Spin Doctors Taking Foreign Angle Again

Trainer John Gosden, who won the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Mile with the brilliant Royal Heroine in 1984 at Hollywood Park, had been given the right information about this year’s field.

“I’m told none of the U.S. horses are outstanding,” said Gosden, who saw Ryafan win the $500,000 Yellow Ribbon Stakes on Sunday at Santa Anita and who will saddle longshot Decorated Hero in the Mile on Saturday at Hollywood Park.

Gosden believes 1996 Mile runner-up Spinning World is the one to beat this weekend.

The American contingent, which includes horses who began their careers in Europe before returning to this country, has no superstars and Europe looks to be sitting on its seventh victory in the Mile.

Six times, horses who made their last start overseas have won the first of the two turf races offered at the Breeders’ Cup. The most recent example was Ridgewood Pearl, the 5-2 favorite in 1995 who beat Fastness by two lengths over an extremely soft course at Belmont Park.

Before that, the others were Barathea at nearly 23-1 in 1994 at Churchill Downs, Royal Academy at 5-2 in 1990 at Belmont Park, Miesque at 9-1 in 1987 at Hollywood Park and at 6-1 in 1988 at Churchill Downs, and Last Tycoon, who won at almost 74-1 in 1986 at Santa Anita.

Spinning World, who finished 1 1/2 lengths behind Da Hoss at Woodbine a little more than 12 months ago, has won three of his four starts in 1997.

Jonathan Pease, who won the Breeders’ Cup Turf with longshot Tikkanen in 1994, trains the 4-year-old son of Nureyev. In a period of 24 days in August and September, Spinning World won a Group II race at Saint-Cloud in his first start of the year, was fourth as the favorite in a Group I race in England, then won the Prix Jacques le-Marois at Deauville and the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp at Longchamp, both Group I races in France. He established a stakes record in the le-Marois, covering a mile in 1:34 2/5.

Only twice in 13 starts has he finished worse than third, and European observers believe he will have no problem with Hollywood Park’s firm course.

He also has tactical speed, meaning he won’t have to be weaving his way through traffic and hoping to find room in a field that could number as many as 14.

Spinning World was fourth of nine early in his last start, then took charge to win by three lengths over the talented Helissio.

If he does manage to win, Spinning World will provide jockey Cash Asmussen, his rider in his last 11 starts, with a first. Asmussen is 0 for 22 in the Breeders’ Cup, and the only time he finished second was with this colt last year.

Maybe Asmussen can emulate Gary Stevens, who was supposed to ride Anet in the Mile before an injury knocked that 3-year-old out. Stevens finished second with Fastness in 1995, then earned his first victory in the Mile with Da Hoss the following year.

KEYS TO THE RACE: Post position and luck will play a large part in who wins this one. The last time 14 horses got together going a mile on turf in an important race at Hollywood Park was the Shoemaker Breeders’ Cup Mile on June 15, and several members of the field had serious trouble. The field could be reduced to 12, so that would help. An outside post also is not preferred, as only two of the previous 13 Mile winners have started outside post 9--Royal Heroine, who had the 10 hole in 1984, and Lure, who broke from post 12 in 1993. The last six winners of the Mile also have had the lead a furlong from the finish.

THE HORSES

* Decorated Hero is trained by Gosden, one of the world’s best who made his mark while training in California with stakes winners such as Royal Heroine, Bates Motel, Alphabatim, Bel Bolide and Zoffany, so that alone makes him worthy of longshot consideration. The 5-year-old gelding has won 11 of 24 lifetime and is five for 11 going a mile.

* El Angelo is trained by Jenine Sahadi and owned by C.N. and Carol Ray’s Evergreen Farm, and they were second with Fastness in the 1995 Mile. This son of El Gran Senor has won five of eight this year and has run well over the Hollywood Park grass, winning two of four. He was one of many who had a rough trip in the Shoemaker.

* Fantastic Fellow has won three of four since coming to the United States this summer. A mile looks to be his best distance; his only defeat in this country came when he tried 1 1/8 miles in the Del Mar Derby. He got a dream trip to win the Oak Tree Breeders’ Cup Mile last month and will be trying to give trainer Wayne Lukas his second victory in the Mile. He won with Steinlen in 1989.

