The star names in Aidan O’Brien’s team for the second day of the Breeders’ Cup meeting at Santa Anita seem sure to play a central role in many punters’ betting plans on Saturday, and Found, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner, is likely to be the most important name of all as she makes what may well be the final start of her career in the Turf.
And on the face of it Found looks as bankable as they come. She is the top-rated performer in the field, beat the Derby winner Golden Horn to land the same contest 12 months ago, and her overall profile is that of a horse who delivers her best form, at the highest level, over and over again. “Tough and highly durable” is Timeform’s assessment of Found, which is, if anything, doing her a disservice. Her last seven starts have all been at Group One level and Found has finished first or second in all seven.
She is far from an odds-on chance in the betting, however, and there are some good reasons why. Flintshire, who started his career with André Fabre but is now the best middle-distance turf horse in the States, should be a very tough opponent even if he does need to bounce back from a disappointing run – on good-to-soft ground - last time out. Found’s stable companion Highland Reel, the King George winner, was also less than two lengths behind her in the Arc, while it is also hard to overlook the fact that, for all her consistency, only one of those seven Group One runs this year actually resulted in a victory.
Perhaps the most significant concern, though, is the likely speed of the turf track here on Saturday. The turf was relaid in the summer and, while it is always quick in California, there is a consensus that this year, it could be faster than ever. Found does have some form on fast ground and it was good-to-firm when she took the Arc but turf as firm as it is likely to be this weekend is an unknown.
The good news from O’Brien’s point of view, however, is that Highland Reel (10.22pm) is both high-class and versatile and perhaps a horse, too, whose form has not received quite the credit it deserves. He took two Group Ones outside Europe as a three-year-old, winning both at Arlington Park in Chicago and Sha Tin in Hong Kong, and the ground was very quick for his run at Arlington in particular. A well-run 12 furlongs on firm ground could be just what he needs, Seamie Heffernan has proved time and again that he is an excellent No2 jockey and Highland Reel makes plenty of appeal at around 7-2 (and quite possibly a bigger price on the US Tote).
O’Brien was noticeably keen this week to stress how much he is looking forward to seeing Washington DC (9.05pm) in the Turf Sprint and the red-hot pace should set the race up for Ryan Moore to deliver a late challenge. His Falmouth Stakes winner Alice Springs, however, may struggle to cope with Limato (11.40pm) in the Mile, as Henry Candy’s gelding seems tailor-made for the challenge.
Sir Michael Stoute seemed a little cool on the chance of Ulysses in the Turf earlier this week but perked up considerably when discussing Queen’s Trust (7.43pm) in the Filly & Mare Turf and she could be another British-trained winner if she can get a little more luck than in several of her recent starts.
For American fans, meanwhile, the highlight of the week will be California Chrome’s attempt to add the Breeders’ Cup Classic to a career record which already includes the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and the Dubai World Cup in seven Grade One wins.
Arrogate, a wide-margin winner in a track record time last time out, is a new challenge for Art Sherman’s outstanding five-year-old but California Chrome (12.35am) has continued to improve as he has matured and he should deliver the victory that many in the huge Santa Anita crowd will be desperate to see.
Haveyougoneaway (11.01pm) has a live chance in the Filly & Mare Sprint for Tom Morley, whose late uncle David was a multiple Group One winner in Britain. Union Strike (7.05pm) and Drefong (8.21pm) are the picks at the prices in the Juvenile Fillies’ and Sprint respectively, while the front-running Syndergaard (9.43pm) may just have enough to win a very tight renewal of the Juvenile.
Selections:
7.05 Union Strike
7.43 Queen’s Trust
8.21 Drefong
9.05 Washington DC
9.43 Syndergaard
10.22 Highland Reel (nap)
11.01 Haveyougoneaway
11.40 Limato
12.35 California Chrome
