Breeders Cup DIRT MILE

[Man o Taz]

A shame that Upstart missed the Kelso, but hopefully he at least makes the Cigar Mile if not the Dirt Mile.

[honneerider]

Kaleem Shah's Dortmund will be heading to the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile on Nov. 4 as opposed to the Classic, trainer Bob Baffert told the Daily Racing Form on Tuesday.

http://www.paulickreport.com/news/breeders-cup/dortmund-headed-breeders-cup-dirt-mile-not-classic/

[stark]

Looks to me like Mr. Baffert is going to have a very big day indeed!

[stark]

Runhappy returned to the track for the first time since a fourth-place finish in the Oct. 1 Ack Ack Handicap (gr. III) the morning of Oct. 12 at Keeneland, working a mile in 1:38 4/5. Hall of Fame rider Gary Stevens was flown in from California for the drill.

Owner James McIngvale also flew in from Houston to oversee the work.

"He's dead fit, boss," Stevens told McIngvale back at the barn after the move. "He's where he needs to be. I had trouble pulling him up...he actually worked about a mile and an eighth."

Runhappy stood on the track for awhile with a lead pony and then Stevens jogged him around the track clockwise once before turning to get into his work. The track reported Runhappy went a half-mile in :46 2/5.

"His speed is there," Stevens said. "There's no doubt about his stamina, either. I have a clock in my head and I thought he started in :11 4/5 and then went another eighth in :11 3/5. After a half-mile I let him fill back up with air and he took off again. I thought he went the mile in 1:37 or 1:37 2/5. He finished strongly."

Stevens has not been aboard Runhappy since they teamed to win the Malibu Stakes (gr. I) last Dec. 26 at Santa Anita Park.

"He's an adult now," he said. "His cardio is just so good. When he got back to the barn, his ribcage wasn't even moving."

[Man o Taz]

To bad Dortmund will not get another shot at Chrome.

Maybe in the Pegasus.

[stark]

Hmmmm.....

ARCADIA, Calif. – Trainer Bob Baffert this week said Dortmund would run in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, but another major decision regarding that horse is pending.
Baffert said Rafael Bejarano would not ride Dortmund in the Breeders' Cup, but he had yet to decide who would replace him.

[curtis]

Hmmmm.....

ARCADIA, Calif. – Trainer Bob Baffert this week said Dortmund would run in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, but another major decision regarding that horse is pending.
Baffert said Rafael Bejarano would not ride Dortmund in the Breeders' Cup, but he had yet to decide who would replace him.

I've never been enamoured with Bejarano on a speed horse so I think this is a good move. It would be nice if it would be Martin Garcia since he seemed to fit the horse well. I'll put money on another Martin.....Pedroza.

[stark]

I've never been enamoured with Bejarano on a speed horse so I think this is a good move. It would be nice if it would be Martin Garcia since he seemed to fit the horse well. I'll put money on another Martin.....Pedroza.

Good pick, you can bet Richie will be on the phone!  I'll guess a couple of others, I recall Flavien Prat working Dortmund down at Del Mar, and Stuart Elliott gets a new lease on life from from Baffert, we'll see. 

[stark]

zoecadman ‏@zoecadman  41m41 minutes ago Arcadia, CA
Great to Martin Garcia back aboard a Baffert worker.  Will be interesting to see who rides Dortmund - those two are a good team ??

[stark]

Co-owner Ron Winchell says "90-percent" chance Gun Runner in DM. Says there would have to be "mass defections from the top" to go in Classic

[Man o Taz]

Makes sense.

[stark]

1 Vyjack Philip D'Amato Flavien Prat 10-1
2 Tom's Ready Dallas Stewart Joel Rosario 12-1
3 Dortmund Bob Baffert Martin Garcia 6-5
4 Point Piper Jerry Hollendorfer Mario Gutierrez 20-1
5 Accelerate John W. Sadler Tyler Baze 20-1
6 Texas Chrome J. R. Caldwell C.J. McMahon 20-1
7 Runhappy Laura Wohlers Gary Stevens 3-1
8 Tamarkuz Kiaran P. McLaughlin Mike Smith 8-1
9 Gun Runner Steven M. Asmussen Florent Geroux 9-2

[peeptoad]

A shame that Upstart missed the Kelso, but hopefully he at least makes the Cigar Mile if not the Dirt Mile.

Upstart was just retired to Airdrie.  Read on Bloodhorse and drf...

[peeptoad]

TimeformUS consensus says toss Runhappy... I wasn't going to play him anyway so away he goes.

The long shots in this one for me are Vyjack (likely my top pick) and Texas Chrome who may offer huge value underneath. Gun Runner is another I will use; his post is the only real detriment.
So, most likely 1,3,6,9 ex box and then Vyjack at ~8/1 or better...

[peeptoad]

Dortmund is the most obvious and likely winner, but I'm going against his terrible price. Will likely box him with Vyjack, Gun Runner, and Texas Chrome for the exacta. Vyjack is my top pick due to his strong late pace and he should get an optimal set up. He will also save ground from post 1, and he's in near career form right now, having just blown them away a G2 stakes field at a mile (on turf). Texas Chrome is not a win candidate for me, but I think he could be strong value underneath, particualrly if the early pace is swift. Despite the class hike, he is tough, on the improve and he'll be a bomb price. Gun Runner might be my top pick if not for the post... I'll still use him somehow.