Stayers' Watch: "Win And You're In" · 6.08.09

Greenwood Cup (18 July)

Brazilian-bred Alcomo won his first race in North America when he took the lead near the top of the stretch at Philadelphia Park and went on to win the $200,000 Greenwood Cup by 1 3/4 lengths. As the race was part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series, Alcomo’s victory earned him a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Marathon at Santa Anita.

Early in the 1 1/2-mile Greenwood Cup, Alcomo raced near the back of the field of six, as Luna Park set a relatively slow pace. Rounding the far turn Alcomo was racing four-wide outside Luna Park, Eldaafer, and pre-race favourite Nite Light, but drew away from the pack approaching the eighth pole. He was hand-ridden to the wire in a final time of 2:31.88 on the fast main track. Alaazo came from well off the pace to get second, 1 1/2 lengths in front of third-place Eldaafer.

Cougar II Handicap (5 August)

Long-shot Unusual Suspect edged Richard’s Kid to capture the $150,000 Cougar II Handicap at Del Mar and earned a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Marathon as part of the “Win And You’re In” series.

When the pacesetters in the 1 1/2-mile ungraded race on Del Mar’s Polytrack main track began to tire in the stretch, Richard’s Kid and Unusual Suspect moved up and dueled through the final furlong. Unusual Suspect, on the inside, eventually managed to get up to win by a nose in a gutsy performance. The final time was 2:31.22. Church Service, the 2-1 favorite in the field of veteran distance runners, closed from last in the final quarter-mile to get third, 1 1/2 lengths behind the top two.

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What do you think?

  1. “Win and you’re in” goes directly against the basic premise of the Breeder’s Cup as John Gaines established it. It is about the BREEDING game and those stallions who were nominated getting into the contests.

    — Dr. Timothy Yatcak · Aug 7, 01:51 PM · #

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