Turf Division

CONDUIT-IR
Owner: Ballymacoll Stable
Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute
Pedigree: Ch.c.,4, by Dalakhani – Well Head, by Sadler’s Wells

Positives: Conduit was a very deserving winner of the Breeders’ Cup Turf last year and he’ll be back to defend his title as the likely choice in 2009 following an extremely productive yet very much ongoing 4-year-old campaign. The Sir Michael Stoute-trained ex-handicapper earned his trip to California last year by virtue of a stellar victory in the St. Leger at Doncaster, making his BC Turf victory at 5-1 from fellow Euro shipper Eagle Mountain hardly a surprise. This year, in a carefully planned program designed to have him peak toward the end of the season, Conduit has raced only four times while winning once, in the 12f King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S-G1 at Ascot in July after getting the rust off with a couple of early season placings in top company. Most recently he finished a credible fourth (beaten just over two lengths) in the 12f Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe-G1 behind wonder horse Sea the Stars. For most, the Arc represents the culmination of a campaign but Conduit might be just getting warmed up. Following his trip to California for the BC Turf, the colt has reservations for a trip to the Far East, where he will seek to collect a reported $1.3 million bonus available to any horse capable of winning both the King George and the Japan Cup. He already has banked nearly 1.4 million in prize money this year, with potentially two huge paydays still on the horizon.

Concerns: There was a rumor floating around a few weeks ago that all was not right with Conduit, but the trainer revealed that the colt had suffered only a mild touch of colic and merely missed a couple of days of training. That said, Conduit should be observed closely when he returns to California next week. Last year he was a picture of health and ran to his sparkling physical appearance. We’ll be interested to see how he appears this time around.

Bottom Line: Conduit was in peak form when winning this race in 2008,and it would be hard to argue that he’s any less sharp now after going down by just two short heads for second in the Arc. In the frame in 11 of 13 career starts, he’s thoroughly genuine in top class company and this year’s BC lineup isn’t as formidable as the group he defeated last year. He’ll have to worry most about fellow Euro shippers Spanish Moon (his Sir Michael Stoute-trained yard mate), and the high class filly, Dar Re Mi. The Americans? Not so much.