BREEDERS’ CUP CAPSULES

SATURDAY AT CHURCHILL DOWNS IN LOUISVILLE, KY.

TV: CHANNEL 4, COVERAGE FROM 10 A.M. TO 2:30 P.M. PST

DISTAFF

1 1/8 MILES (DIRT)

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PP Horse Jockey Odds 1. Heritage Of Gold Shane Sellers 10-1 2. Crimplene Frankie Dettori 20-1 3. Lu Ravi Jerry Bailey 10-1 4. Spain Victor Espinoza 30-1 5. Jostle Mike Smith 15-1 6. Surfside Day 10-1 7. Speaking Of Time Gary Stevens 20-1 8. Riboletta Chris McCarron 4-5 9. Beautiful Pleasure Jorge Chavez 5-2

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* WEIGHTS: Crimplene, Jostle, Spain, Surfside carry 120 pounds; Others 123 pounds.

* PURSE: $2,360,000.

* BILL CHRISTINE SAYS: Frequently the most intriguing race on a Breeders’ Cup card, the Distaff has only nine entrants this time, easily the smallest field of the day. But it’s well-stocked. Last year’s winner, Beautiful Pleasure, is the 5-2 second choice because Riboletta has won seven in a row , including an easier-than-it-looked two-length win over Beautiful Pleasure in the Beldame at Belmont Park three weeks ago. Trainer Eduardo Inda’s Brazilian-bred Riboletta is 4-5 on the morning line. “When I had her last year, she was on the thin side. I looked at her the other day, and it’s amazing how she’s filled out,” said Bob Baffert, her former trainer. “She’s really something now. It usually takes Southern American horses a year to get acclimated.” Two of Beautiful Pleasure’s three losses since last year’s Breeders’ Cup win were in races won by Heritage Of Gold, who won her first five this year before running third at Saratoga and fourth, beaten by 10 1/2 lengths in the Spinster at Keeneland on Oct. 14. The Spinster was so bad that Tom Amoss, Heritage Of Gold’s trainer, had his mare checked out from head to hoof afterward. “What we’re thinking is that a lot of tough training--running fast, in company with another horse--caught up with her,” Amoss said. For this race, he has been working Heritage Of Gold on grass, a kinder surface that’s produced five of her 15 wins. Also in the field is Surfside, a Kentucky Derby candidate before she ran fifth and was injured in the Santa Anita Derby in April. In her comeback race, Surfside ran second at Keeneland. “She’s peaking at the right team,” typically confident trainer Wayne Lukas said. “She’s got upset written all over her.”

JUVENILE FILLIES

1 1/16 MILES (DIRT)

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PP Horse Jockey Odds 1. Cindy’s Hero Gary Stevens 5-1 2. Out Of Sync Chris McCarron 15-1 3. Platinum Tiara Shane Sellers 15-1 4. Nasty Storm Marlon St. Julien 15-1 5. Raging Fever Jerry Bailey 7-2 6. Freefourracing Pat Day 5-1 7. Caressing John Velazquez 30-1 8. Xtra Heat Mark Johnston 20-1 9. Cash Deal Jorge Chavez 10-1 10. Stormy Pick Edgar Prado 15-1 11. Notable Career David Flores 9-2 12. She’s A Devil Due Mark Guidry 10-1 13. Thunder Bertie Kent Desormeaux 15-1

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* WEIGHTS: 119 pounds each.

* PURSE: $1,140,000.

* CHRISTINE SAYS: Lukas, who has won this race four times, twice at Churchill Downs, is 10-1 with the inexperienced Cash Deal. Raging Fever, undefeated in five starts, is the lukewarm 7-2 favorite. Last time, in the Frizette at Belmont, Raging Fever was 1 3/4 lengths better than the Nick Zito-trained Out Of Sync, who was second at 47-1. The shortest price from the West Coast will be Notable Career, the California-bred winner of the Oak Leaf at Santa Anita. It’s the rubber match between Notable Career and Cindy’s Hero, who won the Del Mar Debutante before running third in the Oak Leaf. Gary Stevens takes over from Garrett Gomez, the only jockey to ride Cindy’s Hero. Not much has been made of Freefourracing, because she shares trainer Neil Drysdale’s barn with Fusaichi Pegasus and War Chant, but the British import’s U.S. debut--and her first time on dirt--at Keeneland was promising.

