BC25 Instant Reaction

All right, we've just gone final here at Breeders' Cup 2025.

The Philly and Mare Turf in the books here, boys.

We're going to talk through those Breeders' Cup races that

happened today. Luther Bow, of course, horse

racing happy hour hanging out with you.

Thanks to our promoters, our partners, I should say,

promoters Good God and Wager and wager.com.

And of course, never say die Bourbon alongside Barry Spears

and of course Forbes contributor Danny Brewer as well.

Let's just kind of go through the card here.

But before we do that, what is it?

Forever young will remember. Remember from today.

I think one of them for sure. Yeah.

You know, how can you not? A true world champion.

Japan's first British Cup Classic winner.

You know, I had billed this coming in as a true as the truth

world championship. We've had any of the Breeders

Cups. And here we have a horse from

Japan winning the Breeders Cup Classic, $7,000,000.

Hats off to him. Superb run.

No doubt about it and very just a world trotting Saudi Cup

winner. Now he wins this race.

What a what a terrific 2025. You think it's going to get some

Eclipse votes? I think so because that that

race was very, very good. He's basically the highest rated

dirt horse in the world off of that Saudi and now this.

I think he should get some Eclipse folks.

Yeah, it'll be fascinating moving forward with him as well,

see what their next move is. Who knows what they're thinking,

frankly with him because there's Saudi money on the table.

There's still UAE money on the table.

I'm gonna guess he runs another race at least in the Arabian

Peninsula moving forward. And so that one should be really

interesting to look at as well. Let's go through the races,

though. Otherwise, we get the DeAngelo

double today. And we always talk about how

nice of a guy Jose DeAngelo is. Well, it turns out he's an OK

trainer, too. And so she's so spicy.

Barry, you saw her in the paddock today and you thought,

my goodness, I'm gonna go slap some money on that. 5 to 1 did

what we thought Cod Bird was gonna do last year, except she

actually did it this year. Yeah, it was one of those rare

instances where my pics went out the window when I saw her walk

in the pad. She was literally jumping out of

her skin. I I said it multiple times, I

even tweeted it out, said that she looks the best and is going

to run the best and and she did exactly that.

Just a trail of fire and nobody could catch it.

I haven't looked yet, Danny, but I would love to know what her

cruising speed was throughout the race because I don't think

she speed up or slowed down at any point.

I think what she got to top speed, she just kept going.

Oh it. Was hammered down, you know, and

the one thing that I'm proud to say about her Kentucky Downs

graduate after the top 2 finishers in that race, her and

AG Bullet, both Kentucky Downs, great points.

And she's so spicy. She looked so good at Kentucky

Downs. You know, I thought she was

right here. And then I'm like, Barry, when I

saw her in the pack, I'm like, whoa.

But yeah, she she, she performed to her looks.

Ben Tornado, back-to-back top two in the Breeders Cup, gets

the win this year. They use that Louisville

Thoroughbred Society, the old $300,000 listed stakes, Air

Churchill Downs, just to get a little confidence into this

horse. Barry paid off 10 times frankly

today. Yeah, I I mean, just that amount

of confidence, they, they had no doubt in their mind what kind of

performance they were going to get.

I mean, they came with the entourage and everything.

They knew this horse was loaded and and I I mean, what an

amazing. Anything to add?

I mean, Ben Tornado just one of the best today for sure.

Just absolutely imposing physically.

When he was walking out on the track, you were like, whoa.

Yeah, a little bit of redemption too, right?

I mean last year. I went to the revenge race

almost right. Yeah, it got nipped by Straight

No Chaser and I thought last year was probably better, just

kind of got a a less than ideal trip and this year just just the

best. Horse.

Just the best horse. That's exactly right.

Going to the Distaff. Cilla puts it all together.

Barry, you and I talked about her during this week.

She's just one of those horses you get an honest effort from.

We'll talk about Sierra Leone in the in the classic.

