Nine Breeders' Cup Races Saturday Worth $21 Million

 A little after noon (PDT) at Del Mar Racetrack in California, on Saturday, nine Breeders' Cup Races will begin, with a guaranteed total of $21 million in purses.  The races Saturday are for both sexes, aged three and up.  The oldest horse entered is Extravagant Kid, an 8-year-old gelding, bred in Florida.  He'll be starting from gate 12 - the widest post - in the 5 furlong Turf Sprint.  There are also several 7- and 6-year-olds racing on Saturday.   

   Due to differences in ages, and sometimes in sexes, there will be different weights for the horses to carry.  Fillies and mares are considered the weaker sex and carry less weight than their male counterparts; and 3-year-olds also get a weight allowance when running against older horses.  In the Turf, for instance, a 3-year-old filly will carry 119 pounds, while males aged 4 and up will carry 126 pounds.  That's called handicapping for sex and age...

   As usual, when I list these races, I will be listing (a) the post position, (b) the name of the entry, (c) the morning line betting odds, (d) the sire's name, and (e) the dam's name.  I will also be making my usual odd, personal commentaries for each group of entries in each race.  ** In the Turf race, I will list [in brackets] behind each entry's name, their age, sex, and weight assigned.  In the sex designation, f is filly, c is colt, m is mare, g is gelding, and s is stallion.

   The first Breeders' Cup race Saturday is the Fillies and Mares Sprint, on the main track, which is scheduled for a 12:05 PDT start..  There are only 6 entries in the race this year; one 3-year-old (who carries 122 pounds), three 4-year-olds, and a single 5-year-old.  Bella Sofia is the filly aged 3, who carries 2 pounds less than the other 5 entries.  All of these ladies were bred in Kentucky; two are chestnuts (the 1 and 4 entries), the rest are bay or dark brown.  A different sire for each entry.

Fillies And Mares Sprint      $1 million guaranteed      7/8 mile (7 furlongs)       12:05 PDT

1.    Proud Emma              20 to 1        Include                      Debutante Dreamer

2.    Estilo Talentoso         12 to 1        Maclean's Music      Bazinga Baby

3.    Edgeway                    12 to 1        Competitive Edge    Magical Solution

4.    Ce Ce                          4 to 1         Elusive Quality        Miss Houdini

5.    Gamine                       3 to 5          Into Mischief           Peggy Jane

6.    Bella Sofia                 5 to 2          Awesome Patriot      Love Contract

Maclean's Music has offspring racing in the Breeders' Cup

   Next up is the Turf Sprint, with 12 starters allowed; there is a full field, with 6 horses on the "wait list" in case of scratches.  The horses range in age from 3 to 8 years.  The ladies (gate numbers 1, 7, 8, and 9) carry 123 pounds; the 3-year-old colts (3, 5, and 6) carry 124 pounds; the other older horses carry 126 pounds.  The field has 11 bay or dark brown entries, and one gray/roan, #8, Caravel, who is Pennsylvania bred.  The twelve current entries include one bred in Pennsylvania (Caravel), one bred in California, one bred in Ireland, two bred in Florida, two bred in Great Britain, and five from Kentucky.

A different sire for the first 12 entries.

Turf Sprint        $1 million guaranteed       5/8 mile (5 furlongs)      12:40 PDT

1.    Glass Slippers (GB)       6 to 1        Dream Ahead                Night Gypsy (GB)

2.    Emaraaty Ana (GB)       5 to 1         Shamardal                    Spirit of Dubai (IRE)

3.    Golden Pal                     7 to 2        Uncle Mo                       Lady Shipman

4.    Lieutenant Dan              6 to 1         Grazen                          Excusabull

5.    Arrest Me Red              12 to 1        Pioneerof the Nile        Maraschino Cherry

6.    A Case For You (IRE)   8 to 1          Hot Streak (IRE)        Karjera (IRE)

7.    Charmaine's Mia          30 to 1        The Factor                    Charming Vixen

8.    Caravel                         20 to 1        Mizzen Mast                 Zeezee Zoomzoom

9.    Kimari                           6 to 1         Munnings                      Cozze Up Lady

10.  Gear Jockey                  5 to 1          Twirling Candy            Switching Gears

11.  Fast Boat                      12 to 1         City Zip                         Yellow Boat

12.  Extravagant Kid           12 to 1         Kiss the Kid                  Pretty Extravagant

     ** wait list:   (13)  Bombard     (14)  The Critical Way    (15)  Chaos Theory    (16)  Beer Can Man    (17)  Commander    (18)  Hollywood Talent  **

   The third BC race will be the Mile, run on the main track.  There are only 8 entries this year, all bred in Kentucky.  All entries are males, and will carry 126 pounds, except Life Is Good, who, at 3, carries 123 pounds.  Ginobili is a 4-year-old gelding; Restrainedvengence is a 6-year-old gelding.  All entries are bays or dark browns, except Pingxiang, who is chestnut.  Each entry has a different sire.

