Features

Somebeachsomewhere Heads for Top Honors

In harness racing, the Breeders Crown is the most prestigious event of the year and always attracts the most spectacular horses in the industry. With twenty-five years of Breeders Crown action to look back on, Saturday 29 November 2008 most definitely became a harness racing event for the history books. With a purse of $500 000, the Breeders Crown Pace is a race for three-year-old colt pacers and many were excited to see how Deweycheatumnhowe would perform in his trotting event, while Somebeachsomewhere was gearing up to pace into history, as both were scheduled for retirement after Saturday’s race.

Japan Cup Produces New Hero

The first Japan Cup was run in 1981 and has grown to be one of the most prestigious horse racing events in Japan. Run at the Tokyo Racecourse, over a distance of two thousand four hundred meters, the Japan Cup is not only an extremely rich horse racing event with a purse of $5.5 million, but a popular international racing meeting, even though the event has only been won by foreign horses twice in the last ten years. And locally bred horses definitely seem to have the upper hand in this event, as the long-shot for the day, Screen Hero, galloped his way to victory.

Well Positioned: Another Pompa Champion

Paul Pompa and trainer Pat Reynolds have enjoyed a very successful working relationship. In the last few years Pompa seems to have been lucky when it comes to buying horses. Last year, it was Big Brown that stole the show and had hordes of owners phoning him to purchase Big Brown. He finally sold seventy-five percent of Big Brown to IEAH Stables, but he doesn’t seem as eager to sell his latest eye catching horse racing phenomenon, Well Positioned. Pat Reynolds trains Pompa’s horses, and the combination of natural racing ability and quality training has been paying off.

Meade’s Cheltenham Hopeful

For trainer Noel Meade, the Cheltenham Festival does not hold very fond memories. Over the last few years he has not enjoyed the victories and accomplishments he has been looking forward to, but it seems that he has finally found a horse that might just bring him unrivalled Cheltenham Festival success next year. On Sunday, 23 November 2008, Pandorama secured his fourth victory in four jumps racing starts and his display of ease and comfort makes winning look easy. Hardly looking tired from his race, Pandorama’s jockey had to work hard to slow down the massive engine of this seemingly unstoppable five year old.

Jack o’Lantern Lights up Hollywood Prevue Stakes

Jack o’Lantern was purchased by Purple Shamrock Racing and Bruce Chandler at the 2007 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale for $10 500. Trainer Richard Matlow immediately liked Jack o’ Lantern, who was sired by Flatter out of the mare Northern Guide, commenting that he had good dimension and a great walking stride. Matlow’s decision to enter Jack o’ Lantern in the Hollywood Prevue Stakes because he was eligible paid off wonderfully on Sunday 23 November 2008, as jockey Isaias Enriquez steered the beautiful dark bay colt to victory.

A Future Seen in Indygo Mountain

As the big names in horse racing are retired, or are headed that way, spectators and racing enthusiasts start to look to the younger horses so as to try and determine who will be the next great superstar in the fast paced world of horse racing. The retirement this year of some of the most legendary racehorses of our time has left a large void in the industry, and everyone is wondering which horses will replace them and who has the potential to take on prestigious racing events such as the Kentucky Derby.

Kauto Star Tries For Number Three

The £225,000 Betfair Chase is one of the most anticipated jumps racing events of the year, as it is the first race in the Betfair Million Series and it is attended by the best horses in the jumps racing industry. Run at Haydock Park Racecourse, the Betfair Chase is a Grade 1 event for five year old horses and older, and its three mile course has eighteen fences. The Betfair Million Series also has a massive bonus for any horse who can win at least three of the series races. In 2006/2007, that bonus was paid out to Kauto Star, who had won the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Betfair Chase and the King George VI Chase.

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