LESTER PIGGOTT : ONCE A LEGEND, ALWAYS A LEGEND

Click above to watch Lester Piggott winning the
1990 Breeders Cup Mile aboard Royal Academy
(Image : Louisville - Footage : Sydneyvic)

ROYAL ACADEMY (USA)
1990 Breeders Cup Mile (Grade 1)

The number of stories about England’s most famous jockey are legion, and we just stumbled across another one. In his twilight days, Ireland’s greatest trainer, Vincent O’Brien stumbled across one last champion, Royal Academy. Such was the colt’s talent, he delayed the master’s retirement by two years. It was in the early days of the Breeders Cup, and Vincent, always the adventurer, decided to take his Group One winning sprinter for a final tilt at the Breeder’s Cup Mile. By this time, the veteran was already approaching his 80’s, and he elected to take the “long fellow” to the States with him. Remember, Lester Piggott had already retired once, and had been brought out of retirement by Vincent O’Brien. Perhaps not quite with this purpose in mind, but almost so.

That Royal Academy turned this into one of Vincent O’Brien’s best-remembered adventures, is now part of Ireland’s folklore, but there was an amusing aside as well. As Lester Piggott disembarked from his flight into Chicago, he was asked by the immigration officer if he was there for business or pleasure. The laconic Lester replied, “just pleasure”. And thus ended the story, as Messrs Justenni and Brooks so famously said “True pleasure is rare”!

INTERNATIONAL VIEWS ON RIVER JETEZ

River Jetez - J&B Met 2010
(Photo : Gold Circle)

RIVER JETEZ

Below are a couple of comments received via the Summerhill YouTube Channel relating to evergreen South African race mare, River Jetez.

Dear Summerhill Stud,
I just wanted to let you guys know, as a HUGE fan of River Jetez, that I thought her effort against Stacelita in the G1 Beverly D. Stakes at Arlington was fantastic!! This mare is all heart, and then some!! Anyone who’s followed Stacelita’s career, knows she was a multiple G1 winner in France. So there’s certainly no shame in a loss to her. She’s traveled the world in 2011, and more than held her own in every country she’s raced in. Not sure what Mike De Kock plans are for her now? But since I live about 90 minutes away from Churchill Downs in Kentucky, I would dearly love it if Mike De Kock brought River Jetez back stateside to race in this year’s B.C.F&M Turf!! I think River Jetez would be a fantastic addition to that race. I’m also keeping my fingers crossed that I’ll get to see her again in Dubai in 2012? Also, congrats on acquiring Master of Hounds from Coolmore, also!! He’s another that’s got a world of as of yet untapped potential. Wouldn’t surprise me if he’s one of De Kock’s Dubai World Cup horses in 2012?? Regards!!

GBeret83
United States

Dearly love this mare!! She’s all heart!! River Jetez has traveled the world in 2011, and held her own everywhere she’s been!! She was awesome at Meydan during this year’s Dubai Carnival. Probably didn’t run quite as well in Hong Kong and Singapore as De Kock would’ve liked? But she certainly wasn’t shamed either. Ran a respectable Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket, and followed that up with what I thought was a splendid effort against Stacelita in the G1 Beverly D. Stakes at Arlington!! Class mare!! The 2011 Dubai Carnival was my first time ever seeing River Jetez, and I fell in love with her from the start. Although, I thought jockey error from Soumillon kept her from winning both the Cape Verdi and Balanchine. And her Duty Free 2nd to Presvis was awesome, too. I know River Jetez is getting some age on her now. But she’s just so competitive. Really would love to see De Kock bring her to Churchill Downs for this year’s B.C. F&M Turf, and hopefully back to Meydan in 2012!! TJMO!!

GBeret83
United States

Mick’s reply:

Many thanks for your comments. They are always very welcome. You are obviously a blue-blooded racing man who knows his stuff extremely well. We have passed on your remarks to Mike de Kock and the two owners of River Jetez, as well as posting these comments on our Blog.

Hopefully you will see her at the BC Fillies and Mares.

Warm regards
Mick Goss

Click here to visit the
Summerhill YouTube Channel

A.P. INDY SOARING

Click above to watch Stay Thirsty winning the Travers Stakes
(Image : USA Today - Footage : NYRA)

TRAVERS STAKES (Grade 1)
Saratoga, Dirt, 2000m
27 August 2011

In the pantheon of America’s racing affairs, as important a three-year-old race as the Kentucky Derby, is Saratoga’s 10 furlong Travers Stakes (Gr1), contested last Saturday at the upstate New York venue. In the end, this was an out-and-out triumph for the sons and grandsons of A.P. Indy, as the winner, Stay Thirsty (by Bernardini), second on his previous start in the Belmont Stakes, strode away from Rattlesnake Bridge (by Tapit) and J W Blue (by Sky Mesa). The latter two stallions are sons of Pulpit (by A.P. Indy).

This throws the Three-Year-Old championship of America into disarray, and it will take some big performances going into the Breeders Cup, to put it to rest. For the time being though, it’s A.P. Indy; game, set and match.

ZENYATTA RETIRES : JOHN SHIRREFFS CONFIRMS

Zenyatta with Mike Smith aboard comes across the finish line in the Breeders’ Cup Classic
(Photo : Matthew Stockman/Getty)

“It’s unfortunate that she drops so far back…”

There had been speculation that Zenyatta (Street Cry) might be kept in training for another season, but trainer John Shirreffs said Sunday that was not the plan.

The six-year-old will return to California, but only for a brief stay. “She’ll be there for about a month,” Shirreffs said, adding, “That’s the thing about racing. As a trainer, you have to learn to let go. Heck, she’s been a champion for three years, and she’s going to a great place.” But the conditioner is unlikely to be watching the replay of the mare’s spectacular G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic effort any time soon. “It was her last race,” he said. “It’s all over. Why watch it again?”

Analyzing Zenyatta’s effort in the Classic, Shirreffs commented, “It’s unfortunate that she drops so far back. It left her too much to do.” But, he continued, “You always have that hope that she’ll get there when you see her lower her head and start stretching out.”

The trainer had no criticism for jockey Mike Smith after the race. “What could I say?” Shirreffs remarked. “I just patted him on the shoulder. He was devastated. The rest of her connections were as well. It’s been a fairy tale, and you want all fairy tales to come true,” Shirreffs concluded.

Zenyatta was scheduled to fly west Sunday night. Breeding plans have not been finalized.

Extract from Thoroughbred Daily News

ZENYATTA GOES FOR TWENTY/20

Zenyatta
(Photo : Aaron Duke)

“UNDEFEATED IN 19 STARTS”

She’s not only the defending Breeders Cup Classic heroine, she’s also undefeated in nineteen starts, and in what could be arguably her final career outing, the legendary Zenyatta had her final workout at Hollywood Saturday morning, going six furlongs in 1:11 4/5 with jockey Mike Smith aboard. The six-year-old mare, accompanied by a pair of stablemates, went from the five-eighths pole to an eighth past the wire. The fractions were 0:12 4/5, 0:25 2/5, 0:48 3/5 and 1:00.

“She went better than good,” said Smith. “It was excellent. She went really, really well and probably a little better than last year. She galloped out strong and was happy coming back. She’s ready. I’m always super confident with her. It’s racing. She’s going to have to get the trip, but if she does, I think we are going to see something phenomenal.”

Added trainer John Shirreffs, “It was a tune-up. It wasn’t necessarily a fast work - she was fast at the end. That’s her style. From here, we have fun, just play. She’s got everything done we needed to do.” Zenyatta will ship to Churchill Downs Tuesday.

Extract from Thoroughbred Daily News