BREEDERS’ CUP FIELDS

DISTAFF

POST: 10:20 a.m. CONDITIONS: For 3-year-olds and up, fillies and mares. DISTANCE: 1 1/8 miles. PURSE: $2 million. First place: $1,040,000. Second place: $400,000. Third place: $240,000. Fourth place: $114,000. Fifth place: $60,000.

*--* PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer Owner Odds 1. TAKE CHARGE Edgar Prado 123 Ken McPeek Select Stable 8-1 LADY 2. ADORATION Pat Valenzula 123 David Hofmans Amerman Racing 20-1 3. LADY TAK Pat Day 119 Steve Asmussen Heiligbrodt Stable 12-1 4. BUY THE SPORT John Velazquez 119 Bobby Barbara Georgica Stable 20-1 5. SIGHTSEEK Jerry Bailey 123 Bobby Frankel Juddmonte Farms 6-5 6. ELLOLUV Corey Nakatani 119 Craig Dollase J Paul Reddam 9-2 7. GOT KOKO Alex Solis 123 Bruce Headley Aase, Headley & 2-1 Leung

*--*

COMMENT

This race lost a lot of luster earlier in the week when Azeri was declared out of the race, but her defection was a disappointment to those who looked forward to betting against the reigning horse of the year. SIGHTSEEK is a deserving favorite on the morning line and returns to California having won four Grade I races in a row in Kentucky and New York. The 4-year-old daughter of Distant View is versatile and can become the 11th horse that started at less than 2-1 odds to win this race. The pace should be legitimate and she has shown she can adapt to any scenario. GOT KOKO loves this track and she did beat Sightseek in the La Canada Stakes here Feb 8. TAKE CHARGE LADY will run better than she did in her two previous Breeders’ Cup appearances.

*

JUVENILE FILLIES

POST: 10:55 a.m. CONDITIONS: For 2-year-old fillies. DISTANCE: 1 1/16 miles. PURSE: $1 million. First place: $520,000. Second place: $200,000. Third place: $120,000. Fourth place: $57,000. Fifth place: $30,000.

*--* PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer Owner Odds 1. DIXIE HIGH Victor 119 Adam William Peebles 30-1 Espinoza Kitchingma n 2. SHADOW OF Jose Valdivia 119 Beau Greely Thomas Nichols 50-1 MINE 3. HOLLYWOOD Pat 119 John George Krikorian 15-1 STORY Valenzuela Shirreffs 4. FOREST MUSIC Edgar Prado 119 Mark Shuman Michael Gill 12-1 5. ASHADO John 119 Todd Starlight Stables 20-1 Velazquez Pletcher 6. SOCIETY Ray Ganpath 119 Allen Marj. & Irving 8-1 SELECTION Jerkens Cowan 7. CLASS ABOVE David Flores 119 Bob Baffert Padua Stables 7-2 8. VICTORY Jerry Bailey 119 Bob Baffert Thomas Van Meter 10-1 U.S.A. II 9. RENAISSANCE Tyler Baze 119 Wayne Lukas Robert & Beverly 30-1 LADY Lewis 10. VINO TINTO Ryan 119 Nicholas Triple B Farms 50-1 Fogelsonger Hines 11. ZOSIMA Pat Day 119 Eoin Harty Darley Stable 15-1 12. TARLOW Mike Smith 119 John Mr & Mrs Jerome 15-1 Shirreffs Moss 13. BE GENTLE Cornelio 119 Wayne Lukas Thomas Van Meter 20-1 Velazquez II 14. HALFBRIDLED Julie Krone 119 Richard Wertheimer Farm 7-5 Mandella Inc

*--*

COMMENT

There are many who believe HALFBRIDLED, the unbeaten daughter of Unbrided, is the most probable winner on the Breeders’ Cup card. The post position draw may have made the race far more interesting because Halfbridled and jockey Julie Krone find themselves stuck outside all of her rivals. Professional and performing more like an older filly, Halfbridled seems the type to overcome adversity, but the first turn should be intriguing. CLASS ABOVE hasn’t been challenged in two starts in California and Kentucky and seems the most likely candidate to beat the favorite. Some will focus on SOCIETY SELECTION -- another unbeaten horse from New York -- because of her trainer, Allen Jerkens. However, Jerkens hasn’t been a giant-killer in the Breeders’ Cup or in California.

*

MILE

POST: 11:35 a.m. CONDITIONS: For 3-year-olds and up. SURFACE: Turf. PURSE: $1.5 million. First place: $780,000. Second place: $300,000. Third place: $180,000. Fourth place: $85,500. Fifth place: $45,000.

