The Breeders’ Cup starts at Santa Anita on Friday with four Grade 1 races. The meeting has come in for some criticism this year for its failure to attract the big names, although injury and retirement have contributed to that. Rather like the recent Champions’ Day at Ascot, the meeting is sure to provide some excellent racing even if it is unlikely to be the stuff of legends.
The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf is the first of the big events and there is every reason to anticipate a European-trained winner here. The favourite is Wesley Ward’s Hootenanny who has already plundered the UK to take a Royal Ascot prize. He has since been beaten in France in very soft ground and now steps up to a mile for the first time.
He has the best form on show but I have reservation about him over this trip and am siding with the Charles Hills-trained Commemorative. This attractive colt has won a couple of races the hard way, battling away to win his maiden at Doncaster before making all at Newmarket. The form of his most recent success has taken a knock with the runner-up running poorly since but Commemorative strikes me as the sort to keep a bit to himself.
Charles Hills won at this meeting a year ago with the sadly ill-fated Chriselliam and it would great for him to go back and do it again this year. Aidan O’Brien’s War Envoy is also entitled to respect having finished within a length of the winner in a Group 1 in France last time. Aktabantay was not far behind for Hugo Palmer but it was one of those messy races where they finish in a heap and I’m not convinced by the form.
The Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile looks booked for Goldencents for the second year running. He recently broke a track record over seven furlongs and was also beaten a nose over six. His form looks better than anything his rivals can offer here in a disappointing renewal.
Wesley Ward also has a good chance in the Juvenile Fillies Turf with Sunset Glow. UK racing fans may remember this filly chasing home Cursory Glance at Royal Ascot and she has gone on to win twice at Del Mar. Osaila was hugely favoured by the race conditions when winning one of those obscenely rewarded sales races last time but has a few lengths to make up on Sunset Glow.
The Distaff brings down the curtain on day 1 for the Breeders’ Cup races and I like the chances of Bob Baffert’s Tiz Midnight here at an each-way price. She has to improve to beat Close Hatches but that one ran a shocker last time when beaten at 1-5 so I’ll take a chance on the more lightly-raced filly.
Commemorative 9.25 @10-1 Ladbrokes
Goldencents 10.05 @5-4 Bet365
Sunset Glow 10.50 @100-30 Skybet
Tiz Midnight 11.35 @10-1 Betfair
