Breeders' Cup Notebook (11/3)

[Kasept]

With the draw at 4pm EST, most fields are firmed up. Unsettled elements remaining include Craig Lewis' GALLANT GENT weighing the Juvy or Juvy Turf. Curiously, whichever race the 5/3-1-1 Yankee Gentleman gelding chooses will get a Ken Ramsey-Mike Maker also eligible runner into the other event: DEAN'S KITTEN, already with two wins at 8.5f in the Juvy Turf or WILLIAM'S KITTEN, with 5 starts at 5 different tracks (CD, ELP, RD, LaD, WO) in the Juvenile...

The Dirt Mile saw wholesale changes with half of the pre-entries exiting the event: Girolamo, Regal Ransom, Quality Road (Classic); Cowboy Cal (Mile); Crown of Thorns (Sprint likely); Sweet Hearth (Demured from Cup). Mr. Sidney, Ready's Echo, Furthest Land Neko Bay and Cherokee Artist will all make the Dirt Mile, being run as a Gr. I for the first time...

If ZILVA ends up in the Juvenile Fillies as it looks, Graham Motion intends to keep her and Juvy Filly Turf stablemate SMART SEATTLE apart, then interesting turf sprint jump-up longshot ROSE CATHERINE (Paul Pompa/Todd Pletcher) into the field. After two dreadful starts on dirt, the $410,000 (FT-Saratoga '08) Speightstown demolished a 6f Belmont MSW October 15 which earned a 91 Beyer. Pompa already will have D' FUNNYBONE (R. Dutrow) in the Juvenile...

Speaking of ZILVA, this is one Juvy Filly who hasn't had a mention but owns experience (4 starts), owns ascending figures and is the lone Juvy Filly entrant with multiple starts around two turns, frequently a key indicator of success in the Juvenile events. In 2nd and 3rd career starts (Saratoga), Successful Appeal bay was 3rd behind excellent Tapitsfly before besting double next out winner Orchestrator (71 MSW & 74 ALW BSF's at KEE) in her route debut. Compromised a scootch early when further back in the Alcibiades than desired, she showed professionalism getting to the front pack by the end as the only horse to make up much ground. Comes in 'slower' than the top choices, but Motion/Strawbridge candidate also appears likely for a forward move, and is an ideal BC exotics include...

With all the talk of Godolphin, Coolmore, Juddmonte and Pletcher with armies of runners at this year's Cup, George Strawbridge Jr. deserves mention given the stunning opportunity he has Friday with horses running under his name or that of Augustin Stables, his nom de course, in every Ladies Day event. Besides ZILVA and SMART SEATTLE in the baby girl races, Strawbridge sends defending Filly & Mare Turf Champion FOREVER TOGETHER, Filly & Mare Sprint second choice INFORMED DECISION, and multiple Group I winning RAINBOW VIEW in the Distaff...

With post positions still to affect fields, several races have significantly obvious top choices that appear to have seperation from the rest of the entrants: Juvenile Turf (Interactif and Lord Viscount); Filly and Mare Sprint (Ventura and Infomed Decision); Marathon (Mastery and Father Time)...

Of the Euros that made it out of quarantine and onto the track for a leg stretch yesterday, Sir Michael Stoute's Juddmonte 5yo SPANISH MOON was the individual that had most observers impressed. The son of El Prado had a late start to his career making just one start at ages 2 and 3 before a seven race campaign at 4 and three so far this year including the Grp. I Prix de Saint-Cloud this summer...

While it came with the majority of Clocker's Corner habitues having left, Bill Mott's COURAGEOUS CAT looked terrific in his work finishing up swiftly (:23.50) and returning to the barn gleefully... Speaking of gleeful returns from works, ZENSATIONAL was still on his toes and prancing as he came by heading home after his jaw-dropping Monday work...

JUSTENUFFHUMOR looks the picture of health with a dappled hind and glistening coat. His fiasco in the Shadwell should probably be ignored given the description of the Keeneland course as bog-like by Kentuckians present here this week. Looks to come into the Turf as an overlay given the presence of Goldikova, Zacinto, Court Vision, et al, in the race. I remain a DELEGATOR fan in this race as his style should suit and he may be the most underbet import in the group...

Tipping the scales at 1,150, SUMMER BIRD has amazingly gained 31 pounds since last week's workout, a sign that mirrors the Birdstone colt's pattern in his leadups to the Belmont, Haskell, Travers and Jockey Club Gold Cup starts (4/3-1-0) according to Tim Ice. He looked super getting his light work in yesterday after Saturday's sharp workout...

'Buzz' horses based on favorable ongoing appearences the last couple of mornings include CANNONBALL and COST OF FREEDOM...