Breeders' Cup Trip Notes for Oct. 31-Nov. 1

Friday, Oct. 31 - Santa Anita

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (race 6)

COMMENT: Hootenanny had shown his quality and versatility, easily winning his debut on the Keeneland Polytrack, romping on turf at Ascot and finishing second in a French Group 1 on turf Aug. 24. So it was no surprise the son of Quality Road proved best in a wild finish that saw the entire field separated by just six lengths. With blinkers reapplied he got a dream trip stalking in third while saving ground as Luck of the Kitten set the pace, moved off the inside coming into the lane, doggedly went after Lucky Kitten, wore down that rival to grab the lead and edged away in the final half-furlong. He’ll be pointed for a European campaign with his main target likely the Group 1 English 2000 Guineas in May. Luck of the Kitten, winner of the Zuma Beach on this course Oct. 5, bounced out to a clear lead, set a modest pace while still clear on the far turn, rebuffed challenges into the lane to still have the lead by midstretch but couldn’t quite fend off the winner. He may next go to Japan for the Asahi Hai Futurity. Daddy D T, winner of his only turf start, a stakes, at Del Mar Sept. 3 and coming out of the Grade 1 FrontRunner on dirt here Sept. 27, was just behind the winner, had to pitch wide into the lane to lose position but came home well. Conquest Typhoon, the top 2-year-old turfer in Canada, sat midpack and finished nicely. Imperia, smart winner of the Grade 3 Pilgrim at Belmont Sept. 28, had a nightmare trip. He was trying to make a move up the rail into the lane and ran into a wall, stopping him cold. At that point, his day was over. War Envoy, favored off some strong European form including a French Group 1 fifth, bided his time early, had to steady into the lane and then ran into a wall to lose all chance.

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Santa Anita - Breeder’s Cup Dirt Mile (race 7)

COMMENT: Goldencents was too fast for his foes in this race last year. This year he was too tough as the 4-year-old showed plenty of guts to successfully defend his title. From his rail draw he broke a tad slow but was pushed hard up the rail to grab the lead from Vicar’s in Trouble, who was being sent up to make the lead as well. Once Goldencents proved quicker he set fast splits while under constant pressure from Vicar’s in Trouble as the two were far in front going down the backstretch. Goldencents dispatched with Vicar’s in Trouble going into the far turn, opened up on the turn but was obviously a bit weary from that early hard work, had Tapiture come strongly at him into the lane but gamely rebuffed that challenge to go on to victory. He reportedly is off to stud. Tapiture got a great trip sitting midpack as Goldencents and Vicar’s in Trouble went fast early, came with a strong run on the far turn and into the lane, looked poised to surge past Goldencents but just couldn’t get to that stubborn rival. Pants on Fire was likewise in that second group, which sat back off the dueling leaders. He couldn’t match Tapiture’s run on the turn but kept on decently for third. Bronzo, the Chilean hotshot who came here off big Group 1 and Group 2 wins there and who needed to be blindfolded to be loaded, lagged back and finished decently, though he was never really in the picture. Vicar’s in Trouble dogged the winner from the start but gave way readily on the far turn. He reportedly didn’t pull up well and had to be vanned back to his barn. He reportedly suffered a condylar fracture of his left fore and was to undergo surgery.

Santa Anita - Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (race 8)

COMMENT: The winner bided her time behind the pace and blasted home to win most impressively, and being on the turf you’d expect that to be a European. Nope. Instead it was favorite Lady Eli, who looked smashing in victory. She hinted at major ability when rocketing home to win the Grade 3 Miss Grillo on the Belmont turf Sept. 28 and this was even better. She got into a great position on the rail just behind pacesetter Sunset Glow, bided her time there, was still behind that rival coming into the lane, found a seam on the rail, rocketed through and drew off to win in a romp, though she did lug out in the final half-furlong. She ran faster than male winner Hootenanny and may well be the best 2-year-old filly in the lane regardless of footing. She’s off to winter in Florida eyeing a spring return, with her main target likely the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks July 4. Sunset Glow went right out to the lead, set a solid pace, was still clear into the lane, came off the rail just a bit which allowed the winner to shoot through and while no match for that rival stayed on well to be a clear second. Like her male stablemate Hootenanny she might also target a European campaign. Osaila did the best of the Euros as the English Group 3 winner lagged back and finished smartly between horses, though she was never really a threat. Same with English Grade 3-placed Prize Exhibit who lagged back and finished smartly in tandem with Osaila but ended up just behind that foe. Partisan Politics sat just behind the eventual winner, who was her stablemate, while saving ground, moved out on the far turn to loom ominously but didn’t have enough late oomph to make an impact.

