Breeders’ Cup 2011 – Coolmore votes for So You Think, Canford Cliffs, and, Treasure Beach
Through an open enrollment program, Coolmore nominated the likes of Treasure Beach, Canford Cliffs and So You Think to the Breeders’ Cup program held at Churchill Downs on 4-5 November.
All these three horses were not were not nominated as foals and Coolmore paid $25,000 for each horse.
The open enrolment program was introduced by the Breeders’ Cup early this year to increase the number of horses that are eligible to participate in the Breeders’ Cup championship races.
Coolmore was established in 1975 and it is the largest breeding operation of thoroughbred racehorses. After it started in Ireland it expanded to America and Australia.
Aidan O’Brien’s Treasure Beach recently won the Group 1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on 26 June. The three year old bay colt provided Aidan O’Brien with his sixth consecutive win in the Irish Derby and ninth overall.
Prior to the Irish Derby, Aidan O’Brian ran his champion colt in the English Group 1 Investec Epsom Derby where Treasure Beach made an impressive run but could not edge out the French Pour Moi and finished second at Epsom.
So You Think the former Australian champion five-year old bay colt, will light up the Breeders’ Cup championship races by just participating in them and he will certainly be the favourite every where he runs, be it Europe, or, the Breeders’ Cup in America.
Yet another Aidan O’Brien superstar will emerge to leave his mark in the Breeders’ Cup this year. So You Think has had an impressive run since the beginning of his career with the life time record of 10 wins out of 15 starts and out of the 10 wins he has finished 4 times on the card, thrice runner-up, and, has a single third place finish.
So You Think’s last outing was at the Ascot where he got caught up at the closing stages of the race with Rewilding, who edged past the five-year old, and, defeated him by a mere quarter of a length. So You Think stands favourite for the upcoming Coral Eclipse Stakes at Sandown.
Another international raider to grace the Breeders’ Cup will be the awesome Canford Cliffs. The Richard Hannon owned four year old bay colt is on a hot streak of wins on a trot, including a smashing win over Goldikova in the English Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at the Royal Ascot.
This here horse is real special with a life time record of 7 wins out of 10 starts.
It is a great opportunity for these European based stars, who have reigned supreme on European soil, to actually show their mettle in the Breeders’ Cup.
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