Mile         $1 million guaranteed         1 mile (8 furlongs)      1:19 PDT

1.    Silver State                     7 to 2        Hard Spun                  Supreme

2.    Pingxiang                      12 to 1       Speightstown               Beauty and Light

3.    Ginobili                          4 to 1        Munnings                     Find the Humor

4.    Jasper Prince                30 to 1        Violence                       Ambitious Journey

5.    Life Is Good                  4 to 5         Into Mischief              Beach Walk

6.    Restrainedvengence     20 to 1        Hold Me Back            Cupids Vengence

7.    Snapper Sinclair           12 to 1        City Zip                      True Addiction

8.    Eight Rings                  10 to 1        Empire Maker            Purely Hot

    The Fillies and Mares Turf follows the Mile; 14 starters are allowed, but there are only 12 entries.  The three 3-year-olds (gate numbers 3, 4, and 10) carry 120 pounds, while the other nine ladies carry 124 pounds.  The 6-year-old mare My Sister Nat (FR) is the oldest entry.  One mare was bred in Japan, two were bred in Great Britain, and three each were born in France, Ireland, and Kentucky.  Dogtag is a gray/roan, and there are 4 chestnuts and 7 bays or dark browns.  All twelve entries represent a different sire.

Fillies And Mares Turf      $2 million guaranteed     1 3/8 mile (11 furlongs)    1:59 PDT

1.    Going to Vegas                12 to 1       Golden Cents                     Hard to Resist

2.    Pocket Square (GB)        15 to 1       Night of Thunder (IRE)    Shared Account (GB)

3.    Acanella (GB)                 12 to 1       Dansili (GB)                       Across The Floor (GB)

4.    Rougir (FR)                     6 to 1        Territories (IRE)               Summer Moon (FR)

5.    Queen Supreme (IRE)   20 to 1        Exceed And Excel (AUS)    Call Later

6.    Love (IRE)                      4 to 1         Galileo (IRE)                     Pikaboo (GB)

7.    War Like Goddess          7 to 2         English Channel                Misty North

8.    Loves Only You (JPN)    4 to 1        Deep Impact (JPN)            Loves Only Me

9.    My Sister Nat (FR)       15 to 1         Acclamation (GB)              Starlet's Sister (IRE)

10.  Ocean Road (IRE)         20 to 1        Australia (GB)                   Love And Laughter (IRE)

11.  Dogtag                           30 to 1         War Front                         Diamond Necklace

12.  Audarya (FR)                 5 to 1          Wootton Bassett (GB)       Green Bananas (FR)

Curlin has offspring competing in the Breeders' Cup

   The next BC race is the Sprint on the main track; 12 starters are allowed, however there are only 9 entries.  The six older horses will carry 126 pounds, while the three 3-year-olds (gates 1, 2, and 9) carry 124 pounds.  Geldings will break from gates 3 and 8.  The two eldest entries are 7-year-olds, in gates 3 and 4.  There are two chestnuts and seven bays or dark browns.  One of the starters was bred in Maryland (5), two in Florida (3 and 6), and the rest in Kentucky. The boys in gates 4 and 7 were both sired by Speightstown, plus seven other stallion representatives.

Sprint       $2 million guaranteed             3/4 mile  (6 furlongs)      2:38 PDT