Santa Anita - Breeders’ Cup Distaff (race 9)

COMMENT: Untapable capped off what surely is a championship season as the 3-year-old filly defeated some top elders in game fashion. After being trounced by the boys in the Grade 1 Haskell she rebounded to win the Grade 1 Cotillion at Parx Sept. 20, setting her up for her first shot vs. elders here. She bided her time early while staying wide and in the clear as Tiz Midnight set a solid pace. She was asked for her run turning for home, surged into contention, grabbed the lead by midstretch and kept on smartly to keep the hard-charging Don’t Tell Sophia at bay through the final half-furlong. The latter got bumped at the start to get away slowly, was content to sit last early, was still last turning for home, swung wide and powered home but had left herself with too much to do. Iotapa dogged pacesetter Tiz Midnight from the start, took over from that tiring rival into the lane, couldn’t go with the winner and just lost second in the final strides. Ria Antonia lagged back, came with a threatening run but flattened out. Close Hatches seemed in a good spot stalking the pace but gave way readily to finish last.

COMMENT: Longshot Take Charge Brandi, who set the pace before fading badly to be eighth in the Grade 1 Alcibiades at Keeneland last month, went right to the lead and never looked back, posting the big upset. She jumped out to a clear early lead, took some pressure from Hennythelovepenny while setting a solid pace, dispatched with that rival turning for home and gamely kept her rivals at bay through the lane. This was trainer Wayne Lukas’s 20th Breeders’ Cup win, making him far and away the leader. The Grade 2 Golden Rod at Churchill Nov. 29 may be next where she would have the chance to grab the title in a division without a leader. Top Decile, a strong rallying second in the Alcibiades, lagged back and came with a strong run but just couldn’t quite get to the winner. Wonder Gal was well back early, moved closer down the backstretch, loomed a threat into the lane and stayed on decently, though she couldn’t get to the winner. Puca, monster maiden winner at Belmont Oct. 1, broke slowly to be well back early, had to wait for room turning for home, made decent headway in the lane once clear only to then have to check hard in the final furlong to lose any chance of a better finish. Even if she wasn’t a threat it was a promising run. Conquest Eclipse, second in the Grade 1 Chandelier here Sept. 27, was well back from the start and never got involved, while the Chandelier winner and favorite Angela Renee got banged around hard at the start and never recovered.

Santa Anita - Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (race 5)

COMMENT: Dayatthespa gave further reinforcement to the danger of speed as the classy miler type was able to dictate tempo from the start and prevailed. She was coming off a game win in the Grade 1 First Lady, and her connections knew she couldn’t beat males in the Mile, but had the notion that with the right trip she could handle 10 furlongs, something she’d never tried. She broke very sharply, went right to the lead, was pressured by Parranda from the start, maintained a narrow lead to the far turn, rebuffed some challenges there, opened up and gave herself enough of a buffer to keep the closers at bay. It was a terrific ride by Javier Castellano. This may have been her swan song as she’s is cataloged to be sold this week in Kentucky. Stephanie’s Kitten gave trainer Chad Brown a one-two finish. She lagged back early, moved closer doing down the backstretch, was just outside of favorite Dank on the far turn as those two started their rallies, had to stay very wide and did the best of the closers. She’s also to be sold this week. Just the Judge got a dream run stalking the pace while saving ground, came with a smart run into the lane but could never get on terms with the winner and just lost second in the final strides. Dank, last year’s winner and the favorite, seemed in a good spot stalking the pace, shifted out on the far turn to start her run, looked threatening into the lane but didn’t have the needed oomph to get to the winner. Could be the layoff (this was her first start since June) was too much to overcome. Emollient was well back early, came with a nice run along the inside going to the far turn to get into position to try and make a run, but then had to steady and never got going again.

Santa Anita - Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (race 6)

COMMENT: Judy the Beauty got a dream run sitting a couple lengths off the pace of Stonetastic while remaining wide and in the clear. She moved closer on the far turn while staying wide, came with her run into the lane, took the lead from the tiring pacesetter but was immediately tackled by hard-charging Better Lucky to her outside and gamely got to the wire before that foe. She’ll reportedly be back in 2015 with Keeneland’s Grade 1 Madison in April as her first goal. Better Lucky, a Grade 1 winner on turf, was second to Judy the Beauty in the Madison on Keeneland’s Polytrack this spring. She ran splendidly but couldn’t quite turn the tables here, lagging well back, swinging even wider than the winner and finishing strongly to just miss. Thank You Marylou sat a few lengths off the lead and came with a nice run along the inside to get third, though she was no threat in the lane as this was basically a two-horse race in the final furlong. Stonetastic bounced right out to the lead, took some pressure from Southern Honey and Leigh Count, still had the lead when straightening away but then couldn’t keep pace with the three closers. Artemis Agrotera, winner of Saratoga’s Grade 1 Ballerina and Belmont’s Grade 2 Gallant Bloom in her last two starts, lagged back and never mustered a run.

