Live In The Dream heads up the European challenge for Adam West and Sean Kirrane in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint; Caravel lines up for Brad Cox and Aidan O'Brien runs Aesop's Fables; watch the Breeders' Cup live on Sky Sports Racing
Thursday 2 November 2023 12:42, UK
Sky Sports Racing pundit Peter Fornatale previews the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint on Saturday, featuring Nunthorpe Stakes hero Live In The Dream.
BIG INVASION
Jockey: Joel Rosario | Trainer: Christophe Clement
Usually wins then they go sub 22 seconds for the first quarter and there's a good chance that is going to happen here. Admittedly those runs have come against weaker opposition and he has generally found life tough in Graded races, although he did break through at Grade 2 level last time in the Nearctic. That wasn't far off a career best but needs more on the figures and will need a lot of luck from stall one.
CARAVEL
Tyler Gaffalione | Brad Cox
Was the long-shot winner of last year's renewal when clocking a 107 Beyer and comes into this race off the back of a good run in the Franklin Stakes attending a hot pace on ground that was a little softer than ideal. Bounces off a firm surface and looked as good as ever when last encountering that surface in the Jaipur three back.
Has excellent early speed and figures to get a dream trip from stall three here having had to use plenty of petrol up early when winning this last year to clear from stall 10; she looks hard to keep out of the frame.
TONY ANN
Hector Berrios | Philip D Amato
Has done well since dropping to sprinting having won over nine furlongs in the past and enjoyed the combination of slower ground and a fast pace to get up late last time in the Franklin. 4lb worse off with Caravel for that run and this speedier test seems unlikely to suit; good draw, however.
LIVE IN THE DREAM
Sean Kirrane | Adam West
Is a rapid gelding who scorched away in the Group 1 Nunthorpe and did way too much in front last time in the Woodford Stakes at Keeneland. He was weak in the betting that day and was still basically in front after five furlongs, and that was with going too fast without the best break.
There's a chance he could scare other pace pressure off here for fear that they'll cut each other's throats, and he won't have to go that much slower early to be very hard to catch. Perfectly drawn to attack here but much will depend on what Nobals and Jasper Krone, to his outer, decide to do, and they look like they'll want to lead too.
GEAR JOCKEY
Jose Lezcano | George R Arnold
Gear Jockey is a closer who looks to have caught a good draw for his running style. Comes into this race off a win when nailing One Timer close home in the Ainsworth Turf Sprint to land an overdue Grade 2. Has run well at this meeting and this track before but needs more to improve on a sixth in this race in 2021.
NOBALS
Gerardo Corrales | Larry Rivelli
This is a fast horse with plenty of early boot who is likely to be sent on from stall seven. Best when able to dictate and most unlikely to be able to pull those tactics off here. Needs more with pace pressure either side if he is to land a Grade 1 at his first attempt.
AESOP'S FABLES
Ryan Moore | Aidan O'Brien
Is a horse that didn't really kick on having won his first two starts, after which he was sent off at 8-13 for a Group 1. No wins this season and merely ticking over but appeared to excel himself last time out in the Prix de l'Abbaye when third in first-time blinkers. That didn't look a strong race at the time and the form has received plenty of blows since. Blinkers need to work a second time and needs a career best; stall eight will make life tricky.
ROSES FOR DEBRA
Irad Ortiz Jr | Christophe Clement
Has been a progressive sort this season who has done little wrong on turf to date, winning by wide margins on his first four runs on the grass. Disappointed last time out but yielding ground is a possible excuse there and the return to fast turf might be all that she needs to return to the level that saw her run a 102 Beyer in hand two back.
One of the most unexposed runners in the field and should get a good set-up here provided she can get a good position early from a wide stall; interesting.
MOTORIOUS
Flavien Prat | Philip D Amato
Goes well with time between his races and has done nothing but improve since he joined his stable having been just a handicapper in the UK. Hit a three-figure Beyer on his last three starts, including when storming home in the Green Flash Stakes last time out. Has course form, a top jockey and should get this race run to suit, although he is another who will need some luck from stall 10, but still a leading candidate.
JASPER KRONE
Yuga Kawada | Hideyuki Mori
Is a talented Japanese horse who has looked better than ever this season. Winner of two Grade 3 races before running a strong race in a Grade 1 last time out. Sent straight to the front from a wide draw that day and went too fast on the lead, but was still well there with a furlong to go and won't mind dropping down to this five-furlong distance.
That wasn't the strongest Japanese Grade 1 ever run and has not been lucky with the draw here; likely going to have to gun from the outside and may end up racing too early with Live In The Dream and Nobals up the inside.
ARZAK
Luis Saez | Michael Trombetta
Took his form to a new level both in terms of his Beyer and notching a first win at Grade 2 in the Woodford last time out when he had Live In The Dream behind him. Hard to overstate how much of a dream trip he had that day in a race that effectively split into two; close enough to not be out of his ground but far enough back of the furious pace to have a kick left at the finish.
Should get a pace to run at again here but more work to do to figure out the same sort of trip here from stall 12 with several of those drawn inside going to be intent on getting his spot.
PETER FORNATALE'S VERDICT
LIVE IN THE DREAM looks the speed of the speed and that's an angle I love in turf sprints. I think the run at Keeneland will help him tremendously as well. I will save with an each-way bet on BIG INVASION as well. There's a chance of a pace collapse and I've been talking about him as a potential Turf Sprint winner since the middle of last year.
Watch the 2023 Breeders' Cup from Santa Anita live on Sky Sports Racing (Sky 415 | Virgin 519) on Friday and Saturday.
