Santa Anita Park is the place to be this upcoming weekend as the top thoroughbreds from around the country/world converge on the Breeders' Cup to square off in 14 races, spread out over two days. With Eclipse awards, huge purses, bragging rights and winning tickets all on the line you couldn't ask for a better weekend of racing.
The three-year-old champion is down to just two colts heading into November. Palace Malice would have to be at the top of the list going into the Classic with wins in both the Belmont and Jim Dandy and also finishing second to Ron the Greek in the Jockey Club Gold Cup just last month. The son of Curlin will attempt to do what his daddy did seven years ago and that is win the Classic as a three-year-old, something that has only been done twice in the last 12 years. A good performance in the Classic should be enough to claim three-year-old honors.
If Palace Malice fails to show up then Will Take Charge, who is also in the field of 12, has a shot to move to the top of the division. Will Take Charge was off the board in all three of the Triple Crown races but has come on as of late to capture the Travers and Pennsylvania Derby his last two times out. Moreno ran second to Will Take Charge in both of those races and is the only other three-year-old entered in here. He did not break his maiden until June and would have to come away with a win to even enter the conversation of top three-year-old. If Will Take Charge hits the board on Saturday he might be hard to deny the Eclipse, but if he were to pull off the upset then that is who would be your three-year-old champion.
The two-year-olds have been running since the summer but a true leader has yet to emerge out of this group. The Juvenile is set with a full field of 14 on Saturday and it could decide the two-year-old champ. Recent maiden winner Tap it Rich is the juvenile to keep an eye on as he makes his stakes debut. Honor Code, the highly touted son of A.P. Indy, who just missed out by a neck in the Champagn, to 5-2 Juvenile favorite Havana, stayed home in New York and did not make the cross country trip.
Fillies Juvenile 1 1/16m
(3:05 EDT)
Sweet Reason (Leah Gyarmati) was made the 5-2 morning-line favorite for good reason and would be entering in here undefeated was it not for an awkward start in the Frizette last out. If she gets a good break this time around, the daughter of Street Sense will be very tough to beat. The Del Mar Debutane winner, She's a Tiger (Jeff Bonde) hopes to break well from the outside post and will try get to the lead or as close as possible. Lost by a head in the Chandelier last time out in a race run over this track and is certainly dangerous. Untapable (Steve Asmussen) captured the Pocahontas at Churchill at the beginning of September in her second career start and tries to remain perfect. Artemis Agrotera (Michael Hushion) put up some solid pace/speed figures in her first two starts and pulled away in the end of the one mile Frizette last out, so the added distance should not be a problem. She is another filly in here that looks to escape this race without a blemish on her record.
9 Sweet Reason 5-2
10 She's a Tiger 6-1
7 Untapable 5-1
1 Artemis Agrotera 3-1
$20 W: 9
$2 EX BX: 9,10,7,1
$1 TRI: 9 w/ 10,7,1 w/ 10,7,1,4,6
Juvenile 1 1/16m
(5:43 EDT)
Tap It Rich (Baffert) broke his maiden impressively in his racing debut earlier this month here at Santa Anita after hopping at the start and breaking last. Look for him to step forward off his last race and should be one to watch not just on Saturday but on the 2014 Kentucky Derby trail as well. Havana (Todd Pletcher) is the 5-2 morning-line favorite after wiring the Champagn but will have to overcome post 13 to remain undefeated. The winner of the FrontRunner, Bond Holder (O'Neill) will likely be coming late to try and hit the board. New Year's Day (Baffert) exits a nice maiden win in which he beat Bond Holder back in August. Has been working well over the track and if he gets the distance, will be in the mix at the end.
6 Tap It Rich 6-1
13 Havana 5-2
5 Bond Holder 8-1
4 New Year's Day 8-1
$20 W: 6
$2 EX BX: 6,13,5,4
$1 TRI BX: 6,13,5,4
Classic 1 1/4m
(8:35)
Mucho Macho Man (Katherine Ritvo), the runner-up by just a half-length in last year's running of the Classic may be the one posing in the winner's circle in 2013. Posted a 4 1/4-length win in the Awesome Again over this track last month and looks to be in top form at the right time. The 8-5 morning-line favorite, Game On Dude (Baffert) exits an 8 1/2-length runaway win in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar. He will try to redeem himself after last year's disappointing seventh-place finish, which is his only loss at Santa Anita to date. Has won seven times in eight starts here and is very dangerous. Palace Malice (Pletcher) continues to improve and mature with each race he runs. Obviously he would have to run the race of his young career to win on Saturday, but don't write off this three-year-old because it is not out of the question for him to pull off the upset. Fort Larned (Ian Wilkes) the upset winner of the 2012 Classic is tough to overlook especially with his early speed.
6 Mucho Macho Man 5-1
9 Game On Dude 8-5
8 Palace Malice 10-1
7 Fort Larned 6-1
$5 WPS: 6
$5 WPS: 8
$2 EX BX: 6,9,8,7
$1 TRI BX; 6,9,8,7
Happy Halloween & Happy Winnings!
