This is the big night of the year! The Breeders Cup, a feast of horseracing on the flat with some of the best horses on the planet lining up to prove they are the best in the world at their distance. Some of the greatest moments in the history of flat racing are made at the Breeders Cup. Remember Dajur, jumping the shadow? Royal Academy winning for Lester Piggott is probably the most notable Of them all…
Was that really 20 years ago? How time flies as you get older! So that was memory lane, now we go to Santa Anita for the here and now and what a card. Here is teh running order for Saturday night…(Live on ATR and RUK)
18:45 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (c&g) (grade 2) (turf) (2yo, Class 1, 1m, 14 runners)
19:23 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (3yo+, Class 1, 6f 110y, 16 runners)
20:10 Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (grade 1) (aw) (3yo+, Class 1, 6f, 9 runners)
20:49 Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (c&g) (grade 1) (aw) (2yo, Class 1, 1m 110y, 13 runners)
21:28 Tvg Breeders’ Cup Mile (grade 1) (turf) (3yo+, Class 1, 1m, 11 runners)
22:12 Breeders Cup Dirt Mile (grade 1) (aw) (3yo+, Class 1, 1m, 10 runners)
22:57 Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf (grade 1) (3yo+, Class 1, 1m 4f, 8 runners)
23:45 Breeders’ Cup Classic (grade 1) (aw) (3yo+, 1m 2f, 13 runners)
There is a very strong British and European challenge in 2009 on the Santa Anita surface that suited the raiders so well in 2008. You can bet on how the Europeans will fair. Including Godolphin it is interesting how Stan James price up the European Challenge. They bet on how many winners the Euro team will have;
None 100/1
1 33
2 10
3 11/2
4 7/2
5 11/4
6 or more 15/8
Six or more is favourite at 15/8, which I think should be achieved when you look at the strength of the challenge. That is my first bet og the Breeders Cup meeting.
18:45 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf- Pounced, Win
Frnkie Dettori and John Gosden had a big night in 2008, winning the feature with Ravens Pass. They team up in Saturdays opener with Pounced.
Pounced trained by John Gosden was a close second in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on Oct. 4 and is draw in stall 4 for here. Gosden told the Santa Anita press;
“I had it in the back of my mind when he broke his maiden then he went to Longchamp and ran a huge race there, This was the logical place to come.”
Having trained at Santa Anita before moving to Newmarket Gosden knows what it takes to win here and with Dettori the man for the big occasion then pounced looks a solid option in the opener.
Dettori can Pounce in the First
20:10 Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint- Zensational (Win)
It pains me to say it but Zensational looks a very special horse who should put one on the board for the home team. Trained by Bob Baffert who the Americans say is a ‘hall of fame’ trainer, whatever that means. His record is pretty good having nine grade one wins to his name and has won this race for the last two years and Zensational’s has the form to make it a third. The 3-year-old Zensational, a son of Unbridled’s Song, has won five of seven career starts, including his 2 1/4-length score in the Grade I Pat O’Brien Stakes (watch here from Youtube).
Hands and Heals, very impressive. Zensational can land this race today on home soil. Zensational has finished out of the money just twice in seven career starts, and comes into the Sprint on a four-race winning streak, including three consecutive Grade 1s.
The three-year-old colt drew the No. 1 post, which Baffert wasn’t happy about, although Zensational has broken from that same spot in two of his three recent wins.
“He lives in the one hole, that’s his home,” Baffert said. “I ought to hang a hay net in there for him.”
20:49 Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile- Lookin At Lucky, Win
Lookin At Lucky has yet to taste defeat in four career outings, most recently the Grade I Norfolk Stakes Oct. 4 at Santa Anita.
Like Zensational this is trained by Bob Baffert who says that this is his best chance. Lookin at Lucky has been even better, unbeaten in four starts to date, including a victory in last month’s Norfolk Stakes on Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride surface. “Of all my horses, I’d say he’s my best chance,” Baffert said. That should tell you how strongly Lookin at Lucky is regarded by connections.
21:28 Tvg Breeders’ Cup Mile- Goldikova, Win (NAP)
Goldikova won really well in 2008, dishing out a lesson to her opponents. The yanks didn’t like that and on her return to Santa Anita she finds herself drawn in stall 11 of 11, the coffin box. Funny that! Lets hope that she shows them that class can prevail at what is going to be a better than expected price given the draw. Here is her 2008 win;
Following a slow start to the season she has done nothing but win, taking the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket then destroying group one fields regularly all year. Here is her win at Longchamp in August;
Wow is all you can say. She is a seriously good filly, as good as she was in 2008. Goldikova, whom he saddled for a popular victory at Santa Anita last year, finished third in her most recent start, which might lead some handicappers to think that her brilliant winning form is over the top. Head thinks otherwise. Trained by Freddie Head the filly is the one they all have to beat he told reporters;
“You need a bit of luck in a race like that, but I’m very confident, She’s very well. I think she’s in the best form I’ve seen her.”
It would be an excellent performance to win but she has the class and is my best bet of the night!
22:12 Breeders Cup Dirt Mile- Mastercraftsman, Win
It will be interesting to see how Mastercraftsman performs here with Aidan O’Brien not having a great record at the Breeders Cup. Over a mile I think Mastercraftsman is a really good horse. At York he broke the track record over 1m 2f in the International, only to see Sea The Stars amble past him. He made Sea The Stars work a bit harder than most and that is form that is as good as any, ever in my view. This is a decent horse with bags of class who I think is a good bet to win in what looks a relatively moderate field. It is interesting to listen to Aidan O’Brien, speaking to Leon Blanche;
He will go off as favourite and should win, in my view. He handles the surface, as we saw at Dundalk.
22:57 Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf- Conduit, Win
Conduit won this impressively in 2008 for Ryan Moore and Sir Michael Stoute. He has shown this year that he is as good as ever, winning the King George. He looks as good as he was last year.
Dar Re Mi may give him most to think about with Dettori, who won the St Leger for Stoute on Conduit in 2008, riding for John Gosden. However I think Conduit is a banker and should retain his title.
23:45 Breeders’ Cup Classic (grade 1)- Rip Van Winkle, Win
So to the big one, won last year by Ravens Pass. This is a clash between Aidan O’Brien’s Rip Van Winkle and Zenyatta who has won all 13 of her career starts. I share Nathan Lynch’s view that in her last 6 wins not one horse she has beaten has since come out and won a group 1 race, John Sherrifs her trainer has avoided tough assignments having placed her to perfection beating up on very weak g1 fields against her own sex only.
This is a tougher test and British punters do not need me to tell them how good Rip Van Winkle is. He is a very highly rated horse who has the class to win. You can bet them in a match bet with Stan James going Rip Van Winkle 4/6 v Zenyatta 11/10.
The Sussex Stakes and QEII Stakes winner is second favourite behind star mare Zenyatta for the race, the richest on the two-day card at Santa Anita. Here is Rip Van Winkle winning at Royal Ascot;
O’Brien believes he has an excellent chance. Speaking to BBC Sport Aidan O’Brien said;
“I suppose I’ve no doubt in the world that he is our best chance in the Classic, if the season hasn’t taken its toll. If he’s anywhere close to how he was at Ascot or Goodwood, then you’d hope and dream that he can win.”
It will be a great night of racing!
