FOXBORO, Mass. — While his primary focus is on Sunday night’s matchup with the Baltimore Ravens, Bill Belichick will have his eye on another sporting event set to take place this weekend.
Eight Rings, a horse named in the New England Patriots head coach’s honor, is scheduled to run at the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Friday.
“I have a little interest in that one, yeah,” Belichick said with a smile during his Friday morning news conference. “… I hope it runs fast.”
Here’s a bit more background on Belichick’s new favorite horse, via Daily Racing Form:
Coming off his sixth Super Bowl triumph with New England — and his eighth Super Bowl as a head or assistant coach — Belichick has guided the Patriots to an 8-0 record at the halfway point of the season. (Trainer Bob) Baffert, one year removed from winning his second Triple Crown with Justify, has the Belichick-inspired colt Eight Rings in position to earn a divisional championship if he can win Friday’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita.
Eight Rings, a son of Empire Maker, will have a home-field advantage of sorts, as he dominated the Grade 1 American Pharaoh here by six lengths on Sept. 27, making him the only member of this eight-horse field to have a win at Santa Anita. His other victory was by a similarly impressive 6 1/4 lengths at Del Mar in August.
Sounds like a winner.
