2014 Breeders’ Cup: Trainers Without a Win

 

Winning a Breeders’ Cup race is no easy task. Many trainers from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean struggle to find success on the biggest stage of North American racing.

Here is a list of prominent trainers who have a chance to win their first World Championship race this week at Santa Anita and I think some of them will surprise you.  This is not a full list; there are quite a few other trainers that are Breeders’ Cup maidens.

The Breeders’ Cup races are different than all others and it takes unique training techniques to win there. Maybe this information will help you make a decision about using some of these conditioners in your horizontal tickets.

In parentheses is the total number of Breeders’ Cup starters prior to 2014 and in italics is a list of the trainer’s 2014 runners.

Tom Albertrani (7) Since 2004 Albertrani has four in the money finishes with two seconds in the 2004 Juvenile Fillies from Balletto and Bernardini in the 2006 Classic.

Tom Amoss (9) got two third place finishes from Heritage of Gold in the Distaff in 1999 and 2000.

 

 

Rusty Arnold (7) It’s Tea Time got Arnold a fourth place finish in the 2010 Distaff.

 

 

Mark Casse (19) had his best finishes with seconds from Laugh Track in 2013 Sprint and Sealy Hill in 2008 Filly and Mare Turf.

Christophe Clement (23) got very close twice with Gio Ponti in the Classic in 2009 and in the 2010 Mile. Last year Za Approval nearly upset Wise Dan in the Mile.

Eric Guillot (8) has yet to hit the board with a Breeders’ Cup runner. Fourth place was his best in the 2010 Filly and Mare Sprint with Champagne d’Oro.

Richard Hannon (9) Hannon has not had much success bringing his horses to the Breeders’ Cup from Europe. A fourth place in the 2010 Mile with Paco Boy was the best finish that Hannon could muster. This year he has the morning line favorite in the Mile.

Kenny McPeek (23) McPeek is known for his willingness to take a shot in the big races and so it has been in the Breeders’ Cup. Even though he has yet to find the winner’s circle he has garnered four seconds and eight thirds.

Peter Miller (5) Reneesgotzip has a third and second place finish in the Turf Sprint the past two years. She returns again this year for a third try to get Miller a win in the Breeders’ Cup.

Eddie Plesa (5) Plesa, who is known for his success with two-year-olds, had four starters in the juvenile races. His best result, however, came in the 2007 Dirt Mile when Gottcha Gold finished second at his home track, Monmouth Park.

John Sadler (31) In 2010 and 2011 Switch finished second in the Filly and Mare Sprint. Sadler has the most unsuccessful tries in the Breeders’ Cup.

 

 

Wesley Ward (16) Although Ward has not had a Breeders’ Cup winner, he has been close with a career record of 16: 0-1-5. His second came from Judy the Beauty in last year’s Filly and Mare Turf.

Dermot Weld (14) The Breeders’ Cup has not been kind to Weld whose horses for the most part have not run well. Only one third place can be credited to him and that was Brief Truce in the Mile in 1992.