Columnist Ralph Siraco: Behrens may get shut out of Eclipse Awards

Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday, and his Southern California selections run Tuesday through Friday. Reach him c/o Las Vegas Sun, 800 S. Valley View Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89107.

For the past 15 years or so, when there was any doubt about who was best of the year in racing's divisional categories, the score would be settled on the track -- like men -- or, in this case, men and steeds.

That is exactly what the Breeders' Cup championship day of racing was meant to do -- settle all doubts in championship competition on championship day.

And, for the better part of the now 16 editions of Breeders' Cup, that is exactly what has transpired. In very few exceptions, the yearly honors were on the line at the year-end summit of racing. Period.

If you didn't make it to Breeders' Cup you were paddling uphill to those who did and won. That is, until this year.

So much for the best-laid plans of man and beast.

Now, after the dust has settled on Breeders' Cup XVI, voters for Eclipse Awards -- the Oscars of racing -- may be casting ballots for those who didn't even make it to the big show. Some Cup-day winners secured their hardware, but some others lost whatever claim they had in defeat.

The biggest Eclipse loser may have been Behrens. The consistent handicap star staked his bid by simply surviving to compete in the Breeders' Cup Classic. In a year that saw the likes of Victory Gallop, Real Quiet, Free House, Silver Charm, Purto Madero, Event of the Year and Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Charismatic not making the course, it was a major accomplishment just making the starting gate.

Boasting a record of 4 wins and 4 seconds from 8 starts this year, the James Bond-trainee was kept to his schedule like the sun rising in the east, but came up a cropper for the big test.

Although his record speaks for itself, many may ask why shouldn't the trophy go to the horse who beat him on the big day instead. Of course Bond relayed that Behrens had bled in the race. The trainer said, "On a scale from 1 to 10, it was probably a 5." He added, "I thought the track (condition) was very speed biased. It wasn't to his liking."

OK Jim, but the "track" didn't seem to bother Behrens from breaking his maiden in January of 1997 or winning the Gulfstream Park Handicap over the surface in February.

On the human side, trainer Bob Baffert, who burst onto the national scene with his Triple Crown runners in the '90s, had a disastrous Breeders' Cup. Of the eight starters, four of which were the betting favorites, the silver-haired conditioner managed only a pair of in-the-money finishes.

Other streaks that kept status were trainer Bobby Frankel's 0-for-34, jockey Alex Solis at 0-for-31 and California-breds who have stretched their drought to 0-for-44 in Breeders' Cup competition.

Jockey Jorge Chavez ended his 0-for-19 shutout with victories aboard Beautiful Pleasure in the Distaff and Artax in the Sprint. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas added to his Breeders' Cup leader record with victories by Cash Run in the Juvenile Fillies and Cat Thief in the Classic. The latter victory enabled jockey Pat Day to increase his leader record in the riders category as well.

Although Cat Thief did win the "big" one in capturing the Breeders' Cup Classic, it would be hard to give him an Eclipse Award based on only two victories -- the other the Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park in July -- from a dozen starts this year. Or, would it?

Some Eclipse Awards did get "voter approval" at Breeders' Cup however, and of those many left no doubt after their performances.

The European Daylami may have secured his trophy with just his Breeders' Cup Turf victory on American soil this year. Although the gray had come hours away from competing in last year's Turf -- only to be scratched on the morning of the race with a fever -- he did account for his only other U. S. start in last year's Man 'O War at Belmont Park. With no American standout in the ranks this year, Daylami's impressive victory may be enough to get the honor as Best Turf Horse.

The only other horse who could make a case for that trophy may be Breeders' Cup Mile winner Silic. He accounted for the Shoemaker and Oak Tree Miles with powerful victories before his thrilling finish to capture the BC version. However, his middle distance specialty may limit serious consideration for the overall honor. He can make a final case for the vote if his connections accept an invitation to compete in the December 12th Hong Kong Mile.

The Eclipse Award for best turf filly or mare was won on the course at Gulfstream Park. The inaugural Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf saw Soaring Softly dispose of an overflow field of champions. Her record of 7 wins from 8 turf starts this year capped off with the Breeders' Cup win should give her the trophy hands down.

Another with a divisional Eclipse wrapped up is Artax. His Breeders' Cup Sprint victory was his third track record performance this year. While streaking to his third consecutive victory in the Sprint, the speedster stopped the clock for the 6-furlongs in 1:07:4, which equaled the 26-year-old record established by Mr. Prospector.

He set the 7-furlong track record of 1:20 at Aqueduct in winning the Carter Handicap in May, then set another record in the Forest Hills Handicap at Belmont Park with a 6-furlong clocking of 1:07:3.

But, his connections are lobbying for Horse of the Year honors, claiming no other horse this year has been so dominant with track record performances. He'll try to pursuade voters once more this year with a start in the Cigar Mile at Aqueduct on Nov. 27.

Although Silverbulletday had the sophomore filly Eclipse locked up before Breeders' Cup, she lost all chance at adding the Distaff trophy to the collection (she won the Best Juvenile Filly award last year). That Eclipse has Beautiful Pleasure's name on it. Her come-catch-me-if-you-can run in the Breeders' Cup Distaff left Silverbulletday in her wake as well as runner up Banshee Breeze. That third consecutive victory capped off a 4-for-7 season and the hardware.

Although many thought the previously undefeated Chilukki had the juvenile fillies division safely tucked away before the Breeders' Cup, many will now re-think this ballot. Cash Run, benefited by a Hall Of Fame ride by Jerry Bailey, grabbed the lead and fought off Chilukki's challenge to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Now voters must decide if Cash Run's big day victory over Chilukki outweighs the Bob Baffert trainee's 6-for-7 overall record. Many may reason, a championship-day win equals a half-dozen non-championship-day performances.

As is the case in most years, the juvenile honor usually goes to the lightly-raced but big day winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. The talented, royally-bred Anees captured the Juvenile with pinache. Jockey Gary Stevens guided his equine partner from 14th and last -- as they passed the grandstand for the first time -- to first with a rousing rally that has his connections dreaming of the same stretch rally under the twin spires of Churchill Downs on the first Saturday of May 2000. By that time, Anees should have at least his Juvenile Eclipse trophy sitting on the mantle.

Although this year's Breeders' Cup answered some Eclipse Award questions, the big one still remains after the big day. This year whoever finally gets the Horse of the Year honors will have to defend that claim through many debates. And, the winner may not have been any closer than a television set from this year's Breeders' Cup action.

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