Tips/Thoughts on Breeders' Cup tickets this year?
 

Just looking at the calendar and logistics and realizing getting to Santa Anita for the Breeders' Cup is a realistic possibility. It would be my first time at Santa Anita, and it would be my first Breeders' Cup.

Initial search shows tickets went on sale with pre-registration in May.


Any ideas on how easy or difficult it might be to still get into the place for the Saturday card with "standing room only" a very acceptable option?

I'll dig further in a bit, but thought someone here might might have some quick thoughts. Thanks in advance!

As of 10-14 days ago, there were a couple of thousand seats still available. BCL had held some back and then released them. Check the Cup website to see current status..

Thanks! I've dug a bit further and found pricing....which seems to initially indicate one must buy tickets for both days. For the lower prices that would be fine in this case, though I think I would only be able to be there for Saturday.

Usually at the big races I never sit anyhow. I wander from the best available standing view of the the paddock, to the best available view of trackside starting gate or finish line, and the Winner's Circle.

(come to think of it, that's what I do most any day of attending races.....)

I'm see General Admission at Santa Anita allows paddock viewing, so I guess the trackside ground level viewing is a given?

It has been that way at any other track I've ever attended.

I've been to all three BC's at Santa Anita. Its best to roam around. Unless it's changed, General Admission is the way to go. You can go from paddock to apron easily.

Cant you just by the second day on a site like Stubhub or Razorgator? I have a feeling they wont even bring face value.

Thanks Revidere. That's what I was hoping to hear.

I think General Admission is only $20 per day....quite reasonable compared to the triple digit prices on most of the seats.

Anytime. If you dont mind being in midstretch you can even walk right up to the rail.

Actually, I've got a friend on another board who will not be able to use her general admission tickets - car trouble ate her airfare/hotel money. Shall I ask her if she still has them on sale for you? Put you guys in touch?

Absolutely...and I've never paid above face for a BC ticket the day of the race outside, and often below

Pedigree Ann thanks for the thought.

Certainly if she has difficulty selling them I'd be interested in hearing in a couple of weeks. Of course I'd be looking to pay her the face value she paid for them, with any transaction expenses.

My dilemma is that I likely won't be able to make the decision on going until much closer to race day due to other life stuff.

My advantage is that I just jump in my car and drive down in 4 1/2 to 5 hours, so not much prep needed for me. We have a friend in Pasadena we can stay with if we don't get a decent room close to the track, so I can make the call on race day if need be.

That said, I REALLY want to attend this one.

Casino Drive?
 

Is he going to run at Santa Anita prior to the Breeder's Cup? I realize we're only two weeks out, so I'm assuming that he's not...

...

:zz: :wf

In the Stable notes from the Oaktree website, it said that he may train up to the classic.

Earlier, he was supposed to go in an allowance race this week or this weekend, but unless it's Sunday, that isn't going to happen.

HRTV reported earlier this month that he would run in an allowance race on Oct. 12 at Oak Tree. I have no idea if that's still true.

They said they are training up to the Classic now.

And some of you say that I think outside of the box. How ambitious a spotting is this? I LOVE it.

This notice is to inform you that one or more of your horses has worked out.
Casino Drive

Date: October 9, 2008
Track: HOLLYWOOD PARK
Distance: Five Furlongs
Time: 1.02:00 Breezing
Track Condition: Fast
Surface: All Weather Track
Rank: 8/10

I LOVE the dead $$ he'll take!

I was just thinking the same thing, PG will be all in!

He only has 2 lifetime starts! This is crazy! He's probably this good....but it's a matter of fitness...and he hasn't raced in a long time.

Not saying he's up to it but in other parts of the world, they know how to train horses to be ready off of long layoffs like this. I have this feeling that if he loses here, it won't be because he's not fit.

lol it would be funny if he wins the BC Classic in his 3rd start.

Japanese trainers arent the best at it though,,

I love this horse and I think he's talented, but his owner is insane. I trust the horse to be fit, but not fit for a race like the Classic. What is the point - he's going to get thrashed, very likely. I think he can develop into a very good horse next year, so why not run him in a lesser stakes.....? Well, I guess I can answer my own question; the owner's ego is too big to allow it.

Be even funnier if he grabbed a quarter again the morning of the race and had to scratch :p ..
(Well not for the horse of course but the owners.)

I'll tell you why I think this is silly. First, either he's fit to run 10f or he isn't. The company he'll be keeping won't have anything to do with his level of fitness. It will be the deciding factor in whether or not he can win but not how fit he is. Second, why would losing here stop him from being a good horse next year? If that's the case, should every horse that loses in the Classic retire immediately because they no longer have a chance of being a good horse next year?

How long was Deep Impact's layoff before his very strong Arc run?

we had better have 14

from 25th June til the 1st October..

certainly all the very good Japanese performances outside of Asia that I can recall have come with the aid of a prep, the ones that havent gone so well have come without a prep..

Well he does have AP Indy in his blood and both of his siblings won the Belmont, so the distance should be up his ally if he's ready. I can see him running a 100 beyer here or so, which probably won't be good enough to win, but maybe in the money.

LOL on the Poly, a 100 beyer is winning the race by 15 lengths. :p

Oh come on...I realize synthetic figures are lower but I believe in the BC Classic a 105-110 will take it.

I wasnt being very serious LOL. How many triple diget beyers have been run on synthetics though?

AP Indy retired years ago and I don't see what he did on the track having any factor in this race.

Just a guess but I'd actually think the Beyers will be much higher for the BC. The synthetics equalize all horses. So when you have low level horses only running a second slower than stakes horses it is tough to give the stakes horses a big figure and then have to give the low level horses a 90+ figure. When you have a card predominantly made up of stakes horses though then it is easier to give bigger figures since the horses on the card are all capable of running 90+ speed figures.

that makes sense. Its funny we are having our championship race run on a surface that makes slow horses look faster and fast horses look slower.

Go Between or Well Armed wins Classic :tro: :zz:

Casino Drive is running Sunday after all, per DRF.com.

Optional Claiming race.

Good points....I suppose I'm overplaying the "he'll have his confidence crushed " card, lol.

I just found out per the DRF that he's running on Sunday - that makes me feel a lot better.

Sunday:

8TH (4:00)

1 1/16 Miles (All Weather Track) | Open | 3 Year Olds And Up Allowance | Purse: $52,000

Post # Horse Jockey Weight Claim Price Equip. Med.
1 Dakota Phone Bejarano R 120 L
2 Casino Drive Espinoza V 116
3 Gregorian Bay Garcia M 120 L
4 By Spot (BRZ) Valdivia J Jr 120 L
5 Informed Gryder A T 120 L
6 Sensational Score Rosario J 120 L
7 Asperity Sorenson D 120 L

Well have you ever seen an AP Indy relative not like a longer distance? If AP Indy specializes in producing long distance runners and Better than Honour has produced 2 Belmont winners already, odds are Casino Drive's best distance will be longer.