Breeders Cup Meeting 7th Nov.

Goldikova 'at the top of her game for Mile' - Head


TRAINER Freddie Head says Goldikova is at the "top of her game" for the Breeders' Cup,where only three French-trained horses are set to be involved.

Goldikova, beaten last time out at odds-on in the Prix de la Foret, is bidding to repeat her thrilling victory in the Breeders' Cup Mile when she returns to Santa Anita onNovember 7.

She will be jopined by stablemate Only Green, who has acted as Goldikova's pacemaker in the past.

Only Green has been entered for the Filly & Mare Sprint, while the Alain de Royer-Dupre-trained Sweet Hearth could run either in that race or the Dirt Mile.

Speaking at Compiegne on Monday, Head said: "I think Goldikova is at the top of her game and I am very happy with her.

"Her preparation has gonevery well and I am satisfied that she could even be better than she was last year," he added.

"Together with Only Green, she will be boxed to Amsterdam on Saturday and then be flown to Los Angeles the following day.

"The pair will then do 42 hours quarantine and Goldikova knows all about that. It will give her time to recover from the flight. She will then do some light work up until the race."

Italian owned Sweet Hearth has always been highly rated by Royer-Dupre and only failed by a short head to catch her stablemate Varenar in the Foret.

Gerald Mosse looks set to ride her at Santa Anita

Summer Bird heads US hopes in workout action


SEVERAL major US-trained Breeders' Cup contenders have been in workout action, headed by leading Classic hope Summer Bird.

The son of Birdstone has arrived in California on the back of a trio of victories in New York's major Grade 1 events, namely the Belmont, Travers and Jockey Club Gold Cup.

With regular rider Kent Desormeaux up, Summer Bird went 5f between races at Santa Anita in 1m0.45s ahead of his all-weather debut next weekend.

"The work was great," said trainer Tim Ice. "He looked super getting over the track. I think it was important to make it a nonissue as to how he likes the track in the afternoon."

Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird will also be on hand to defend the Classic against Rip Van Winkle and Twice Over.

He zipped 5f at Santa Anita in 58.20s, a time that equalling the fastest of 58 works at the trip on Monday morning. "We wanted him to step it up a little bit today," said trainer Chip Woolley.

"It was maybe a little faster than I was looking for. The only part of his workout that is really important is the final quarter-mile. He finished big today and galloped out big past the wire."

Einstein worked at Churchill Downs under regular rider Julien Leparoux, going 5f on the main dirt track in 59.8s.

Winner of the Santa Anita Handicap in March, Einstein was due to depart for California on Tuesday.

Trainer Todd Pletcher also sent out six of the 12 horses he has entered for the Breeders' Cup races for their final serious workouts.

They included Quality Road, second to Summer Bird in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, went 5f over the Belmont Park training track in1m0.52s under John Velazquez.

"I think the horse is doing very well," said Pletcher. "He's a very relaxed horse right now. I think he's got the right kind of mindset right now to get a mile and a quarter."

Looks like Zenyatta is set to take on the the boys at the meeting.CARD

Zenyatta is heading for a clash with Rip Van Winkle in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

The winner of all 13 of her career starts to date, including last year' Ladies' Cassic, John Shirreffs' charge features among 16 entries for the showcase event of the weekend.

Rip Van Winkle is joined in the entries by stablemate Mastercraftsman although his first preference is the Dirt Mile.

Twice Over is the only other European-trained runner in the race although Girolamo could represent Godolphin.

Zenyatta is one of a record ten defending or former Breeders' Cup Champions to be pre-entered: Ventura (Filly& Mare Sprint); Forever Together (Filly & Mare Turf); Maram (Juvenile Fillies Turf); Muhannak (Marathon); Desert Code (Turf Sprint); Goldikova (Mile); Midshipman (Juvenile); Conduit (Turf) and Red Rocks (2006 Turf).

I'm extremely happy she is entered for the Classic. I hope that she finally puts away the people who think she may not be top class as she has not won a G1 against the fellas before!!!!

What price is she Hibs? Do you know?

CLASSIC BETTING

great race on the cards
it will probably give us an idea how great STS was
i will be on RVW

Thanks Hibs, will surely be a great affair

Godolphin pin Breeders' hopes on US horses

GODOLPHIN are pinning their main hopes on the American-based horses, such as Gayego, fancied for the Sprint, among Sheikh Mohammed’s operation's 15 possible contenders at this year's Breeders' Cup.


"I think the locals are the best chances," said Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford on Wednesday, explaining that their Stateside team have been preparing specifically for the meeting at Santa Anita.

The European horses have had their own priorities, said Crisford, notably St Leger winner Mastery, who is hot favourite for the Breeders' Cup Marathon.

Crisford said: "He takes his races well and seems in really good condition after a hard run in the Leger. The track should play to his strengths and he will have to have every chance. He is super tough."

Delegator, who will be joined by Gladiatorus, may be running his last race over the distance in the Mile as Crisford admitted a mile seems to be stretching him in Britain, but the Santa Anita track and the way the race is likely to be run gives him every chance.

He added: "Frankie Dettori will be on Delegator and Ahmed Ajtebi will ride Gladiatorus. I am interested to see Delegator on this track over a mile.

"He has a nice finishing kick but the way he has been training and racing, the mile might just be stretching him."

The Sir Michael Stoute-trained Conduit was among only nine pre-entries for the Turf which also included stablemate Spanish Moon, Red Rocks and Dar Re Mi, for whom this race is first preference over the Filly & Mare Turf.

O'Brien relishing Rip's Breeders' Cup challenge


AIDAN O'BRIEN is hopeful that Rip Van Winkle can step out from the shadow of Sea The Stars by winning the Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday week.

