10/31/05

[Lizanna Foglak]

Breeders’ Cup wins earn Gomez Shoemaker Award

"Jockey Garrett Gomez, who won two races at the Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships on Saturday at Belmont Park, is the recipient of the Bill Shoemaker Award.
The award is presented annually to the outstanding Breeders’ Cup jockey and is voted on by members of the international racing media. Gomez received his award from recently retired Racing Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day at the Breeders' Cup press breakfast on Sunday.

Gomez won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) aboard Stevie Wonderboy and the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) with Artie Schiller. Those wins were the first two career Breeders’ Cup victories for Gomez, a 33-year-old rider based in California who also finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) with Taste of Paradise.

In the voting, Gomez finished ahead of Edgar Prado, who also earned his first two career Breeders’ Cup wins. Prado rode Folklore to victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and won the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) with Silver Train.

Previous winners of the award, which is named in honor of the late Racing Hall of Famer Bill Shoemaker, are Alex Solis (’03) and John Velazquez (’04)."

Source: Thoroughbred Times

[Lizanna Foglak]

Artie Schiller, Starcraft could race again this year, Lost in the Fog done until 2006

"While the Breeders’ Cup on Saturday at Belmont Park brought to a close many a horses' racing seasons--and in some cases careers--connections of two of the bigger names from the World Thoroughbred Championships indicated that their horses could race again this year.
Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) winner Artie Schiller, a contender for champion turf male, could race in the $500,000 Citation Handicap (G1) on November 26 at Hollywood Park. Steve Moyer, assistant to trainer Jimmy Jerkens, said that the four-year-old son of El Prado (Ire) came out of his three-quarter-length victory over Leroidesanimaux (Chi) in fine shape and will receive a short rest before returning to training.

Leroidesanimaux almost assuredly would have clinched an Eclipse Award with a win in the Mile, but trainer Bobby Frankel blamed the horse’s feet for his defeat Saturday. He said Leroidesanimaux could race again, but he would not confirm his participation in any races this year.

Leroidesanimaux won the Citation last year, but Frankel had pointed Mile scratch Three Valleys for that race.

Australian champion and European Group 1 winner Starcraft (NZ) finished seventh in his dirt debut in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), but that did not deter owner Peter Makin from considering the Cigar Mile (G1) on November 26 at Aqueduct.

Classic winner, likely older champion male, and likely Horse of the Year Saint Liam will retire to William S. Farish’s Lane’s End. But the second through tenth-place finishers could all race again, including runner-up and Travers Stakes (G1) winner Flower Alley.

"I thought Flower Alley ran huge," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "I was delighted with his effort. I thought for a minute he would kick back in and get the job done. But still, I’m very pleased with his effort."

Harry Aleo’s Lost in the Fog suffered his first career defeat in 11 tries when he finished seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1). But trainer Greg Gilchrist said he expected the three-year-old son of Lost Soldier to return to the races next year after two-to-three months of rest at Southern Chase Farm in Ocala."

Source: Thoroughbred Times