Countdown to The 2006 Breeders' Cup Horse Racing Event

A total of 121 horse contenders were pre-entered for the eight Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships races worth $20 million that will take place on Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

The numbers were announced by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association on through a media teleconference on Oct. 25.

Here are important updates for the 2006 Breeders Cup event:

• Bernardini and Lava Man gained top odds to win $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic race. But Bernadini was made the early 8-5 favorite by Daily Racing Form oddsmaker Mike Watchmaker.

• Last year's BC Classic 2nd placer, Flower Alley, was excluded from this year's race and placed on the also-eligible list. Meaning he will not be eligible to compete unless another horse is withdrawn from the field before entries are taken Nov. 1.

• His trainer Todd Pletcher called NTRA's decision "a joke."

• Meanwhile, Pletcher has made another record by pre-entering 18 Breeders’ Cup starters all in stride. Pletcher is expected to have at least one starter in seven of the eight championship day races, with the lone exception the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

• Scat Daddy pulled a three-quarter-length victory on Oct. 21 at the 135th running of the $400,000 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park. Earning him a spot in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

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Flower Alley To Try Again at 2006 Breeders Cup Classic

NEW YORK (AP) -- Bernardini will have plenty of competition when the leading Horse of the Year contender enters the starting gate for the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs.
Flower Alley, second in last year's Breeders Cup Classic, will be back for another try, trainer Todd Pletcher's assistant Mike McCarthy said Monday from The Downs.

Also headed to the 1-mile Classic is Europe's leading miler, George Washington, trainer Aidan O'Brien told The Independent.

The Classic field is limited to 14 starters, but more are being considered for the richest race in North America, which raised its' purse from $4 million last year.

The 4-year-old Flower Alley finished seventh in the Whitney and the Woodward this year, but won the Jim Dandy and the Travers at Saratoga last year before his runner-up finish to Saint Liam in the 2005 Classic.

George Washington was bred by Gretchen and Roy Jackson, the owners of injured Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro.

Bernardini, the expected favorite, takes a six-race winning streak into the Classic, including victories in the Preakness, the Travers and the Jockey Club Gold Cup. There were only six horses in the Travers, and four in the Gold Cup.

Other horses with Classic plans include: Lava Man, winner of seven in a row; Invasor, winner in eight of nine career starts; Santa Anita Derby winner Brother Derek; Super Derby winner Strong Contender; 2005 Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo; and Andromeda's Hero, David Junior, Lawyer Ron, Perfect Drift, Premium Tap, Suave, Sun King and Super Frolic.

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Scat Daddy Earns Spot at Breeders' Cup Juvenile

Scat Daddy, edged past favored Nobiz Like Showbiz for a three-quarter-length victory in Saturday’s 135th running of the $400,000 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park.

With the win, Scat Daddy earned a spot in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, which will take place at Churchill Downs on November 4.

Scat Daddy, who won Saratoga’s Grade 2 Sanford and was second to stablemate Circular Quay in the Spa’s Grade 1 Hopeful, returned $7.40 to win in his first race beyond seven furlongs.

Scat Daddy’s victory also gave trainer Todd Pletcher his record 93rd stakes triumph of the season, breaking the former mark held by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas in 1987.

Nobiz Like Showbiz finished in second place and Pegasus Wind came in third.

My Golden Opinion was fourth followed by Got the Last Laugh, Xchanger, I’m a Numbers Guy, Buffalo Man, Liquidity and Scottish import Big Timer in a field of 10.

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Jazil, Belmont Stakes Champ, Skips Breeders Cup

Belmont Stakes winner Jazil is skipping the 2006 Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4, despite recovering from his bruised bone injury in the right hind leg and recently returning to training.

His trainer, Kiaran McLaughlin said, that the Breeders Cup Classic is too close for Jazil's next start and they are now looking at the Dubai World Cup next year.

"He's galloping every day, doing great and we hope to work him in the near future," said McLaughlin.

Jazil, owned by Dubai's Sheik Hamdan's Shadwell Stable, finished fourth in the Preakness Stakes before winning the Belmont on June 10 in his last race. After injuring his right cannon bone in mid-July, Jazil missed the Travers Stakes.

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