Obviously not at the level of Sierra Leone never misses the

try, but boy, she sort of feels like that really put it

together. And what I loved about it was it

was very clear Junior Alvarado watched all these other dirt

races and said we got to be near the front or on the front.

She went ahead and took advantage of the track bias

today. Well, yeah, you know what?

What I was remarking about that horse and what caught my eyes,

that she was running long, ran well and then started running

Sprint races. I think Bill Mott, honestly,

this was kind of planned in the way that they ran her short for

a while to get her sharp, then go back long and she nailed it

today. Yeah.

Anything to add to that? I mean, she was unbelievable.

The most impressive thing was when Nitrogen came to her, and

Nitrogen is a very good horse. Yes, yes.

And Nitrogen came to her on the turn.

I was like, uh oh. But no, it was like she saw her.

And once she got it within her eyes said he was like, whoa, I'm

gone. Seismic beauty, a bit of a

stumble out of the gate. Bob Baffert still winless in the

Breeders Cup. Distaff.

Impossible to imagine, frankly. The given raise, the quality of

horses that he sent to that field, it's a reminder of how

difficult this game is. We'll talk about him later on in

the Mile, the Dirt Mile. Excuse me, because he reties

Aidan O'Brien. We'll get to that in just a

second. But of course, boys, I don't

know if anyone saw the turf or was like watching me all week

talk about the turf and how excited we were for Rebels

romance and for Mini Hawk and just the matchup.

And boy, did we get a run between.

Oh, what was that? What was that someone who was

talking about ethical diamond this week?

I'm trying to remember Barry, who that was that put that up on

the screen on the blood horse feed, told everyone he could,

got a note from like 30 people. Like holy crap, that hurdle

horse won on the outside. Listen to your boy when you've

got a huncher. Stand me.

Get in this place. Barry and I made complete

Botoxes of ourselves in the media, in the in the main, in

the press box today. I kind of don't care.

I'm going to get slapped on the wrist on Wednesday in our

meeting. I don't care Ethical Diamond

from the outside, Danny. That's why we love the Breeders

Cup stories like Ethical diamond coming over.

They figure out what's best for the horse and then they go, you

know what, we're going for a championship.

We don't care if the 2nd place finisher in the arc is there.

We don't care if the two Diamonds defending champion is

there, Bang, we get Ethical Diamond.

Well, the thing about is when you're in the cup, if you can

make it to the cup and you can get in the starting gauge, you

got a chance, You got a real chance.

And this was a horse that absolutely had a real chance.

You know, a diamond in the roughage, you back horse and you

get paid. That's the name of this game.

That's exactly right. We saw this horse go left-handed

and a couple of times comes over, seems to love the turns.

Another one like Gestad, frankly, that might want to

spend a little more time over here where we got these kinds of

races more often. Maybe that three turn thing for

Ethical Diamond moving forward a real positive.

Frankly. And that was that was a hell of

a performance, I mean, and a hell of a ride, I mean, no doubt

about it. Jock left that horse outside

just like we talked about. You know, this horse wasn't

going to be affected by the wide trip because he had the stamina

and showed it. Legs came wide and clear and won

the race with a lot of authority.

I I mean this horse should be a force.

This horse was in a $12,300 maiden hurdle race this year in

February, goes ahead and wins a Breeders' Cup race here today.

All right, that's why you tune into SoCal Saturdays or I guess

hurdles Saturdays. Are we starting that a little?

Hurdle all. Right.

We'll move on from that. We do get the superstar race of

the day and I want to get into this very specifically because

last year we had those three horses in the classic that we're

the three-year olds and we prayed they would come back.

That trifecta that we saw the Breeders Cup Classic, they all

came back and guess what, guys? They're all in the trifecta once

again. Just.

A little bit different. Order a little different order,

but boy, you talk about year to year that three-year old class

from 2024. I know we've got sovereignty in

2025 and I, I'm not going to do the speculation thing with

sovereignty right now in this particular part of the

conversation, but how good now looking back, how deep was that

24 class? I think we saw it on display

today. Yeah, I mean, that was a hell of

a race. Everybody had a shot that, you

know, everybody got their trips and and they just couldn't get

past the king forever young just just dug in and and lasted. 2

minutes flat. Very impressive in the plastic

and mild quarter. Unbelievable time.