* Geri rallied from off the pace to win the Woodbine Mile in his final race before the Breeders’ Cup. The son of Theatrical has won nearly half his 13 starts on the dirt but seems comfortable on turf. He has won two of four on the surface, but he’ll have to avoid traffic trouble Saturday. Owner Allen Paulson won this race in 1990 with 26-1 shot Opening Verse.

* Helmsman, as the 1-2 favorite, pulled up in an allowance race at Del Mar but came back to run second in the Woodbine Mile five weeks later. He was a troubled third in the Shoemaker Mile and was sixth in this race a year ago in Canada. He has trained well of late at Hollywood Park, his home base.

* Honor Glide is a 3-year-old who has won six of nine on the grass against his age group, but his connections have all but decided to run him in the Classic, which would mark his first start on the dirt. The son of Honor Grades would be a longshot in the Mile and an even longer one in the Classic. Trainer James Day won the Breeders’ Cup Distaff in 1991 with heavily favored Dance Smartly.

* Lucky Coin is a gelding who could have been claimed for $35,000 a year ago, but the son of Chas Conerly has been a different animal since he was put on turf. After finishing eighth, sixth, seventh and a distant third in his four starts on the main track at Belmont Park and Aqueduct, Lucky Coin has won seven of eight on the grass, including an easy score in the Kelso Handicap three weeks ago at Belmont. He was supplemented to the race for $120,000 by owner Edward Kelly.

* Magellan should be riding a two-race win streak into the Mile. In the Oak Tree Breeders’ Cup Mile he was blocked with an eighth of a mile to go and did well to lose by only a head to Fantastic Fellow. The Hansel colt has improved since joining Neil Drysdale’s barn, and there is a rider change to Eddie Delahoussaye. Drysdale and Delahoussaye have teamed successfully in the Breeders’ Cup before, winning the Distaff with Princess Rooney in 1984 and Hollywood Wildcat in 1993, the Turf with Prized in 1989 and the Classic with A.P. Indy in 1992.

* Naninja didn’t make the field originally, but was added when Anet dropped out earlier in the week. A son of 1988 Classic winner Alysheba, the 4-year-old gelding has two wins and a second in three tries on the Hollywood Park turf course and has won three of seven at a mile. It’s questionable whether he’s in the same class as the rest of the field.

* Pinfloron split the field in the Oak Tree Breeders’ Cup Mile but was beaten by only a length in a race that served as a prep for this. He was wide, but had clear sailing and never had his momentum stopped in the Shoemaker, which wasn’t true for many of his rivals that day. His two wins have been on the Hollywood Park grass.

* Soviet Line has lost two of his last three races as the favorite, but has won four of seven this year and has tactical speed, which means he should get a good trip. His best recent race was over a yielding course at Saratoga, but he’s not going to get that kind of surface Saturday.

* Spinning World will be favored Saturday and deservedly so, based on his record in Europe. He was very sweaty leaving the track after a gallop Wednesday morning and could be having trouble coping with the heat. “That isn’t abnormal,” said Alan Campbell, racing manager for Flaxman Holdings Ltd., which owns Spinning World. The mile will be the fifth start of the year for the colt.

* Taiki Blizzard, who has earned more than $5.5 million, almost all of it in Japan, was third, beaten by half a length, in the Oak Tree Breeders’ Cup Mile. His connections, like those of Honor Glide, are also considering the Classic. Taiki Blizzard ran in the 1996 Classic and finished last, 27 lengths behind Alphabet Soup.

* Wild Event has yet to lose in five starts on the turf and is two for two at a flat mile. His owner, Arthur Appleton, campaigned Jolie’s Halo, who finished sixth in the 1991 Mile and 10th in the 1992 Classic. Three of Wild Event’s five turf victories came in allowance races at Arlington International.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Breeders’ Cup Entries

MILE

* Post: 12:40 p.m.

* Distance: 1 mile on turf.

* Purse: $1 million.

* COMING THURSDAY: A look at the Juvenile.