BC Classic – Grade I
1 1/4 Mile Dirt Stake Purse $7,000.000 Open 3 Year Olds And Up.
It was a pretty messy break with Wahpekute Sioux going hard to hold the rail and Berlin going hard to get to the rail from wide and by the first quarter it was those two that set down to set a fast pace. Blazing settled into the stalk just off the speed with Bad Debt trying hard from the car park draw but held out despite being hard ridden. South China Sea, Good Memories and Spankersville came next all settling into a good position whilst it was the usual suspects in Baffert, Master And Commander and Hiei who went to the tail of the 14 runners.
Round bend one and after a half mile Wahpekute Sioux was leading by a neck using the rail to save a little energy whilst Berlin was still working hard outside him to keep the pressure on. Blazing looked to have the perfect spot in third and just behind him was Spankersville, South China Sea and Good Memories with Bad Debt widest of all and already looking in trouble. One move from the back which was surprising was Baffert who hadn’t stayed at the back as usual but was instead making an early move to take closer order but wide.
Half a mile out and Wahpekute Sioux was shaking off Berlin and still going strongly in front albeit on a pretty strong pace whilst Blazing looked at this point to be going well and was trying to get into the leader’s slipstream. Bad Debt was still there fighting but had had a torrid trip and was fighting a losing battle. Spankersville was watching the leaders closely with Good Memories still close enough. Baffert’s move sort of didn’t go anywhere on the back stretch, but he was closer than he normally is at this point in the race and still looked a danger.
Two furlongs out and moving through the final turn the leader was still kicking in front whilst a weakening Berlin was getting in the way of the stalkers. Blazing slipped out three wide and looked a danger and Bad Debt was still trying hard to stay in touch. Baffert was inching closer with Walk Em Down creeping forward but facing traffic.
Down the stretch and into the final furlong Wahpekute Sioux was kicking for home and just over a length clear and looking like he may go pillar to post with the main danger looking like his stable mate Good Memories who had moved inside. Spankersville was waiting for the leader to drift out as that always happens here at HRP and Berlin was still in it despite being under pressure a long way out. Blazing’s run had come to an end as their stamina gave out and Baffert though closer was not finishing with the same gusto having used up some of his finish to get closer than usual. Walk Em Down was still inside and looking at a wall of horses and credit to Bad Debt who was still in the firing line despite a terrible trip.
In the run to the wire Spankersville got the run inside the leader, no surprise there, and pierced through with an impressive finish to win going away. Wahpukete Sioux was brave in second and Good Memories was third keeping on strongly. In the photo for fourth it was a very brave Berlin that held on to a very well deserved reward with Baffert keeping on into fifth and a never really clear Walk Em Down in sixth.
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1st Spankersville The Sidley Stud Hernandez R M 2:00.05
Winning his sixth race of the year this six year old made it two years running for the age group and his fourth grade one for the year. He has continued all year to buck the trend very rarely having the same jockey twice and winning grade ones from the inside or the outside. That to me is the mark of a champion to be able to run his race with any one on top and from any gate. His one failure came in the Foster and it is anyone’s guess as to why he failed that day but here at HRP they all tend to run at least one poor one in a season and that was his turn at the right end of the year. Since then he has won four straight and this was a welcome win after two unplaced efforts in BC races before.
Bred and owned by The Sidley Stud a player here at HRP since 2011 he is by the stable stallion, the great Ginger Haggis and what makes this win all the better is that he is still intact making him a very attractive addition to the stables breeding program once he has finished with racing. On this showing though there seems no reason he wont be back next year to defend his crown
2nd Wahpekute Sioux Mb Stables Lezcano J 2:00.26
What a brave effort this was by a horse who on his day is as good as any horse. Holding the rail was key but he was made to work very hard running the fastest Classic for 12 years but still looked the winner with a furlong to run. We have seen it throughout the BC however and there was one to come out of the pack to beat him, but the owner and trainer will be hugely proud of this effort. As HRP goes his last grade one win came in the Foster where he made all to win at a similar pace, that day he had Spankersville toiling behind him in eighth but that wasn’t the case today as that horse avenged the three lengths, he was beaten over a furlong further. It is great to see two Satllion’s finishing one two in the BC Classic and I am sure when the time is right, we will be seeing the offspring of them both keeping the rivalry going for a while. Until then there looks to be plenty of miles on this one’s clock and I would imagine these two will meet again before they are retired for a life a little less strenuous.
3rd Good Memories Mb Stables Gaffalione T 2:00.37
An excellent effort from the BEL winner to be the first three-year-old home and this great run just goes to show how hard it is to read form here at HRP as he had certainly looked second best in recent meetings to his three-year-old stable mate that finished behind him today. I hadn’t given this one as much thought as Walk Em Down and Wahpekute Sioux when looking at the stable’s entries, but his thing looks to be stamina, and it looks like he really needs a mile and a quarter plus to be at his very best.
Another entire, there are some exciting breeding options open to the trainer in the future.
4th Berlin The Sidley Stud Smith M E 2:00.50
A real brave effort from this six-year-old in holding on to the last paying place as he had been wide of the leader throughout and looked to be under pressure a long way out. A late developer he is as honest as they come and capped off a brilliant BC for the owner.
5th Baffert Royalty Stables Velazquez J R 2:00.55
6th Walk Em Down Mb Stables Davis D 2:00.60
7th Blazing Maxmillion Farm Dominguez Jo 2:00.68
8th Hiei Fractious Franco M 2:00.80
9th Bad Debt D J C Racing Stables Elliott S 2:00.86
10th South China Sea Fractious Prat F 2:01.17
11th Face The Lunatic Martyparty Lopez P 2:01.20
12th Fire Chase Riggins Racing Geroux F 2:01.35
13th Master And Commander Fractious Centeno D E 2:01.56
14th Uranus Threshold Dettori L 2:01.61
Categories: BC 2024, Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES, THE BREEDERS CUP
