GRENING: Early race declaration counterproductive
 

Disagree with Breeders' Cup rule
By Dave Grening

For the first time, Breeders' Cup officials are requiring horsemen who pre-entered their horses in two Breeders' Cup races to declare by tomorrow in which race they plan to run. That's a week or 8 days before the races are run and three days before final entries are taken.

Though I think I understand the basis for the rule, I think it's a terrible rule. Especially this year when the event is held at Keeneland where the weather can be dicey.

Presumably, the basis for the rule is to give horsemen -- primarily those based in Europe -- an idea if their horse who was not selected into the body of a race but put on the preference list an idea if they would draw into the field before deciding to ship.

But, this rule is unfair to those horsemen who pre-entered in two races and whose horse got into the body of both races.

Beholder, for example.

While her connections are intending to run in the Classic, she was pre-entered in the Distaff as well. But since the Distaff oversubscribed, her connections have to declare tomorrow in which race they are running. Beholder had a fever upon her arrival. Perhaps she will get over it, but perhaps her connections would prefer to take the path of least resistance and run in the Distaff. Come tomorrow, they no longer have that option.

They should be able to enter her in both the Distaff and Classic -- since they are on different days -- and have until as late as possible to decide where to run.

Talked to George Weaver, the trainer of ISOTHERM, who was selected into the body of the Juvenile Turf and Juvenile. The horse is 2 for 2 on turf and 0 for 1 on dirt, but Weaver would prefer to run on firm turf, which may not be the case come next Friday. Plus, he said the horse worked just okay on the Oklahoma turf course Thursday morning, one that had give in the ground. He liked Isotherm's work on the dirt last week better. He and his owner, Matthew Schera, will be spending time agonizing over the decision in which race to run Friday morning.

Bill Mott, the trainer of LEA who was pre-entered in both the Dirt Mile and Mile on the turf, told me he had no knowledge of the rule until yesterday or today. Mott said had he known the rule, "I wouldn't have declared a second race for Lea."

Mott said he wouldn't want to run Lea on a boggy turf course and would want the option to wait as long as possible to decide. He plans to keep Lea in the Mile (turf).

Dave makes great points. The draw has already been moved up in recent years to Monday. Was it necessary to pressure dozens of runners into decisions to make travel plans easier on a handful of others?

Dave is spot on. Why bother with "pre-entries" 10 days out when "final entry" decisions must be made 36 hours later?

It is particularly ridiculous in Beholder's case since she won a Win and Your In for BOTH races. Of course, there are other flaws with the whole Win and Your In notion as well....

Funny we were just talking about this yesterday and I had not seen the article yet, I think this rule is going to benefit us this year.

For whatever it's worth I thought Isotherm ran pretty well on the dirt first time out at Saratoga. He moved a little early and was wide. This juvy field is not the best ever going in, the chalks are not that fast and don't overwhelm you. I think its fair to say green point crusader moved up on the sloppy track, check out his family!! Point being if Isotherm goes in the dirt race I'll give him a chance and definitely use him in some capacity.