Brilliant Speed pointed toward the Breeders’ Cup Classic
Thomas Albertrani trained 4-year-old colt, Brilliant Speed is ready to have one last “hurrah” on the biggest stage as he bows out from racing, as he gets pointed toward the Grade 1, $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park on 3 November, 2012.
Bred in Florida by Live Oak Plantation, Brilliant Speed after retirement is scheduled to stand at Robert N. Clay's Three Chimneys Farm, but before he starts his stud career, or whether the owner wants to improve on his stud fee, they are going for the big one, and if he goes on to land the race it will be a good start to his breeding career and a good end to his racing career.
Though the $5 million event over Santa Anita Park will be run over the venue’s dirt course at about 1 ½ miles, but Brilliant Speed has used the lawn for his last 9 races, including all his races this year.
"This will most likely be his last race before he retires to stud, so we're optimistic about running him on the dirt one last time just to see if we could change things around with him," Albertrani said. "He's been a little unlucky this year so in his last race we're hoping for a good performance."
The son of Dynaformer has never been a prolific winner, but a threat on the field nonetheless, as he showed what he could do in the Grade 1 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes last year over Keeneland’s synthetic surface.
He defeated the likes of Twinspired in second and King Congie in third, and downed the 1 1/8 mile distance in 1 minute and 50.92 seconds.
As far as running on dirt is concerned, Brilliant Speed started off on the surface, but couldn’t convert his first two career starts, which were maiden races at Belmont Park and Saratoga.
After that he ran over Churchill Downs’ dirt course for the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and finished seventh, and at Belmont Park in the Belmont Stakes, ending third, and then went on to finish fifth in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga.
It will also be Brilliant Speed’s first time ever running at Santa Anita Park.
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