MILE ON TURF

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PP Horse Jockey Odds 1. Muhtathir Frankie Dettori 20-1 2. Ladies Din Kent Desormeaux 6-1 3. Altibr Richard Migliore 20-1 4. Walkslikeaduck E. Delahoussaye 30-1 5. Indian Lodge Pat Eddery 6-1 6. Distant Music Corey Nakatani 10-1 7. King Cugat Jerry Bailey 5-1 8. Dansili John Velazquez 6-1 9. Arkadian Hero Jamie Spencer 15-1 10. Affirmed Success Jorge Chavez 12-1 11. War Chant Gary Stevens 4-1 12. Hap Chris McCarron 10-1 13. Forbidden Apple Jose Santos 15-1 14. North East Bound Jose Velez 30-1

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* WEIGHTS: Distant Music, King Cugat, War Chant and Walkslikeaduck 123 pounds; Others 126 each.

* PURSE: $1,170,000.

* CHRISTINE SAYS: This race is the annual Breeders’ Cup crapshoot--four winning favorites out of 16 runnings--and this year even serious handicappers are throwing hatpins at the names of the 14 starters. War Chant is the tentative 4-1 favorite, off one grass start, that appearance his only race in more than five months. The last time War Chant was at Churchill Downs, he ran eighth in the Kentucky Derby, injuring his shoulder and forcing a long layoff. Europeans have won the Mile seven times, and among their contenders Saturday are France’s Dansili and Indian Lodge. Trainer Andre Fabre has hired an American jockey, John Velazquez, to ride Dansili, who may not get the firm ground he prefers because of rain forecasts for today and Saturday. Julio Canani, trying to become the first trainer to win this race with different horses in successive years, is not the rain-dance type. “Don’t tell me it’s going to rain,” he said pleadingly. “Rain kills me.” Winner of the Mile with Silic last year, Canani saddles Ladies Din, the Eddie Read Handicap winner at Del Mar, this time. Walkslikeaduck, the Del Mar Derby winner, is also in the field. Bill Mott, who is running seven horses Saturday, more than any other trainer, sends out the consistent King Cugat (five wins in his last six starts) and Hap, whose best distance is longer.

SPRINT 6 FURLONGS (DIRT)

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PP Horse Jockey Odds 1. More Than Ready Pat Day 6-1 2. Trippi Jerry Bailey 8-1 3. Caller One Corey Nakatani 3-1 4. Shadow Caster Jorge Chavez 50-1 5. Five Star Day Garrett Gomez 8-1 6. Bet On Sunshine Calvin Borel 12-1 7. Valiant Halory Gary Stevens 30-1 8. Elaborate Victor Espinoza 15-1 9. Successful Appeal Edgar Prado 15-1 10. Kona Gold Alex Solis 5-2 11. Agnes World Yutaka Take 20-1 12. Dream Supreme Chris McCarron 20-1 13. Honest Lady Ken Desormeaux 20-1 14. Delaware Township Shane Sellers 15-1

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* WEIGHTS: Dream Supreme 121 pounds; Honest Lady 123; Caller One, More Than Ready, Trippi, Valiant Halory 124; Others 126 each.

* PURSE: $1 million.

* CHRISTINE SAYS: Corey Nakatani rode three consecutive winners in this race, then settled for eighth last year when Jorge Chavez booted Artax home. Chavez is on a 50-1 shot--Shadow Caster--on Saturday while Nakatani rides Caller One, the 3-1 second choice behind Kona Gold, the 5-2 favorite, who’ll be ridden by Alex Solis, who’s been winless with 31 Breeders’ Cup mounts. Five Star Day, who couldn’t get in this race a year ago when the Sprint was over-subscribed, sent out a message at Keeneland, running six furlongs in 1:07 4/5 in the Phoenix Stakes. The fastest winning time in the Sprint was Artax’s 1:07 4/5. The last time More Than Ready and Trippi ran here, they finished fourth and 11th, respectively, in the 1 1/4-mile Derby.

