Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile: Verrazano and Goldencents draw wide posts
ARCADIA, Calif. – Three-year-olds Verrazano and Goldencents both were assigned tough outside posts Monday as the likely favorites for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile on Friday at Santa Anita.
Verrazano, trained by Todd Pletcher, got post 10, while the California-based Goldencents drew the outside post 12 for Doug O’Neill in the two-turn Dirt Mile, the only one of the 14 BC races with an also-eligible.
[BREEDERS’ CUP 2013: Fields with DRF odds and comments]
Pletcher lost the likely favorite for the Dirt Mile earlier Monday when it was announced Graydar had stayed home in New York because of a quarter crack.
Among the other notable assignments for the Dirt Mile: Golden Ticket, post 2; Brujo de Olleros, post 4; and Pants On Fire, post 11.
Because of the tight configuration given a short run into the first turn, the Dirt Mile is the only BC race limited to 12 starters. All others can have as many as 14.
The lone also-eligible, Easter Gift, will draw into the race only if another horse is scratched before Friday morning. He would start from the outside if he goes.
Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile
Purse: $1 million; one mile; Grade 1
PP, Horse, Jockey, Morning-line odds
1. Taptowne (B. Hernandez) 15-1
2. Golden Ticket (J. Rosario) 12-1
3. Hymn Book (J. Castellano) 15-1
4. Brujo de Olleros (A. Garcia) 8-1
5. Fed Biz (M. Garcia) 6-1
6. Broadway Empire (R. Walcott) 12-1
7. Alpha (J. Bravo) 8-1
8. Holy Lute (M. Smith) 20-1
9. Centralinteligence (J. Espinoza) 15-1
10. Verrazano (J. Velazquez) 3-1
11. Pants on Fire (P. Lopez) 6-1
12. Goldencents (R. Bejarano) 4-1
13AE Easter Gift (J. Rosario) 15-1
Post time: Friday, 6:05 p.m. Eastern