No time in recent memory has the sport of horse racing lost two titans of the industry in such close succession and in such proximity to racing’s championship weekend.
The death of Cot Campbell and Rick Violette within a week of each other is a gut punch this tightly knit community of horse people rarely endures. The fact that Violette’s speedy gelding Diversify, who won the Whitney back in August to punch his ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Classic, was taken out of consideration and rested up for a potential run at the Pegasus World Cup in 2019, is further salt in wound.
Campbell, whose Dogwood Stables pioneered the idea of racing partnerships, hasn’t had much success in the Breeders’ Cup, but his absence at Churchill Downs will, no doubt, be felt.
The loss of these two horsemen could cast a grim pallor over the weekend, or it could be the time to celebrate their lives, their contributions to the sport, and their lasting legacy over the sport’s premier weekend. If it wasn’t for the dedication of them and people like them, then we wouldn’t have horsemen and horsewomen this weekend in the fray locking horns, rearing up, and competing on the highest level.
What better way to honor Violette, a New York-based trainer, than to have someone like Chad Brown, another New York-based trainer, bring his dozen horses to Louisville and stomp out the life of anyone in his path.
For Brown, who burst on the scene in 2008 with a win in the Breeders’ Cup, said in a teleconference, “Well, you – you know, you set out to try to get to this point, and it’s really dreaming when you’re young. And I grew up around Saratoga. You hope someday to have horses good enough to even run in a Breeder’s Cup race, but to have – to be in a situation like this is just – you know, it’s just a dream come true. But a combination – a lot of hard work, from a lot of talented people to do this with me every day and they’re looking for the Breeder’s Cup as well.”
Brown will spend most of his races on the grass, the surface he categorically dominates.
But the centerpiece of the entire weekend is, of course, the Breeders’ Cup Classic, run at the classic distance of 10 furlongs. Brown, who once had competent three-year-olds in Good Magic and Gronkowski, has no horse in the main event. That premier honor belongs to Bob Baffert.
Dating all the way back to 2014, Baffert has won three of the past four Classics (Bayern, American Pharoah, Arrogate). Once again Baffert comes into the Classic loaded with West Coast (4-1) and McKinzie (6-1). West Coast might be the richest horse not to win a race in 2018. He finished second in all of his three starts: Pegasus World Cup, Dubai World Cup, and the Awesome Again Stakes. He hasn’t won since the Pennsylvania Derby over a year ago, but he’s a horse that can’t be ignored, especially out of this barn, and especially the way he made Accelerate earn it in the Awesome Again.
McKinzie won the Penn Derby this year just like West Coast did a year ago, but it’s Accerlarate (5-2), trained by John Sadler, who has the honors of being this year’s favorite. Breaking from the far outside, Accelerate has tactical speed and a certain measure of grit you like to see.
“The outside is actually good for Accelerate,” Sadler said in a Breeders’ Cup release. “He can do whatever he wants to coming away from the gate. He should be able to get a real good tracking position or make the lead if it is there for the taking. He can do whatever Joel Rosario wants.”
After Accelerate beat the Pacific Classic field like it owed him money, he had to grind his way to a win over West Coast in the Awesome Again. His effort harkened back to what Curlin looked a like 10 years ago, grinding out wins down the lane. In either case, Accelerate is a deserved favorite and the horse to beat. So who could edge out the fave?
Hard to say. There’s pace, but not too much. There are closers, but will there be enough pace? On paper it looks straightforward and a bit chalky in a rematch between West Coast and Accelerate.
And in the spirit of Campbell and Violette, it promises to be a competitive race, as it usually is. It will, as it usually is, be a race that celebrates this fine sport on its richest day.
Wish them well.