FILLY & MARE

1 3/8 MILES (TURF)

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PP Horse Jockey Odds 1. Petrushka John Murtaugh 5-2 2. Tout Charmant Chris McCarron 8-1 3. Maltese Superb Yutaka Take 50-1 4. Collect The Cash Shane Sellers 20-1 5. Tranquility Lake E. Delahoussaye 6-1 6. Goldamix Dominque Bouef 30-1 7. Fly For Avie Jose Santos 30-1 8. Perfect Sting Jerry Bailey 7-2 9. Snow Polina Pat Day 6-1 10. Colstar Jean Luc-Samyn 12-1 11. Spanish Fern Victor Espinoza 12-1 12. Pico Teneriffe Jorge Chavez 30-1 13. Catella Kent Desormeaux 30-1 14. Caffe Latte Corey Nakatani 10-1

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* WEIGHTS: Collect The Cash, Goldamix, Maltese Superb, Petrushka 119 pounds; Others 123.

* PURSE: $1,210.000.

* CHRISTINE SAYS: This race was run last year for the first time. The holdovers are Caffe Latte (fourth), Perfect Sting (sixth) and Spanish Fern (last). Caffe Latte and Spanish Fern are longshots, while Perfect Sting, her four-race streak snapped at Keeneland on Oct. 13, is 7-2 behind 5-2 favorite Petrushka, the English filly who’s drawn the inside post. Running 1 1/4 miles or farther, the Irish-bred Petrushka has won three in a row in Ireland, England and France. She would be better off, though, if the rain held off. Tout Charmant is 8-1, despite beating Perfect Sting at Keeneland. Snow Polina, who will probably try to win on the lead, is consistency incarnate, with 10 wins, five seconds and three thirds in a 19-race career. Tranquility Lake, the Yellow Ribbon winner at Santa Anita, will be ridden by Eddie Delahoussaye, thirsting for his eighth Breeders’ Cup win and first in seven years.

JUVENILE

1 1/16 MILES (DIRT)

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PP Horse Jockey Odds 1. Point Given Gary Stevens 8-1 2. Scorpion Garrett Gomez 50-1 3. Dollar Bill Richard Migliore 30-1 4. Macho Uno Jerry Bailey 12-1 5. Noverre Frankie Dettori 15-1 6. A P Valentine Jorge Chavez 7-2 7. Turnberry Isle Michael Kinane 30-1 8. City Zip Jose Santos 20-1 9. Street Cry David Flores 4-1 10. Arabian Light Shane Sellers 5-1 11. Yonaguska Pat Day 12-1 12. Flame Thrower Victor Espinoza 3-1 13. Trailthefox Edgar Prado 50-1 14. Burning Roma Chris McCarron 20-1

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* WEIGHTS: 122 pounds each.

* PURSE: $1,070,000.

* CHRISTINE SAYS: The form that followed the Juvenile around vanished last year when Anees, at 30-1, upset the field. Prince Ahmed Salman’s Thoroughbred Corp. will try to win again with Arabian Light, whose sweeping move at Keeneland was uncharacteristic of most winners there this season, and Point Given, who would have won the Champagne at Belmont if A P Valentine and Jerry Bailey hadn’t found room on rail. The 14-horse field has quality from top to bottom, starting with Bob Baffert’s trio of Flame Thrower, Arabian Light and Point Given. “This is the best shot I’ve had in this race,” said Baffert, who’s winless with five starters in the Juvenile. “I’ve got three good horses and three bad posts, but the good ones usually find a way to win.” Point Given drew the rail, and Arabian Light and Flame Thrower are near the outside with Nos. 10 and 12.