But the dual Group 1 winner will have to overcome another superstar, the unbeaten American wonder mare Zenyatta, if he is to triumph in the showpiece race at Santa Anita in California.


Even with the absence of the now retired Sea The Stars, a leading American handicapper on Wednesday said the showdown would produce the best Breeders' Cup Classic in the 1m2f race's 25-year history.



O'Brien was relishing the prospect on Wednesday at an Epsom press conference that unveiled 166 entries, with 31 possibles from Europe, for the two day meeting featuring 14 races.

"We're looking forward to Rip in the Classic, he's a real crack miler and full of determination," O'Brien said. "The season has been long and hard, but he has real mile pace and he is not wilting at the end."

Rip Van Winkle will have to do it in the heat of Santa Anita in nine days' time and without having raced on the Pro-Ride surface, not having been one of the Ballydoyle team to have prepped on the all-weather at Dundalk.

"He is a very good-moving horse and I would be very surprised if the track didn't work for him," O'Brien said.

Zenyatta will be the morning line favourite if she goes for the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Jon White, oddsmaker for Oak Tree at Santa Anita, says the wonder mare will head his market if she's confirmed as a definite runner in the big one next Saturday.

She's been entered as first preference to take on the likes of Rip Van Winkle, and her participation is likely to hinge on a crucial workout on Saturday.

"Zenyatta not only is 13 for 13, she has been the favourite in her last nine races," said White.

"Granted, this would be the first time Zenyatta has run against males, plus she's never gone farther than a mile and an eighth. But Zenyatta likes Santa Anita's main track and it looks like she actually might thrive going a mile and a quarter. I also think she will get a lot of play because of her big-time reputation."

White says doubts over the surface mean Rip Van Winkle shouldn't be market leader, but there is one European horse who would have headed the market had he turned up in California.

"I would have made European superstar Sea the Stars the favourite had he been in the Classic," said White. "And some may feel that Europe's Rip Van Winkle will be the Classic favourite. But I expect Zenyatta to be a lower price than Rip Van Winkle.

"Rip Van Winkle has been the favourite only twice in eight career starts. He also will be running on a synthetic surface for the first time, so there will be bettors who have reservations about him on the surface."

Raven's Pass and Henrythenavigator formed a European 1-2 in the Classic last year on Santa Anita's Pro-Ride surface, but White said it is important to note that they were not respected in the betting.

"Raven's Pass was 13-1 and Henrythenavigator was 19-1, while the top American horse, Curlin, was pounded down to 4-5 favouritism, even though there were those who thought Curlin might not be on his game at the time.

"As for Zenyatta, anyone who saw the Lady's Secret and/or her recent six-furlong workout should have no reservations that she certainly is on her game going into the Breeders' Cup.

"After the success of the Europeans last year, they probably will get more respect from the bettors this year. In trying to determine who will get bet more, Zenyatta or Rip Van Winkle, I took a look back at a couple of other Europeans with outstanding records, Giant's Causeway and Sakhee. Giant's Causeway was 7-1 when he ran second in the Classic to Tiznow, and Sakhee was 9-2 when he finished second in the Classic to Tiznow. Even though I don't think Rip Van Winkle will be the Classic favourite, I think there's a pretty good chance he will be a shorter price than Sakhee.

"With the Classic eight days away, such factors as defections, developments, workouts and post positions could lead to some tweaking. But as it stands right now, I'm planning to make Zenyatta the 5-2 favourite for the Classic, with Rip Van Winkle next at 7-2. For those who believe 5-2 might too low on Zenyatta in such a big field, keep in mind the last time that Zenyatta was higher than 3-5 was about a year and a half ago. That was in the 2008 Apple Blossom Handicap when Zenyatta was 9-5 and beat Ginger Punch."

Summer Bird will be the third choice on White's Classic line.

"With each Grade I win, Summer Bird is getting more and more respect," he said. "But when Summer Bird won the Jockey Club Gold Cup as the 6-5 favorite, it was the first time he's ever been the favourite. Right now, I'm planning to put Summer Bird at 9-2 for the Classic.

"The way I see it, Zenyatta, Rip Van Winkle and Summer Bird are the 'big three' in terms of Breeders' Cup Classic wagering. I think there will be a pretty good gap to the rest. I doubt that I will have anyone else lower than 10-1."

Tim Ice and Chip Woolley won't change their game plans for a potential showdown with wonder mare Zenyatta in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita next Saturday.

Ice will send Belmont winner Summer Bird into battle for the showpiece race, while Woolley is responsible for Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird.

And while Zenyatta's possible presence means their horses face an even tougher task, they're looking forward to it.

"It won't hurt my style," said Ice. "Zenyatta and I have two different running styles. I think it will make the race interesting. It will be what it's supposed to be for a US$5million purse. It's going to be a great race. I'm not expecting anything easy, and all I can control is my horse and what I do with him. Whoever else is in the race is who I have to outrun, and there's going to be more than one horse to outrun."

Woolley, meanwhile, has the utmost respect for Zenyatta but he too won't change his game plan.

"It's another horse to beat, and she's a great mare," Woolley said. "I've said all along, 'I want to keep myself in the best of company and my horse in the worst of company', so obviously, you don't want her in there. You'd be foolish to want her in there, but if she runs, she runs. It's not going to change how you run your race, because to get the best race out of your horse, you've got to run his race. You have to line up and go around there.

"If she runs, the publicity will be great for racing. From that standpoint, it would be very exciting for everyone."

Zenyatta has been entered first preference for the Classic, but connections will wait until after a crucial workout on Saturday before committing her to the big race.