*--* PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer Owner Odds 1. PEACE RULES Edgar Prado 122 Bobby Frankel Edmund Gann 6-1 2. SARAFAN Victor 126 Neil Drysdale Gary Tanaka 10-1 Espinoza 3. DESIGNED FOR Pat 126 Vladimir Cerin David & Holly 6-1 LUCK Valenzuela Wilson 4. SOARING FREE John 126 Mark Frostad Sam-Son Farms 20-1 Velasquez 5. REFUSE TO BEND Pat Smullen 122 Dermot Weld Moyglare Stud 15-1 Farm 6. SPECIAL RING David 126 Julio Canani Prestonwood Farm 4-1 Flores 7. Jose 126 Joan Scott Equirace.Com 30-1 FREEFOURINTERNET Espinoza Stable 8. CENTURY CITY Jose 126 Beau Greely Kitchwa Stables 20-1 Valdivia 9. TOUCH OF THE Kent 126 Neil Drysdale Gainsborough 20-1 BLUES Desormeaux Farm 10. OASIS DREAM Richard 122 John Gosden Juddmonte Farms 5-1 Hughes 11. IRISH WARRIOR Alex Solis 126 Wally Dollase John Coleman 20-1 12. DECARCHY Mike Smith 126 Doug O’Neill Magali Farms 20-1 13. SIX Jerry 119 Pascal Bary Flaxman Holdings 6-1 PERFECTIONS Bailey 14. PERFECT SOUL Jose Santos 126 Roger Attfield Charles Fipke 15-1

*--*

COMMENT

The American contingent isn’t the strongest in the history of the race, so the door is open for the Europeans to shine. Spinning World came to this country and won at 2-1 odds the last time the Breeders’ Cup was held in California in 1997. SIX PERFECTIONS is a high-class 3-year-old filly who has been first or second in all nine of her starts, five of them at this distance. She drew a lousy post (13) but has the right rider (Jerry Bailey) to work out a favorable trip. SPECIAL RING will be ridden much differently than he was in the Oak Tree Breeders’ Cup Mile earlier in the month and could take some catching in the final quarter of a mile.

*

SPRINT

POST: 12:10 p.m. CONDITIONS: For 3-year-olds and up. DISTANCE: 6 furlongs. PURSE: $1 million. First place: $520,000. Second place: $200,000. Third place: $120,000. Fourth place: $57,000. Fifth place: $30,000.

*--* PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer Owner Odds 1. ZAVATA Gary Stevens 123 Patrick Michael Tabor. 15-1 Biancone 2. SHAKE YOU Mike Luzzi 126 Scott Lake Robert Cole Jr 4-1 DOWN 3. POSSE Pat Day 123 Steve Hiligbrodt 15-1 Asmussen Stable 4. VALID VIDEO Edgar Prado 123 Dennis Mac Fehsenfeld 8-1 Manning 5. MIDAS EYES John 123 Bobby Edmund Green 10-1 Velasquez Frankel 6. ALDEBARAN Jerry Bailey 126 Bobby Flaxman Holdings 3-1 Frankel 7. ETHAN MAN Rene Douglas 126 Pat Byrne West Point Tbrds 20-1 8. Mike Smith 126 Ted West Jeffrey Sengara 12-1 BLUESTHESTANDA RD 9. PRIVATE Jason 126 Joe Cain Billy Tucker 20-1 HORDE Lumpkins 10. GREAT Tyler Baze 123 Darrin Silverton Hill 20-1 NOTION Miller 11. CAJUN BEAT Cornelio 123 Steve Sanan & Iracane 20-1 Velasquez Margolis 12. YANKEE Pat 126 John Mr & Mrs Martin 6-1 GENTLEMAN Valenzuela Shirreffs Wygod 13. CAPTAIN Alex Solis 123 Jeff Bone & Diener 10-1 SQUIRE Mullins

*--*

COMMENT

SHAKE YOU DOWN has lost once in seven starts since being claimed for $65,000 by trainer Scott Lake on March 12 and the gelding has done most of his winning up front. If he’s able to get clear early, he could get the Sprint win that just eluded Lake last year with longshot Thunderello. Not so fast, however. There will be other front-runners in the race and no easy lead, setting the stage, perhaps, for a closer. Back runners have won the Sprint in Southern California before and ALDEBARAN could become the latest even though he has never started at six furlongs. He has also never been better than he is now. The Ancient Title Breeders’ Cup Handicap was the Southern California prep for this race on Oct. 5, but the winner of that Grade I (Avanzado) wasn’t supplemented to this race. Maybe YANKEE GENTLEMAN, the beaten favorite that day, can rebound as he’s reunited with jockey Pat Valenzuela.

