The 42nd BREEDERS’ CUP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS gets underway at 5:45 p.m. this afternoon (Eastern time) at ‘ole Del Mar racetrack with the first five of 14 Cup races. Friday is Future Stars Friday and there are five juvenile races to kick off the two-day Championships.
Tomorrow, the remaining nine Cup races get underway at 3 p.m. Eastern.
So, in southern Ontario this evening, the masses will be juggling Breeders’ Cup races, Halloween treats and, of course, the TORONTO BLUE JAYS‘ date with destiny in Game 6 of the World Series in downtown Toronto.
My selections will be posted at RACING CORNER here.
What to watch For:
The $7 million Classic – With the unfortunate scratch of Sovereignty, the Classic is more wide open, with last year’s winner SIERRA LEONE hoping that he gets a fast enough pace from his mate Contrary Thinking to win again.
JOURNALISM has looked like a bear all week and he gets the nod from this corner.
Trainer AIDAN O’BRIEN is three Group 1 wins away from tying his own record of such wins in a season; could he even break that record? O’Brien has a litany of major contenders for the two days and in fact, the European invaders as a group look very strong this year. O’Brien juveniles True Love (Ire), Mission Central (Ire), who are in the Juvenile Turf Sprint, and Precise (Ire), Juvenile Fillies Turf, and Gstaad (GB), Juvenile Turf, are serious factors on Friday.
On Saturday, O’Brien trainee Minnie Hauk, a close second in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, is a major player in the Turf.
There are two Canadian-breds in the races: GAS ME UP in the Mile for trainer Kevin Attard and MISSION OF JOY for Graham Motion in the Filly 7 Mare Turf. Both will be longshots.
Some horses I like on Saturday include AG BULLET in the Turf Sprint, JONQUIL in the Mile, NYSOS in the Dirt Mile and DIAMOND RAIN in the Filly & Mare Turf.
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