Pre-entries and my super quick take on the Breeders' Cup for those with a low attention span.
Race: Filly and Mare Sprint:
My Picks: Indian Blessing, Jazzy, Miraculous Miss, Dearest Trickski, and Intangaroo.
My Thoughts: Intangaroo is actually being offered at the Fasig-Tipton November sale as hip 159. So a nice finish would add some good things to Intangaroo's sale stats. Indian Blessing, Dearest Trickski, and Miraculous Miss are definitely my picks and probably the fan favorites.
Juvenile Fillies Turf:
Dream Empress, Evita Argentina, and Laragh are probably three names I am interested in. But this race is the second preference for most of my interests, and the horses will probably run in the Juvenile Fillies instead.
Juvenile Fillies:
Be Smart, Doremifasolatido, Dream Empress, Sky Diva, and Evita Argentina are who I like here. Dream Empress is my pick for sure. I was trackside to see her run in the Darley Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland Oct. 3. I was impressed, and she looked VERY good in the paddock. I will cheer her on through and through. Dream Empress is 3-2-0-0-1, meaning she finished in the superfecta all three starts and has a solid distance of 1 1/16 miles under her belt. Be Smart raced in the Alcibiades too and was looking really good. I won a VERY nice exacta with Be Smart and of course, she is a up and coming member of Smarty Jone's first crop. I expect big things out of her in the future, and she ran with Dream Empress. These two can get it done. As for Doremifasolatido...I will miss Durkin calling this race.
Filly and Mare Turf:
Wait a While, Precious Kitten, and Pure Clan will be my favored horses in this race. Most likely Precious Kitten will pick up her first-preference in the Mile, but to be honest, the Mile is a tough field that she probably can't win in. So she should stick to this race. Wait a While just gives me this feeling, with Pletcher on hand, that she could prove to make some moves.
Ladies' Classic:
Ginger Punch, Music Note, and Zenyatta. I really don't need to say much here. A small field for a big reason: TALENT. The boys are out-classed and out-sassed this year.
Marathon:
Booyah, Casino Drive, Delightful Kiss, Jonesboro, and Spring House are the horses I will be watching for this race. Booyah is simply because it is a name I can't dismiss. I doubt Casino Drive will choose to race here, since his first preference is the Classic and with Big Brown out, the chances are now that much better. I am not sure what Jonesboro will really choose to do, but Spring House and Delightful Kiss are horses I have liked in the past and will choose to stick with.
Turf Sprint:
Get Funky, Idiot Proof, Salute the Count, and Slew's Tizzy are horses I am going to look into. Idiot Proof has had five starts this year, none finishing first, but has had a few strong second place finishes and one of those was in Dubai. Idiot Proof's last race was a 5th place finish, so I am a little concerned if he can get the job done. Get Funky is a name I can groove with. This year, he has four starts and finished in the money each time with his middle two races being victories. Salute the Count has been around and has experience by the bit, and is a very consistent horse. Slew's Tizzy has caught his second wind, so I think he might surprise some.
Juvenile:
Mine That Bird, Silent Valor, and Forty Thieves. Birdstone anyone? I will take a chance with Mine That Bird to kick some butt, and why not? This race has less to offer than the Juvenile Fillies, and he has a great chance. Forty Thieves is an awesome name and two for two, with one of his first places wins being a stakes race. With two stakes races under the belt, one being win, the most recent a fifth place finish, hopefully Silent Valor has learned a few things. This would be a risky venture, but I think the fifth place finish was a one time deal, not a downward trend. We will see though.
Mile:
Awesome Gem, Kip Deville, Raven's Pass, Shakis, Thorn Song...heck I'll take any of them. I LOVE this race. Kip Deville needs to do it. He needs to take home the win. I would like to see Shakis do well, other than his normal win of the Bernard Baruch and Thorn Song, because watching Thorn Song race is very enjoyable. I am a more recent fan of Raven's Pass and want Raven's Pass to pull a superfecta for me. I think that Raven's Pass has a good chance of racing in either the Mile or the Classic, but better odds in the Mile. Awesome Gem is just classic, so I need to include Awesome Gem, but I have not been impressed this year. Awesome Gem should find it tough in either the Classic or the Mile.
Dirt Mile:
Jonesboro, Lewis Michael, My Pal Charlie, Pyro, and Well Armed...and possibly Two Step Salsa. Why Two Step Salsa? Because a hunch bet of Two Step Salsa - Pyro (if the salsa is hot). Really, Pyro should race in the Classic with Big Brown out, let's seem him do what Einstein did against Curlin. I am bummed Einstein is not racing in the BC, but he has had a great year. Lewis Michael might be the formidable foe.
Juvenile Turf:
Mine That Bird. I really don't know much about this race and have not looked into it enough yet. So I have no real opinion. I think Mine That Bird should try for the Juvenile.
Sprint:
Midnight Lute, Street Boss and In Summation. I think Indian Blessing and Lewis Michael will go in the F&M Sprint and Dirt Mile. I love Midnight Lute, and this is a horse who will get it done. Street Boss is lacking some, and In Summation is a classic horse to cheer on. Maybe it's Lute's cute ears, they are big, but that is my pick.
Turf:
Red Giant, Better Talk Now, and Grand Couturier. This race will be awesome. Red Giant has impressed me. I am a very big Giant's Causeway fan and with a record of 12-6-3-1, I think this could be a big finish to a good year. Better Talk Now and Grand Couturier need no introduction.
Classic:
Casino Drive, Curlin, Colonel John, Duke of Marmalde, Pyro, Tiago, and Henrythenavigator. After debating and not being able to sleep at night, this is my most anticipated race. Many favorites and many international superstars are converging on this moment. If our hometown US trained heroes are going down, it is at the hands of the Euros. But what European class is showing up? I have always wanted to see Pyro and Tiago face off, well I have wanted to see most of these horses race together. I really can't contain my self. I need a Mt. Dew.
Race Times
What Race are you most excited about?
