When traditionalists look at the past performances of Gunite And Evil halo For their respective Breeders' Cup races, it must bring a smile.
There's something about the two Winchell Thoroughbreds runners that you won't see in any of the other 175 horses competing in the 14 Breeders' Cup races this weekend Keeneland.
Both run with only a two week break.
The presence of both Steve Asmussen-trained horses comes to the inaugural Breeders' Cup rather than the 39th, and comes at a time when two months' rest in a major race is far more fashionable than two weeks. But after two winning attempts on October 22nd at Keeneland, the connections had no qualms about running back at the World Championships on November 5th.
“There was a brief discussion about running her in the Breeders' Cup,” said David Fiske, racing director for Winchell Thoroughbreds. “There was a comment or maybe someone mentioned that it was a low break and someone responded that they do that all the time in the Preakness. So we said, 'Good point. Okay, let's move on to something else.'”
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Gunite, a 3-year-old home-raised son of Gun Runner won the Perryville Stakes at Keeneland by 3 3/4 lengths and is the 7-2 second choice in the $1 million Massive Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1). Wicked Halo, a 3-year-old homebred daughter of Gun Runner, scored her fourth straight victory, a four-length score in the Raven Run Stakes (G2) at Keeneland, and is listed as a 10-1 winner in the $1 million Breeders' competition listed. Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1).
Wicked Halo training on October 31st at Keeneland
When both emerged from these races with vigor and vigor, all forces were ready for the Breeders' Cup.
“It’s nothing novel to come back in two weeks,” Fiske said. “There just aren’t many people doing that these days. Gunite in particular survived his race very well. He didn't seem to be trying too strenuous in Perryville. He gets along very well in Keeneland and is a lot like epicenter he seems to show up every time.
Including runner-up Epicenter this spring, Asmussen has two wins and two seconds in the Preakness with horses that ran on Kentucky Derby (G1) weekend two weeks earlier. He has no qualms about doing what is now considered a “low rest.”
“In 50,000 starts, we've had a lot of different patterns, and with two weeks off, our odds are great,” the Hall of Fame coach said. “Our horses responded very well and this is an opportunity that both horses deserve.”
From a historical perspective, both horses are attempting to become the first Breeders' Cup winner with a two-week break since 2018, when Shamrock Rose used a victory in the Oct. 20 Raven Run as a springboard to victory in the Nov. 3 Filly and Mares' Sprint. Since then, the only winner has been with three weeks off or less Spun to run in the Dirt Mile 2019.
At last year's event, the four-week gap was the shortest for the 14 winners, and three of them last competed in August.
Reflecting the evolution of training methods, at the inaugural Breeders' Cup in 1984, four of the seven winners raced on 14 days of rest or less, with Wild Again, winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), having only 12 days between races.
Realistically, placing key preparations four or five weeks before the World Cup explains the lack of short-rest winners. But the Raven Run example shows how preparation at the same track or in the same state two or three weeks before the Breeders' Cup could produce an additional starter or two who have fitness on their side.
“I wouldn’t travel across the country with a two-week break,” Asmussen said. “But if they have a race near the Breeders' Cup and it's at the same track or close by, I would definitely suggest that you get another starter for the Breeders' Cup.”
“At a track like Keeneland, not everyone races there. We've seen this time and time again. With (Gunite and Wicked Halo) running their best races ever at the Keeneland track, I think it's a wonderful opportunity for them to be there in the Breeders' Cup.”