1.    Following Sea              6 to 1        Runhappy                      Quick Flip

2.    Jackie's Warrior            6 to 5        Maclean's Music           Unicorn Girl

3.    C Z Rocket                  12 to 1       City Zip                          Successful Sarah

4.    Matera Sky                 20 to 1        Speightstown                 Mostaqeleh

5.    Aloha West                  8 to 1          Hard Spun                    Island Bound

6.    Firenze Fire                10 to 1        Poseidon's Warrior       My Every Wish

7.    Lexitonian                  20 to 1         Speightstown                 Riviera Romper

8.    Special Reserve           6 to 1         Midshipman                   Love Spun

9.    Dr. Schivel                  4 to 1          Violence                         Lil Nugget

    The Turf Mile contains both sexes and ages from 3- to 6-years.  There is a full field of 14 starters, plus 2 on the "wait list."  Nine of the male entries will carry 126 pounds;  Mother Earth (IRE), a 3-year-old filly has 120 pounds assigned; a 3-year-old colt, Master of the Seas (IRE), will carry 123 pounds, as will mares Blowout (GB), Got Stormy, and Pearls Galore (FR).  There is one gelding in this race, In Love (BRZ), aged 5.  The two eldest in this race are 6-year-olds, Got Stormy, a mare, and Raging Bull (FR), a stallion.  The stallions Agnes Gold (JPN) and Dubawi (IRE) each have two offspring in this race, plus ten other stallions.  There are 2 chestnuts in the field, and 12 bays or dark browns. There are representatives from 5 countries, plus Kentucky: 2 from Brazil, 2 from France, 1 from Great Britain, 3 from Ireland, 1 from Japan, and 5 from Kentucky.

Mile (Turf)       $2 million guaranteed        1 mile (8 furlongs)       3:20 PDT

1.    Master of the Seas (IRE)       12 to 1      Dubawi (IRE)               Firth of Lorne (IRE)

2.    Smooth Like Strait                10 to 1      Midnight Lute              Smooth as Usual

3.    Space Blues (IRE)                  3 to 1       Dubawi (IRE)               Miss Lucifer (FR)

4.    Raging Bull (FR)                  15 to 1       Dark Angel (IRE)        Rosa Bonheur

5.    Vin de Garde (JPN)              20 to 1       Deep Impact (JPN)      Skia (FR)

6.    Mo Forza                                5 to 1       Uncle Mo                      Inflamed

7.    In Love (BRZ)                       8 to 1        Agnes Gold (JPN)       Last Bet (BRZ)

8.    Hit the Road                         15 to 1        More Than Ready       Highway Mary

9.    Mother Earth (IRE)              8 to 1         Zoffany (IRE)              Many Colours (GB)

10.  Blowout (GB)                       8 to 1         Dansili (GB)                 Beauty Parlour (GB)

11.  Got Stormy                          10 to 1         Get Stormy                  Super Phoebe

12.  Pearls Galore (FR)              12 to 1         Invincible Spirit (IRE)   Pearl Banks (GB)

13.  Casa Crreed                        15 to 1         Jimmy Creed                Achalaya

14.  Ivar (BRZ)                          12 to 1         Agnes Gold (JPN)         May Be Now

     **   wait list:  (15)  Real Appeal     (16) Queen Supreme  **

   The Distaff is next up, with 14 starting positions available, but only 11 entries this year.  The three 3-year-old fillies (gates 1, 3 and 5) will carry 121 pounds, while the older ladies will carry 124 pounds around the main track, covering 9 furlongs.  Of the 11 entries, Blue Stripe was bred in Argentina, Marche Lorraine was bred in Japan, and Horologist was bred in New Jersey; the others were bred in Kentucky.  There is only one chestnut in this field of bays and dark browns.  There are 3 3- and 4-year-olds, and 5 5-year-olds.  Curlin has two daughters entered, and 9 other stallions are represented.

Distaff       $2 million guaranteed        1 1/8 miles (9 furlongs)       4:00 PDT

1.    Private Mission                  8 to 1        Into Mischief                   Private Gift

2.    Royal Flag                         8 to 1        Candy Ride (ARG)          Sea Gull

3.    Malathaat                          4 to 1         Curlin                               Dreaming of Julia

4.    Blue Stripe (ARG)          30 to 1         Equal Stripes (ARG)       Blues for Sale (ARG)

5.    Clairiere                          12 to 1         Curlin                               Cavorting

6.    Letruska                           8 to 5           Super Saver                     Magic Appeal

7.    Horologist                      30 to 1          Gemologist                       Cinderella Time

8.    Shedaresthedevil              4 to 1          Daredevil                          Starship Warpspeed

9.    As Time Goes By           15 to 1          American Pharoah          Take Charge Lady

10.  Marche Lorraine (JPN)  30 to 1          Orfevre (JPN)                  Vile Marcher (JPN)

11.  Dunbar Road                  15 to 1          Quality Road                    Gift List'

   Saturday's penultimate Breeders' Cup race is the Turf, a weight for sex and age race, with a full 14 starters and 4 on the "wait list" in hopes of a chance at the $4 million purse.  For this race only I will post the age, sex, and weight assigned [in brackets] behind the name of the entry.  Of the current 14 starters, each has a different sire, they range in age from 3 to 7 years; and 5 are geldings.  There are 5 chestnuts and 9 bays or dark browns.  There are 2 horses bred in France, and 4 bred in both Great Britain and Ireland, plus 3 bred in Kentucky and a single entry bred in California. 