And I think what we've seen with these three horses are they have

gotten better, you know, with these, with all these horses,

whether they be at two or three or four, whatever, as they get

older, do they get better, Do they not?

Some horses do and some horses don't.

These three horses have all gotten.

A lot. Better and they ran like it

today and I mean you know if they run it tomorrow it could

finish the exact opposite in in order as far as fierce might win

or or Sierra Leone might win but I think those are extremely

quality horses I. Probably notably Place Forever

Young changed running styles and that I think was a major key

before I think it was two years ago or last year with that horse

was lagging way way in the back and they had really no shot came

running late. But this year was right on the

pace, held everybody off and and really gritty but.

That's what happened in the Derby, you know, and that's what

happened here. And he just ended up, like you

said, he didn't have enough track.

And if you look back at the Saudi Derby, he was up there.

He was right there with. Rebels romance.

And before the race I was talking with a Japanese reporter

down there and I said if he runs a Saudi Derby race, he's going

to win. And he said you're right, he

needs to be closer to the pace. And he was.

He did exactly that today. A brilliant ride, frankly.

Obviously the management of the horse getting that left-handed

race in Japan before shipping over here.

Tons of confidence. If you looked at the time on

that race, you would have thought he's got no shot here.

His last work was 51 seconds over 4 furlongs.

Wow. And then he shows up like this.

Barry and I saw him during the week while we were we're doing

our radio show here in the in the paddock and it was just a

different horse than even we saw last year like you mentioned

developing into the great runner that he is.

Sovereignty not here, 2 minutes flat.

Do we think he would have won this race, Danny?

You know, I'm not sure I I would say based on his running style,

I don't think so because of the way the tracks.

I just don't think so because he's a horse that likes to come

from off the pace a little bit and they just didn't do it

today. I mean, you didn't see the

closers doing it. One thing that I want to add

about. Forever young is.

Did a story about him back in July and I got to talk with his

trainer and one of the things his trainer said was the only

reason he's gotten me is because of me, not because of.

The training horse. And he and he said, I feel I

take full responsibility for him not playing because he's that

good. So that you know that that kind

of told me. And that was one of the reasons

why I played him today, why he was my pick, because I knew that

that if this guy that's had the success he's had thinks it,

thinks that about this horse, then maybe I should.

Yeah, Yoshi Yahaga doing a great job with him for sure in the

training job there. We may we have just seen the

last run of journalism, who I thought showed himself very well

here just wasn't up to snuff with this group.

What's his legacy, Barry? I mean, you know, prick this

winter Haskell winner, second in the other two classics.

That's an incredible 2, three-year old.

Excuse me for any any horse, frankly, especially one that has

to run against sovereignty. No shame in any of his runs.

He showed up every time. Second in the Pacific Classic,

frankly, you know, just over and over again we got honest efforts

from journalism. Those connections handled him

perfectly and said no, we're going to Baltimore.

We're doing the thing frankly, save the Triple Crown this year.

Let's be honest about it guys, because when sovereignty skips

Baltimore and if if journalism doesn't go, what are we doing

here right. I mean that we're sitting on a

race that I don't know anyone's interesting about the journalism

goes ahead. Does that rally in the in the in

the stretch of the Preakness. Certainly the moment of the year

in horse racing so far and comes back and sets up that match race

that that get back in the Belmont sovereignty at home goes

up there anyway they challenge them anyway.

I'm going to remember him as the as the horse that always gave an

honest effort and showed up every time.

And frankly, you went to grade once and the Preakness and the

Haskell. It's a hell of a three-year old

year. Well, it is.

And, you know, don't forget about Santa Anita.

Derby, Thank you. Good point.

So he had three. Great.

