by Larry Stewart
 
The morning after Raven’s Pass’s Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) victory winning trainer John Gosden was among those feeling pretty good about what transpired at the 25th Breeders’ Cup World Championships at the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita.

This was the first Breeders’ Cup contested on a synthetic surface, and there were no fatalities or black eyes of any kind during the two-day event.

Furthermore, European-based horses won five of the nine Breeders’ Cup races on Saturday, including two victories on the synthetic Pro-Ride surface that serves as Santa Anita’s main track.

Gosden had two of those winners with Raven’s Pass in the Classic and Donativum (GB) in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

Another double winner on Saturday was Bob Baffert, who trains United States-based Midshipman and Midnight Lute. Midshipman won the Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and Midnight Lute, in what Baffert said was probably his last race, scored a repeat victory in the Sentient Flight Group Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1).

“I’d like to see what Baffert has to say now about synthetic tracks,” Gosden said.

Gosden and Baffert have been friends since Gosden came from abroad to work on the Southern California circuit for nine years, beginning in 1979. Gosden, like many Europeans, prefers synthetic surfaces. Baffert has publicly stated his preference for traditional dirt tracks.

“I like to train on it, but for racing I still prefer conventional dirt,” Baffert said of synthetic surfaces on Sunday morning.

Veteran Southern California trainer Howie Zucker said he feels the synthetic surface at Santa Anita was the reason there were no serious injuries during the Breeders’ Cup.

“Santa Anita has gone to the wall to install a great and safe track, and it has paid off,” Zucker said.

Racing Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel had seven Breeders’ Cup starters and said he believes the surface did not favor any specific running style.

“I think the track was fair,” Frankel said. “You had horses winning from the lead and you had horses winning by coming from behind.”

Gosden met with a small group of reporters in the stable area Sunday morning while Raven’s Pass was being walked. The three-year-old Elusive Quality colt occasionally stopped to pose for photographers.

Gosden said Raven’s Pass, provided he trains well, will shoot for a repeat win in the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic, which also will be held at Santa Anita. The trainer also said two-year-old Donativum might be pointed to the 2009 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1).

“All decisions are up in the air,” Gosden said.

One thing Gosden was sure about, as was trainer Ralph Beckett, whose European-based synthetic specialist Muhannak (Ire) won the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Marathon, was that the success of the European contingent will open the flood gates.

“I think we had 27 European horses here this year,” Beckett said. “There will be at least 50 trying to get in next year.”

However, Beckett said the expense of shipping a horse and crew from England, which he estimated at $30,000, might be a problem for some.

Gosden warned that you only want to ship a horse that has a shot at finishing in the money.

“You don’t want to go hunting with a popgun,” said Gosden, citing something he was told by Racing Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg years ago.

In other words, make sure have a horse that will fire as Raven’s Pass did while beating a field that included reigning Horse of the Year Curlin.

Gosden said that the upset victory by Raven’s Pass certainly ranks as a career highlight, and Gosden has had a few.

In 1997, Gosden won the Vodafone Epsom Derby (Eng-G1) with Benny the Dip. While based in Southern California, he trained two Eclipse Award winners—Bates Motel, the 1983 champion older male, and Royal Heroine (Ire), who won the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) en route to 1984 champion turf female honors.

After the Classic, Gosden got to meet California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was in the winner’s circle for the awards presentation.

“I said to your governor that I know about your budget problems and all that, but this day was a celebration of life,” Gosden said Sunday. “He said, ‘You’re right about that.’ ”

Larry Stewart is a California-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent