With results in favour of the Europeans on Day 1 the second day is full of challenges.
The F&M Sprint over 1400m dirt has 10 runners and looks completely in the hands of the home team. Ways And Means has won his last three and could add to that here – on 5/2 for Brown-Prat. Society also has support and is on 3/1 for Asmussen-Gaffalione and Vahva is on 4/1 for de Vaux-I Ortiz. The raider in this is Frost At Dawn who would need to lift a lot to make the frame here.
The Turf Sprint is over 1000m and this has possibilities for both the home team and the raiders. Cogburn is a top sprinter on 7/5 for Asmussen-I Ortiz and then there is the reliable Bradsell with his usual partner Hollie Doyle on board for Archie Watson and they are on 7/2. Motorious is a c&d Gr3 winner and on 8/1 for d'Amato-Fresu and winner of the Juvenile Turf Sprint last year Big Evs has graduated into this division and is on 12/1 which looks quite generous for M Appleby and Marquand.
The Distaff is now down to 8 starters which should make it even easier for Thorpedo Anna who of course is now odds-on for Kenny McPeek and Brian Hernandez. Raging Sea is seen as the main challenger on 7/2 for Brown-Prat and Japanese raider Awesome Result is on 4/1 for Ikee-Take. There's another Japanese raider Alice Verite who in May-June won two in Kyoto and just had a warmer-upper before going to Del Mar and if runs to her very best could make the frame.
The Breeders' Cup Turf over 2400m sees our old friend Rebel's Romance heading the market on 5/2 for Appleby-Buick. Next best is tight between Jayarabe Meehan-Levey and Emily Upjohn for the Gosdens and their former jockey Frankie Dettori – around the 4/1 mark. The locals field Far Bridge who has a good chance – trained by Christophe Clement and Rosario rides. And then we have two O'Briens – Luxembourg on 13/2 with Ryan Moore riding and we have been following Wingspan who is on the up and 15/1 is tempting – Wayne Lordan rides.
Then the big race of the meeting the Classic, over 2000m, with a full field of 14. It looks like being between the top three representing three different countries – City of Troy (Ireland), Fierceness (USA) and Forever Young (Japan). All three are outstanding horses with O'Brien claiming that City of Troy is the best horse he's trained. He's 3yo by Justify out of a Galileo mare and has won 6 of his 7 starts to date including the Epsom Derby.
Fierceness is with Todd Pletcher and didn't start off the season in the best form but has been steadily getting back to top form. He's used to the surface and won the Juvenile last year. John Velazquez rides. The other two have better draws and he could have traffic problems.
Forever Young is a much travelled Japanese 3yo who has won 5 of his 6 starts to date and those wins include the Saudi Derby and the UAE Derby. He should have run second in the Kentucky Derby but his team didn't lodge a protest so he's down as third. There was only a short head between the winner and Forever Young. Yahagi-sensei is a very astute trainer and jockey Sakai has improved tremendously since being taken on by Yahagi.
Should there be an opportunity for them, Sierra Leone and Ushba Tesoro are two horses whom we like a lot but who are probably at a level below the top three.
The f&M Turf is over 2200m and the Americans like War Like Goddess here on 5/2. She has no problems with the trip but has seemed to run in races with very small fields. Godolphin's Cinderella's Dream may be a safer conveyance. She's been in the US since June and won races in Saratoga and Aqueduct – in fact her record is 6 wins from 7 starts.
Moira is a very genuine Canadian mare who is nearly always in the frame either in Canada or when she comes south and 8/1 should certainly go into the multiples. Didia is an Argentinian-bred mare who is now with Ignacio Correas and she's the winner of a G1 at Saratoga so well acclimatised and 12/1 could be value. J-L Ortiz rides.
The Breeders' Cup Sprint is over 1200m with a field of 11 and the dirt surface suits the home team. Federal Judge and Mulikin are in the same ownership and not much between them. Straight No Chaser has a chance here and is on 5/1 and there are two Japanese raiders – Remake on 8/1 who could feature if he brings his A Game and Don Frankie on 15/1 which sounds about right.
The Turf Mile sees Notable Speech on top on 15/8 for Appleby-Buick. He's still a work in progress but his win in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood was an indicator that he is on the right path. We love Porta Fortuna who has been very good to us and will have our fingers crossed here – Donnacha O'Brien and Tom Marquand will be responsible and currently 5/2 the quote. Carl Spackler is a son of Lope de Vega but is with Chad Brown and Gaffalione rides – they are on 11/2. He's won 7 from 10 including his last 3 runs.
And another old friend is Geoglyph from Japan – they may be a bit too quick for him and 14/1 is the quote is you feel tempted.
The meeting concludes with the Dirt Mile and again this suits the locals best. Domestic Product aptly enough is on top on 7/2 with Skippylongstocking on 4/1. Saudi Crown is on 5/1 and for fun Tumbarumba was scratched the other day in order to run in this and is on 30/1 for Lynch-Saez and is not the worst of them.
