There's no way Shirocco will stand in the US, and I don't see a ton of dirt racing happening in Europe these days. It's not like he has a commercial American pedigree where he would be useful somewhere in this nation. Makes no sense other than sheer ego to place him anywhere other than the Turf. Just my two cents.

Where did you get this info, Joel? He will get smoked by more than 8 IMO.

this is a very smart move. if he runs well they can still target the classic. if he doesn't than they run him in the turf. better to find out in a prep that he doesn't like the dirt than on breeders cup day. i personally think he is just so good that he will run well on the dirt. the jockey club gold cup might get back a little of its reputation that it once had.

the only place
i've seen this
was a rumor
on another forum
last week.
i'd like to
know too.

Actually, I laugh at the source because I usually find out about things pretty quickly in this industry, but I actually saw this when watching Wire to Wire on ESPN earlier today...Randy Moss broke the news...

u were
right.


http://bc.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=35391

The Maktoums know how to win on the dirt in America now. Coolmore/Ashford has its hands full.

The Maktoums win on the dirt in the US with horses based and trained here, not with imports. Both have done OK in the Classic without winning. Giant's Causeway and Sahkee both ran huge in defeat.

They are very good horses without American-type breeding. Bernardini is the epitome of outstanding American-type breeding.

Giant's Causeway was "American bred." By Storm Cat X Mariah's Storm, I think. Sahkee had little US/dirt breeding.

Yep, Giant's Causeway has a couple of full brothers standing stud as well... one right here in Florida. (Roar of the Tiger.) Also, Mariah's Storm was the horse behind the movie Dreamer. :cool:

Thrilled he's coming but a shame Kieren won't be here too.....

Isn't Freud full to Giant's Causeway?

Thank you. I stand corrected. In interviews with Sheikh Maktoum he talks of going to a different type of horse now. I notice that many more of his runners in America are now tracing back to Seattle Slew. In the past there were Tempera and Essence of Dubai, but now there are so many more.

Yes, he stands at Lakeland North in NY. (he rocks!)

Even if he runs well in the JCGC, he's going to Eurobounce in the Classic, they should just take their shot in the Classic...

He's quite the looker as is Roar of the Tiger. I'm not too impressed with Storm Cat's as a whole (too fragile), but most of them are impressive looking. :cool:

What do you think of A.P. Indy?

From Racing post.....

Dylan entered for prestigious US Grade 1
by Tony O'Hehir

DYLAN THOMAS could run in the US as early as next weekend in advance of a Breeders' Cup Classic bid at Churchill Downs in November.

The son of Danehill, winner of the Irish Derby and the Irish Champion Stakes this season and as short as 10-1 for the Classic, also has the option of the prestigious Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park the following weekend although the earlier race has the advantage of being run on Polytrack rather than dirt.

Should the Ballydoyle-Coolmore team opt to run Dylan Thomas in the Belmont Park event it could result in the dual Group 1 winner going head to head with top US dirt performers Bernardini and Invasor, who head the betting for the Classic. The colt's trainer Aidan O'Brien said on Wednesday: "We have entered Dylan Thomas for the Grade 2 Kentucky Cup Classic over nine furlongs at Turfway Park a week on Saturday.

"We haven't decided yet whether he will go for the race as there is also the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park a week later to consider."

O'Brien added: "We are looking at giving him a run before the Breeders' Cup Classic to see how he handles what will be a new surface for him. He's in good form and we'll decide on plans over the weekend.”