Returning Is Easy Part; Repeating Looks Harder

The 20th Breeders’ Cup might have three returnees who won races last year, but it’s possible none of them will be favored when the eight stakes worth $14 million are run at Santa Anita on Oct. 25:

* The 11-race winning streak of Azeri, winner of last year’s Distaff, was ended last month, and she could be the second choice, behind Sightseek, this time.

* High Chaparral, winner of the Turf in 2002, is listed as the fourth choice in the renewal by one English bookmaker.

* Volponi, a longshot when he won the Classic at Arlington Park, will be that again as he tries for his first win since then.

Azeri, High Chaparral and Volponi were three of the 101 horses who were pre-entered Thursday. That’s the lowest total since the Breeders’ Cup expanded from seven to eight races by adding the Filly & Mare Turf in 1999. The highest number since then was 135 horses in 2000, and the previous low was 104 horses, in each of the last two years.

“There was some apprehension, but I couldn’t be more pleased with the turnout,” said D.G. Van Clief, president of the Breeders’ Cup. “The fields have depth and quality, and I think there’s a great contingent from Europe coming. There are a couple of additional European horses that might have come if the races were held at an Eastern track, but they would have been lesser contenders. Kentucky might be considered racing’s birthplace, but California is where we went to school with the Breeders’ Cup.”

This will be the sixth Breeders’ Cup in California, and the first at Santa Anita since 1993. Three of the first four Breeders’ Cups were held in California -- the inaugural in 1984 at Hollywood Park, at Santa Anita in 1986 and back in 1987 at Hollywood, which also hosted the day in 1997.

Entries will be taken Wednesday, when post positions will be drawn.

After the first entry stage Thursday, eight horses were left eligible for two races, including Azeri and Falbrav, the Irish-bred standout.

Laura de Seroux, who trains Azeri, said that her mare, last year’s horse of the year, was pre-entered for the Classic as well as the Distaff as a concession to Michael Paulson, who owns the horse. But De Seroux seemed confident that they would run in the Distaff.

“A filly versus males -- in my heart, I’ve never wanted to do it,” De Seroux said.

Falbrav, who has never run on dirt while winning seven Grade I stakes in four countries over the last two years, has been better at the 1 1/4-mile Classic distance. At 1 1/2 miles, the Turf distance, trainer Luca Cumani’s 5-year-old has won only one of five starts.

Cumani said that the owners of Falbrav, Luciano Salice and Teruya Yoshida, would make their decisions Monday or Tuesday.

The Classic, at $4 million the richest race in the U.S., has been stripped of much of its luster by the absence of Mineshaft, Candy Ride and Empire Maker. A capacity of 14 horses was pre-entered for the Classic, but that is likely to change. Both Falbrav and Toccet could wind up in the Turf, and Peace Rules is also a candidate for the Mile, another grass race. Mineshaft, who has been retired, is in a position to win horse-of-the-year honors without even showing up.

William Hill, the British bookie, has made Medaglia d’Oro and Ten Most Wanted co-favorites at 7-2, with Perfect Drift and Falbrav at 4-1 and Congaree 5-1.

Medaglia d’Oro, second to Volponi last year as the Classic favorite, will be running for the first time since Candy Ride beat him in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 24. Medaglia d’Oro won his three other starts this year -- the Strub at Santa Anita, the Oaklawn Handicap in Arkansas and the Whitney Handicap at Saratoga. Trainer Bobby Frankel’s colt will be ridden by Jerry Bailey, who has won 13 Breeders’ Cups, more than anybody else, and four Classics, one fewer than the retired Chris McCarron.

Bailey got his second Classic win in 1993 at Santa Anita, where he rode the French import Arcangues for the first time. They combined for a 133-1 upset, depriving Bertrando, the second-place finisher, of a horse-of-the-year title.

“I didn’t know if Arcangues was a bay or a gray until I saw him in the paddock,” Bailey said.

He’ll do better recognizing Medaglia d’Oro, who has been ridden by Bailey in his last seven races.

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

DISTAFF

1 1/8 miles, 3-year-olds and up.

Purse: $2 million

Azeri (L. De Seroux) 9-5

Sightseek (R. Frankel) 2-1

Got Koko (B. Headley) 7-2

Take Charge Lady (K. McPeek) 8-1

Elloluv (C. Dollase) 10-1

Lady Tak (S. Asmussen) 12-1

Adoration (D. Hofmans) 30-1

Buy The Sport (R. Barbara) 30-1

*

JUVENILE FILLIES

1 1/16 miles, 2-year-old fillies.

