Quiet American May Miss Breeders’ Cup

In what appears to be a case of solid credentials going ignored, Quiet American, a California-based colt, is in jeopardy of missing his date in the $3-million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Belmont Park in New York on Oct. 27.

D.G. Van Clief Jr., executive director of the Breeders’ Cup, acknowledged Thursday that Quiet American could fall between the cracks of the system that determines the 14-horse field for the Classic, the world’s richest horse race, even though the horse is considered among the top contenders.

Trainer Gary Jones has been pointing Quiet American for the Classic since the summer. The 4-year-old son of Fappiano is owned by Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum of Dubai.

“I was told to go ahead and train my horse for the race, then ship to New York,” an irate Jones said Thursday. “They said I had a shot to get in, but that’s no way to treat a horse who could win the whole thing.”

Jones was shocked to learn Wednesday that Quiet American was spurned by the Breeders’ Cup selection panel in favor of, among others, a European horse named Defensive Play, who has never raced on a dirt track. The Classic is run at 1 1/4 miles on the main track.

Quiet American finished ahead of Criminal Type, the leading horse-of-the-year candidate, and Classic runners Rhythm and Thirty Six Red in the Woodward Handicap and has emerged as one of the top older horses in North America.

Because of his limited campaign, interrupted by injuries, Quiet American did not earn enough points for automatic inclusion in the Classic.

As of Thursday afternoon, Jones was awaiting word from Sheikh Mohammed’s racing manager, Anthony Stroud, on their next move. In the meantime, Quiet American worked a mile in 1:38 2/5 Thursday at Hollywood Park.