*

FILLY & MARE TURF

POST: 12:34 p.m. CONDITIONS: For 3-year-olds and up. DISTANCE: 1 1/4 miles. PURSE: $1 million. First place: $520,000. Second place: $200,000. Third place: $120,000. Fourth place: $57,000. Fifth place: $30,000.

*--* PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer Owner Odds 1. TATES Pat 123 Bobby Frankel Juddmonte Farms 6-1 CREEK Valenzuela 2. YESTERDAY Mick Kinane 118 Aidan O’Brien Magnier & Henry 12-1 3. HEAT HAZE Jerry 123 Bobby Frankel Juddmonte Farms 6-1 Bailey 4. ISLINGTON Kieren 123 Michael Stoute Weinstock 3-1 Fallon Executors 5. MEZZO Frankie 118 Saeed bin Godolphin 8-1 SOPRANO Dettori Suroor Racing 6. MUSICAL Gary 118 Andre Fabre Sheikh Maktoum 4-1 CHIMES Stevens 7. VOODOO Corey 123 Christophe Green Hills 10-1 DANCER Nakatani Clement Farm 8. RISKAVERSE John 123 Pat Kelly Fox Ridge Farm 30-1 Velasquez 9. MEGAHERTZ Alex Solis 123 Bobby Frankel Michael Bello 12-1 10. DIMITROVA Pat Smullen 118 Dermot Weld Joseph Higgins 12-1 11. Edgar Prado 118 Aidan O’Brien Tabor & Magnier 50-1 L’ANCRESSE 12. BIEN Don 123 Donnie Von John & Kris 12-1 NICOLE Pettinger Hemel Richter

*--*

COMMENT

Those who remember the 2002 running of this race know that ISLINGTON was probably best. The Irish filly was forced to steady repeatedly through the stretch at Arlington Park and had to settle for third, beaten 1 3/4 lengths by upset winner Starine. Islington will try again and enters in good form, having finished third, beaten only a neck, in the Irish Champion Stakes -- a race in which High Chaparral and Falbrav were the 1-2 finishers. Jockey Kieren Fallon will look to avoid traffic problems. TATES CREEK always gets a good trip with her versatile running style and she drew the inside post. Bobby Frankel trained the aforementioned Starine and has some sort of a chance to win this time around with all three of his entrants -- TATES CREEK, HEAT HAZE and MEGAHERTZ. MUSICAL CHIMES is a late threat who had a great prep over the course in last month’s Yellow Ribbon.

*

JUVENILE

POST: 1:20 p.m. CONDITIONS: For 2-year-old colts and geldings. DISTANCE: 1 1/16 miles. PURSE: $1.5 million. First place: $780,000. Second place: $300,000. Third place: $180,000. Fourth place: $85,500. Fifth place: $45,000.

*--* PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer Owner Odds 1. RACE FOR Cornelio 122 Wayne Lukas Robert & Beverly 6-1 GLORY Velasquez Lewis 2. ACTION THIS David Flores 122 Richard Diamond A Racing 20-1 DAY Mandella 3. THAT’S AN Victor 122 Michael Bull Stick 30-1 OUTRAGE Espinoza Puhich Stables 4. CONSECRATE Pat 122 Bob Baffert James McIngvale 15-1 Valenzuela 5. MAMBO TRAIN Edgar Prado 122 Marcelo Everest Stables 50-1 Polanco 6. TIGER HUNT Pat Day 122 Elliott Team Valor 5-1 Walden Stables 7. MINISTER Alex Solis 122 Richard Diamond A Racing 8-1 ERIC Mandella 8. SIPHONIZER Julie Krone 122 Richard B. Wayne Hughes 12-1 Mandella 9. CAPITANO Jose Valdivia 122 Thomas Bell Vicken 12-1 Meguerditchian 10. CHAPEL John 122 Todd Tabor & Smith 8-1 ROYAL Velasquez Pletcher 11. RELAXED Pat Smullen 122 Dermot Weld Moyglare Farm 20-1 GESTURE 12. CUVEE Jerry Bailey 122 Steve Ron Winchell 8-5 Asmussen

*--*

COMMENT

With Ruler’s Court, Birdstone, Silver Wagon and Eurosilver all missing, this is a weak race. CUVEE deserves to be favored on the strength of his four wins in five starts -- all by wide margins -- but he drew outside in the field of 12 and has yet to win around two turns. This means an upset is possible. The favorite hasn’t won this race during the decade. A contested pace sets up the race late in favor of closers such as MINISTER ERIC and TIGER HUNT. One of the biggest mysteries of the day is why Edgar Prado, one of the best jockeys in the country, is riding hopeless longshot MAMBO TRAIN. If somebody was going to take a poll on which horse was most likely to finish last in a Breeders’ Cup race, Mambo Train might get the most votes. Trainer Bob Baffert won a year ago with Vindication, but his lone participant this year -- CONSECRATE -- is no Vindication.

