Santa Anita, with its Pro-Ride synthetic surface, may have evened things up between the Europeans and North Americans. But reverting to dirt in 2010 at Churchill Downs and the likelihood of the same at Belmont Park in 2011 is a distinct turn-off.

Early on the morning of Jan. 31, our sport suffered the loss of one of its greatest living treasures. Eddie Logan, Santa Anita Park's shoeshine attendant since the track's opening day Dec. 25, 1934, died at his home at the age of 98.

Michael Tabor strolled down the apron at Santa Anita Park, shielding the bright California sunlight with a baseball cap and a dark pair of shades. Peering out at the Pro-Ride surface the morning before the two-day Breeders' Cup World Championships would begin, the Coolmore principal answered a simple question with a response that was as clear as the day's view of the San Gabriel Mountains.