No joy for the visitors in the first day’s card at the Breeders’ Cup. Moore picked the wrong one of the Ballydoyle contingent in the Juvenile Turf with Lancaster Bomber chasing home the local winner and at least doing something for the Dewhurst form. The French filly Cavale Doree was a respectable third in the Juvenile Fillies, so the owner’s supplementary money did not go down the drain.
I cannot see any joy for the Europeans in the turf races on Saturday’s card either, especially with it riding officially “fast”, which most of the visitors will not have raced on during yet another damp European summer.
In the Fillies And Mares Turf (7:43), Seventh Heaven (on lasix for the first time) is clearly the best of the three European raiders (and won at York on quick ground) but it is hard to look beyond favourite Lady Eli, who has beaten several of the home team previously.
Although Suedois is a non-runner, there is a big raiding party in the Turf Sprint (9:05), which is very open looking. Fans of Limato will be hoping that Karar runs a big race ahead of the former’s run in the Mile. To me, course and distance front runner Holy Lute looks over-priced.
In the Breeders’ Cup Turf (10:22), I do not expect a repeat from Found as I do not think that the fast ground will suit her. The fast ground should suit Flintshire (formerly with Andre Fabre), who I expect to reverse latest running with Ectot; and the best of the visitors will be Highland Reel. I have my doubts about David O’Meara’s Mondialiste over this trip but he would not be as big a surprise as Ulysses, whose form simply does not look good enough.
In the Breeders’ Cup Mile (11:40), I cannot understand how Limato is favoured over TEPIN, even taking into account the Queen Anne winner being beaten by Photo Call in her warm-up race. The fast ground should not be too much of a hindrance to Alice Springs but whilst she has won at the highest level her opponents have been ordinary.
The Breeders’ Cup Classic (12:35) sees three of the top six horses in the World clash, with top-rated California Chrome a short price to take care of Khalid Abdullah’s Arrogate and Godolphin’s Frosted. Arrogate broke the Saratoga course record winning his fourth on the trot last time and may need to set a Santa Anita record to deny Art Sherman’s Dubai World Cup winner.