Santa Anita - Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (race 7)

COMMENT: Bobby’s Kitten was one of the big disappointments here last year when he went far too fast and ended up third in the Juvenile Turf as the favorite. He’s continued to show glimpses of brilliance and continued some inconsistency but it all came together here as he got some redemption for last year’s loss. Usually one to show speed he instead was well back early as he was sprinting for the first time and the mare Reneesgotzip set the pace. He remained well back, was still last when moving over the dirt crossing, shifted out to be widest of all for the straight and powered home to get up in the final strides. No Nay Never, the tepid favorite having won four of five including a French Group 1 last year, chased Reneesgotzip, went after that tiring rival into the lane, moved up to contend for the lead with a couple others and looked poised to grab the win but just got nailed on the line by the winner. Undrafted lagged well back like the winner, came with a strong run between horses and missed by a half-length and a nose. Ageless, who scratched into the race, lagged back, came with a strong run into the lane to contend for the lead inside the final furlong but just couldn’t quite keep pace late. Reneesgotzip, third and second in the last two runnings of this race, shot out to a clear lead, was still clear coming over the dirt crossing but then visibly tired and drifted outward as she got overwhelmed by her rivals.

Santa Anita - Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (race 8)

COMMENT: Texas Red, third to American Pharaoh in the Grade 1 FrontRunner , took a big move forward and rode a very friendly race shape to a huge score. A son of 3-year-old champion Afleet Alex, Texas Red sat last as Blue Dancer set a brisk pace while being hounded by Souper Colossal and a couple others. Texas Red was still last going to the far turn, started a strong run through the middle of the field, roared past Carpe Diem and moved to the outside for clear sailing to continue his run, shifted in a bit in midstretch and drew off to win in a romp. While he won in a romp his final time wasn’t much faster than what the Juvenile Fillies did earlier. This may stamp him the early favorite for the Kentucky Derby, though absent top peers American Pharaoh and Competitive Edge may have something to say about that. He reportedly came out of the race well and will winter here. Carpe Diem lagged back, came with a wide run on the far turn to try and get involved, saw the winner shoot past coming into the lane, stayed out wide and kept to his task to get up for second, though he was no match for the winner. Upstart broke slowly to be well back early, but moved up to be midpack going into the backstretch, bided his time, came with a smart run and just failed to hold second. The Great War, a European, sat just behind the speedsters, appeared to be traveling well, had to wait for room into the lane looking poised to pounce, but once room came he didn’t have the needed burst. Sitting so close to those hot splits likely left him low on fuel for the stretch run. Daredevil had a miserable trip. Coming off the huge Grade 1 Champagne win, he broke a bit slowly, rushed up while very wide on the clubhouse turn to press the pace, continued to push the leaders while very wide and then fell apart turning for home.

Santa Anita - Breeders’ Cup Turf (race 9)

COMMENT: Main Sequence powered home here to make it four wins in four starts in the U.S. this year and almost surely clinching turf champion honors. He bided his time well off a modest pace as a few rivals volleyed up front. Hardest Core took the lead going down the backstretch. Main Sequence remained back in seventh, moved closer on the far turn, swung out coming into the lane and quickly accelerated, surging past the highly vaunted Euros for the win. The Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic in late March may be his next target. Flintshire, second in the Group 1 Arc de Triomphe, settled nicely midpack, came out on the far turn, looked as though he might go on to win when he grabbed the lead in midstretch but then couldn’t fend off the winner. Twilight Eclipse sat back and finished well, actually outfinishing a few Euros. Telescope appeared in a great spot stalking the pace while saving ground, waited behind the leaders, found room into the lane to start his run and looked very threatening but then didn’t have the needed burst. Chiquita, a filly, sat midpack, came with a nice move up the rail to be just behind Telescope, was right on his heels when making her run into the lane but was unable to sustain her run. Hardest Core, the Grad 1 Arlington Million winner, stalked the pace, moved up easily to grab the lead going down the backstretch, was still in the middle of things into the lane but weakened late. Brown Panther pressed the pace, loomed a big threat into the lane but then gave way readily. Maybe travelling from Europe to Canada and then to here took its toll.

