October 27, 2015
In our last installment, we profiled the previous Breeders’ Cup Mile winners and how their stories changed the landscape of this incredible race and now, we will discuss the roads taken here at HRP and how victory in this race has changed to lives of all involved. From SA to LS, through MTH and CD and back to SA, it has been a long road for many and in retrospect, maybe we can find some clues in choosing a winner this year, based on what has happened in the past.
2003-Alpha Ultimo
In the first days of HRP, only six horses signed on for the inaugural BC Mile and while there was a bit of everything, from horses to gelding and even a filly, the one with the best turf form proved it as Alpha Ultimo came from off the early pace to score by a length over Rex, with future star Fuji King back in third. The winner would go on to become one of the highest profile horses in HRP history and set the tone of this race from the very beginning, as a sign that future legends win this event as a testament to their greatness.
2004-MasterBomBay
2004 already saw the field for the Mile increase from six to a scratch-reduced 13 and with experience on his side, the speedy MasterBomBay went right to the front as expected and never stopped, wiring the field in a huge win by more than two-lengths, with multiple Grade I winners like LionKing, Time Clock, Talk Talk and Omni behind him. It would become the biggest win of his career and while he eventually fall into the lowest level claiming ranks, he still earns a place amongst the BC winners after beating a truly high class field.
2005-Jagged Account
Jagged Account had everything in his favour in 2005, with a huge owner behind him and the backing of a mammoth win in the Grade I Jamaica in his turf debut, and he used both of those as a catapult to the upper echelons of racing with a neck decision over Royal Randwick, himself a multiple Grade I winner of more than $2700.000 to that point. Eventually retiring with more than $5000.000 in earnings, he was not even the highest earner in the field by career end; that distinction went to fourth-place finisher Dogma, lightly raced then but a career winner of more than $6500.000.
2006-Soundtrack
Facing a full field including 2005 runner-up Royal Randwick, free track star Cornhusker de Queen and Grade I winning miler Xray Eyes, it was tough to imagine Soundtrack finding enough room from his inside post but the duel Grade I winner overcame a dismal prep in the WO Mile to upset the applecart at 8-1 over a very even CD turf. After his Mile win, he would surprisingly never win another race and despite his season, would arguably go down in history was one of the most auspicious winners of this race given his future form.
2007-Jagged Account
The bog at MTH in 2007 was not to everyone’s liking but coming off a devastating victory over a yielding course at RP in preparation, Jagged Account was able to handle the going at 10-1 and score a second win in the Mile, and signal a return to glory after a failed season in longer races as a four-year-old. He would retire in 2009 as one of the biggest stars for owner Australia Wide, with nine Grade I wins, and remains the only duel winner of the Mile to date.
2008-Iroquois Warrior
The three most lightly raced horses in the 2008 BC Mile field ended up occupying the top three placings over the SA turf for Iroquois Warrior, four starts was enough to signal his greatness as he broke on top from post 13, rocketed clear around the turn and cruised home to a four-length win over Shadwell Turf Mile winner Grand Duke and DMR Mile Handicap winner The Spartan. He would go on to future Grade I success in a short 14 race career and has gone on to a solid stallion career, with Nile Warrior, Rock Warrior and Turon Warrior as his biggest successes to date.
2009-Victory Rain
Iroquois Warrior came back in 2009 to defend his title along with $5000.000 earner Grady, $1300.000+ auction purchase and Shadwell Turf Mile winner Bbff and ten-time winning three-year-old Sub Zero but in the end, outside was the place to be once again. Victory Rain, winner of the DMR Mile and Woodbine Mile but stuck in post 14, broke sharply and came running down the SA stretch to record a then stakes-record victory over favourite Trading Punches, with Iroquois Warrior checking in fourth. For the winner, it continued a spring of 100+ speed ratings in a $2700.000 career and led to a semi-successful sire career with duel Grade I winner Crown Victory being his best.
2010-Trading Punches
Trading Punches was made the favourite once again for the 2010 BC Mile and did not disappoint this time from post 13 to cap off an amazing season that saw him win four straight and more than $2200.000 overall. He would only win one more race in his career and eventually fall down to the lower claiming ranks but nonetheless, ranks highly with two placings in one of the toughest races on the entire BC program.
2011-Bluegrass Cat
Despite only a single win all season, and facing a loaded field including Grade I winners Without Kera, War Chant and heavy favourite Charming Behrens, Bluegrass Cat was able to stun the field at CD in 2011 with a solid on-the-pace victory in a stakes-record time of 1:32.06. He certainly justified his $227.000 auction purchase in earning the biggest win of his career but ended up retiring with one of the lowest earning totals of any winner and only that single Grade I score.
2012-Plucky Mach
Purchased for $400.000 in July but badly outrun in two efforts prior to the 2012 Mile, Plucky Mach was given a 20-1 chance to win against a field that included three-time Grade I winning mare A Little Oblivion, WO Mile winner Bound For Victory and KYD winner Willow Grove. But running back to races like the BC Juvenile Turf and the Grade II Arcadia, the son of Machiavellian Boy and Grade I winner Plucky Hen ran to his pedigree with an electrifying upset, scoring by a half-length in a final time of 1:31.91.
2013-Powervolt
Horse Of The Year Avery Island, WO Mile winner Votes For Sale and the highly talented Hollywood Freak all commanded top billing in the 2013 BC Mile but Grade I Jamaica winner Powervolt proved best of all, rallying from 11th at the head of the lane to score by a length over Hollywood Freak, March Madness and Avery Island. He became the second winner of the Mile for owner Dynark Stables but one of the weakest winners in its history, with the sudden inability to reproduce due to the departure of his owner.
2014-Seven Years
Both Hollywood Freak and March Madness were back last year in search of victory, along with a loaded four-horse entry from owner Sanny Village but Seven Years proved his might as the favourite with a half-length win over a hard-luck Hollywood Freak. With the win, his fourth in five starts on the grass that year, he became the first Mile winner to be named HRP Turf Male Champion with more than $2350.000 to his credit, and much more still left to come.
History books have been closed, and the real thing is upon us. Part 3 of this series will be a look at the contenders for the 2015 BC Mile at HRP, with an expected field of 14 signed on including many of the top winners this year, and even a few surprises. One thing is certainly clear; outside posts, soggy turf courses and even the presence of champions do not deter the upsets from happening and in a race of this caliber, it is as simple as the best horse winning.
Triple T Racing 🙂
Categories: BC 2015-17, THE BREEDERS CUP