Purse: $1 million

Halfbridled (R. Mandella) Even

Class Above (B. Baffert) 6-1

Society Selection (H. A. Jerkens) 10-1

Victory U.S.A. (B. Baffert) 10-1

Ashado (T. Pletcher) 12-1

Tarlow (J. Shirreffs) 12-1

Be Gentle (D.W. Lukas) 15-1

Zosima (E. Harty) 20-1

Dixie High (A. Kitchingman) 30-1

Forest Music (M. Shuman) 30-1

Hollywood Story (J. Shirreffs) 30-1

Renaissance Lady (D.W. Lukas) 30-1

Vino Tinto (N. Hines) 30-1

Shadow of Mine (C.B. Greely) 50-1

*

MILE

Turf, 3-year-olds and up. Purse: $1.5 million

Oasis Dream (J. Gosden) 4-1

Six Perfections (P. Bary) 9-2

Designed for Luck (V. Cerin) 6-1

Special Ring (J. Canani) 6-1

Peace Rules (R. Frankel) 10-1

Sarafan (N. Drysdale) 10-1

Refuse To Bend (D. Weld) 12-1

Perfect Soul (R. Attfield) 15-1

Touch of the Blues (N. Drysdale) 15-1

Decarchy (D. O’Neill) 20-1

Irish Warrior (W. Dollase) 20-1

Soaring Free (M. Frostad) 20-1

Freefourinternet (J. Scott) 30-1

Century City (C.B. Greely) 30-1

Also eligible

Statue of Liberty (A. O’Brien) 30-1

Taste of Paradise (J. Sadler) 30-1

Pie N Burger (C. Norman) 50-1

*

SPRINT

6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up. Purse: $1 million

Congaree (B. Baffert) 3-1

Aldebaran (R. Frankel) 7-2

Shake You Down (S. Lake) 9-2

Captain Squire (J. Mullins) 12-1

Valid Video (D. Manning) 12-1

Bluesthestandard (T. West) 15-1

Ethan Man (P. Byrne) 15-1

Midas Eyes (R. Frankel) 15-1

Yankee Gentleman (J. Shirreffs) 15-1

Cajun Beat (S. Margolis) 20-1

Private Horde (J. Cain) 20-1

Great Notion (D. Miller) 30-1

Posse (S. Asmussen) 30-1

Zavata (P. Biancone) 30-1

Also eligible

Clock Stopper (D. Stewart) 20-1

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FILLY AND MARE TURF

1 1/4 miles, 3-year-olds and up. Purse: $1 million

Islington (M. Stoute) 4-1

Tates Creek (R. Frankel) 5-1

Heat Haze (R. Frankel) 6-1

Musical Chimes (N. Drysdale) 8-1

Bright Sky (E. Lellouche) 10-1

Mezzo Soprano (S. bin Suroor) 10-1

Voodoo Dancer (C. Clement) 10-1

Yesterday (A. O’Brien) 10-1

Megahertz (R. Frankel) 12-1

Dimitrova (D. Weld) 15-1

Bien Nicole (D. Von Hemel) 20-1

Dessert (R. Mandella) 30-1

L’Ancresse (A. O’Brien) 30-1

Riskaverse (P. Kelly) 30-1

*

JUVENILE

1 1/16 miles, 2-year-old colts and geldings. Purse: $1.5 million

Cuvee (S. Asmussen) 2-1

Chapel Royal (T. Pletcher) 5-1

Race for Glory (D.W. Lukas) 6-1

Grand Reward (A. O’Brien) 8-1

Capitano (T. Bell II) 12-1

Relaxed Gesture (D. Weld) 12-1

Minister Eric (R. Mandella) 15-1

Siphonizer (R. Mandella) 15-1

Tiger Hunt (W.E. Walden) 15-1

Cactus Ridge (W.B. Calhoun) 20-1

Action This Day (R. Mandella) 30-1

Consecrate (B. Baffert) 30-1

Old Deuteronomy (A. O’Brien) 30-1

That’s an Outrage (M. Puhich) 50-1

Also eligible

Mambo Train (M. Polanco) 50-1

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TURF

1 1/2 miles, 3-year-olds and up. Purse: $2 million

Falbrav (L. Cumani) 3-1

Storming Home (N. Drysdale) 7-2

High Chaparral (A. O’Brien) 4-1

Sulamani (S. bin Suroor) 9-2

Johar (R. Mandella) 10-1

Sarafan (N. Drysdale) 12-1

Bright Sky (E. Lellouche) 15-1

The Tin Man (R. Mandella) 20-1

Balto Star (T. Pletcher) 30-1

Century City (C. Greely) 30-1

Deeliteful Irving (M. Dickinson) 30-1

Toccet (J. Scanlan) 50-1

*

CLASSIC

1 1/4 miles, 3-year-olds and up. Purse: $4 million

Medaglia d’Oro (R. Frankel) 4-1

Ten Most Wanted (W. Dollase) 9-2

Congaree (B. Baffert) 6-1

Perfect Drift (M. Johnson) 6-1

Pleasantly Perfect (R. Mandella) 10-1

Azeri (L. De Seroux) 12-1

Falbrav (L. Cumani) 12-1

Funny Cide (B. Tagg) 12-1

Dynever (C. Clement) 15-1

Hold That Tiger (A. O’Brien) 15-1

Peace Rules (R. Frankel) 20-1

Volponi (P. Johnson) 20-1

Evening Attire (P. Kelly) 30-1

Toccet (J. Scanlan) 50-1