Music Note, Careless Jewel look to emerge

ARCADIA, Calif. Music Note, who last year raced in the shadow of Zenyatta, and Careless Jewel, who this year is racing in the shadow of Rachel Alexandra, are the top two choices on the morning line in the $2 million Breeders Cup Ladies Classic, to be run Friday during the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita.

Jon White, the morning-line maker at Santa Anita, has Music Note (9-5) the slight favorite over Careless Jewel (2-1). Rainbow View is the third choice at 6-1.

Music Note, 4, landed post 7 in the field of 8 when entries were taken and post positions drawn on Tuesday. She is seeking to improve on a third-place finish in last year s Ladies Classic behind Zenyatta, who this year will face males in the $5 million Breeders Cup Classic on Saturday.

The Music Note that comes into this year s race seems fresher and faster than last year s model. Music Note was at the end of a long, hard campaign in 2008. This year, she has raced just three times, and comes off a pair of powerful victories in New York.

Careless Jewel, 3, who looks to be the controlling speed in the Ladies Classic, drew the rail. She is seeking her sixth straight victory.

Cocoa Beach, second in last year s Ladies Classic, wound up in post 6.

The complete field for the 1 1/8-mile race, from the rail out, is Careless Jewel (Robert Landry the rider), Life Is Sweet (Garrett Gomez), Mushka (Kent Desormeaux), Lethal Heat (Alex Solis), Proviso (John Velazquez), Cocoa Beach (Richard Migliore), Music Note (Rajiv Maragh), and Rainbow View (Julien Leparoux).

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