They are the ones that started it all, in 1984 at Hollywood Park the first Breeders' Cup races where held. The following are reviews of each race.
Juvenile- Chief's Crown
Dispite the fact that Arlington-Washington Futurity winner Spend a Buck and multiple G1 placed Tanks Prospect where in the field, the multiple G1 winning Danzig colt Chief's Crown went off as the favorite. As the gates broke, Spend a Buck took the lead with Chief's Crown and Tanks Prospect towards the back of the field. Once they hit the turn that's when the latter two made their moves. In the end, Chief's Crown would win the Juvy and Champion 2yo Male. Tanks Prospect was second and Spend a Buck was third.
The next year, Chief's Crown would be favored in all three Triple Crown races. However, he would finish 3rd in the Derby to Spend a Buck, 2nd in the Preakness in to Tanks Prospect and 3rd in the Belmont. As a sire, Chief's Crown sired BC Turf winner Chief Bearheart and is the broodmare sire of Pimlico Special winner Eddington. As for the second and third place finishers? Tanks Prospect would sire multiple G2 winner Real Cash and Spend a Buck (the 1985 Horse of the Year) would sire multiple G1 winner and fan favorite Einstein.
Juvenile Fillies- Outstandingly (via DQ)
History would be made in this race, but not in a good way. KY bred Outstandingly and CA bred Fran's Valentine where fighting it out for Champion 2yo Filly honors. Fran's Valentine would win the race, but be disqualified for interference and was put in last place. Outstandingly who had finished in second was moved up to first and got the Championship.
It would be the first time a horse was DQ'ed from a win in the BC (and as of this year, the only time) Fran's Valentine would rebound to win the Kentucky Oaks the next year and finished second in the Alabama behind Triple Tiara winner Mom's Command. Both Fran's Valentine and Outstadingly would compete in hte BC again 2 years later finishing 2nd and 3rd respectivley behind Lady's Secret. As broodmares Fran's Valentine produced multiple G1 winner With Anticipation while Outstadingly produced G2 winner in England Sensation. Her 3/4 sister La Affirmed produced Bernstein while Bernstein's full sister Caress produced Sky Mesa.
Distaff- Princess Rooney
By the time that she took part in the first BC, Princess Rooney had already won the KY Oaks and several other G1 races. However, the Distaff would be her greatest race ever as she just ran away from the likes of that year's Champion 3yo Filly Life's Magic and multiple stakes winner Adored.
That would be more then enough to get her Champion Older Female honors for Princess Rooney. Life's Magic would come back the next year to win the Distaff defeating future Horse of the Year Lady's Secret. As a broodmare however, the top two could not produce a horse that could accomplish what they could. Princess Rooney spent her final years as a babysitter to weanlings.
Sprint- Eillo
When you reverse his name you get his owner's first name of Ollie. Eillo a multple stakes winner by future sire of sires Mr. Prospector had led the race gate to win holding off Commemorate and Fighting Fit.
Sadly shortly after his win, Ello would be gone of colic, he was four years old.
Mile- Royal Heroine
A survivor of a three horse breakdown in the Santa Ana Handicap, Royal Heroine beat the likes of Cozzene and Lear Fan in the first BC Mile.
As a broodmare, Royal Heroine could not reproduce herself. Cozzene who finished third would win the Mile the next year before becoming a successful sire.
Turf- Lashkari
All eyes where on the defending Horse of the Year All Along. All in the race where Derby champ Gato Del Sol and Australian superstar Strawberry Road. Somebody forgot to tell them that the Aga Khan sent Lashkari to run as well. He upset the field with All Along in second.
The next year Lashkari came back to defend his title only to lose to another super filly in Pebbles. Strawberry Road who the year before finished 4th finished in second. Lashkari is the broodmare sire of Epsom Derby winner Sinndar.
Classic- Wild Again
In a matchup between Preakness winner Gate Dancer and two time Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Slew O Gold in the race, Horse of the Year honors where up for grabs with turf star John Henry retired shortly before the Breeders' Cup. However the Icecapade colt Wild Again crashed their party, by upseting the two Champions in the final few strides. While Gate Dancer finished second and Slew O Gold finished third, they would switch postions after Gate Dancer interfered with Slew O Gold.
Dispite Wild Again's win, Slew O Gold was able to hang on to get Older Male while Gate Dancer was left empty handed (3yo Champion Male honors that year went to Swale who passed away shortly after his Belmont win). It also iced Horse of the Year honors for John Henry (his final HOY and becoming the Oldest Horse to ever win HOY). The next year Gate Dancer would finish second again in the Classic, this time to Proud Truth. Slew O Gold would sire 1989 Distaff runner up Gorgous. As for Wild Again? Well he was the final winner of the first BC to pass away (2008). As a sire, he didn't do that badly.
In 1997, his son Elmherst won the Sprint giving Jeanne Sahadi back to back Sprint wins (she had burst through the glass ceiling the year before with Lit de Justice to become the first woman to train a Breeders' Cup winner). In 2002, his son Sarava denied War Emblem the Triple Crown by winning the Belmont. He also is the sire of Offlee Wild, Milwaukee Brew and Wild Rush.
Tomorrow: Since I was a day late with this post, a special treat is planned for Holloween. Two posts, the first is about the Triple Generation of course I'm talking about Personal Ensign, My Flag and Storm Flag Flying. The second post which will be out a few hours afterwards will be the first of two races from 2007 I will be covering. This one will be about one of the greatest Oklahoma breds (besides Lady's Secret) to run, I'm talking about Kip Deville!
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