Alicia Wincze on horse racing

A looming filly from the barn of John Shirreffs has done it again. Life Is Sweet, who has been in the shadow of stablemate and 2008 Ladies’ Classic winner Zenyatta all year, exploded from last in the eight-horse field to win this year’s running of the $2 million race by 2 1/2 lengths over Mushka.

Channeling a cue from her undefeated barn mate, Life Is Sweet was content to hang back while 3-year-old Careless Jewel tried to steal things on the front end, opening up by nearly seven lengths at one point down the backside while setting fractions of :23.50 and :45.78.

Careless Jewel began to shorten her stride approaching the turn for home and when they hit the lane, Life Is Sweet turned into overdrive. With Garrett Gomez up, the four-year-old daughter of Storm Cat surged up on the extreme outside to outlast the equally late running Mushka moving just to her inside and Music Note, who finished third in the Ladies’ Classic for a second consecutive season.

Final time for the 1 1/8-miles was 1:48.58.

The $1 million Filly and Mare Sprint lived up to its billing as Informed Decision held off defending race winner Ventura to capture the seven-furlong test by 1 1/4 lengths for her third Grade I win in the year, liking locking up the championship for top female sprinter.

Owned by George Strawbridge, Informed Decision rated in second just behind longshot pacesetter Free Flying Soul through fractions of :23.23 and :45.95 under jockey Julien Leparoux. The four-year-old daughter of Monarchos moved up around the turn and had Free Flying Soul put away at the head of the lane, only to see Ventura launch her bid down the middle of the track.

Unlike a year ago, however, Ventura’s late kick was only good enough for second this time as Informed Decision dug in to hit the wire in 1:21.66.

The win gives trainer Jonathan Sheppard his second career Breeders’ Cup win having saddled Forever Together to victory in the Filly and Mare Turf last year.

Free Flying Soul held for third.

Juddmonte Farm’s Midday overtook pacesetter Visit along the rail in the lane and drew off under jockey Thomas Queally for a one-length win over Grade I winner Pure Clan and upset defending race winner and champion Forever Together in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

A 3-year-old daughter of Oasis Dream, Midday had defeated champion Rainbow View in the Group I Nassau Stakes at Goodwood in August. That same top form was on display Friday as she began gathering her momentum halfway down the backstretch and was in full stride when she hit the head of the lane.

Forever Together unleashed her classic rally from the back of the eight-horse field but the five-year-old mare couldn’t reel in her younger rival, who stopped the teletimer in 1:59.14 for the 1 1/4-mile race over a firm turf.

Pure Clan put in her own run along the rail to get second with Forever Together winning the battle for show by a neck over Visit.

Trained by Henry Cecil, Midday was making her first career start in the United States after running ten times in Europe.

Trainer Wayne Catalano, who saddled champion Dreaming of Anna to victory in the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, scored in the race again when his charge She Be Wild came up the rail to take the 1 1/16-mile contest by three quarters of length.

Under a steady ride from jockey Julien Leparoux, She Be Wild tracked along in third while Always a Princess set fractions of :23.88 and :47.52.

As the field swarmed upon pacesetter Always a Princess with a quarter of a mile to go, She Be Wild snuck through the pack on the inside and held off Beautician to give owner Nancy Mazzoni her first Breeders’ Cup victory.

“When they were loading, she was getting a little excited but she broke good,” Catalano said. “Everything went well. I’m really happy with her. I was a little worried when it looked like she might get trapped but I have a good rider who is patient. I felt good when she poked her head in the hole. She’s not a big filly so it doesn’t take much room.”

Beautician held for second with Grade I winner Blind Luck third. Final time for the test was 1:43.80.

The Dale Romans-trained Tapitsfly challenged pacesetter Rose Catherine with a half mile to go and outlasted her rival through the stretch drive to win the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf by half a length over one mile in a time of 1:34.25.

With Robby Albarado up, Tapitsfly mounted her charge on the outside but found Rose Catherine still stubborn after setting fractions of :22.95 and :47.02 in the early going. The gray daughter of Tapit kept kicking on, however, to give Romans his first win in a Breeders’ Cup race.

“I just wanted to clear most of them into the first turn so I wouldn’t get packed out too wide,” Albarado said. “She’s awful quick leaving the gate. She got herself into position and the first time I pressed, she went on.”

