Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile: Fed Biz early leader

For the first time since its inaugural running at Monmouth Park in 2007, the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile will be run on the Friday program.

At a mile and 70 yards, Corinthian splashed through the Monmouth slop to earn a 119 Beyer, which remains the race’s top figure. After subsequent wins by Albertus Maximus (102), Furthest Land (105), Dakota Phone (104), Caleb’s Posse (111) and Tapizar (104), the average figure through six Dirt Miles is 107.5. Albertus Maximus and Furthest Land ran on a synthetic surface.

Dirt Mile favorites are winless so far, with Discreet Cat (3rd, 2007) and Mastercraftsman (4th, 2009) the only ones to so much as hit the board. Payoffs have ranged from Corinthian’s $9.40 up to Dakota Phone’s $77.40, with the average $20.93.

Centralinteligence earned a fees-paid berth for winning the Triple Bend back on June 29, but is not considered likely for the race. “This year, we’re going to point for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint,” trainer Ron Ellis said. “He deserves another chance at a mile, but I just don’t see when he’s going to get a chance to do it.”

Fed Biz won his way into the Dirt Mile by winning Del Mar’s Pat O’Brien in the track-record time of 1:21.12, eclipsing the old mark of 1:21.17 set by Lewis Michael in the same race in 2008. Fed Biz was the fifth consecutive Pat O’Brien winner for Bob Baffert.

The third and final “Win and You’re In” race is the Grade 2, $400,000 Kelso, to be run at Belmont Park along with five other WAYI stakes on Sept. 28.