Europeans Shipping to America
 

The past couple of weeks have brought us a couple of highly regarded horses in Stacelita (United Nations) and Cape Blanco (Man o' War). I was talking with a friend and I basically told him that in my opinion, them being shipped over here for races of this type was telling me that the connections of both horses felt that their horse had lost a step or two or was so far off form that they didn't think they could compete anymore at the top level in Europe. Unless there is a bleeding issue that necessitates a move to America, I don't really think that top Europeans come over before the fall, with the exception sometimes of the Arlington Million. I took both appearances as signs that the connections felt their horses were off form but that the competition here is so weak that they could come away with a grade one win that would enhance the resume. My friend argued that the UN was a top level race well worth winning to any connections. It is but if you have a top European, are you going to forego your big summer races for it? Do you chose the UN or the MOW over the Eclipse? I'd love to hear what some of you think?

perhaps it also has something to do with surface preference. generally you find firm courses here, while euro tracks like to keep theirs soft-even watering them to keep them so. besides, euros ship a lot-england to ireland to france, germany, etc. with airlines, coming here isn't really that big of a deal, anymore so than shipping from cali to new york and back.
big money is big money. we've got a lot of races with nice purses over here. you can ship in and race around the country til fall and the bc, and then go back.

also, when reading an article in bloodhorse yesterday, i guess it can be difficult to find racing for some horses-3 yo's for instance staying in their age range before fall. the writer said they could use a race along the lines of the travers over there.

I think you need to consider every Euro shipping on its own to really determine the intent.

While many look at Cape Blanco as a typical Aidan O'Brien trainee, the Hays bought a major stake in the horse and wouldn't hesitate to suggest shipping to the US considering the amount of runners they have here (and growing). Many of the races in the US have purses that exceed that in the UK, so money can be a driving option as well.

Stacelita, while falling a bit out of form in France, is owned by Martin Schwartz, who has always shown a willingness to ship to the US and try to get his runners, almost always fillies/mares, to take a shot in new surroundings, and with that (let's not forget, it's not a performance-enhancer :zz:) Lasix addition.

Further, if you see some really strange new names shipping in, say if Richard Hannon just outright sent a horse to the US mid-season, that would be odd and make me think differently about the intent.

Never mind shipping to the US, wasn't their recent form enough to tell you they'd lost a step?

Cape Blanco was on his way, and probably still is if he's going back home, to becoming the pacesetter for So You Think.

Stacelita is probably staying here. At least she didn't show up in the Modesty or Robert K. Dick Memorial.

No chance of this happening with Fitri Hay's ownership stake. Cape Blanco has run three very good races in his last four starts. They are aiming for Arlington Million next.

Stacelita is with Chad Brown now.

Well, it certainly won't ever be an "official" role. And having won on the weekend gives them the new target to run for (Arlington Million), he probably won't end up in the races So You Think is pointing for now.

However, it was kind of curious to see him in the Queen Anne for no good reason. It was also odd to see him set a strong pace at 8f when he had been racing 10-12f.

That's good. I wonder if they won't scale her back in distance for the Diana. She might light up a race like that.

I think I read something about the Beverly D. Schwartz won this race 2 times already

Cool. I want to say that those races are far enough apart to run in both, but I could be wrong.

I think it is a Win and your In race too.

8/13

With the Diana on July 30th, I guess its not a viable option. I suppose the BC Filly & Mare Turf is in the cards so that extra sixteenth of a mile will probably send her to Arlington.

Given the lack of rain in Chicago so far this year, I wonder if the prospect of hard turf will give them cause for pause.

Cape Blanco was effectively Canford Cliff's pacemaker in the Queen Anne..

those two horses KG, dont make up for the past failures of the other Euros recently. I mean this is like O'brien's first win with a horse in the US in a long while. Plus the connections of Stacelita have brought over a couple highly regarded horses too that have failed to live up to the hype, the one filly im thinking of I cant remember its name right now.

You should've seen the storm we had here this morning. I used to have two patio chairs on my balcony, not anymore.

Zagora I believe. Tough luck horse. Maybe the Diana will bring a pop to the soda bottle. A 2nd and 3rd in two grade 2's. Maybe she is battle toughened now.

Zagora thats it, one of the big money burners of the year too. We always keep hoping and thinking that she will explode in the lane late to win, thing is shes been going well late but not fast enough, nor has she shown that turn of foot we all know she has

Horses have run the Diana and Beverly D both before... Mauralakana in 08 won at AP after running both.