Dullahan’s versatility might hinder his Breeders’ Cup Classic chances
Decision time for the connections of Dullahan for the Breeders’ Cup, and the versatility of the 3-year-old that he has shown throughout his career with exceptional performances be it turf, dirt or polytrack, it just makes all the more harder to pinpoint
a race for someone like, Dullahan.
Among those with multiple options going into the Breeders’ Cup, Dullahan is expected to run the Mile on turf, but the distance could prove to be too small, and when it comes to 1 ½ miles on Turf, it could then prove to be too long.
However, Dullahan has made the classic distance of 1 ¼ miles his own, as he proved he can easily run and win on it, especially keeping the favoured Game on Dude at bay in the Pacific Classic, his potential over the distance needs no more proof.
But the Breeders’ Cup Classic is run on dirt, and with 5 races over the surface, the Donegal Racing’s colt has yet to post a victory over the dirt surface. The only worth remembering Dullahan run on dirt was in the Kentucky Derby, when he, out of nowhere,
showed an amazing turn of foot to finish a strong third at Churchill Downs.
Now, in all the commotion regarding making a decision, Dale Romans has chosen a peculiar prep-race, the Jamaica Stakes which will be run over a distance of 1 1/8 miles on turf.
The reason behind is to make the mile distance look a little more realistic for Dullahan, as he will have the benefit of backing down to a mile when and if he goes for the Mile on turf at the Breeders’ Cup.
With the Breeders’ Cup four weeks away, Romans can’t wait to send Dullahan as soon as he can, so he can determine a race over how his colt works at Santa Anita.
About exercise rider Tammy Fox, Romans said, “If she tells me he just bounces over it like he does the synthetic, it’s a little tighter, a little firmer like he likes it, then we’d have to think very seriously about the Classic,” Romans said on a national
teleconference.
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