NEWS
Good Ba Ba, Archipenko score Group 1 wins in Hong Kong
Posted: Sunday, April 27, 2008 3:21 PM
by Myra Lewyn
Good Ba Ba completed his sweep of Hong Kong’s major mile events, winning his fifth straight stakes with an authoritative triumph on Sunday at Sha Tin in the $1,027,200 Champions Mile (HK-G1).
With his one-length victory under Olivier Doleuze, Good Ba Ba becomes the first horse to qualify for the 2008 Breeders’ Cup World Championships through the 53-race Breeders’ Cup Challenge series, securing a starting spot in the $2-million Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) at Santa Anita Park.
Trainer Andreas Schutz said he is inclined to bypass international races and keep his runner in Hong Kong.
"I think we are odds-on to stay in Hong Kong and a big price against us going to the Yasuda Kinen (Jpn-G1) or the Breeders' Cup,” Schutz said. “If we don't make this horse completely empty by pushing him too hard, then we can keep him going season after season, so why not. He's enjoying running and winning.
"We'll not make any hasty decisions, but I'll discuss plans with my owner, John Yuen, sometime soon, maybe tomorrow after we celebrate tonight," the trainer said.
Doleuze settled odds-on favorite Good Ba Ba near the back of the field before urging his rally in the stretch. The six-year-old Lean Fan gelding eagerly responded when his rider shook the reins, uncorking an electrifying turn of foot to cross the finish line in 1:33.50 on turf rated as good.
Armada finished second, two lengths in front of 2006 Hong Kong Horse of the Year Bullish Luck.
Good Ba Ba’s five-race winning streak includes the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile (HK-G1) on December 9. An $85,000 Keeneland September yearling sale purchase in 2003, his career record stands at 13 wins from 26 starts.
The card also included the $1,797,600 Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup (HK-G1) in which Archipenko produced a powerful stretch run to comfortably defeat French-trained Balius and last year’s victor, Viva Pataca.
An Irish Group 2 winner for Coolmore who now campaigns for Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum, Archipenko joined trainer Mike de Kock’s South African-based stable in December and won the Commercial Bank of Dubai Al Fahidi Fort (UAE-G2) in February.
The former English classic starter, who competed against some of Europe’s best horses last year, stamped himself a legitimate contender on the world stage with his 1 ¾-length victory in the QE II Cup, covering 2,000 meters (9.94 furlongs) on turf in a swift 2:00.80 under Kevin Shea.
The victory left de Kock eyeing Royal Ascot for the four-year-old Kingmambo colt, who entered off an unlucky third behind Jay Peg and Darjina in the Dubai Duty Free (UAE-G1) in March.
"I know it might sound crazy after winning a Group 1 race, but I think he is still improving and he can go and win another one,” de Kock said of Archipenko, who won a Group 2 race at Nad al Sheba prior to the Duty Free. “We'll be thinking about him in terms of Royal Ascot but I'm not sure what race we will target there yet," de Kock said.
Myra Lewyn is daily news editor of Thoroughbred Times
