Whoo-hoo!

Go Between edging out Well Armed in the Pacific Classic
*photo: Benoit/Bloodhorse


Well, I must say, I was correct.
Go Between won the Pacific Classic yesterday at Del Mar, beating a very game Well Armed.
Mast Track finished third.
Needless to say, I was psyched.

Coincidentally, Garrett Gomez was the jockey on Go Between sunday, and was also the jockey on Colonel John when he won saturday's Travers Stakes. Can you say 'frequent flier miles'? Del Mar to Saratoga to Del Mar in two days. Holy crap. What an outstanding job on his part (to stay awake I mean!)... seriously though, wow.


Go Between
*photo: Benoit & Assoc./ Thoroughbred Times

Trained by Bill Mott, Go Between is the 5 year old son of Point Given. He has been very effective on turf most of his career, but with the Polytrack installed at all California racetracks, he has found a new target in synthetic races. He has been a real star.

Guess that bodes pretty well for his chances in the Breeders' Cup Classic. It will be contested at Santa Anita Racetrack - on the Polytrack - in late October. Guess I'll make sure to bet on him, as I feel he (and his counterpart Colonel John) are steadily improving and are both sitting on another big effort....


Some horses just don't like synthetic surfaces, some do alright but are inconsistent, some have never even tried it, and some just fail miserably. And then there are some who thrive on it, such as our star.

I'll have to do a bit of studying before this years Classic. But without Curlin (who seemingly isn't going to be there - his owners refuse to race him on synthetics so far), I'd have to go with a mix of Go Between and Colonel John, with a bit of Commentator thrown in for fun... I mean, who wouldn't like to see the old man win?

And just to show you that I didn't have every winner this weekend - I picked Midnight Lute (Champion Sprinter last year and a son of one of my favorite horses, Real Quiet) in the Pat O'Brien Breeders' Cup Handicap. He just didn't fire at all and finished tenth.
Congrats to Lewis Michael for his victory.
You truly cannot... win them all.

(Well, unless you're Personal Ensign or something like that.)