Turfwriter J.N. Campbell’s Top 5 Breeders’ Cup Moments from Del Mar
By J.N. Campbell
NO.3 … The energy of Eclipse … if you were in the Champions Terrace when Aron Wellman of Eclipse Thoroughbreds and the backers of Aloha West, then you were in for an exuberant ride. Spilling into the place, the throng cheered and celebrated a wire victory. Wellman praised the horse’s trainer, the venerable Wayne Catalano. What a purchase this one was … he had never competed until his 4-yr-old campaign. The conditioner grinned from ear-to-ear, looking like he was heading to Mardi Gras (turfwriter Tom Law is my witness). It was apparent that everyone was ecstatic over such a hard fought victory. Jose Ortiz, wearing the perfectly complimentary silks of the stable—light blue, black, and white—exited the Press Room to much adulation. The decibel levels were so high, I wondered if I was back at a fraternity party. It was so loud, my turfwriting colleagues were competing with the huzzahs, in an effort to ask their questions. After all, it was a Breeders’ Cup victory, as the vessel ran over.
To Read the Top 5: