Beholder heads home in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (Photo credit: Breeders' Cup Ltd.)
The Euros dominated Breeders’’ Cup Friday, winning three of the five races (they had no runners in the other two), and the talk of the day was the strong speed bias that prevailed throughout the day.
Princess of Sylmar went into the $2 million Distaff (G1) with an outside shot of earning Horse of the Year honors, and after her disappointing sixth place finish, she may have also lost her Eclipse Award for top three-year-old filly.
The speed bias was obvious early in the card when we saw Heir of Storm pull off the upset in the second race paying $77.60 in his gate to wire score, and then in the following race Better Bet was up front and could not be caught late, paying $96.00.
Before the Breeders’ Cup Marathon (G2) was run as the sixth race, we already had an $891,813 carryover in the Pick 5 for Saturday.
Here is a quick look at Friday’s Breeders’ Cup action:
Marathon
The Euros struck with London Bridge, who rallied under a picture perfect ride by Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith, who won his 18th career Breeders’ Cup race. Trained by Jo Hughes, the colt paid $20.00.
Blueskiesnrainbows tracked the early pace and held on for the runner up spot, the $2 exacta paying $192.40, costing us the exacta. The winner was my second choice and my top pick Worldly battled on gamely in the stretch but came up a neck short of giving us a $100+ exacta to start off the Breeders’ Cup.
Pgm Horse Win Place Show
7 London Bridge 20.00 10.20 6.40
8 Blueskiesnrainbows 9.00 6.20
10 Worldly 4.80
$2 Daily Double 5-7 188.60
$1 Exacta 7-8 96.20
$1 Superfecta 7-8-10-5 4,742.20
$1 Trifecta 7-8-10 695.30
$1 Pick 3 10-5-7 (3 correct) 1,103.50
$0.50 Pick 4 9-10-5-7 (4 correct) 29,725.25
Juvenile Fillies
Bobby’s Kitten was bet down to a ridiculous 6-5, and the only thing more ridiculous was the fast early fractions he set under jockey Javier Castellano. It was reported that his owner Ken Ramsey was not pleased with Castellano’s ride.
That set things up nicely for our top pick Outstrip, who made a strong late rally to get up and return $14.00. Fellow Euro Giovanni Boldini rallied for the runner up spot and we were on the board with a $46.20 exacta and $143.80 trifecta.
Pgm Horse Win Place Show
4 Outstrip (GB) 14.00 6.80 3.60
2 Giovanni Boldini 6.40 3.40
5 Bobby’s Kitten 2.40
$2 Daily Double 7-4 110.40
$1 Exacta 4-2 23.10
$1 Superfecta 4-2-5-8 1,203.10
$1 Trifecta 4-2-5 71.90
$1 Pick 3 5-7-4 (3 correct) 670.40
Dirt Mile
Goldencents overcame a tough post, was sent early by jockey Rafael Bejarano to grab the lead and despite early fractions of 22.12 and 44.75 nobody in the field came and got him and he was able to win by 2 ¾ lengths.
Golden Ticket rallied for second and my top pick Brujo de Olleros completed the trifecta.
Verrazano was sent off as the 5-2 favorite but never looked as if he would be a threat. The Todd Pletcher trainee stalked the early pace, came with a five-wide run and finished evenly for fourth.
Pgm Horse Win Place Show
12 Goldencents 9.60 5.00 4.00
2 Golden Ticket 6.40 4.60
4 Brujo de Olleros (BRZ) 4.60
$2 Daily Double 4-12 58.40
$1 Exacta 12-2 34.90
$1 Superfecta 12-2-4-10 833.60
$1 Trifecta 12-2-4 222.20
$1 Pick 3 7-4-12 (3 correct) 304.60
Juvenile Fillies Turf
The Euros struck again as Chriselliam went from last to first to score, paying $15.80. The filly was my fourth choice in the race.
My top pick Ready to Act was in the mix as they turned for home at 12-1 but weakened late and finished sixth while my second choice Vorda never threatened in a seventh place finish. Nothing worse than being on the wrong Euro.
Pgm Horse Win Place Show
8 Chriselliam (IRE) 15.80 7.80 6.20
12 Testa Rossi (FR) 11.20 9.00
3 Colonel Joan 16.60
$2 Daily Double 12-8 71.00
$1 Exacta 8-12 79.20
$1 Superfecta 8-12-3-14 27,889.10
$0.50 Super High Five 8-12-3-14-9 60,015.00
$1 Trifecta 8-12-3 2,810.30
$1 Pick 3 4-12-8 (3 correct) 210.50
Distaff
Much of the talk surrounding the Distaff was the question of who was going to be on the lead. I did not hear anyone say it would be Authenticity, but the Todd Pletcher trainee was sent by jockey John Velazquez.
I was not complaining as she was my second choice, but she could not finish, and my top pick Princess of Sylmar simply failed to fire.
Beholder looked the like the winner the entire trip. She was sitting in a perfect spot just off the pace, and as soon as Royal Delta started to abck up there was no doubt who the winner was going to be.
Beholder paid $7.60 and Close Hatches picked up the pieces and competed the $2 exacta that paid $42.60.
Pgm Horse Win Place Show
5 Beholder 7.60 4.20 3.20
3 Close Hatches 6.60 4.80
2 Authenticity 4.20
$2 Daily Double 8-5 53.00
$1 Exacta 5-3 21.30
$1 Superfecta 5-3-2-4 219.90
$1 Trifecta 5-3-2 87.80
$1 Pick 3 12-8-5 (3 correct) 160.00
$0.50 Pick 4 4-12-8-5 (4 correct) 403.90
$2 Pick 6 5-7-4-12-8-5 (5 correct) 1,128.80
$2 Pick 6 5-7-4-12-8-5 (6 correct) 106,839.80
I have a habit of cashing in the final race on big cards, and it happened again yesterday. Most may have already headed toward the exits after the Distaff or closed their wagering account, but the 11th race on the card produced a nice exacta and trifecta.
The race was the President of the UAE Cup (G1), an Arabian race. My second choice So Big Is Better won for fun paying $24.00 and the recommended exacta with No Problem Al Maury paid $159.40. The 14-1 longshot Ms Dixie completed a recommended trifecta that paid $878.80 for $1.
I did not recommend a superfecta play but had you used my contenders in the super like I laid them out in the trifecta you would have cashed for $3,174.90- for a $1.
And no, I did not bet the finale on the card either.
Michael’s Breeders’ Cup Report for Saturday includes his selections, analysis, fair odds line, and wagering recommendations for every race on the Saturday card from Santa Anita Park on Nov. 2. In addition, his Report includes a Betting Trends Report on each of the nine Saturday Breeders’ Cup races.
The Breeders’ Cup offers 14 championship races over two days, bringing together the best top horses, trainers, and jockeys from around the world, this year to compete at Santa Anita Park.