All the way back to the low sounds or the low, the futurity.

Yeah, for sure. Yeah, he had.

Three grade ones this year. Great point.

A warrior's mentality. Mike McCarthy did an excellent

job getting that horse Freddy every time.

And so, you know, my hat's off to him, too.

He's a hero to me because like I said, he fought the fight.

He he was ready to go. Save the trouble, Crown.

Right. Saved it, yeah.

And, and this was a question too, if sovereignty weren't

running, would journalism be a Triple Crown?

That's always a question. Whenever there's a great horse,

there's the horse right behind him.

Journalism, certainly capable of running all three of them, and

we appreciate that for sure. As part of 2025.

After that, of course, notable speech, my goodness, a horse

that I liked a lot, we thought this might be a wide open race.

Oh, right, Bill Buick's here. Bill Buick Ride of the Weekend

0. Absolutely.

It's up there. That was definitely the ride of

the weekend. I mean, he had the gumption to

go through that hole and and that made all the difference.

If he if he doesn't go through that hole, they don't win and.

We're not talking about you got to know your horse too, to do

that Danny and boy. Obvious relationship there.

And that Woodbine Mile, once again, a great predictor of

success in the Turf Mile here. Oh.

Well, absolutely, you know, and and very fright the the courage

to get up the rail like that, because if he does, if he tries

to go outside, he does goes from the man was running his tail

off. No, not about it and ran a

fantastic race and he he doesn't get by those other horses.

He had to go up the rail and he did.

And fantastic ride anyone. We go to the late double and a

couple of races that I thought brought out interesting

storylines. Baffert goes 1/2 with Nisos and

Citizen Bowl in the Dirt Mile. And Nisos, gosh, he's great.

Every time he's on the track, we expect that kind of effort from

him. Citizen Bowl, though, getting to

what he might be best at, you know, 7 1/2, seven, seven and a

half, 88 and a half, kind of furlongs.

We think of that like mile and a 16th race at Churchill Downs

upcoming in the spring. But Barry boy, you're concerned

we might not see him again? Yeah, I mean, I, I, like I told

you earlier, I have never seen a horse run that fast.

And it it'd be it's a question that if that horse can come back

from something like that, you usually don't see him for a long

time. Sometimes that happens with

Baffert's horses, so it's interesting to see what happens

with that horse going forward. I tend to think we might not see

him again, but if we do, absolutely great because I want

to see a horse run that fast again.

Maybe the the Godolphin Mile? Are you a it?

Could be, you know, like I said, when you think about the bull,

you think about the one that gets out of the gate and goes

OK, and that ain't no bull. Because if you think about what

happened when he ran here and won the juvenile last year,

what'd he do? Broke like a shot gate to wire

the whole way. Almost did it today.

A head Bob away from you know it, you know.

It was. Yeah, blaring nostril away from

winning the Dirt Mile today in a huge upset.

So no, I I hope he comes back because he runs his guts out.

I'll give you another one. We saw Bob Baffert ship to the

Wood Memorial this year with Rodriguez.

Why not try Citizen Bowl in the Cigar Mile, give him another

high level grade at stakes win. That horse could win in New

York, I think for sure. And I'd be interested to see

that he'd be second off here. I don't know.

I think that's an interesting spot for him to land there.

Chancellor Mcpatrick, get some money here as well.

Off to the breeding shed I think after that 3 for four as a 2

year old, just one of those horses that was really, really

great as a juvenile and then ran into just incredible fields,

bluegrass, Woody Stevens, etcetera.

Did win the Curlin this year. Of course, tried him in the

jerkins and boy that Patch Adams was, nobody was catching him

that day and so. He's like a horse that Danny was

talking about that didn't make the jump from 2:00 to 3:00.

That's exactly right. He just didn't improve and and

it showed on the racetrack. Be interesting to see what he

ends up being as a stud. We close the card with what I

think is actually a legitimately interesting storyline in here

and it's because of the trainer who's who trained the winner in

here. The morning line favorite wins

but goes off. It was 7 to one, 8 to 1,

something like 8 to one. Yeah.

