Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile: Liam’s Map must be caught

The Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile lost one likely pace horse but gained another this week. The speedy Liam's Map is now the probable favorite for the $1 million Dirt Mile on Oct. 30 after trainer Todd Pletcher announced Wednesday the horse will bypass the 1 1/4-mile Breeders' Cup Classic.

Private Zone would have been the likely pacesetter in the Dirt Mile, but his connections said after his work at Monmouth on Monday that he is being pointed for the BC Sprint. Private Zone, who this year has been beaten only by Honor Code and Tonalist, breezed five furlongs in 1:01.

At Keeneland, Liam’s Map went a half-mile in 48.60 seconds on Wednesday, galloping out five furlongs in 1:01.40 and six furlongs in 1:13.40. After the work, Pletcher said he intends to run Liam’s Map in the Dirt Mile, leaving the door slightly open to the Classic if the makeup of that field changes. Liam’s Map finished second to Honor Code in Grade 1 Whitney and won the Grade 1 Woodward in his last two starts. Both were at 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga.

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Three potential Dirt Mile starters might emerge from last Saturday’s slopfest at Belmont Park, where Appealing Tale and Red Vine ran one-two in the Kelso Handicap and Wicked Strong ran second in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

In the one-mile Kelso, Appealing Tale bounded to a clear lead from the rail. He was never seriously threatened after setting moderate fractions of 23.50 seconds, 46.35, and 1:09.89. His final time of 1:34.86 translated to a lifetime-best Beyer Speed Figure of 108.

“We are all elated,” said trainer Peter Miller. “It’s on to the Breeders’ Cup next. We’ll cross-enter in the Sprint, but we’ll probably lean more on entering in the [Dirt] Mile.”

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Despite stumbling at the start, Red Vine finished a clear second over Honor Code and earned a 105 Beyer, his fourth consecutive triple-digit figure. He could run next in the Dirt Mile, the seven-furlong Bold Ruler on Oct. 31 at Belmont, or train up to the Cigar Mile on Nov. 28 at Aqueduct,” said trainer Christophe Clement.

Wicked Strong showed surprising early speed en route to a runner-up finish to repeat winner Tonalist in the 1 1/4-mile Gold Cup. He might cut back in distance in the Dirt Mile for owner Centennial Farms and trainer Jimmy Jerkens, who captured the Dirt Mile’s inaugural running with Corinthian in 2007.

Jerkens said: “Wicked Strong looked like he liked being up close. It looked like he tried and kept on a bit better than he usually does.”

Wicked Strong earned a 102 Beyer, his sixth triple-digit figure in seven starts since clipping heels and losing his rider in last year’s Gold Cup.