Breeders’ Cup Classic – tilted heavily toward the older male division
One look at the North American 3-year-old male and older male handicap division and it becomes evident that there is a stark contrast between the two, where the former is no longer of any substance, while the latter is deep and full of talent.
The difference becomes more evident, especially when the collision of the two is right around the corner about this time of the year, every year. The Breeders’ Cup, and the richest race of the second day card, the Breeders’ Cup Classic, where divisions are
omitted and the sophomores take on the their older counterparts.
Keeping on the subject, there are no brimming horses in the 3-year-old male division, who could actually give the older runners a run for their money in that particular clash.
The distance in class and talent is too far apart, especially when there are horses like, Game on Dude, leading the older side of the division, who has proved his talent time after time.
Only this year, the Bob Baffert trained gelding was placed second in the Pacific Classic, but the high standards he sets for himself, Game on Dude will return with the vengeance Awesome Again Stakes at his favourite track, Santa Anita Park.
If the 3-year-old division had to put a horse against Game on Dude, well the best they have right now is Alpha, and this is not meant as a slight to the Godolphin runner, because he has been doing well in New York based tracks, but the Breeders’ Cup at Santa
Anita will be a different game altogether.
The 3-year-old male division has been badly depleted from when it started the year, with the 2-year-old 2011 champion Hansen out of the picture, Paul Reddam’s I’ll Have Another after two monumental victories in the first two legs of the Triple Crown retired
to stud.
All this hasn’t helped the cause, but still on the day, someone from the 3-year-old male division can stick it up to the rest, and who knows it might be someone from the 3-year-old division wearing the crown on the evening of 3 November, 2012, at Santa Anita
Park.
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