and creator of game shows including “Jeopardy” and “Wheel of Fortune.”
In Stevie Wonderboy, the 80-year-old Griffin has another hit on his hands. And Griffin appears to be getting his voice ready for a trip to Churchill Downs for the first Saturday in May.
“The sun shines bright on my Old Kentucky Home,” he crooned during Saturday’s post-race news conference, then added, “I got it all down.”