TURF

1 1/2 MILES (TURF)

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PP Horse Jockey Odds 1. Kalanisi John Murtaugh 7-2 2. Fantastic Light Frankie Dettori 8-1 3. Subtle Power Jerry Bailey 20-1 4. Montjeu Michael Kinane 5-2 5. Fruits of Love Olivier Peslier 30-1 6. Ciro Jose Santos 8-1 7. Manndar Corey Nakatani 4-1 8. Aly’s Alley Edgar Prado 50-1 9. Mutamam Richard Hills 15-1 10. John’s Call Jean Luc-Samyn 8-1 11. Quiet Resolve Shane Sellers 13-1 12. Down The Aisle Pat Day 20-1 13. Williams News Patrick Husbands 30-1

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* WEIGHTS: Ciro, Subtle Power 122 pounds; Others 126.

* PURSE: $2,480,000.

* CHRISTINE SAYS: This race is the opposite of the Classic, which has been hogged by three jockeys--Bailey, Pat Day and Chris McCarron. In the Turf, there’s virtually a new jockey aboard the winner every year. The only double winner has been Jose Santos (Manila, 1986, and Chief Bearhart, 1997). The other 14 runnings have been won by different riders. Santos rides Ciro, an 8-1 shot from Ireland who has come to the United States and reeled off wins in the Secretariat at Arlington Park and the Lawrence Realization at Belmont. The first two choices on the morning line--1999 Arc de Triomphe winner Montjeu and Kalanisi, who has five wins and three seconds in eight starts--are from Europe. Kalanisi’s trainer, Sir Michael Stoute, frowned when his colt drew the No. 1 post. Manndar, at 4-1, is trainer Beau Greely’s lightly raced colt, the winner of the Woodford Reserve Stakes over the same Churchill course in May.

CLASSIC

1 1/4 MILES (DIRT)

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PP Horse Jockey Odds 1. Captain Steve Shane Sellers 10-1 2. Euchre David Flores 30-1 3. Golden Missile Jerry Bailey 15-1 4. Cat Thief Pat Day 15-1 5. Guided Tour Larry Melancon 50-1 6. Albert The Great Jorge Chavez 5-1 7. Lemon Drop Kid Edgar Prado 5-1 8. Dust On The Bottle Tim Doocy 50-1 9. Fusaichi Pegasus Kent Desormeaux 8-5 10. Pine Dance Pat Smullen 50-1 11. Vision And Verse Heberto Castillo 50-1 12. Gander John Velazquez 30-1 13. Tiznow Chris McCarron 5-1 14. Giant’s Causeway Michael Kinane 6-1

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* WEIGHTS: Albert The Great, Captain Steve, Fusaichi Pegasus, Giant’s Causeway, Pine Dance, Tiznow 122 pounds; Others 126 each.

* PURSE: $4.770,000.

* CHRISTINE SAYS: Could a California-bred (Tiznow) and a New York-bred (Gander) form the 1-2 exacta? Why not? The Classic has a history of unearthing the bizarre. Try Cat Chief, $41.20 for $2, last year. Or Wild Again, $64.60, in 1984. Or the granddaddy of them all, Arcangues, $269.20, in 1993. Cat Thief, 0 for 10 since last year, is back, working like crazy and encouraging trainer Lukas to wax optimistic. Fusaichi Pegasus, the $4 million yearling and Kentucky Derby winner, has had only one prep since finishing second to Red Bullet in the Preakness, but it was a pip. Jockey Kent Desormeaux spent the race looking around for challengers, and there weren’t any in the Jerome Handicap at Belmont. The steam comes from the 3-year-olds, Captain Steve, Albert The Great and Giant’s Causeway (from England), joining Fusaichi Pegasus and Tiznow to make for a formidable group of sophomores. The once-and-fading sensation, Lemon Drop Kid, having run a slow but winning Woodward and running 9 1/2 lengths behind Albert The Great in a fifth-place dud in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, is back at Churchill, where he was fifth in the 1998 Juvenile and ninth in last year’s Derby. “He bled in the Juvenile and he had the 19 post in the Derby,” said Lemon Drop’s trainer, Scotty Schulhofer, without elaboration. Fusaichi Pegasus will go off about 8-5, and the second choice could be any of four horses. The forgotten horse is Golden Missile, third in last year’s Classic but beaten, while running with foot problems, in his last three races. Cat Thief had also lost three in a row before his Classic win. Now there’s a potential trend for you.