Runner for the ages

It is a tribute to his fighting spirit that Evening Attire, at the relatively advanced age of 6, is still a serious factor in a $1 million race. He is a force to be reckoned with in tomorrow's Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park, an event he won in 2002, and he is going to keep racing as long as his big heart allows him to be competitive.

"I've never been around a horse like him," said trainer Pat Kelly, who spoke on a conference call. "He's a really classy horse. He doesn't make it tough on us or himself. He has a lot of personality. He knows he's the big guy in the barn."

Evening Attire is owned by Joseph and Mary Grant of Quincy, and Tom Kelly, a former trainer who is in the Hall of Fame and is Pat's father. A gray gelding, Evening Attire has a career record of 35-11-10-3, and nearly $2.7 million in earnings.

Two years ago, Evening Attire used a win in the Saratoga Breeders' Cup as a springboard to victory in the Gold Cup. Last year, Kelly prepped him in the Whitney, in which he ran third. He still ran a good race in the Gold Cup, closing for the show behind future Horse of the Year Mineshaft, but he wasn't as sharp as he was in 2002. So, this season, Kelly went back to the Saratoga Breeders' Cup for a tuneup, and Evening Attire rewarded him with a 5-length score.

"He loves Saratoga, and he trained well," continued Kelly. "He ran a good race. He loves two-turn races. This year, we're concentrating on long races, which he seems to like. We didn't try the Whitney this year. We went back to the Saratoga Breeders' Cup, which set him up so well for the Gold Cup in 2002. We just take every day as it comes with him. He's a gelding, and I'm sure we'll take good care of him when his time comes. He's lived a good life on the racetrack, and he's doing a pretty good job hanging in there. The longer he can be competitive, the better it will be."

One of Evening Attire's main challengers in the Gold Cup will be Funny Cide, a 4-year-old gelding. Funny Cide (who was second) finished ahead of Evening Attire (fifth) in the Massachusetts Handicap at Suffolk Downs June 19, but Evening Attire, who will be ridden by Cornelio Velasquez, turned the tables in the Saratoga Breeders' Cup, with Funny Cide finishing second.

"Having these geldings is good for racing," said Kelly. "It was disappointing for everyone when Smarty Jones retired. The racing scene needs to have some stars. Funny Cide is running well. The Saratoga Breeders' Cup is the first time we've beaten him. He's very competitive, and always the one to beat. He's the one to run down [tomorrow]. We couldn't handle him in the MassCap.

"The Gold Cup is a mile and one-quarter, but, at Belmont, it still becomes a one-turn race [Evening Attire is 9-1-3-1 at Belmont]. That gives the advantage to speed horses, like Ghostzapper in the Woodward. It's tough to catch a horse at Belmont, even with a good pace. But, on his good days, [Evening Attire's] up a lot closer to the pace, and is in a good spot. If it's one of his take-it-easy days, what can you do?"

Evening Attire may not be as good as he was when he won the Gold Cup at 9-1 in 2002, but he'll still give a good account of himself. If he races well enough, he will make another appearance in the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic, Oct. 30 at Lone Star Park, just outside Dallas. Evening Attire, whose sire, Black Tie Affair, won the 1991 Classic at Churchill Downs under Jerry Bailey, ran fourth in the Classic at Arlington Park in 2002, and seventh at Santa Anita last year.

"Dad comes to the barn every day," said Kelly. "He cuts up his carrots. He's keeping him happy. This is a real family thing. We decide everything with dad. We keep everybody involved in the decision making. As for the Breeders' Cup, we'll make a call after [tomorrow]. We'll see how it goes, and make the decision."

Tomorrow's program at Belmont is outstanding, with the $750,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic highlighting an undercard that also features the $750,000 Flower Bowl Invitational for fillies and mares, and the $500,000 Vosburgh Handicap for sprinters.

Recently, there has not been a truly top American turf horse, but the Turf Classic may showcase one in Kitten's Joy. A 3-year-old, Kitten's Joy is a head short of having won eight straight grass contests, dating back to when he broke his maiden Oct. 9 at Belmont. However, the son of El Prado, an Irish sire, will be racing against older horses for the first time in the Turf Classic, and also making his debut at the 1 1/2-mile distance. If he wins this one, he's the real deal.

"You have to be a little nervous trying something for the first time, both older horses and the mile and one-half on the same day," said Dale Romans, who trains Kitten's Joy for owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey, and will have John Velazquez aboard. "It will be tough on him, but I'm anxious to get it done. He faced the same question about going a mile and one-quarter [his last two wins, the Virginia Derby July 10 at Colonial and the Secretariat Aug. 14 at Arlington, have come at that distance]. He does what the rider wants. He has a good turn of foot when it's asked of him. I don't think 12 furlongs will be a big deal, but you never know until you try.

"The things I saw in the Virginia Derby [a 4-wide move to victory] were really awesome. It gave me a whole new appreciation for him. And, in the Secretariat, he ran down Artie Schiller [another top 3-year-old] easily, and everybody knows how good he is. He's won at six different racetracks. He takes everything in stride. Nothing seems to bother him. He's won at Belmont before, so I don't think this will be a big gamble for him.

"He'll go to the Breeders' Cup Turf as long as he runs well, and comes out of the race good. He doesn't have to win to go. He's had such a great year, I won't let one race determine it. And the conditions don't matter. He's won over six different surfaces [including Churchill, Calder, and Gulfstream]. He can handle anything."