ARCADIA, Calif. – Dispute if you want the “Championships” part of “Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships,” but there’s undeniable truth in the “World” part of it.
There are 19 overseas horses, hailing from Korea, Japan, Ireland, England, and France, entered to compete in Saturday Breeders’ Cup races. The overseas invaders have legitimate chances in all the day’s turf races save the Turf Sprint, so let’s have a look at them race by race.
Turf
ARCADIA, Calif. – The fan in trainer Chad Brown was looking forward to a match-up between his mare Sistercharlie and the top European-based filly Magical in Saturday’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita.
The handicapper in Brown realizes Sistercharlie’s task became much easier when Magical was not entered – and was subsequently retired – due to a temperature. Now, Sistercharlie will be a prohibitive favorite to become the first female to win back-to-back runnings of the Filly and Mare Turf.
ARCADIA, Calif. – A widely varied wagering menu and guaranteed pools await horseplayers in the 36th Breeders’ Cup this weekend at Santa Anita. Those offerings include:
◗ Three two-day daily doubles ($1 minimum) linking the following races: Juvenile Turf (race 6, Friday) with the Turf (race 11, Saturday); Juvenile Fillies (race 7, Friday) with the Distaff (race 10, Saturday); and the Juvenile (race 9, Friday) with the Classic (race 12, Saturday).
◗ A $1 pick six on races 4-9 Friday and races 7-12 Saturday.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Saturday is big of course, because the Breeders’ Cup is always big. It’s a celebration of what’s good in racing – for racetracks, horsemen, and fans.
For the 10th time in its 36-year history, Breeders’ Cup has landed at the foot of the San Gabriel mountains, at picturesque Santa Anita Park. It is the track also known as the Great Race Place. Also known, for many, as home.
Perhaps Breeders’ Cup 2019 is a good time to enjoy Santa Anita racing just for the fun of it.
ARCADIA, Calif. – With the loss of three of the top members of the division during the course of the season, including the two-time reigning champion, one would have thought the $2 million Sprint would be merely an afterthought on Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup program at Santa Anita.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Covfefe has the one-hole. Gasps all around.
“I really don’t think it’s as big a deal as some people would make it out to be,” said Brad Cox, who trains Covfefe for LNJ Foxwoods. “I mean, she’s 2 for 2 from the rail. The only time she might’ve been compromised by an inside post was when she got pressed really hard through an extremely fast opening quarter. I don’t know that it’ll happen that way again.”
ARCADIA, Calif. – He was well beaten last year in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont, and following four straight losses to end the year was put away, given time to ripen.
This year’s vintage has the floral notes of a Grade 1 win, a nice finish – perfect for 1 1/4 miles races – very soothing to the palate. He may have been a cut below last year, but now Vino Rosso ranks with the best older horses in the country. He’s aged like a fine red wine.
ARCADIA, Calif. – November was far away when Midnight Bisou, Paradise Woods, and Ollie’s Candy began 2019 with the same objective – the Breeders’ Distaff on Saturday at Santa Anita.
“We were mapping it out from a long ways back,” trainer Steve Asmussen said referring to a campaign for Midnight Bisou that began in January. Back then, Asmussen did not predict she would reach autumn 7 for 7 this year, wearing a bullseye.
ARCADIA, Calif. - The Breeders’ Cup will have a team of 30 veterinarians monitoring the condition of horses participating in the races at Santa Anita on Friday and Saturday, an increase from 24 the last time the event was held at Santa Anita in 2016.
Speaking at an hour-long press conference at Santa Anita on Wednesday morning, Deborah Lamparter of the Breeders’ Cup veterinary teams said inspections had been completed on more than 90 percent of the horses entered in Breeders’ Cup as of Wednesday morning, and the team planned to complete inspections by Thursday.
ARCADIA, Calif. – If you’re a fan of 2-year-old racing, TGIF.
For the second straight year, the Breeders’ Cup has cleverly packaged its 2-year-old races on one afternoon, with the five juvenile races on Friday at Santa Anita kicking off a two-day festival that will be keenly watched for both racing and safety.
