Adam West will head to the Breeders’ Cup with renewed confidence after Live In The Dream made an encouraging start to his American adventure at Keeneland on Saturday.
The Nunthorpe hero made an early journey across the Atlantic in preparation for next month’s showpiece meeting in California, travelling to Keeneland to contest the Grade Two Woodford Stakes.
The four-year-old proved the eye-watering speed he displayed at York can be just as effective on US soil, cutting out much of the running under Sean Kirrane and looking the likely winner before being caught late in the piece and passing the post in fourth place.
Far from despondent, West was thrilled with the performance. He said: “We were a small bit frustrated the 80-1 shot (Foxtrotanna) hassled us as I think we could have improved a position or two if that hadn’t happened, but overall we were delighted with what we saw.
“He went above and beyond the early sectionals that are needed to put it up to the best of the Americans. Going into the race I was disappointed Caravel (last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner) wasn’t there, but the numbers don’t lie and I think he’s going to be pretty dangerous on a sharper track.”
Despite the defeat, West feels vindicated in his decision to send Live In The Dream to Kentucky, rather than keeping him at home for a tilt at last weekend’s Prix de l’Abbaye at ParisLongchamp.
“I’m so pleased we decided to come to Keeneland. I don’t know what we would have learned in the Abbaye. We could have put a bit more into the purse, I suppose, but I think coming here has taught us so much more,” he continued.
“I was quite stressed yesterday, just not knowing whether we were going to be able ride aggressively. In England you get easy leads with a horse with his speed as no one wants to come at you that early, whereas here they were attacking him and he still had enough gate (speed) to go two lengths clear of reasonable horses.
“I think I can go to Santa Anita now a little bit more relaxed and just enjoy it because he’s ticked the boxes that he has and is able to hold his head up high when he contends that race."
With the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint run over half a furlong shorter than the Woodford Stakes, West is more hopeful than ever that his stable star has what it takes to make his presence felt at Santa Anita on November 4.
He said: “He’ll stay at Keeneland in the quarantine barn until October 25 and then fly down with the other horses that will be going from east to west coast.
“He’ll have a shorter journey (than the other European horses). If we’d come straight from the UK to the Breeders’ Cup he’d have a long flight, then five days (in quarantine) and then straight onto the track, whereas now he has a shorter flight and an extra day, so I’m really pleased with how it’s played out.
“Without being pig-headed about it, I think they’re almost coming into our ballpark and our playpen at Santa Anita. If the Breeders’ Cup was at Keeneland it might be a different story, but the attributes of the track at Santa Anita are going to suit him better.
“With a half decent draw and nothing going seriously one way or the other way with the ground, I think he’s got it all.”
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