Breeders’ Cup Marathon
The 3-year-old Prince Will I Am will be coming into The Marathon off a Grade I win in The Jamaica (GI) on grass at Belmont Park. He has rallied strongly in all three of his turf starts in 2010, and has progressed in each race. Prince Will I Am has shown ability on dirt, and finished right behind the 2010 Belmont Stakes (GI) winner Drosselmeyer at Gulfstream Park. He also sports a win at Churchill Downs. He should be fit for the long run. Awesome Gem has the most impressive resume of any horse in the field, with earnings of over $2 Million. The 7-year-old gelding is the morning line favorite. This will be his 3rd start off a layoff, with his previous two races on synthetics. He has won on dirt, and it should be no issue. He will probably be the shortest price, and he will not offer too much value. You can’t argue with his class, but has the tendency to not get there sometimes. Giant Oak will be making his 3rd start off a layoff. He received a career high speed figure in his last race. He is a stone closer that will come from far back. Recent works have been sharp. He has yet to record a win on dirt, but has placed 4 times on it. Alcomo (Brz) will be making his first start since July 17, 2010, where he just missed defeating A.U Miner, who is also entered here. Alcomo (Brz) is a horse who will run much closer to the pace, and never be too far behind, which is a positive in a long race like this. A.U. Miner will be making his 2nd start off the layoff. He is another horse in this field who will like to come from well off the pace. He has won both times Calvin Borel has ridden him. Bright Horizon (GB) from Europe will make his first start on dirt, after running away from 22 others on a soft turf at The Curragh in Ireland back in September. He gets lasix for the first time today. Precision Break is another Euro import who is bred to run on dirt. He has 9 wins out of 21 career races, however has only earned $143,387. He gets lasix for the first time and could be the bomber play in this race. Sports a win at the distance.
Top Pick - Prince Will I Am
Horses to use - Alcomo (Brz), A. U. Miner, Giant Oak,*Precision Break, Awesome Gem
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf
Winter Memories is the hot morning line favorite after two impressive wins to start her career. She rallied home strongly over a yielding turf course at Belmont Park to win The Miss Grillo (GIII) last month. In her career debut she rocketed home to win, against a speed favoring surface at Saratoga. And she has a blazing 5 furlong work in 58 seconds on the turf at Belmont on October 25. She has the looks of champion in the making. Winter Memories looks to be one of the better bets today, and working around her in pick bets could be the right approach. Three European horses, Tale Untold, Quiet Oasis (GB) and Together (Ire) will all be receiving lasix for the first time and they have well in Europe. Aiden O’Brien’s Together (Ire) has placed and ran fourth in two Grade I events. In her last race she ran 3rd in a 20 horse field, a neck behind the winner, and a nose behind Tale Untold. Kathmanblu is coming in off two solid races. She drew off in her last race, to beat a field of 11 over Keeneland’s turf course. Another Euro is Juddmonte’s Flood Plain (GB). She has two career starts, a win and a place in Great Britain. She will go off at a price. Allure d’Amour for Michael Tabor ran a strong race last out at Belmont Park. She drew clear to beat 8 others. She has the looks of an up and coming horse. She is another that will offer value. She is a candidate to hit the board with a nice late rally.
Top Pick - Winter Memories
Horses to use - Together (Ire), *Allure d’Amour, *Tale Untold, Quiet Oasis (Ire), Kathmanblu, *Flood Plain (GB)
Breeders’ Cup Filly And Mare Sprint
A large field has been assembled for this one. Informed Decision the defending champion will probably go off as one of the favorites here. And is all class, but this is a tough race. She could be the first in a parade of repeat BC winners this year. She has every right to win here, but I will look at some others for more value. Rightly So (Scratched) is the morning line favorite, and will break from the outside and will go to the lead. She is the 2nd choice and is a wire threat, but will have to hold off the cavalry. Sara Louise will come into this race making her 2nd start off the layoff for trainer Saeed Bin Suroor and jockey Lefranco Dettori will have the mount. There should be plenty of speed, and her running style fits well in this race. She is working very solidly, and sports a win over Rachel Alexandra last year-at Churchill Downs. Secret Gypsy comes in off a 2 month layoff. She is a stalker and has won at the distance and at Churchill. Evening Jewel will come into this race cutting back. She has been running in routes on turf and poly most of the year. In her lone dirt start, she just missed beating Blind Luck in the Kentucky Oaks (GI). She has finished a nose behind Blind Luck twice this year. A stalking trip her is expected, and she will offer value. Bob Baffert is high on Gabby’s Golden Girl at 15/1. She will be coming in off a long 10 month layoff, and that is not an easy task. However she defeated Proviso (GB) that day. Bob Baffert likes her and she is working lights out. Sweet August Moon will make her first career start on dirt. She has a nice stalking style and has two wins at the distance. She is working well at Churchill Downs. She will be a big price. The possibility for something wacky exists in a race like this and a large field. The start will be critical for many. Spreading here might me a good idea, and hope for a bomber.
