I was more opposed to the addition of the Filly & Mare Turf than seemingly anyone else---so it shouldn't be a surprised that I think the addition of all these races, is a terrible day for the sport.
We have watered down Grade 1 races all year long, we have mediocre stake races with small fields and/or inflated purses all year long.
The Breeders Cup day was always the one day where you would see all the best, and they would face off against all the best.
The addition of a Breeders Cup Dirt mile has to be the absolute most annoying of the additons. Not only are you going to steal some quality horses away from both the Sprint and the Classic---but the addition of a dirt mile race is going to really screw up the complexion and pace scenerio of both races.
I have a bad feeling Discreet Cat will be pointed to that stupid new race instead of the Breeders Cup Classic.
If they had this silly race earlier, would Ghostzapper have ever been stretched out beyond 8.5 furlongs? He won the Grade 1, 6.5 furlong Vosburgh Stakes in tremendously impressive last-to-first fashion in his last start of his 3year-old season. Tom Durkin proclaiming him a "SPRINTING FORCE!" after the wire. Frankel passed on the Sprint, not wanting to cut him back to 6f's. GZ would likely have run if there was a BC Mile race that year. He wins that, and he may never get a distance test.
Ghostzapper routed just three times in his life---twice around two-turns, resulting in Beyer figs of 128 (fastest ever published in the DRF) and 124 (BC Classic win) --- his other route win came around one-turn, in a thrilling 1:46 and change victory over '05 HOY Saint Liam...winning despite being floated way out by SL.
I can go on and on about how I hate the other additions--but I'll spare you people that much. This Mile race is really the one that annoys me most.
Black Tie Affair won the BC Classic and was 3rd in a BC Sprint. Pleasant Tap was 2nd in both races. Precisionist won the Sprint and was 3rd in the Classic.
Instead of trying to create a race to lure horses like Ghostzapper, Black Tie Affair, Pleasant Tap, and Precisionist---let those types choose between the Sprint and the Classic. Not only do they add to the strength of the race, but their presence alone adds greatly to the race from tactical and pace standpoints.
To sum it all up--not only will the BC Mile Dirt race hurt the quality of both the Sprint and the Classic....but I also believe they will take away greatly from the excitement of both races. The likelyhood of slower paced BC Classic races is now far greater. The likelyhood of seeing the sensational visuals that came from Dancing Spree and Gulch's dramatic closing victories in the BC Sprint is also now much less likely. Both of those horses would have certainly passed the Sprint for a Dirt Mile. As might have a few other past winners of that race.
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