Breeders’ Cup 2016: Where Does Frosted Belong?

Breeders’ Cup 2016: Where Does Frosted Belong? by Casey Laughter– So, what is next for Frosted? He has to follow up that incredible and almost freakish Met Mile performance somehow. He will likely head up to Saratoga with the rest of the Kiaran McLaughlin string and train for some major races that offer automatic entries into the Breeders’ Cup Classic, such as the Whitney.

Some questions arose when Frosted destroyed a credible Met Mile field; is one-mile his best distance, and if so, why target the Breeders’ Cup Classic instead if the Dirt Mile?

To put things into perspective, Frosted not only ran the fast Met Mile in the 125-year history of the race, but he also claimed top prize for largest margin of victory. What else can be said about this performance? Frosted was awarded a 123 Beyer Speed Figure, which is astronomical! Kiaran McLaughlin even was stunned.

“It was unbelievable. It was a wild, wild race,” said winning trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. “He has been doing great all the time and you say that every time that they are doing great, but for him to beat that great of horses like that is pretty incredible. … He is very talented and it was a great win for the entire team.”

Jockey Joel Rosario said this race was probably “the best race of his life.” So where does Frosted go from here and which Breeders’ Cup would be the correct target? That is tough.

Frosted has won his longest race going about 1-3/16th miles, when he won the Grade Two Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 in Dubai. However, he seemed to regress a few weeks later when he only managed 5th in the Dubai World Cup, behind 2014 Kentucky Derby winner, California Chrome.

Looking further back into his race record, Frosted campaigned for the Kentucky Derby, earning a spot after winning the Grade One Wood Memorial following a minor throat surgery. He managed only 4th in the 2015 Kentucky Derby but was the only horse to make up any ground that day. He rested and showed back up in the Belmont Stakes, running second in a year that made history in more ways that one. He took some time off before running second to Texas Red in the Jim Dandy and third in the Travers behind Keen Ice and American Pharoah. He moved on to win the Pennsylvania Derby before throwing in a 7th place clunker in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland.

Frosted has done his best running in the scope of middle distances, and having his biggest breakthrough recently in the Met Mile on the 2016 Belmont Stakes undercard. Frosted has won four graded stakes events, two Grade Ones, two Grade/Group Twos, and placed in five other graded stakes events, two being Grade One events.

Frosted seems to either be improving with age. He seemingly got a bit better last year as time progressed, and while he did not do as well as expected in the Dubai World Cup, he has managed to run in three graded/group events this year, winnings two of them. However, he may have found his best distance.

Frosted is a son Champion Sire, Tapit. Frosted is out of the Deputy Minister mare, Fast Cookie. This breeding is the exact cross that Tapizar, Tapit’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winning son, is bred on. Could Frosted be so good that he can run any distance? Or, has he just displayed for all to see, that he is most comfortable at the one-mile distance?

Which Breeders’ Cup Race would be best for Frosted?

Learn more about the 2016 Breeders’ Cup at BreedersCup.com.

Frosted – 2016 Metropolitan Handicap Replay: