Untapable will be hard to stop in the Distaff
By Tom Krish
Here is some news about jockey-stable alignments when the winter season gets under way in a matter of days.
I called Kartik Ganapathy. “We will rely on four jockeys. Sandesh and Neeraj Rawal will be our main riders. The backup team will consist of John and Christopher. We have some Arazan progenies. War Command and Bold Majesty carry our hopes. Flashing Chieftain is coming along well after a setback in Pune. I am looking forward to the winter season,” Kartik said.
“Trevor Patel will ride for us,” MrZeyn Mirza told me in a phone conversation. “We have Coldstream, by English Channel,who is two for two and shows promise. We are expecting goodthings from Spreadeagle. We felt that there was no need for a rider from abroad.”
There are three defections in the Breeders’ Cup races. Handsome Mike, winner of the Pennsylvania Derby, is out of the BC Dirt Mile owing to a leg injury. LeanroMora, substituting for Doug O’Neil who has been suspended, said, “Handsome Mike came back after galloping with swelling in the left front leg.”
Handsome Mike is the stablemate of Golden Cents. The latter is strongly fancied to win the Dirt Mile.
American Pharoah has been withdrawn from Saturday’s Juvenile Dirt. The Bob Baffert-trained freshman has had two wins in three starts. His two victories came in the Frontrunner Stakes and the Del Mar Futurity, both Grade I events. A son of Pioneerofthenile, American Pharoah is owned by Ahmed Zayat.
Bob Baffert expressed disappointment. “American Pharoah has a deep bruise in the left front foot. We found this after his October 27 workout. He is getting better but he is too valuable and we do not want to risk it.”
I want to mention that Athens, a filly racing in Western India, is by Pioneerofthenile. A serious Kentucky Derby prospect, Pioneerofthenile suffered an injury that took him out of the Derby picture.
I am typing this and it is about 10 A M Pacific time on Wednesday. Minutes ago, HRTV, an American racing network, reported that Magician is out of the Breeders’ Cup Turf. The son of Galileo has come up lame. Magician won the Turf in 2013 and several pundits were giving him a big chance to get an encore.
Here are my picks for the Friday BC races. Hootenanny could give Frankie Dettori his 11th BC victory in the Juvenile Turf. Hootenanny, a Quality Road colt, has won twice in four starts. He was one half off The Wow Signal at Deauville in late August. This is the first time that Hootenanny, trained by Wesley Ward, is going over 1600 metres. I do not think it will be a problem. Aktabantay, Olivier Peslier up, has a strong record. The Oasis Dream colt was off only two and one half lengths in the Jean Lagardere on Arc day at Longchamp.
I will not look beyond Golden Cents in the BC Dirt Mile. The main point is that Golden Cents, who won this race in 2013, has the home court advantage. Drawing the rail considerably strengthens the cause. Golden Cents was mugged on the line in his last start on October 4, the Santa Anita Sprint over 1200 metres. Rafael Bejarano will be aboard. Golden Cents is one of my wagers over the weekend.
I expect Osaila and Sunset Glow to be prominent at the finish in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf. Sunset Glow may have the edge. She has not been worse than second in five career starts. The Exhange Rate filly, a pupil of Wesley Ward, comes off a win in the Grade I Del Mar Debutante on August 30.
In the Distaff, Untapable is a confident pick. In 2014 as a three year-old, Untapable, from Steve Asmussen’s yard, has won five races from six starts. Untapable’s only loss this year came when she took the boys on in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park. On September 20, in the Cotillion at the Parx, Untapable justified half money favoritism in striking fashion. Post 10 in the 11-horse field may not deter the Tapit filly. Rosie Napravnik has the riding call. Untapable is another of my wagering propositions.
Coming to Saturday’s card, the curtain goes up with the running of the Juvenile Turf Sprint. This is a wide open race. Crown Time Kitten, a Dettori mount trained by Wesley Ward, is the 9/2 favorite. I do not have a pick.
The next BC race is the Juvenile Fillies Dirt. Here is another intriguing contest. Angela Renee, a Bernardini filly, is the 3/1 morning line choice. John Velasquez rides for Todd Pletcher.It is time to shop for caps at the BC store.
Dank is favored at 5/2 in the Filly-Mare Turf. A Dansili mare, Dank won this race last year. The Sir Michael Stoutetrainee, has had only two starts since the 2013 BC race. In her latest race, the Prince Of Wales Stakes on June 18 at Royal Ascot, Dank was fifth beaten 10 lengths. I seriously doubt her form though the fact remains that Dank is representing the Stoute-Moore team. I like the chances of Just The Judge. She won the E P Taylor Stakes at Woodbine on October 19. She is peaking and has drawn two. Jamie Spencer is the rider.
Then comes the Filly-Mare Sprint Dirt. Judy The Beauty, Artemis Agrotera and Leigh Court are all in excellent form. This is time for a coffee break.
The BC Turf Sprint follows. I love the chances of No Nay Never. The Scat Daddy colt, from Wesley Ward’s yard, has won four times in five career outings. No Nay Never has won in America, France and in England. He has won for three different riders. In this race, No Nay Never gets Frankie Dettori. Yes, the 14-post that No Nay Never has drawn may induce a pause but his early foot should help him get early position. He is one of my principal wagers.
The rest of the BC races will be covered in my next report.
Please give me your picks for all the thirteen races. Your selections must be in by 9 AM Pacific time on Friday. Send them to harnesskrish@yahoo.com and the fan with the most winners will get a baseball cap. I will arrange to have it sent to the winner when I arrive in India. There is a pause in action in India and this is the time to test your handicapping skills on the world stage. Give two pick in all the races.
Maxim Guyon posted a three-bagger at MaisonLaffitte (in Paris) on Wednesday. He rides at Saint Cloud (also in Paris) on Thursday and flies out to Los Angeles to ride Flintshire in the BC Turf on Saturday. Flintshire, though winless since July 2013, was runner-up to the mighty Treve in the Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on October 5. It is fortunate that Flintshire, an Andre Fabre charge, did not win the Arc. The fact is that Arc winners have a poor record in the Breeders Cup Turf.
Please give me your picks for all the thirteen B C races. Your selections must be in by 9 AM Pacific time on Friday. Send them to harnesskrish@yahoo.com and the fan with the most winners will get a baseball cap. I will arrange to have it sent to the winner when I arrive in India. There is a pause in action in India and this is the time to test your handicapping skills on the world stage. Give two picks in all the races. If you need the program pages for the Breeders Cup races, send an email. I shall send them to you promptly.
