Sunday, October 28, 2001
Tiznow repeats BC Classic victory
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — Tiznow turned tiger and made Breeders' Cup history Saturday by becoming the first two-time winner of the $4million Classic.
It looked as if Sakhee, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner, would deny Tiznow a second straight Classic win on a cold, windy day at Belmont Park. But Tiznow, who was sidelined for six months by a bad back and appeared disinterested in some races, drew even with Sakhee with a sixteenth of a mile left and then stuck his nose in front at the wire.
“He's just outstanding, he is a wonderful horse,” said jockey Chris McCarron after winning his fifth Classic.
Bobby Frankel lost with favorites in the first two races and saw favored Aptitude finish eighth in the Classic, but he finally got his first Breeders' Cup victory in 39 starts when Squirtle Squirt won the Sprint. “It's great — finally,” said Frankel, who saw Flute finish seventh in the Distaff, won by Unbridled Elaine, and You finish fifth in the Juvenile Fillies, won by Tempera.
Johannesburg, making his U.S. and dirt debuts, dazzled in the Juvenile, as 3-5 favorite Officer finished fifth. Kentucky Cup Juvenile winner Repent, owned by Select Stable of Cincinnatians Feye and Jerry Bach, finished a closing second.
Arab owners won three races. The Godolphin Racing stable of the Maktoum family of Dubai won Turf with Fantastic Light, based in Europe, and with Tempera, based in California. Prince Khalid Abdullah of Saudi Arabia won the Filly and Mare Turf with Europe-based Banks Hill.
Godolphin's Fantastic Light earned $1,112,800, Tempera earned $520,000, Imperial Gesture earned $200,000 and Sakhee earned $800,000 as the stable pledged all its winnings to the NTRA Charities-New York Heroes Fund to benefit victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack.
Tiznow's thrilling victory before 52,987 fans snapped a two-race losing streak for a horse that looked lethargic in finishing third in his previous start. It was the sixth race this year for the Jay Robbins-trained colt, who did not race from March to September because of a back injury.
“I thought I was running for second money at the eighth pole,” McCarron said.
“It was a very tough battle,” he added.
Tiznow ($15.80) raced the 1 1/4 miles in 2:00 3-5. Sakhee, ridden by Frankie Dettori and making his U.S. and dirt debuts, finished 1 3-4 lengths ahead of Albert the Great.
As he was handed the Classic trophy, Michael Cooper raised it to the sky and remembered co-owner Cecilia Straub-Rubens, who died three days after Tiznow's win last year at the age of 83. “Cee, this is for you, babe. Wish you were here,” Cooper said.
Johannesburg, who did not race as a 2-year-old, made the Juvenile his seventh win by overcoming traffic problems. Officer led after three-quarters of a mile, then faded in the stretch.
“No excuses,” said Victor Espinoza, Officer's jockey. “It wasn't his day today.”
Johannesburg ($16.80), ridden by Michael Kinane and trained by Aidan O'Brien of Ireland, was behind horses entering the stretch, then altered his course to the outside four wide at the eighth pole in beating Repent by a half-length.
Fantastic Light ($4.80), who was fourth in the Turf last year, withstood a furious stretch challenge by Milan for a three-quarter-length victory in a course record 2:24 1/5 for 1 1/4 miles. That was one-fifth of a second faster than the old mark.
Squirtle Squirt, fourth with a quarter-mile left in the Sprint, overtook 3-year-old filly Xtra Heat 70 yards from the finish to win by a half-length.
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