yep Ryan Moore was fully expected to win it this year but was out for a while this year and that has opened it up to the relatively unheralded Paul Hanagan and Richard Hughes to win the title.

Ryan Moore might actually be a good fit for Paco (and has ridden him a few times before!). Im am hoping to God they actually try to put Paco in the race earlier than normal to try to get first run on Goldi and with Moore on board, they might just do it..

On the topic of Gio Ponti, I will be delighted if he takes money in the Mile.

Be careful what you wish for.

As a son of Tale of the Cat, I've always thought that a mile is Gio Ponti's best distance. After he won the Kilroe Mile last year (defeating eventual Woodbine Mile heroine Ventura), and in the absence of top mile races here, Clement took a chance that he could get 10F in the Manhattan against a relatively weak group, and he succeeded. They then became committed to a "distance" (by US standards) campaign with the horse.

His recent win in the Shadwell Mile was very impressive; he'll get plenty of pace with Sidney's Candy and Get Stormy in the field; and he has perhaps the best turf rider in Dominguez aboard. Compared to the likes of a past-his-prime Kip Deville and Whatsthescript (2008) and Cowboy Cal and Courageous Cat (2009), Gio Pinti will certainly present the most formidable American opponent that Goldikova has faced in her three Breeders' Cup tries.

Kip Deville was every bit as formidable as Gio Ponti.

Ive been wrong on countless occasions and will pay for it if Gio wins but I would be surprised.

I don't think he is as good as he was last year.

I don't think a mile is his best distance and I always prefer horses to be running at or slightly more than optimum trip.

and I dont think he was that impressive last time out.

I think Proviso has a better shot than he does and I hate Proviso here!!!

Not in 2008. He was coming into the BC that year off a bad 5th at 1-2 in the Woodbine Mile behind Rahy's Attorney and Ventura.

Proviso is working really well and I give her a chance to upset this thing.

Gio is officially going in the mile.

This sounds shitty....

Sidney's Candy (Mile, five furlongs in 1:00.89): California invader was very aggressive leaving the pole and had to be given a left-handed tap of the whip to keep from lugging into the cones when he began to take a bit of an erratic path near the eighth pole. He finished and galloped out willingly enough under some late encouragement, but he just doesn't give the impression he's going to be able to carry his speed the distance against the quality group he will encounter in the Mile.

I have no doubt that somebody said this; the question is, who was it? As much as I respect the horse I think Sadler has done terribly by him and the fact his sale isn't finalized yet (to my knowledge) leads me to believe I'm not the only one having second thoughts about a once-fine colt. I won't put a penny on him unless he's post 3 or 4.

Who are you quoting?

You wouldn't be interested. It's on a site that sells past performances. And to anybody remotely familiar with BC coverage, there's no mystery as to who said it.

Mike Welsch.

Thanks R; I've been forced to concentrate on the horses themselves and haven't been reading much outside the boards and the occasional article. That'll change when I pick up the DRF (tonight?)

There never was a 'sale', a 'pending sale', a 'possible sale' or likely even an inquiry. I'm kind of against Sidney's Candy, but the sale thing shouldn't hold you back if you liked him. He looked great in his spin.

So you're calling Sadler a liar? I read at least 3 articles in Bloodhorse and elsewhere saying he was being sold and the first excuse was the banks were closed on Columbus day...it went downhill from there.

Trainers never lie.

I can just see it now.

The 'buyer' decides to buy Sidney's Candy, he must have it now, on Columbus Day!

Not before Columbus day, but exactly on Columbus Day. When they find out he can't buy SC on Columbus Day, he/they throw a tantrum or get second thoughts, like it's a sign from Allah, and change their mind the next day.

I always thought Columbus was Catholic.

The rumor was that it was a follower of Allah that was interested in buying SC.

But yeah, I hadn't considered that angle!

The whole purchase deal is bizarre and you might have figured it out with the Allah angle.

I thought there were vet issues.