Turf         $4 million guaranteed          1 1/2 miles  (12 furlongs)       4:40 PDT

1.   Rockemperor (IRE) [5,s,126]         15 to 1     Holy Roman Emperor (IRE)  Motivation (FR)

2.   United [6,g,126]                             20 to 1      Giant's Causeway                    Indy Punch

3.   Domestic Spending (GB) [4,g,126]   4 to 1    Kingman (GB)                         Urban Castle

4.   Astronaut [4,c,126]                         20 to 1      Quality Road                           Armanda (GER)

5.   Tribhuvan (FR) [5,g,126]               20 to 1      Toronado (IRE)                       Mehendra (GER)

6.   Acclimate [7,g,126]                        20 to 1      Acclamation                            Knows No Bounds

7.   Walton Street (GB) [7,g,126]          8 to 1        Cape Cross (IRE)                   Brom Felinity (AUS)

8.   Broome (IRE) [5,s,126]                 20 to 1       Australia (GB)                        Sweepstake (IRE)

9.   Sisfahan (FR) [3,c,122]                 12 to 1        Isfahan (GER)                        Kendalee (FR)

10. Yibir (GB) [3,c,122]                      12 to 1        Dubawi (IRE)                         Rumh (GER)

11. Gufo [4,c,126]                                8 to 1         Declaration of War                 Floy

12. Teona (IRE) [3,f,119]                     6 to 1         Sea The Stars (IRE)               Ambivalent (IRE) 

13. Tarnawa (IRE) [5,m,123]               9 to 5         Shamardal                              Tarana (IRE)

14. Japan (GB) [5,s,126]                     20 to 1        Galileo (IRE)                          Shastye (IRE)

     **  wait list:  (15) Bolshoi Ballet    (16) Channel Maker    (17) Mogul    (18) Friar's Road  **

   The Final Breeders' Cup Championship race is the Classic, run on the main track; there are 14 starting positions, but only 9 entries this year.  There are four entries each who are 3- and 4- year-olds, and a single 5-year-old entry.  The 3-year-olds carry 122 pounds in the 1 1/4 mile race, while the older horses carry 126 pounds.  There is one gelding in the race, Stilleto Boy.  This race is open to males and females, but only males are participating this year. There are 2 chestnuts, 2 gray/roans, and 5 bays or dark browns entered.  Seven of the horses were bred in Kentucky, with Knicks Go bred in Maryland, and Medina Spirit bred in Florida.  I will place an asterisk (*) behind the names of the 3-year-olds who are competing in this race.  Hot Rod Charlie will be wearing blinkers again for this race; he has not worn them recently.  Each entrant was sired by a different stallion.

Classic      $6 million guaranteed          1 1/4 miles (10 furlongs)       5:40 PDT

1.    Tripoli                       15 to 1          Kitten's Joy           Love Train

2.    Express Train           20 to 1           Union Rags            I'm a Flake

3.    Hot Rod Charlie*      4 to 1            Oxbow                   Indian Miss

4.    Essential Quality*     3 to 1            Tapit                      Delightful Quality

5.    Knicks Go                 5 to 2             Paynter                 Kosmo's Buddy

6.    Art Collector             8 to 1             Bernardini            Distorted Legacy

7.    Stilleto Boy*           30 to 1             Shackleford          Rosie's Ransom

8.    Medina Spirit*         4 to 1              Protonico              Mongolian Changa

9.    Max Player              8 to 1               Honor Code         Fools in Love

Sunday Silence with Chris McCarron aboard  for

the 1989 Breeders' Cup Classic

   There are two horses running in separate turf races today that were sired by Deep Impact (JPN).  Deep Impact was a son of Sunday Silence, whom I dearly loved.  I cheered for him throughout the Triple Crown races, and cried when Easy Goer beat him in the Belmont.  But I was lucky enough to see him in his stall the day before he won the Breeders' Cup Classic that year, defeating Easy Goer in 3 of their 4 races.  I was standing next to the finish line when Chris McCarron guided Sunday Silence over the finish line.   My friends and I celebrated so long that we weren't able to cash in our winning tickets...  What wonderful memories!

    I wish all of you wonderful racing luck and tremendous betting luck this weekend!