Breeders’ Cup Mile Draws Stellar Field

Defending champion Uni is back in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) at Keeneland on Saturday. (Photo credit: Breeders’ Cup/Eclipse Sportswire).

Led by the defending champion Uni and six European invaders this year’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) at Keeneland drew a stellar field.

Uni won last year’s Mile returning $9.20 and topping an all-female exacta with Got Stormy that paid $32.60. Got Stormy is entered in today’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1).

To repeat the Chad Brown trained Uni will have to move forward off her victory in the First Lady (G1) over the Keeneland turf, her lone win in three starts in 2020. She got a late start, not making her first start this year until June.

She faces a tough group of Euro invaders led by the Andrew Balding trained Kameko (6-1), who won the Shadwell Joel Stakes (G2) at Newmarket in his last outing. The three-year-old won the QIPCO 2000 Guineas (G1) earlier in June at Newmarket.

The colt is 6-1 on the morning line but has been bet down to as low as 3-1 overseas. The Mile will be the final start of his career.

“It would be fantastic if he could win a Breeders’ Cup Mile,” Qatar Racing manager David Redvers told At the Races. “We just have to hope he gets his luck in running and if that is the case, I think we’ll see him at his best.”

Shadwell Joel Stakes Replay

Aiden O’Brien, who has yet to win the Mile sends out Circus Maximus (12-1), who is looking to improve over his fourth-place finish in this race last year.

U.S. based runners have fared well in the Mile in recent years, winning seven of the last nine editions. In addition to Uni, Brown will send out Raging Bull (8-1) who is coming into the race off a good runner up finish in the Shadwell Turf Mile (G1), beaten a length by Ivar (4-1).

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Let’s head out to Keeneland for Saturday’s featured race of the day:

Keeneland

Keeneland Race 9 The Breeders’ Cup Mile G1 (3:15 ET)

2 Kameko 6-1

14 Raging Bull 8-1

11 Ivar 4-1

13 Factor This 8-1

Kameko

This three-year-old colt is a very talented Euro invader for the Andrew Balding barn. The colt is coming off a victory in the Joel Stakes (G2) last out at Newmarket over good ground at a mile. This guy capped off his ’19 campaign by winning the Vertem Futurity (G1) and then won the 2000 Guineas (G1) in June. The home team has won this race in 7 of the last 9 years but this guy looks capable of getting the job done here. Three-year-old have won this race twice in the last six years, both Euro invaders.

Raging Bull

The Brown trainee draws a tough spot here for the Brown barn. Last out the five-year-old was last early and came with a good late rally to finish in the runner up spot in the Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) over the grass at Keeneland. His best effort this year was a win in the Shoemaker Mile (G1) at Santa Anita back in May. I’ll excuse his effort two back in the Fourstardave (G1) at the Spa which as over good ground and he did not get much pace to run at. He has worked well since his last effort and is going to be a decent price in this spot.

Ivar

The colt rallied to win the Shadwell Turf Mile, his fifth win in seven career starts. He was third in the Tourist Mile two back at Kentucky owns in his first start in stakes company in the U.S. He won back to back Group 1 races in Argentina. He owns three straight triple digit Beyers and has shown an ability to be right in the mix early or like last out coming from off the pace. He looks as if he may still have some upside and his price may drift up a bit from his 4-1 morning line.