ALBANY, Calif. – Shared Belief and Jerry Hollendorfer are made for each other, and they’re made like each other. Seen from afar, in the inky light here at Golden Gate Fields early one morning several days ago, they’re not very imposing – smallish, even. Yet get up close, and they swell with an intimidating presence. Try to compete with them, and you’re likely to lose.
Skip to main content
Create Your DRF Account
New to DRF?
Everything you could possibly
need in one place
need in one place
Register
Don't have an account?
Register Here
DRF Past Performances
ARCADIA, Calif. – Untapable was up early Friday, strutting her stuff before dawn at Santa Anita with a smug attitude, appropriate for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff favorite.
It was 5:30 a.m. when Untapable and exercise rider Carlos Rosas left the Barn 58 of trainer Steve Asmussen for a one-mile gallop. Untapable was alert and confident. The winner of the Kentucky Oaks and two other Grade 1 races, Untapable is good. And she knows it.
“She’s a little cocky right now,” assistant trainer Scott Blasi said.
Still a week removed, this horseplayer has Breeders’ Cup on the brain. When the pre-entries were announced Wednesday, I immediately started going over the past performances, looking for enticing betting prospects.
Although post positions, defections from races, and other factors could still alter my thinking between now and next weekend, here are some early observations and leanings:
Friday races
◗ Likely favorite Sunset Glow a play against in the Juvenile Fillies Turf
Tough Customer, who was first on the also-eligible/preference list to get into the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, will pass the race even if he gets in, trainer Wayne Catalano confirmed Thursday.
Catalano said he just wanted more time with the horse and will consider the Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs on Nov. 29 for the son of Giant’s Causeway owned by Gary and Mary West. Tough Customer won his debut at Churchill and then finished a well-beaten fourth in the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland.
The connections of Better Lucky were hoping to run their Grade 1-winning filly against males in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile. But when relegated to seven-deep in the Mile, a race that drew 29 pre-entrants, Better Lucky will be rerouted to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, for which she was also pre-entered.
The Filly and Mare Sprint drew only 11 pre-entrants, so Better Lucky is assured a spot in that seven-furlong race.
Longines, the Swiss luxury watchmaker that has long bought advertising on U.S. racing broadcasts, will be the title sponsor of this year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf and Breeders’ Cup Distaff under a sponsorship agreement the company signed this week, the Breeders’ Cup announced Thursday.
Longines will join four other companies that are title sponsors of one of the 13 Breeders’ Cup races that are scheduled for Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 at Santa Anita. Longines is also the title sponsor of the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Imperative will be a longshot in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita, but his profile was raised exponentially Thursday when trainer George Papaprodromou said he had secured Frankie Dettori, the multiple British riding champion, for the race.
Papaprodromou dropped the news shortly after Imperative turned in a sharp six-furlong work at Santa Anita in his final drill for the Classic.
Trainer David Fawkes continues to pace like an expectant father while awaiting news as to whether his Bahamian Squall might ultimately draw into the starting lineup for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
Bahamian Squall, who finished sixth while beaten less than three lengths by Secret Circle in the 2013 Sprint, was ranked 17th of the 21 horses pre-entered for the event by the Breeders’ Cup selection committee. Only 14 horses can start in the Sprint.
Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens will make his comeback from a summertime knee operation in time for the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita next weekend.
Stevens has been booked to ride Sivoliere in the $1 million BC Juvenile Fillies Turf over a mile on Oct. 31 for owner Martin Schwartz and trainer Chad Brown.
Stevens, 51, has not ridden since July 6 at Monmouth Park. He underwent knee replacement surgery that month. There was concern that the injury could lead to the end of his career, but Stevens resumed working horses earlier this month at Santa Anita.