Canadian Champ Izvestia Eyes Gold Cup

The Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes: In horse racing, they are known as the Triple Crown. Not to Roger Attfield and his 3-year-old colt Izvestia.

To them, the triple crown is the Queen’s Plate, Prince of Wales and Breeders’ Stakes.

On Saturday, Attfield will send Canadian Triple Crown winner Izvestia against a field of five others in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park with an eye on another big American prize, the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Belmont on Oct. 27.

The Breeders’ Cup also will be the aim of two other favorites Saturday in a big weekend of racing at Belmont Park--Deposit Ticket in the Champagne for 2-year-old colts and Meadow Star in the Frizette for 2-year-old fillies.

Then, on Sunday, Go For Wand, last year’s 2-year-old filly champion and the top 3-year-old filly in the country this year, is expected to go in the Beldame. Sunday’s program also includes the Turf Classic.

Already considered by many the best 3-year-old colt in North America, Izvestia has a shot at Horse of the Year if he performs well in the Gold Cup and Breeders’ Cup. He was made an early 8-5 favorite for Saturday’s race.

Izvestia has won his last eight starts, including three on turf.

“It’s very rare that a horse is successful on both surfaces,” said Attfield, who also trained 1989 Canadian Triple Crown winner With Approval.

Also in the field will be Steinlen, who was switched from Sunday’s Turf Classic to the Gold Cup because of the injury to Horse of the Year front-runner Criminal Type. Criminal Type, 5-year-old winner of seven stakes races this year, has a tender left foreleg and will be sidelined the rest of the year.

The 9-2 co-second favorites are Thirty Six Red, winner of the Gotham and Wood last spring at Aqueduct, and Flying Continental, winner of the Strub and San Fernando last winter at Santa Anita.

The rest of the field will be made up of Lay Down and De Roche. The 3-year-olds--Izvestia and Thirty Six Red--will carry 121 pounds. The others will carry 126.

If all six go, the race will be worth $838,500, with $503,100 going to the winner.

The Gold Cup will be run at 1 1/4 miles for the first time this year to make it the same distance as the Breeders’ Cup Classic. The Gold Cup had been run at 1 1/2 miles.

Deposit Ticket, trained by Jeff Lukas, will face a field of 12 other 2-year-olds in the $500,000-added Champagne. Deposit Ticket had won three straight graded stakes until he was upset by Eastern Echo in the Futurity on Sept. 15 at Belmont. Eastern Echo will miss the Champagne, however, after breaking a bone in his right front ankle while training. He was retired.

The Champagne will be run at one mile, one furlong longer than any of Deposit Ticket’s previous starts.

Meadow Star, trained by Leroy Jolley, will be the favorite in a field of seven 2-year-old fillies for the $250,000-added Frizette at one mile. Meadow Star has won all five of her career starts, including the Matron last Sept. 16 at Belmont.