November 7, 2016

A host of three-year-olds and a smattering of older runners graced the SA main track on a beautiful Saturday afternoon to cap off the World Thoroughbred Championships and the Grade I BC Classic was exactly that, with a close finish and a longshot winner in the form of Atomic Twister, who gave owner Blushing Meadows their fourth career BC win. Dispatched at 12-1 after finishing third in the PA Derby, the son of Rene as all heart in his return to ten-furlongs and used a wide trip to outfinish Copper Beast, Black Mojo and a full field of excellent horses for his third career win and second Grade I, after scoring at nearly identical odds in the Wood Memorial earlier this year.

There really was no rush for any of the Classic entrants to get to the lead and a crush of middle runners pressed forward including Carneyman (8.00), Enshrined (26.95), Viking Rasta (6.60) and Black Mojo (6.85) between them and under the line for the first time, only Greek Poet (13.30) seemed to be stuck wide from his outside draw. Carneyman got the worst of it while stuck four-wide into the turn but he had the lead from Black Mojo, who pressed for second early, with the backfield decidedly close after three-furlongs. Positions remained unchanged into the backstretch through a half-mile in a rapid 47.31 with Spring Lover (11.10) inching into fourth with a wall of four behind him and unfortunately for the leader, there was no inside trip to be had as Carneyman was stuck in an impossible three-wide path. Black Mojo finally wrested the lead inside as Enshrined looked to move forward and passing six-furlongs in 1:11.05, the back markers were starting to angle out for their shot with Spring Lover coming out and Copper Beast (7.35) looking for a space. Atomic Twister (12.15) was six-wide around the turn with his run as Carneyman started to retreat and at the head of the lane, the cavalry charge for a $6000.000 purse was in full stride. The one-mile time of 1:35.38 was enough for many of the closers to have their chance at glory and as Copper Beast got stopped inside and Spring Lover came with his run between rivals, it was still Black Mojo up front, grimly trying to hold on. Inside the final furlong, Atomic Twister was charging with Edwin Drood (*5.65) onto the scene and a host of outside challengers making their run and in the shadow of the wire, it was Atomic Twister who outlasted all of his rivals by a neck with Copper Beast getting up by a whisker for second over the dead-heating duo of Spring Lover and Black Mojo, with Edwin Drood a nostril back of them in fifth and Hardline (43.10) charging for sixth while a length from victory. Early pacemakers Viking Rasta, Carneyman and Enshrined dropped back to a midpack finish late, Dial It In (23.65) never got involved from his wide draw, Ned Isakoff (5.65) and High Pride (23.90) disappointed and Dogs Infowarrior (45.60) and Greek Poet trailed, throwing the Older Male title into complete disarray with their dismal efforts.

With a hard-fought win in the biggest race of the year to go along with his score in the Wood Memorial and three other top-four placings in Graded Stakes, Atomic Twister could become the Champion Three-Year-Old Colt with his win in the Grade I BC Classic, although some will look at Copper Beast as having a slightly more competitive campaign. The entire top five were class acts in this ten-furlong test with the top three finishers all intact, leading their bloodlines to the next generations of champions once their careers are over.

Congratulations goes out to owner Blushing Meadows and their three-year-old colt Atomic Twister, who got up in the nick of time to score the Grade I BC Classic at SA!

Prediction                 Carneyman / Greek Poet / Copper Beast / Ned Isakoff

Winner                      Atomic Twister

                                     Three-year-old black colt

                                     Rene-Uncle Ho (Prince Of Darkness)

Owner                        Blushing Meadows

Time                           47.31, 1:11.05, 1:35.38, 2:00.85

Overall

Atomic Twister         12.15 midpack early, 6w move, up in time

Copper Beast              7.35 inside run, stopped midstretch, up for second

Spring Lover (DH)   11.10 pressed between horses, missed

Black Mojo (DH)      6.85 took lead late, weakened

Edwin Drood              *5.65 wide run both turns

Hardline                      43.10 inside, too late

Viking Rasta               6.60 pressed, evened out

Carneyman                  8.00 set pace, wide throughout

Enshrined                    26.95 between runners, even late effort

Dial It In                       23.65 no threat out wide

Ned Isakoff                   5.65 outrun

High Pride                    23.90 outrun

Dogs Infowarrior        45.60 no factor

Greek Poet                     13.30 wide early, no threat

Triple T Racing 🙂

Categories: BC 2015-17, THE BREEDERS CUP