House of Grace was third while 3-to-2 favorite Lillie Langtry finished eighth.

“I had a bit of a bump turning into the straight,” said Johnny Murtagh, jockey for Lillie Langtry. “About halfway down the straight I got pushed out a bit, but I think I was done at the time. I’m not sure if she handled the course. She didn’t turn well. She’s a big rangy filly.”

Owned and bred by Frank Jones, Tapitsfly was second in the Miss Grillo Stakes at Belmont on October 4 after earning a 1 1/4-length triumph over 1 1/16-miles on the turf at Saratoga on September 3. She now improves her record to three wins from seven career starts.

“No one deserves to win a race like this more than (owner) Mr. Jones. He’s been in the business a long time and has had horses for over 30 years,” Romans said. “My father (Jerry Romans) trained for him before me. It’s just a great win for him and for me too. I thought we had a great trip. I thought that if she got her nose in front, she wouldn’t stop. That other filly (Rose Catherine) ran a great race, but my filly hung on.”

Sometimes there is no arguing with bloodlines. Man of Iron, a son of 2007 Broodmare of the Year Better Than Honour, outlasted the venerable Cloudy’s Knight by a nose in the final jump to capture the $500,000 Breeders’ Cup Marathon over 1 3/4-miles at Santa Anita Park.

Man of Iron is a half sibling to Jazil and Rags to Riches, who made Better Than Honour the only broodmare to produce back-to-back winners of the Belmont Stakes when they captured the final leg of the Triple Crown in 2006 and 2007, respectively.

Owned by the Coolmore Stud partnership of Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor, Man of Iron entered the Marathon off a 3 1/2 length victory in the Racing Post Race over 1 5/16-miles at Dundalk on October 16. As Cloudy’s Knight surged up approaching the final turn to take over the lead from Black Astor, Man of Iron - a 3-year-old son of Giant’s Causeway - advanced just behind eventual third-place finisher Mastery around the final turn before angling toward the rail and putting in a determined rally under Johnny Murtagh to just get up over the 9-year-old Cloudy’s Knight.

Final time for the distance was 2:54.11.

The win gives Ballydoyle trainer Aidan O’Brien his first victory in a Breeders’ Cup race since saddling champion High Chaparral to his second straight win in the Breeders’ Cup Turf in 2003.

“That was brilliant. We’re delighted,” O’Brien said. “Johnny gave him a wonderful ride. Johnny said that he was just going to take his time because that’s the way he likes to be ridden. That’s what he did. It was just a marvelous ride.”

Despite just losing the photo finish, the Marathon marked a remarkable effort for Cloudy’s Knight. The Lord Avie gelding was making only his third start this year after returning to the races in September after a year-long layoff due to a hind leg tendon injury.

“It all came together beautifully except for the last jump,” joked Jonathan Sheppard, trainer of Cloudy’s Knight.

Race favorite Mastery made a strong move to challenge Cloudy’s Knight coming off the turn but flattened out while running third, beaten 2 1/4 lengths.

“He danced one too many dances this year,” jockey Frankie Dettori said of Mastery.

Eagle Oak Ranch and partners’ 4-year-old Allegre has been declared from Saturday’s $3 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita.

The son of Orientate did not go to the track to train Thursday morning and trainer Brian Koriner notified officials that he was found to have an abscess in his right front foot.

Leading sire A.P. Indy, who stood for $250,000 in 2009, will command an advertised fee of $150,000 for the 2010 breeding season, Lane’s End Farm announced today.

The leading general sire in 2003 and 2006, A.P. Indy stood for as high as $300,000 in recent years. However, due to the severe correction taking place in the Thoroughbred marketplace that has resulted in a majority of horses not being sold for profit, many farms began reducing their fees a year ago and are making further cuts in 2010.

The farm is also offering a 10 percent discount if the stud fee is paid in full prior to November 1, 2010.

“In an effort to increase market value for all our clients, we will continue to closely monitor the size of our stallions’ books and will remain sensitive to this issue,” said William S. Farish, owner of Lane’s End.

Fellow top sire Kingmambo will stand for a private fee in 2010 after standing for $250,000 this past season while Smart Strike, sire of two-time Horse of the Year and fellow Lane’s End stallion Curlin, had his fee reduced to $75,000 for 2010, down from $125,000 in 2009.

