Thursday 29 October 2015 08:44, UK
Our Matt Brocklebank highlights six horses worth keeping a close eye on at this year's Breeders' Cup jamboree in Keeneland.
Aidan O'Brien fires a couple of strong bullets as he goes for a third Juvenile Turf victory with Hit A Bomb and Shogun, while Birchwood represents the North Yorkshire yard of Richard Fahey, but the British and Irish challenge doesn't end there as John Gosden saddles Cymric. James Doyle may have done this Kitten's Joy colt a disservice after he won a conditions race at Sandown (soft going) in September, stating "he's definitely a Group Three horse" in his post-race interview. His only outing since showed him to be capable of mixing it with the very best juveniles around as he was beaten a short-neck by Ultra in the Group One Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp. He had Shogun back in the field there, as well as subsequent Racing Post Trophy runner-up Johannes Vermeer, and on the bare form Gosden has a major improver on his hands. He's bred to win top races in America and could live up to his pedigree on Saturday.
There's seemingly loads of depth to this contest but as a consequence Nemoralia is on offer at pretty generous prices and there are reasons to believe she could outrun her odds. Firstly, Noseda revealed after she won in ready fashion at Doncaster that this event has been her target for many months and he's frankly a brilliant target trainer. Nemoralia had previously won her maiden at the third time of asking having needed the run first time out bumped into subsequent Group One winner Ballydoyle at Newmarket in July, so we know her form stacks up and her profile is one of steady progression. Her recent prep run in the Grade One Frizette at Belmont Park was a fascinating performance - she appeared to be hating the wet dirt track there but once Joel Rosario gave her a couple of cracks of the whip in the straight she finished with purpose to take second behind the Saturday-bound Nickname. It smacked of a 'get-to-know-you' mission for horse and rider over a new trip and Noseda will no doubt be pleased with what he saw, given the conditions. Back on turf, she rates a likely contender for top honours.
Bobby's Kitten became the first three-year-old to win this event in its admittedly short history 12 months ago and Ready For Rye looks worth chancing to land another blow for the younger generation. He's been on the go since January but won a Grade Two over seven furlongs at Gulfstream Park back in March and that hint of stamina is going to stand him in good stead for this as they're bound to go seriously fast from the gate. He showed he's also got pace to burn when successfully dropping back to five and a half furlongs in the Quick Call Stakes at Saratoga and the well-held second that day was Wesley Ward's reopposing The Great War, who has since gone close in a Grade Two at Woodbine. What's most encouraging regarding Ready For Rye's claims going into the weekend is that he's never looked as good as last time out as he coasted home in a Listed event at Belmont. That came on 'muddy' ground but again served to highlight his versatility as he's already proven on quick turf. Everything about this New York traveller screams class and if he doesn't do it this year then he looks like a sprinter who will certainly be making the grade before too long.
Play our FREE-to-play Pick 6 game for Saturday's Breeders' Cup here:
There are very few convincing reasons to oppose Legatissimo here but the one thing nagging away is that she's been on the go for so long and around the even-money mark I certainly want to be 'against' rather than 'for'. Stephanie's Kitten is the one crying out to be backed at the prices and not only because of her excellent Breeders' Cup record. Chad Brown's six-year-old won the Juvenile Fillies' Turf at Churchill Downs in 2011 and her only run at the big meeting since saw her end up a fast-finishing second behind stable companion Dayatthespa at Santa Anita 12 months ago. Her hold-up style of racing leaves her a hostage to fortune at times and you could argue she'd have gone very close to winning had Dayatthespa not enjoyed such an easy time of things at the head of affairs. There isn't a mass amount of pace on again but Miss France, Secret Gesture and Talmada have all raced prominently in the past and if they battle up front then that should play into the hands of the best closer in the race - Stephanie's Kitten.
This year's Mile is one to keep fairly simple and Make Believe looks to have been kept fresh for this since beating Limato by a length and a quarter to take his top-class record to two wins from three attempts when breaking the track record in the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp on Arc weekend. His only defeat in Group One company saw him finish last of five after racing far too keenly in the St James's Palace at Royal Ascot back in June but we know he stays a mile perfectly well having beaten New Bay in the French Guineas the previous month. He likes to be up with the pace but also has an electric turn of foot which should prove a serious weapon around this tight track.
This is a brave move by connections of Beholder with a second Distaff seemingly there for the taking but there were rumblings of this strapping mare being prepared for the Classic earlier in the year and the subsequent achievements of American Pharoah haven't put them off their target. If the Triple Crown hero brings his A-game and gets an easy lead then the rest look to be playing for places but surely there's a chance another gruelling assignment in sloppy conditions is going to prove one too many for Bob Baffert's superstar and Beholder looks a very worthy rival. There are negatives to be pointed out; she's done all of her racing on a fast track and there could be question mark about her handling it should the rain continue into the weekend, while it's worth noting her only two major outings away from California have resulted in defeat. But she's getting stronger as she matures and beat the boys in devastating fashion in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar in August, since when she's enjoyed a cruise in the Zenyatta at Santa Anita. In a nutshell, she's good value to pull off an upset against a favourite who doesn't owe anybody anything.
