Tom Law

The flat racing world here in the U.S. finds itself this weekend smack dab in the middle of that in-between period after the Breeders’ Cup World Championships and before the big Thanksgiving holiday stakes programs.

Light snow flew about for the first time in Saratoga Springs Thursday night and even though it didn’t stick around much by the time training started Friday morning, the air and mood around town feels a lot more like onset of winter than the recent mild days of fall.

Glance at the past performances for Talk Show Man and a race three starts back stands out a bit more clearly and means quite a bit more than it did at the time.

Champagne Royale, the dam of Arkansas Derby winner Danza and Gold Cup at Santa Anita winner Majestic Harbor, is the clear frontrunner for 2014 Broodmare of the Year honors. But maybe 2005 Broodmare of the Year Baby Zip should be nominated for a repeat.

Princess of Sylmar is off to Japan. Well, maybe not at exactly this moment, but shortly after the hammer dropped, the bid board stopped at $3,100,000 and the buyer was revealed, it was only a matter of time before the daughter of Majestic Warrior would be on a plane for the Far East.

The dust settled, the big crowds are long gone, the television cameras are mercifully off and the clocks have been turned back. Left behind at Santa Anita Park are 13 winners and scores and scores of non-winners from the 31st Breeders’ Cup World Championship, the two-day extravaganza that many times determines the season’s champions.

Plenty of questions will be answered by the time darkness falls Saturday at Santa Anita Park with the conclusion of the 2014 Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

The string of Breeders’ Cup Classic winners that did not win Horse of the Year amazingly stretched to six last year when Mucho Macho Man held off late runs from Will Take Charge and Declaration of War as gloaming neared at Santa Anita Park.