Late Run Gets New Year's Day Juvenile Victory
New Year's Day closed late to win the Juvenile by 1 1/4 lengths
New Year's Day came up the rail, seizing command from Havana in the final yards of the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, giving trainer Bob Baffert his ninth Breeders' Cup win and owners Gary and Mary West and jockey Martin Garcia their first taste of victory in the annual racing championships. Favored Havana held second, with Strong Mandate third in a race that usually establishes the early favorite for the following year's Kentucky Derby.
Time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:43.52, a half-second slower than the Juvenile Fillies earlier in the program.
Conquest Titan grabbed the early lead in the 13-horse Juvenile field but was under pressure from Rum Point and Havana in the early going, the first quarter mile going in :22.66 and the half in :45.38. Hopeful winner Stong Mandate took command rounding the far turn after six furlongs in 1:09.70, but then was quickly taken on by Havana, who opened up a sizable lead into the stretch.
Havana, winner of the Champagne, looked home free after a mile in 1:36.66 but began to drift out in deep stretch as New Year's Day and Garcia, eighth in the initial stages, came charging up the rail, pulling away to win by 1 1/4 lengths. Havana was three-quarters of a length ahead of Strong Mandate, with Bond Holder closing from far back to be fourth. Rounding out the order of finish was second choice Tap It Rich, also trained by Baffert, Mexikoma, We Miss Artie, Dance With Fate, Diamond Bachelor, Smarty's Echo, Medal Count, Rum Point, and Conquest Titan.
New Year's Day was making just his third start and first since winning a one-mile maiden race at Del Mar on Aug. 31. Finishing second that day was Bond Holder, who came back to win Santa Anita's G1 Front Runner Stakes as a maiden in late September. New Year's Day had been pointed to the Front Runner but missed the race after getting a fever.
The Juvenile winner, a son of the Machiavellian stallion Street Cry, was produced from Justwhistledixie, by Dixie Union. He was bred in Kentucky by the Cleary family's Clearsky Farm and sold by Clearsky to Ben Glass, agent for the Wests, for $425,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
There was a touch of irony in the Wests winning the Juvenile, which, along with the other 2-year-old races, was run without the anti-bleeding medication furosemide, or Lasix. Earlier this year at an informational seminar of the Thoroughbred Owners of California, according to a report published in Thoroughbred Daily News, Gary West said, "If raceday Lasix is banned, I will quit buying horses of all ages and systematically begin liquidating all of my Thoroughbred holdings.”
West added that it is “cruel and inhumane” not to give the drug to horses before they race. describing it as similar to “waterboarding your horse in their own blood.”
Further, he threatened to sue the Breeders' Cup if the Lasix ban was not reversed in 2014. Saying the board members have a “fiduciary duty to advance the interests of the U.S. racing industry,” a letter from West's attorney to Breeders' Cup board members said the ban “puts the life of the horse and jockey at risk” and would have a “devastating impact on every aspect of the American Thoroughbred racing industry.”
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The Breeders' Cup reversed the ban on Lasix for 2-year-olds, beginning in 2014. New Year's Day, like all 2-year-olds racing this year, raced without Lasix, but when the event returns next year they will be allowed to be given the drug on race-day.
Post-race quotes:
Martin Garcia (jockey, New Year’s Day, 1st) – “My horse doesn’t have that much pace. I was exactly where I wanted to be. I saved ground at every corner. The rail was open and I took it. I didn’t panic. My horse was ready to start running. I thought I had a lot of horse. I had never ridden him in a race, but I have been getting on him in the morning most of the time. We’re starting to get to know each other. It looks like a good team.”
Bob Baffert (trainer, New Year’s Day, 1st) – “He showed us a lot in his two races at Del Mar. I know he’s a two-turn horse and he’s been showing us a lot here in the morning. I’m glad I skipped that two-year-old race here (FrontRunner) and trained him up to this one. He’s been telling us in the mornings that he’s ready. Martin (Garcia) rode a terrific race on him. I told him to take advantage of the rail and he did. I’m glad (Martin) got a chance to shine on a big day like this. This business is so tough. Here just a little bit ago I lost a two-year-old filly (Secret Compass) and now here I am winning a race like this.”
Todd Pletcher (trainer, Havana, 2nd and We Miss Artie, 7th) – On Havana: “I thought he ran super. He just came up a little tired in the very last part there. But he ran very well.”
Did the race develop as expected?: “I thought he actually settled beautifully. I’m really happy with the way he positioned himself. Gary said he got a little bit lost when he made the lead turning for home. Then he just got tired the last 100 yards.”
On We Miss Artie: “He ran well, too. He got into a good stalking position and put in a nice run, then he just leveled of a little bit the last part.”
Gary Stevens (jockey, Havana, 2nd) – “It was a great try. They just told me not to hit him. This is a serious horse.”
Joel Rosario (jockey, Strong Mandate, 3rd) – “Wayne (trainer Lukas) wanted me to put him in the race, which I did, he handled everything very well today. When Havana went by him, it looked like he slowed down for a few steps, but then he picked it right up again. He ran a huge race.”
D. Wayne Lukas (trainer, Strong Mandate, 3rd) – “We made the best of a bad situation. (breaking from post 14) I thought he had a good trip. No excuses. I’m looking forward to the three-year-old races next year with him.”
Mike Smith (jockey, Tap It Rich, 5th) – “Wait ‘til next year. He’s going to be a nice colt but he’s pretty green right now. He’s scared of the dirt. He wants to get out a little bit when the dirt comes up.
