2010 was a year full of spectacular races. From the Triple Crown races to the Breeders’ Cup Classic, every event provided unceasing entertainment for the fans of the sport. With Zenyatta losing her last race and an intense discussion
as to who should be given the Horse of the Year honours, the racing season has almost ended with just a few races left in Thanksgiving week. Sports analysts and fans are looking forward to these events which will start from Wednesday to Sunday. The first main
course race that will run at the home of the Kentucky Derby is the Grade II Falls City Handicap. The meet is open for fillies and mares of age three and above and will be run on Thanksgiving. Clark Handicap will be taking place on the 26th of November.
It is a Grade I race that will be run for the 137th time. The event carries purse money of $500,000 and is open for the older racehorses of the country. The final event of the week is the ‘Stars of Tomorrow’, a program that will take place on Saturday
and will be especially dedicated to the two year old racehorses of the country. This event will be followed by two Grade II races, both carrying purse money of $150,000. These meets are stakes events popularly known by the names of the Kentucky Jockey Club
and the Golden Rod.
It is indeed great news for all those who adore this animal sport as the Fall Meet will be closed on Sunday and not Saturday, as per routine. This implies that the Fall Meet is extended by another day. The event that will be taking
place on Friday, the Clark Handicap is going to bring to the limelight the upcoming stars of horse racing, the colts that have the potential to become the future champions of the industry. These colts are considered to be the major contenders of the 2011 Breeders’
Cup World Championships that will once again be run at Churchill Downs on the 4th and 5th of November 2011.
Blame is one of these strong contenders. The winner of this years’s Breeders’ Cup Classic and three other races this season, Blame has become the centre of attention of those involved in the horse business after he held off the
unbeaten Zenyatta in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs this year.
The list of contenders for next year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic starts with Apart, a stable mate of the great Blame. He will also be running in the Clark and has won the Ack Ack Handicap on the same track, Churchill Downs. He is expected
to follow the same career path as his stall mate. Next is the winner of the Fayette over the synthetic Polytrack at Keenland, Successful Dan. The racehorse is being sent out as a heavy favourite in the Clark’s event, as he has already won stakes meets over
the dirt surface at Churchill Downs. The upcoming champion colt comes from the stable of Lexington-based Charles Lopresti.
One of the strongest contenders of the Clark’s start is the nine year old gelding Brass Hat. The racehorse is owned and bred by Fred Bradley. He has won many Grade I events in the recent years. The supposed George Blanda of these
days is set to join the recent stars with reference to the ranking system in the Thoroughbred. He will join The Tin Man, John’s Call and many other legends after winning the Clark’s status after running into the later stages of his career.
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