Breeders' Cup Memories: 2006 Classic

2006 was possibly the best Breeders' Cup Classic field assembled in quite time. There where the 3yo's Cecil Peacock's SA Derby winner Brother Derek (Benchmark), the late James Hines, Stonewall Stable's AR Derby winner Lawyer Ron (Langfur), as well as Coolmore's European superstar George Washington (IRE) (Danehill). The older horses included the previous year's Kentucky Derby winner Jerry and Ann Moss' Giacomo (Holy Bull), Tracy Farmer's fan favorite Sun King (Charismatic) and another fan favorite the previous year's 3^rd place finisher in the Classic Stonecrest Farm's Perfect Drift (Dynaformer).

However the three favorites in the race where:

• Regally bred Preakness/Travers/Jockey Club Gold Cup Bernardini (A.P. Indy) who was owned by Sheikh Mohammad's Darley Stable.
  
  
• Uruguayan raced Pimlico Special/Suburban/Whitney winner Invasor (ARG) (Candy Stripes) who was owned by Sheikh Mohammad's older brother Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell Farm.
  
  
• Rags to riches gelding Hollywood Gold Cup (which he had won for the second time in 06)/Pacific Classic/Goodwood winner Lava Man (Slew City Slew) owned by STD Stable and Jason Wood. 

One of these horses was going to be Horse of the Year with a win in the Classic. The question was who.

Brother Derek took the early lead with Lawyer Ron in second. Bernardini was sitting around 5^th and 6^th, Invasor around 8^th and Lava Man in 3^rd. Around the mile mark, Invasor started to make his move with Bernardini taking the lead and Lava Man who the previous year had run poorly outside his native California had started his retreat. In the stretch it came down to the horses owned by the brothers. Invasor had run down Bernardini in the final furlong to win the Classic. Clark/Woodward winner Premium Tap (Pleasant Tap) was third. Lava Man was 7th.

Trained by former D. Wayne Lukas assistant Kiaren McLaughlin, Invasor was ridden by Fernarndo Jara who at 18 earlier that year had become the youngest rider since Steve Cauthen to ride a Triple Crown race winner with Jazil (Seeking the Gold) in the Belmont.

Replay:

Invasor would be named 2006 Horse of the Year, Bernardini would be named 3yo Champion and Lava Man would be empty handed. However that was Bernardini's final race as he was retired to Darley at Jonabell where he currently stands. Invasor would return the next year where he would win the Donn and World Cup before being retired to Shadwell Farm. He was inducted into Racing's Hall of Fame in 2013. Lava Man would win a third Hollywood Gold Cup becoming only the second horse to win three HGC's in a row (fellow CA bred Native Diver being the other). He is currently a stable pony for his trainer Doug O'Neill (who had won the Sprint) and was involved greatly in the adventures of 2012 Derby and Preakness winner I'll Have Another (Flower Alley).

Other Notes: also in the 2006 Classic was 05 Travers winner/Classic runner up Flower Alley (Distorted Humor); Jazil's 1/2 sister Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy) trained by another former Lukas assistant Todd Pletcher won the Belmont in 2007, 1/2 brother Man of Iron (Giant's Causeway) trained by Aiden O'Brien would win the now defunct BC Marathon; Jara would remain the youngest BC race winning jockey until Joseph O'Brien (son of Aiden) would win the 2011 Turf with St Nicholas Abbey (IRE) (Montjeu (IRE)).