October 21, 2009

The Fantastic Fours

Sixteen more days to Graceland. Time to roll up the sleeves and get down to the nitty-gritty. Presented for your amusement are my Fantastic Four in each Breeders’ Cup race. Horses are listed in the respective races which I feel they are most likely to run given the information available today. Of course, this is subject to change as new info rolls in. Do not forget to tell me who you like!

MARATHON
1. Nite Light - Controlling speed at 1 ¾ miles should be tough to catch.
2. Father Time
3. Mastery
4. Unusual Suspect

JUVENILE FILLIES TURF
1. Smart Seattle - Motion charge is primed to return to the winner’s circle.
2. House of Grace
3. Hatheer
4. Bay to Bay

FILLY & MARE SPRINT
1. Ventura - Defending champ’s in great fettle and is strictly the one to beat.
2. Informed Decision
3. Indian Blessing
4. Seventh Street

JUVENILE FILLIES
1. Blind Luck - Unheralded filly does nothing wrong; closing in on an Eclipse.
2. Devil May Care
3. Beautician
4. Always a Princess

FILLY & MARE TURF
1. Pure Clan - Quality mare is versatile; ready to pull of a West Coast upset.
2. Magical Fantasy
3. Midday
4. Forever Together

LADIES’ CLASSIC
1. Zenyatta - Hard to look past for number 14, if this is the race she chooses.
2. Careless Jewel
3. Music Note
4. Lethal Heat

JUVENILE TURF
1. Interactif - The most promising U.S. turf juvenile in years should win this.
2. Pounced
3. Bridgetown
4. Viscount Nelson

TURF SPRINT
1. Diamondrella - Might be just the mare to nail the boys going down the hill.
2. California Flag
3. Silver Timber
4. Cannonball

MILE DIRT
1. Misremembered - Baffert has local colt primed for one mile in open affair.
2. Chocolate Candy
3. Girolamo
4. Crown of Thorns

JUVENILE
1. Lookin at Lucky - Does what he has to do; the best juvenile in the country.
2. Aikenite
3. Beethoven
4. Noble’s Promise

MILE
1. Godilkova - Champion mare will join Miesque as mare repeaters in the Mile.
2. Court Vision
3. Cowboy Cal
4. Zacinto

SPRINT
1. Gayego - Godolphin has this talented colt ready to roll, all systems go.
2. Capt. Candyman Can
3. Zensational
4. Midshipman

TURF
1. Presious Passion - America’s best hope will lead them on a merry chase.
2. Conduit
3. Spanish Moon
4. Dar Re Mi

CLASSIC
1. Rip Van Winkle - The 2nd best colt in the world should love 1¼ on Pro-Ride.
2. Gio Ponti
3. Einstein
4. Colonel John

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are crazy if you think Presious Passion is going to beat Conduit and the rest of the Europeans. They will trounce the American horses worse than last year!

NetworkEmpowerment said...

Love PP and hope he leads them wire to wire. He is unlike any Euro has ever seen and is tough to get by when he gets his firm footing. Nice rankings, I agree with most.

Brian Zipse said...

Anonymous,

I have been called worse, but yes I think Presious Passion has a great shot to vanquish all of your precious Europeans on the firm turf of Santa Anita. We shall see.

drfager68 said...

what happened to Summer bird in the Classic (he is not in your top 4)? Is it the SA surface that drops him out of your rankings?

Brian Zipse said...

That's exactly right drfager68. If this field ran on the dirt, Summer Bird would be the #1 pick. On Pro-Ride, I do not like his chances. This is the same surface that caused his owners to ship him out of California and to Tim Ice because it appeared he did not care for the footing.

NetworkEmpowerment said...

Tim Ice gets this horse and knows how to get him to run over anything. Remember he didn't like the Belmont surface at first then Ice added the grips, cleats, caucks, whatever you want to call them to his back shoes. Then what happens he beats MTB and Dunkirk in the Belmont. If Ice can pull the same thing again I feel SB will have a good shot to pull off a win in the Classic.

Anonymous said...

I agree...Summer Bird for The Classic!