*

TURF

POST: 1:55 p.m. CONDITIONS: For 3-year-olds and up. DISTANCE: 1 1/2 miles. PURSE: $2 million. First place: $1,040,000. Second place: $400,000. Third place: $240,000. Fourth place: $114,000. Fifth place: $60,000.

*--* PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer Owner Odds 1. TOCCET Russell Baze 121 John Scanlon Daniel Borislow 30-1 2. BRIGHT SKY Dominque 123 Elie Wildenstein 15-1 Boeuf Lellouche Stable 3. HIGH Mick Kinane 126 Aidan O’Brien Tabor & Magnier 7-2 CHAPARRAL 4. SULAMANI Frankie 126 Saeed bin Godolphin 7-2 Dettori Suroor Racing 5. STORMING Gary Stevens 126 Neil Drysdale Sheikh Maktoum 5-2 HOME 6. BALTO STAR John 126 Todd Pletcher Anstu Stables 20-1 Velasquez 7. THE TIN MAN Mike Smith 126 Richard Ralph & Aury 15-1 Mandella Todd 8. FALBRAV Darryll 126 Luca Cumani Rencati & 3-1 Holland Yoshida 9. JOHAR Alex Solis 126 Richard Thoroughbred 8-1 Mandella Corp.

*--*

COMMENT

The day’s longest race has the second-smallest field, but this is not a contest short on quality. STORMING HOME has crossed the wire first in all four of his races in this country and won his only start over this turf course, but he is facing some blue-chip talent in defending champion HIGH CHAPARRAL, FALBRAV and SULAMANI, who nearly fell, but was still able to win his last start at Belmont Park. JOHAR will be overlooked in the wagering, but will get the kind of ride he needs this time. TOCCET doesn’t belong and, like Mambo Train, is a good bet to finish last. What an ideal spot for the 3-year-old Awesome Again colt to try grass for the first time. BALTO STAR and THE TIN MAN, who was fourth in the 2002 Turf, will be the early leaders, but they won’t last no matter how slow a pace they’re able to set.

*

CLASSIC

POST: 2:35 p.m. CONDITIONS: For 3-year-olds and up. DISTANCE: 1 1/4 miles. PURSE: $4 million. First place: $2,080,000. Second place: $800,000. Third place: $480,000. Fourth place: $228,000. Fifth place: $120,000.

*--* PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer Owner Odds 1. EVENING John Velazquez 126 Pat Kelly Grant & Kelly 15-1 ATTIRE 2. PLEASANTLY Alex Solis 126 Richard Diamond Racing 10-1 PERFECT Mandella Corp. 3. VOLPONI Jose Santos 126 P.G. Amherst & 15-1 Johnson Spruce Pond 4. FUNNY CIDE Julie Krone 121 Barclay Sackatoga Stable 8-1 Tagg 5. HOLD THAT Edgar Prado 121 Aidan Tabor & Magnier 12-1 TIGER O’Brien 6. DYNEVER Corey Nakatani 121 Christophe Willis & Karcher 15-1 Clement 7. PERFECT Gary Stevens 126 Murray Stonecrest Farm 7-2 DRIFT Johnson 8. MEDAGLIA Jerry Bailey 126 Bobby Edmund Gann 3-1 D’ORO Frankel 9. CONGAREE Pat Valenzuela 126 Bob Baffert Stonerside 6-1 Stable 10. TEN MOST Pat Day 121 Wally Chilsom, 4-1 WANTED Dollase Jarvis, Reddam

*--*

COMMENT

This would have been the most anticipated race in years had all those who were pointing for it shown up. Instead, Mineshaft and Empire Maker have been retired and Candy Ride is sidelined, so we’re left with a very good, but not great, race. CONGAREE has one way to go and the right rider in Pat Valenzuela, so there’s no doubt about his strategy. He would be a threat to go all the way if the race were a mile or 1 1/8 miles, but it’s 1 1/4miles, and despite his win in the Hollywood Gold Cup -- against an ordinary field -- it is not his preferred distance. Nor is it the preferred trip of MEDAGLIA D’ORO, who is only one for five at 10 furlongs. PERFECT DRIFT is accomplished at the distance and all he has done this year is win all four of his starts on dirt and was the only horse to beat Mineshaft, edging him in the Stephen Foster Handicap on June 14 at Churchill Downs. TEN MOST WANTED is an improving 3-year-old, but let’s see how he fares in his first try against older.