ARCADIA, Calif. – Take a stroll down memory lane – a one-mile stroll.
There, a quarter-century away on a path back into time, John Velazquez, who rode the first of his three Breeders’ Cup Mile winners, Da Hoss, in 1998. Behind him, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, co-owner of 1994 Mile winner Barathea. Gerard and Alain Wertheimer – closer and easier to espy, Goldikova carrying their silks to Mile wins in 2008, 2009, 2010.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Richard Dutrow Jr. believed he’d have a big horse in the barn again. He just didn’t know it would be this soon.
The man who trained Big Brown to win two-thirds of the Triple Crown in 2008 and Saint Liam to victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic in 2005, is back in the spotlight with White Abarrio, who just may go off favored in Saturday’s $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.
It comes just seven months after Dutrow returned from a 10-year suspension handed him by the New York Racing Commission for a history of repeated violations.
ARCADIA, Calif. – It takes time and effort to parse the form of dozens of international Breeders’ Cup runners. These horses are all over the Saturday card. The time has been spent, the effort put forth. Here’s how it looks, and let’s hope it was worth the work.
Classic
International runners in main body: 2
Win chance: Moderate
Contenders: Ushba Tesoro
ARCADIA, Calif. – Goodnight Olive remains the strong constant heading into the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at seven furlongs on Saturday at Santa Anita.
A career-ending injury to classy sprinter Echo Zulu and the fatal breakdown of the promising Maple Leaf Mel devastated the divisional ranks but, despite the tumult, defending Filly and Mare Sprint winner Goodnight Olive has held her form.
ARCADIA, Calif. – For months, Saturday’s $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita has been an autumn goal for the brilliant European 3-year-old Auguste Rodin.
More often than not, Auguste Rodin has been the center of attention in Europe, winning the English and Irish derbies and the Irish Champion Stakes since early June. Those wins make him the favorite for the BC Turf at 1 1/2 miles, the richest grass race in the United States.
The problem for Auguste Rodin is that some of his neighbors made the same journey.
ARCADIA, Calif. – The nation’s top fillies and mares have a new look this autumn after retirements and form declines reshaped the division from its winter origin.
That was before anyone knew anything about an anonymous Midwest allowance filly trained by Brad Cox, before a California-based filly re-emerged from obscurity for Bob Baffert, and before a New York-based maiden had won a single race for Chad Brown.
ARCADIA, Calif. – It was only a few months ago that the connections of White Abarrio were focusing on races contested around one turn.
Due to a confluence of circumstances, White Abarrio is here at the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, a 1 1/4-mile race at Santa Anita, where he might actually go off the favorite in a field of 12.
ARCADIA, Calif. – The inspirational story of Cody’s Wish and his connection to a young man with a rare genetic disorder will have its final chapter written – at least on the racetrack – Saturday when Cody’s Wish seeks a repeat victory in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, the final start of his career, at Santa Anita.
ARCADIA, CA – Inspiral and Warm Heart are in career form, but enter Saturday’s Grade 1, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at 1 1/4 miles from different directions.
Inspiral is a brilliant miler attempting to stretch her vaunted ability another two furlongs after Group 1 victories in the Prix Jacques le Marois on Aug. 13 and the Sun Chariot on Oct. 7.
Conversely, Warm Heart is turning back in distance after Group 1 triumphs in the Yorkshire Oaks on Aug. 24 and the Prix Vermeille on Sept. 10.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Elite Power came into the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland on a roll with four consecutive one-sided victories, including the Grade 2 Vosburgh, and parlayed that good form into a one-length victory that sewed up championship honors in the sprint division. His trainer, Bill Mott, said he believes Elite Power is doing every bit as good, if not better, as he prepares to defend his title Saturday at Santa Anita in the $2 million Sprint.
