Favored Hootenanny will start from post 5 with Dettori

ARCADIA, Calif. – Frankie Dettori’s 10 Breeders’ Cup wins places him in a tie for sixth in the all-time Breeders’ Cup jockey standings. Dettori’s last Breeders’ Cup flying dismount, his signature leap performed after a victory, came in 2010, when he won the Turf on Dangerous Midge. But Dettori is well mounted this year to claim another Breeders’ Cup race, and his live mount in the Juvenile Turf, Hootenanny, drew well in post 5 for the $1 million race.

There were 16 final entrants for the Juvenile Turf, with 14 in the field’s main body, and Faithful Creek and Papacoolpapacool consigned to the also-eligible list. At one mile, the race around Santa Anita’s sharp-turned turf course starts near the first bend: A wide draw is likely to produce an ground-losing trip, while drawing one of the farthest inside posts can lead to a young horse taking heavy pressure as the field crushes and bustles for position into the turn.

Hootenanny, though, has speed, and from post 5, Dettori has a fine position from which to deploy it. This will be Dettori’s first ride on Hootenanny, who is based in the U.S. with trainer Wesley Ward, but whose last two starts, a win and a second, came in prominent European races. He is the 3-1 morning-line favorite.

Hootenanny is one of two Ward-trained entrants, the other being speedy Luck of the Kitten, who figures to show the way from post 3.

:: BREEDERS’ CUP 2014: Post positions and odds

Kiaran McLaughlin, who trains Pilgrim Stakes winner Imperia, said Monday morning he hoped for a draw between 1 and seven, but Imperia landed 11, and will have to drop back leaving the gate and seek position under Javier Castellano. Imperia is the third choice on the Santa Anita line at 6-1.

Trainer Chad Brown, like Ward, has two entrants in the race, with Offering Plan in post 8 drawing slightly better than Startup Nation in 10. European-based horses have won five of the six editions of the Juvenile Turf, and four were among the final entries. Wet Sail has post 1, Commemorative, 4; War Envoy, 7;and Aktabantay, 9. War Envoy is trained by Aidan O’Brien, who has saddled two previous winners of the race. War Envoy is 9-2 on the line at 9-2.

The other entrants, with post draws, are Daddy D T (2), Conquest Typhoon (6), International Star (12), Lawn Ranger (13), and Danny Boy (14).

The Juvenile Turf will be the first of 13 Breeders’ Cup races to be run at Santa Anita Friday and Saturday. It is carded as the sixth race Friday with a post time of 2:25 p.m. Pacific.