3-year-olds looking dominant ahead of BC Classic

ARCADIA, Calif. – Victories by Shared Belief in the Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita and Tonalist in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on Saturday further strengthened the already-strong hold that 3-year-olds appear to have on the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Those two, combined with Bayern, the winner of the Haskell Invitational and Pennsylvania Derby, and California Chrome, the winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, could very well be the top four choices in the Classic on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita.

The Classic, first run in 1984, has never had 3-year-olds as the first four betting choices.

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The last 3-year-old who was favored against his elders in the Classic was Street Sense, who finished fourth in 2007 behind the victorious Curlin, also 3 that year. Four of the top five choices in that year’s race were 3-year-olds.

The last 3-year-old who won the Classic was Raven’s Pass, on the synthetic Pro-Ride surface in place at the time at Santa Anita in 2008.

Tonalist earned a fees-paid berth to the BC Classic through the Win and You’re In program. The Awesome Again also was a Win and You’re In race, but Shared Belief already had earned a fees-paid berth through his victory in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar.

As of Monday, it appeared that four of the horses exiting the 1 1/8-mile Awesome Again would move on to the 1 1/4-mile Classic. In addition to Shared Belief, Footbridge (third), Majestic Harbor (fourth), and Imperative (fifth) are expected to run in the Classic.

Fed Biz, second to Shared Belief, will go in the BC Dirt Mile. His owner, Kaleem Shah, and trainer, Bob Baffert, have Bayern for the Classic.

Tonalist and Zivo, who finished second in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, are expected for the Classic, as is Moreno, who crossed the wire fourth but then was disqualified for causing the accident in which jockey Rajiv Maragh was dislodged from Wicked Strong.

Wicked Strong and V. E. Day, both trained by Jimmy Jerkens, are not under consideration for the Classic. Neither is Itsmyluckyday, who was third Saturday in the one-mile Kelso Handicap, also at Belmont Park.

Cigar Street emerged as a Classic contender Saturday with his victory in the Homecoming Classic at Churchill Downs. Cigar Street earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 101 for his victory. Shared Belief also got a 101 for the Awesome Again. Tonalist received a 106 for the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

– additional reporting by David Grening