Lane’s End also announced it is pensioning its venerable stallion Gulch, sire of more than 70 stakes winners, due to declining fertility. Gulch was best known for siring 1995 Kentucky Derby winner Thunder Gulch and has a top contender in this year’s Breeders’ Cup in the form of Grade I winner Court Vision, who is entered in the Mile.

Here is the entire Lane’s End roster with fees for 2010:

A.P. INDY - $150,000

AFTER MARKET - $12,500

ARAGORN - $7,500

BELONG TO ME - $7,500

CANDY RIDE (ARG) - $25,000

CITY ZIP - $10,000

CURLIN - $60,000

DIXIE UNION - $35,000

ENGLISH CHANNEL - $25,000

KINGMAMBO - PRIVATE

LANGFUHR - $17,500

LEMON DROP KID - $35,000

MINESHAFT - $20,000

MINGUN - $5,000

PLEASANTLY PERFECT - $10,000

PLEASANT TAP - $10,000

ROCK HARD TEN - $25,000

SMART STRIKE - $75,000

STEPHEN GOT EVEN - $7,500

WANDO - $5,000

WAR PASS - $20,000

So, trainer Aidan O’Brien has had an interesting start to his morning. While leading his Ballydoyle contingent through their morning exercise on the track, his Juvenile Fillies Turf contender Lillie Langtry dumped her rider.

O’Brien proceeded to hop off his pony and get on ‘Lillie’ himself, galloping her around the track with no helmet or flakjacket (although something tells me he can afford to pay the fine).

O’Brien later said the filly became frightened and reacted, dropping the rider, who held onto the reins.

“She got a little detached from the others and got confused,” O’Brien said. “When she started looking, she was like a child after losing her mommy. She started looking, and she didn’t know whether to go forward or backward. And she couldn’t see the other horses.”

O’Brien said he wanted to make sure the filly calmed down.

“She was in a confused state and we had to get her out of it and into her own comfort zone quick,” O’Brien said.

Sometimes when you want a job done right, you just have to do it yourself.

As the head trainer for Coolmore’s powerful Ballydoyle Stable, Aidan O’Brien is one of the more revered horsemen in the sport. On Wednesday morning, after leading his seven-horse contingent - including top Classic contender Rip Van Winkle - out for their first trips around the Santa Anita track, O’Brien kindly gave me a few moments of one-on-one time to talk about his thoughts on this year’s Breeders’ Cup event.

Q: Many people suggested that it was only because of the synthetic surface that Raven’s Pass and Henrythenavigator were able to run 1-2 in the Classic last year. Did you find that dismissive of their ability?

A: “There is no doubt they were top class horses, but everybody is entitled to their opinion, that’s the reality of it, you know. But they were two great horses.”

Q: This morning you talked about the strong feeling you got from Rip Van Winkle. What is he showing you that tells you he’s ready to run a big race?

A: “We’re not going to really know that until he runs but obviously we were worried. He’s had such a long season and he was quiet after his travel. We weren’t sure what was going to happen. I was worried he was very down on himself after the travel but it was a delight to see him this morning, just his movement and his action.”

Q: In the Classic you’ve had so many near misses and this race has had so much emotion for you. Would it be especially poignant for you to pull off a Breeders’ Cup win in this particular race?

A: “Of course, but frankly we haven’t had a winner in a long time and it’s tough but we try. All we can do is hopefully get the horses here and do the best that we can and try to make the right decisions with them.”

Q: The Breeders’ Cup has taken some criticism for holding the event here two years in a row. Is that justified?

A: “I think no, I think it’s unfair really. The Breeders’ Cup is a great organization and it’s a credit to the people who run it. It’s very important to this industry and the breed. I think we’re very lucky to be in this setting, the weather is beautiful. It’s very hard to beat this. This is an event where people all over the world are looking forward to and happy to come.”

Q: Do you think going back to a dirt track next year at Churchill Downs that the European participation will decline?

A: “I don’t think it will, but I also think there is no doubt that the (synthetic) surface is much better than the dirt surface, much safer. I know the dirt is traditional but sometimes just because things that are traditional, it doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be improved upon and I think this is a big improvement over the dirt.”

Q: Has the Breeders’ Cup become more of a goal that more European programs point to every year?

A: “I think for everybody the Breeders’ Cup is a goal. Obviously it gives horses through the whole season, whatever country their racing in, to sort out who is the best and I think that’s the best system.”