CACIQUE SERVES NOTICE TO BREEDERS' CUP RIVALS
With such European-based standouts as Hurricane Run, Shirocco,
and perhaps Dylan Thomas as candidates, the Breeders' Cup Turf at
Churchill Downs on Nov. 4 is likely to be a much more difficult
race than last Saturday's Man o' War Stakes at Belmont Park. This
should not detract, however, from the eye-opening victory by
CACIQUE.
Everyone knew CACIQUE
was a good horse. He was sent off as the 8-5 favorite in the Man o'
War with a North American resume that included a win in the
Manhattan Handicap; narrowly beaten seconds in the Arlington
Million, United Nations, and Woodford Reserve Turf Classic; and an
unlucky loss in the Frank E. Kilroe, in which
CACIQUE was
beaten a neck after being carried to the parking lot turning
for home. Yet, as solid and as steady as CACIQUE's record in this country
was, it also invited some scrutiny. All those narrow defeats
made it valid to question CACIQUE's killer instinct. Even the
race he won, the Manhattan, was open to interpretation,
because CACIQUE
essentially controlled a very slow pace and was all out to
prevail in a blanket finish with three other opponents, two
of whom had much tougher trips.
That is why CACIQUE's
performance in the Man o' War was a revelation. Content to sit
farther off the early pace than he had been in most of his previous
U.S. starts, CACIQUE
split horses then stormed up the rail in the stretch with an
acceleration that was nothing short of devastating. He went his
final eighth of a mile in 10.95 seconds, an insanely fast final
split in a 1 3/8-mile race like the Man o' War, and especially so
when you consider that CACIQUE accomplished it over an inner
turf course that had some definite cut to it. Any horse who can
relax and finish the way CACIQUE did Saturday should have no
difficulty stretching out to the 1 1/2 miles of the Breeders' Cup
Turf. And while there are some critical Breeders' Cup Turf prep
races still to be run,
it could easily turn out that off his Man o' War,
CACIQUE will be North
America's best hope.
Date:
16 September 2006