Our man in Del Mar Ben Linfoot provides his tips for the 2024 Breeders' Cup and he has three selections for Saturday.
The Verdict: Saturday November 2
1pt win Believing in 19.41 Del Mar at 9/1 (General)
1pt win Content in 22.25 Del Mar at 9/2 (General)
1pt win Remake in 23.05 Del Mar at 9/1 (bet365, 8/1 General)
Remake to take the Sprint for Japan
Japanese-trained horses came to the fore the last time the Breeders’ Cup was held at Del Mar in 2021 with Loves Only You and Marche Lorraine winning the Filly & Mare Turf and the Distaff respectively.
A strong Japanese contingent heads to Del Mar on Saturday, as well, with three of them racing in the Grade 1 Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint at 23.05 GMT.
This looks a good race for a bet, as the American-trained dirt sprinters don’t look to be too dominant for once, with Federal Judge heading the market after his all-the-way win in the Grade 2 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes at Keeneland on October 4.
That was his first go at the bare six furlongs, but it remains to be seen how he copes with added pace pressure and that looks a likely scenario with several front-runners in the race.
With all this in mind I like the chances of Japan’s REMAKE, a likely hold-up performer who stormed through the field to win the Grade 3 Korea Sprint at Seoul last time out (see replay, below).
That bodes well with the likely make up of Saturday’s race in mind, while his Group 3 Sports Boulevard Riyadh Dirt Sprint at Riyadh in February is a strong indicator that he might well have the measure of the American sprinters.
Skelly, who reopposes on Saturday, was put in his place in second that day, while Bill Mott’s Bold Journey, an easy Listed winner at Aqueduct, was well held in third.
Remake was unlucky in the run when beaten by fellow Japanese-trained Don Frankie and Wesley Ward’s Nakatomi in the Golden Shaheen at Meydan in March, and he is expected to reverse the form with the pair of them around here with a strong pace to aim at.
The Verdict: Back REMAKE in the 23.05 Del Mar
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- FIERCENESS - 9.41 Del Mar to win
- CONTENT - 10.25 Del Mar to win
- REMAKE - 11.05 Del Mar to place (4 places)
Content to bounce back for O’Brien
I’ll leave the other dirt races alone including the Breeders’ Cup Classic itself.
If City Of Troy gets out and in a good position in the first furlong I think he’ll win, but the fear is he gets shuffled back and in that scenario Fierceness could prove too strong for Todd Pletcher.
It’s a fascinating race and I hope City Of Troy can make history, but either way if there’s one man ice-cool enough to quickly brush off the demands of the Classic and win the very next race it’s Ryan Moore.
He was actually on Ylang Ylang in the Filly & Mare Turf before she was scratched, but fate has seen him nudge off Frankie Dettori from CONTENT and he can replicate his win on Tuesday in the contest at Keeneland two years ago.
By Galileo out of Mecca’s Angel, it’s no surprise that Content loves fast ground and she ran a cracker in the Juvenile Fillies’ Turf, finishing well for fourth behind Hard To Justify and Porta Fortuna over a mile trip short of her best.
It was good to see how she coped with the demands of a Breeders’ Cup and when she won the Yorkshire Oaks at York in August, despite racing keenly in the early stages, she looked very much like the ideal type for this race.
She has had obvious excuses the last twice on account of the softer ground over shorter trips, but 1m3f on fast ground around Del Mar looks to be right in her wheelhouse.
The Verdict: Back CONTENT in the 22.25 Del Mar
Don’t stop Believing in the Turf Sprint
Finally, it should be a good night for Europe in the turf races and though everyone I speak to can’t seem to see defeat for Cogburn for the home team in the Turf Sprint I’m happy to have a go against him.
He could blast away and make all like Golden Pal did around here in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup at this track, but the Europeans could apply pace pressure here with Bradsell and Big Evs unlikely to be far away and things might just set up for a closer.
There might not be much between them at the wire and a frantic finish looks likely if one horse doesn’t tear the race apart, but this could be the day it all falls into place for George Boughey’s BELIEVING.
She has been unlucky with the draw this season, including a couple of times when not beaten far by Bradsell, but she has been shaping well in defeat and she will simply love the fast ground.
Stall one might not be ideal for a hold-up type, but Moore will likely give her a ground-saving trip on the rail and she could take off when pulled out for her challenge in the straight.
The early stages will be vital and she doesn’t want to get too far behind, but the first-time blinkers could help on that score and I can’t resist her at around 9/1.
The Verdict: Back BELIEVING in the 19.41 Del Mar
Preview posted at 1645 GMT on 01/11/24
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