Pays 20 bucks here at least to close the card here.

Comes out alone. Shot was the other horse out of

the arc running out of the card today.

She tried against another, by the way. 3 year old Philly tries

the arc. There isn't up to that group

obviously say try Minnie Hawk and the turf.

She would have been a prohibitive favorite in this

kind of field, but Gazora gets it done for.

Francis Henri Graffa and that is the name, I'll say it in

English, Francis Henry Graffard that you need to remember his

first Breeders' Cup win. He is becoming very quickly the

top trainer in France. And as we look at the changing

landscape and what's happening in turf racing, Deauville,

L'anchon, those are becoming places, Chantilly, frankly in

France that people want to be at because frankly, look at it's

the purse money here, a little bit more money in France than

there might be even at Royal Asket, things like that.

A guy like that is going to get better and better horses heading

his way. This is a, this is a $16,800

breeding job. This isn't some kind of super

horse. This isn't a Dubawi or a low

Beta Vega or something like that.

This is an Almanzor, the French bread.

Now it's a wooden basset line. I'm not going to put that down

at all. But this is a name to remember

Francis Francis Henry Griffard going forward.

Just one of those names to add to your BC list as we move

forward. I would say we, we.

I would not say that. What would you say?

What about the performance? So really, really terrific.

Right, Yeah. I mean, this source was loaded

in just the fact that this horse finished way back in the pack in

the arc and the morning line maker obviously shout out to

David Ergon. Knew something?

Knew that that was a tough race for everybody, even Mini Hawk.

I mean, just the fact that she didn't show up tells you how

tough of a race that was. Gazora came out of it well, wins

this. One never gone left-handed

before but did win a right-handed grade one in the

Preeta Dion at Chantilly this year.

Boys, a spectacular weekend. Bury your first Breeders' Cup.

I wanted you to kind of just share while we're here, how are

you feeling right now? I'm sure it hasn't sunk in that

you got to do 2 days and, and behind the scenes in the paddock

for, for race 5 yesterday. Race 6 yesterday, I should say.

Excuse me, what a what a trip for?

You yeah, it's phenomenal. I mean, what a what a great

British cup to come to see performances like She's so Spicy

and Tornado and then Citizen Bull.

I mean, I, I can't say enough about Citizen Bull's

performance. I've never seen a horse run that

fast. So yeah, the weather was great.

Every, everybody's great. The hospitality, the track,

everything was excellent. I I can't say enough about it.

How many breeders cups you've been to now?

Jamie, let's see, I was as a fan of 2006 and been a member of the

media since 2009. So quite a few.

It never gets old. I love it.

The competition course, you know, the amount of races has

changed the days because when I first started going, it was one

day, you know, so the days of the the the competition has

gotten a lot of Fisher more of a world championship than it's

been, like I said earlier. So, you know, just fantastic.

I love Delmar. That's one of my favorite places

on Earth. And so you know it, it's just

fantastic. And you know, I'm I'm happy to

pig in slop. We're going to get out of here.

Many, many thousands of you hung out with us this week and we are

eternally grateful. Barry and I are findable on the

On the Horse Racing Happy Hour. You can catch me in a Blood

Horse Monday Breeders' Cup reaction edition.

I caught up with Brooke Smith right after the race.

He gave me 60 seconds walking to the owners room right after the

race. Sierra Leones owner, you will

not want to miss that. Sean will have an exclusive with

Jose D'Angelo as well that will air as part of that episode.

So get in with us on Blood Horse Monday.

Of course, follow Danny at Forbes.

He's a contributor over there. And Barry, everybody knows where

to find him on Twitter. We get it, Barry, you're

popular. I'm Lunar, Bowie's daddy and

he's Barry. That's our that's our coverage

from here at Delmar. Now I got to go buy dinner.

Amen. That's.

Right, that's always a good problem.

Have a good weekend, everybody.