Top Pick - Sara Louise
Horses to use - Secret Gypsy, *Evening Jewel, *Gabby’s Golden Girl, **Sweet August Moon
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies
Theyskens’ Theory could have run in the Juvenile Turf, but her connections have opted for the dirt because she is wonderfully bred for it. She is a daughter of Bernardini. She has two wins in four career starts. She should be forwardly placed. A Z Warrior is the morning line favorite after a convincing win in her first try on dirt in the Frizette (GI) at Belmont Park. A repeat performance of that race makes her a big player. Bob Baffert is very high on her. R Heat Lightning, runner up to A Z Warrior in the Frizette (GI) is the morning line 2nd choice. She will sit a stalking trip a few lengths off the pace. Tell a Kelly makes her first career start on dirt. She has placed and won in her last two races, both Grade I events, and Calvin Borel will have the mount. Another horse making their first career start on dirt will be long shot Jordy Y. If she moves forward on dirt, she could find a way into the money at a nice price. She ran an even 3rd in The Alcibiades (GI) at Keeneland last out. Another one making their first career start on dirt will be Indian Gracey (Scratched). She has run well in all four of her career starts and will offer value. Throughout the spring horses making their first career starts on dirt have run very well. Believe in A.P. broke her maiden last out in impressive fashion, winning by 12 3/4 lengths at Philadelphia Park. She has two breezes at Richard Dutrow’s favorite training spot Aqueduct. She gets a class test, but she will offer plenty of value in exotics. Delightful Mary will make her first start on dirt today after three career starts at Woodbine. The $500,000 daughter of Limehouse sports a sharp breeze over the Churchill Downs strip on 10/25 and she has defeated colts in a small field at Woodbine.
Top Pick - A Z Warrior & Theyskens’ Theory
Horses to use - *Indian Gracey, Delightful Mary, Tell a Kelly, *Jordy Y, R Heat Lightning
Breeders’ Cup Filly And Mare Turf
Midday (GB) comes into this race as the defending champion, and it looks like she is even better this year than last year. 7 wins in 15 starts, and she has won three straight Grade I races in Europe this year. Red Desire made her US debut at Belmont on a yielding turf course in The Flower Bowl (GI). All of her races before that have been on firm turf. She has earned the most of any horse in the field on turf, $3,420,782. She also ran 3rd behind winner Vodka in The Japan Cup (GI) last November. Shared Account will be a big price in here. Eclair de Lune (Ger) won The Beverly D (GI) back in August at Arlington Park, and figures to go off a price. This will be her first start since that race. Plumania (GB) just barely missed defeating Midday (GB) in the Prix Vermeille (GI) at Longchamp back in September. She ran poorly in the Arc (GI). I would expect her to bounce back and run better here. Andre Fabre is a master trainer. Harmonious has been great all year, but the 3-year-old will get her first true class test. Shared Account will be a big price, but this gal has some class. She just missed defeating the classy Proviso (GB) in The Diana (GI) at Saratoga back in July. She did not like the soft turf last time. Forever Together makes her final start, but it looks like she may have lost a step. Classy gal would not be a shocker if she runs a big one however in career final. If she does not win, she usually hits the board. Jonathan Sheppard is a master trainer. Hibaayeb (GB) first start in the US was a winning one. A classy Godolphin horse with Dettori up should be respected, but will have to turn it up to beat the top two here.
Top Pick - Midday
Horses to use - Red Desire,*Plumania (GB), *Shared Account, *Eclair de Lune (Ger)
Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic
3-year-old Blind Luck is the deserving morning line favorite and will break from the far outside. That should not be an issue with her running style. She is a four time Grade I winner in 2010. She will make her rally late, as she always does. But she faces older fillies and mares for the first time. Life At Ten drew the rail and there are some speed horses to her outside, but that should not be too much of an issue for her. She was an impressive winner last out in the Beldame (GI) after getting worn down in a speed duel with Rachel Alexandra in the Personal Ensign (GI) at Saratoga. She showed no ill effects from that race in the Beldame (GI). Malibu Prayer will me making her first start since finishing 2nd to the classy and now retired Just Jenda in The Molly Pitcher (GII) at Monmouth Park. She has been working great. Unrivaled Belle will make her 2nd start off the layoff. She was a well beaten 2nd to Life At Ten in The Beldame (GI). She has been solid in all 5 starts on dirt this year, and another good showing is probable. She also sports a win at Churchill Downs, beating Rachel Alexandra in the LaTroien (GII) in April. 3-year-old Havre de Grace defeated Blind Luck last time in the Cotillion (GII) at Philadelphia Park in a small field. She will be the 2nd or 3rd betting choice when the gates open. And if there happens to be a total pace melt down and Blind Luck does not fire, Persistently could show up on the scene late and make a run for an in the money finish.
Top Pick - Malibu Prayer
Horses to use - Blind Luck,Unrivaled Belle, Life At Ten, *Persistently, Havre de Grace
* Probable Value Bomber Odds
** Bomber Of The Day
2010 Breeder’s Cup Preview | Saturday Day will be posted later or sometime tomorrow.
