Barbaro Updates: 90
updates are now here.
Update 752: The Thoroughbred Times reports on the Fog tribute: Golden Gate Fields honors champion Lost in the Fog. Robbie in Fresno reported her experience at the tribute (comment timestamp: 5:41 pm), the following is an excerpt:
And my final special moment to share - I had noticed a small flock of geese flying in and out of the ponds and water features in the center of the field. Just as the service for LITF ended, that small flock of geese came out of nowhere and flew down low right over the winners circle. It was as if they were doing a flyby. And instead of an even 10 (geese mate for life) there were 9 - one was missing. For me it was magical - and truly a day to remember.
Discreet Cat crushed the short field in the Jerome Handicap at Belmont this afternoon. I think after the first half a mile the remaining runners had just had their hearts' broken! He galloped home the rest of the way, and won very easily. He only beat allowance horses, but it was a grade two so you cannot blame him that no one really showed up.
Update 751: Sue McMullen's Longchamp report from today's racing action:
Yet another Arc win for the Maestro trainer, Andre Fabre and his seventh winner of this race, but perhaps not with the horse most thought would come out top of his three, which included Shirocco and Hurricane Run. You have to discount the run of these two as Shirocco clearly wasn't himself and Hurricane Run got boxed in and wasn't suited by the muddling pace. But you can't take anything away from the winner, Rail Link, who was the most improving horse in the race. Ironically, this Arc had been criticised for the small field, which, although containing superstars, was lacking the usual mix of the top three year-olds from the Classic generation (the Epsom Derby winner had been due to run but had a minor setback) but it was an improving three year-old who won it and he has now shown himself to be a very good horse. The mare Pride ran the race of her life finishing very fast to take second and the Japanese hero Deep Impact ran well but couldn't shake off Rail Link when he made his challenge. The slow early pace made it a bit of a messy race, run in a style that Deep Impact was not used to and which didn't help his chances, but trainer Yasuo Ikee is already talking about coming back next year.
Five other Group 1s on the card included a very, very emotional victory for British racing fans as Sergeant Cecil won the stayer's race, the Cadran, coming with a very late run from last to first in the home stretch, to a roar from the crowd that his jockey Frankie Dettori described as 'never having known anything like it.' This 7 year-old, bought as a youngster for a few hundred pounds, is a great favourite in the UK and was voted last year's 'horse of the year' having won all three of the big staying handicaps. This year he stepped up to Group company and this was his first victory in a Group 1. Tears were shed as he was led back to a the sort of reception usually reserved for the Arc winner.
Mandesha won the Prix L'Opera in fine style and, according to owner Princess Zahra Aga Khan, may go for the Arc next year. Jim Bolger is a man to be envied as he trains the current ante-post favourite for next year's 2,000 Guineas and the Derby with Teofilo and now adds the filly Finsceal Beo (which means Living Legend) to those at the top of the betting for the first fillies' classic, the 1,000 Guineas after her emphatic win in the Prix Marcel Boussac. Desert Lord won the Prix de L'Abbaye, in the second fastest running of the race and continued a long history of this race being farmed by British or Irish sprinters, just getting the better of Reverence who was not suited by the lively ground. Ballydoyle's Holy Roman Emperor paid a compliment to Teofilo, who defeated him when they last met, by winning the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere for two year-old colts. These two might meet again later this month in the Dewhurst Stakes.
Update 750: The racing from Longchamp today was special. I noticed how relaxed the horses appeared, both in the paddock, cantering down to the start, and loading in the starting gate (stalls). I will look forward to Sue McMullen's report, but it was nice to see the festival of racing. I was really rooting for the Japanese horse Deep Impact, he looked awesome. Perhaps two months away from the races was his undoing, he was traveling soooo well close to home, and just seemed to flatten out a little. Anyway, will wait for Sue's report.
Another report from a visit to Golden Gate Fields yesterday for the Fog's tribute, from Shelley, CA, timestamp: 4:23 pm. Here is an excerpt:
I had ordered a Foggy Forever T-Shirt from Ernie (Covino) here, and it arrived in 2 days from NY, just in time for me to take it with me to GGF for the other Fan of Barbaro I was meeting to wear (I already had my Delgado Fog T-shirt). After the touching ceremony for Fog, (many ears were wiped away, which may not have shown on the TV coverage) during which Greg thanked everyone for the cards, letters, carrots - and he said even songs - we were walking around when an usher in the upper areas spotted Ernie's Foggy T-shirt with the beautiful photo, and said we had to show Harry. He literally dragged us to meet Harry, and we had a wonderful conversation with him and his wife. He said he still cannot believe all the cards and letters he has received, and his wife asked if we knew he answered all of them. I told them, WE KNEW, and thanked him again for their careful and compassionate guardianship of Fog. They loved this horse without reservation, and said again they just cannot believe this journey they have been on with Fog. They were very happy about Quite a Rush, but the bittersweet nature of the day was obvious. Over and over, we heard from everyone - including the USHER, who must have been at GGF for 110 years - that these are very real, very down to earth, wonderful people. For the last two races, Harry and his wife sat alone in their box in the upper stands, looking directly at the finish line and the beautiful wreaths with the banner celebrating Fog from the Fans of Barbaro.
Update 749: The following is a REPORT FROM MEMORIAL FOR THE FOG from Nancy. Margaret actually went to Golden Gate Fields yesterday, while she did not stay for the tribute, she reported her experience in the comments (timestamp 3:12 pm). An excerpt:
I was at the saddling paddock and learned something about schooling in the paddock. I learned that if a horse comes in without a number hooked to their bridle they are just "schooling". But I saw at least one horse come from the isolation barn (?--the one where they put horses before their race.
I saw one of the prettiest grays ever. I have a pic of this horse and it just doesn't do justice to this horse.
Update 748: Another comfortable night last night for Barbaro (saturday night). I saw Michael Matz coming back from the track. He had heard from Dr. Richardson. He also noted that Barbaro was well when he visited yesterday.
HRTV is covering the Arc card this morning: HRTV to Air Arc and Entire Longchamp Card, an excerpt:
HRTV's duo of Jon White and Becky Witzman will anchor the network's morning coverage, which begins at 8:30 a.m. (all times Eastern). The network's coverage will encompass the entire Longchamp card, which also includes three other stakes contests. The Arc has a scheduled post time of 11:30 a.m.
Check update 747 for an Arc preview.
ACN! Yay!
Alex, please express our thanks to Michael, Peter, and Kathy for keeping us updated.
Proud member, Fans of Barbaro
Posted by: Marg in Maine at October 1, 2006 12:38 PM