Santa Anita - Breeders’ Cup Sprint (race 10)

COMMENT: Work All Week had been stellar against lesser competition but he showed here he belongs with the best sprinters as he’s now 12 for 15 and a perfect 10 for 10 on dirt (two of those on wet tracks). He broke very sharply and hounded pacesetter Fast Anna through sizzling splits, remained at that foe’s throatlatch to the top of the lane, took over from that tiring rival and had enough left to keep hard-trying defending champ Secret Circle at arm’s length in the final half-furlong. He’ll reportedly get some time off now before returning to action next year. Secret Circle was gallant in his title defense. He broke sharply, wasn’t far at all off the lead, doggedly went after the eventual winner into the lane but just couldn’t get to him. Private Zone, who tossed in one of his rare clunkers in this race last year when 10th, did much better as he stalked the pace and kept to his task. Bourbon Courage was far back early, still far back turning for home but swung very wide into the lane and closed powerfully but simply ran out of ground. Fast Anna proved the fastest of the fast as he set the sizzling pace, and while he couldn’t keep up he deserves credit for hanging on to finish fifth. Palace, the toast of New York this summer with two Grade 1 wins, was midpack but could never get involved. Rich Tapestry, the Hong Kong import who was favored after beating Goldencents in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Championship, seemed to be going well biding his time early but after moving a bit closer going to the far turn fell apart to finish last. It was later reported that he bled.

Santa Anita - Breeders’ Cup Mile (race 11)

COMMENT: Karakontie was a Group 1 winner in France but was coming off a much-troubled 11th and had a brutal post (No. 14) so he was ignored in the wagering. But he overcame the draw to win fairly easily. He broke alertly and was able to move over and not get hung out to dry, sitting well back but only about three or four lanes off the rail. He bided his time as Obviously set strong splits (inexplicably hounded by Euro raider and favorite Toronado), came with his run between horses when a huge lane opened up, and surged past his rivals to win smartly. Anodin, another classy Euro raider, sat behind the eventual winner, came with a smart run but couldn’t get to the winner. No surprise he ran well being a full brother to the magnificent three-time Mile winner Goldikova. Trade Storm, smart winner of the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile, was far back with the top two and finished strongly. Obviously had to wrest the early lead from Toronado but did so by the first turn, set a solid pace, was again taken on by Toronado on the far turn, dispatched with that foe, opened up a good lead into the lane but got swallowed up in the final half-furlong. Toronado, favored as he’s considered among Europe’s miling elite, got quite sweaty after being saddled and on the walk to the track. He broke very sharply, swapped the lead with Obviously to the stretch, then lugged out and gave way.

Santa Anita - Breeders’ Cup Classic (race 12)

COMMENT: Bayern thrust himself into the debate over champion 3-year-old as well as Horse of the Year with a game performance, but there will surely be more debate about Bayern’s veering in at the start. Bayern broke very sharply but straight left, clobbering Shared Belief, who then rammed into Moreno, squeezing back V. E. Day. Without fellow speedster Moreno to worry about, Bayern made the lead by himself, took pressure from Toast of New York while setting a solid pace, and gamely rebuffed that rival and a persistent California Chrome to just get to the line in front before surviving the inquiry. No doubt when on his game Bayern can do some big things and this year he’s now won going seven furlongs, one mile, 1 1/8 miles and 1 1/4 miles. But while the stewards felt his start did not affect the outcome (unanimously, by the way) count this a dissenting voice. The Group 1 Dubai World Cup in March may be his main early-season target. Toast of New York broke alertly and rushed up and over to the left to get position pressing Bayern, tightening up some rivals under the wire the first time. He seemed very comfortable dogging Bayern, moved closer to challenge turning for home, looked poised to take command but just couldn’t get by. California Chrome bounced back wonderfully from his poor race in the Pennsylvania Derby, reaffirming his reputation. From his outside slot he got the trip he so desires. He sat just a few lengths off the pace while wide and in the clear, came with a challenging run into the lane, briefly looked as though he might go on past but just couldn’t squeak past his two stubborn rivals, losing by just a nose and a neck. Shared Belief, previously unbeaten, got waylaid at the start by Bayern, looked poised to settle midpack but then had to steady sharply off heels going under the wire the first time. He resettled, got position midpack, was asked for run on the far turn and while he finished decently was never able to get involved. He reportedly came out of the race well. Tonalist sat far back and finished well but was left with far too much to do. The 3-year-olds dominated, taking the first six spots.