November 21, 2011
Bill Kaplan kept Calder’s winning streak alive in Breeder’s Cup races with the impressive performance turned in by Musical Romance in the Filly and Mare Sprint. Last year trainers Stan Gold and David Fawkes each won Breeders’ Cup races with Awesome Feather and Big Drama respectively. This year neither trainer fared as well, but trainer/owner Bill Kaplan did as he saddled 20-1 shot Musical Romance to a gutty victory for his ownership partner, Pinnacle Racing Stable.
Musical Romance broke sharply and laid second on the rail early before dropping back to fifth leaving the turn where she then came again, seemingly willing herself through a hole that didn’t seem to exist. Once through the tight hole, she battled for the lead until she proved strongest and began to draw off in deep stretch.
The victory was her ninth and sixth added-money event as she again made a runner-up out of last year’s Filly and Mare runner up, Switch. Musical Romance was purchased by Kaplan for $22,000 from the 2009 OBS Spring Sale.
We are hopeful that she will win the Eclipse Award in the female sprint category for the FHBPA’s Secretary, Bill Kaplan. Why not? She deserves it and both of our Calder Breeders’ Cup winners last year won an Eclipse Award.