The final couple of days before Unwise Al goes into hibernation for the jumps season are dominated by the Breeders' Cup (or as the Americans call it, horse racing's World Championships) in Louisville, KY. But I'm not here to bash America's use of the word 'world' in a sporting context, I'm here for the racing. Day one is dominated by the girls, with five of the six races open to a combination of fillies and mares only. Europe's best chance of success rests with Roger Varian's unbeaten Nahrain in the Filly & Mare Turf and John Gosden impressive juvenile Elusive Kate in the Juvenile Fillies Turf.
8.10 (4.10 EST) $500,000 Juvenile Sprint (Conditions Stakes) 6f, 2-year-olds (9 runners) (dirt)
Vexor (John Kimmel/D Cohen) 8/1ew or Trinniberg (Bisnath Parboo/C Velasquez) 10/1ew
The sloppy conditions facing runners could help Nashua Stakes winner Vexor take a Grade 1 contest at the second time of asking after he struggled over seven furlongs in the Three Chimneys Hopeful Stakes during September. Trinniberg finished second to Vexor in the Nashua and is a better price despite there seemingly being little between them. The favourite is Bob Baffert's Secret Circle who is unbeaten in two starts. Europe's hopes rest with Brian Meehan's filly Shumoos.
8.50 (4.50 EST) $1,000,000 Juvenile Fillies Turf (Grade 2) 8f, 2-year-olds (14 runners)
Elusive Kate (John Gosden/William Buick) 11/4fav or Dayatthespa (Chad Brown/RA Dominguez) 10/1ew
Prix Marcel Boussac winner Elusive Kate is rightly favourite for a contest that includes entries from the US, UK, Ireland, France and Canada. John Gosden's two-year-old has won four on the spin, including Listed, Group Three and Group One races in France over the last three months. Dayatthespa has raced just twice so far, a victory at Saratoga on debut followed by second in the Grade 3 Natalma Stakes at Woodbine, ON.
9.30 (5.30 EST) $1,000,000 Filly & Mare Sprint (Grade 1) 7f, 3-year-olds+ (13 runners) (dirt)
Turbulent Descent (Mike Puype/D Flores) 2/1fav or Great Hot (AC Avila/Chantal Sutherland) 16/1ew
Dual Grade 1 victor Turbulent Descent appears a good bet to take this after winning the Test Stakes at Saratoga in August. The three-year-old is taking on older horses for the first time, but receives two pounds in age weight allowance. Fellow three-year-old Great Hot won the Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland in October, and an extra weight allowance will do her chances no harm at all.
10.10 (6.10 EST) $2,000,000 Juvenile Fillies (Grade 1) 8f, 2-year-olds (13 runners) (dirt)
Grace Hall (Anthony Dutrow/RA Dominguez) 4/1 or Weemissfrankie (Peter Eurton/R Bejarano) 8/1ew
Grace Hall is three-from-three in her short career, including victory in the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga two months ago. Weemissfrankie is also three-from-three, with two Grade 1 victories to her name and looks to be the value bet of the day at around 8/1.
10.50 (6.50 EST) $2,000,000 Filly & Mare Turf (Grade 1) 11f, 3-year-olds+ (12 runners)
Nahrain (Roger Varian/Frankie Dettori) 5/1 or Dubawi Heights (Simon Callaghan/J Rosario) 9/1ew
Undefeated Prix de L'Opera champion Nahrain goes for her fifth career win for Newmarket-based trainer Roger Varian, and looks to have an excellent chance with Frankie Dettori on board. Dubawi Heights has been beaten just once since moving from Britain to the US and should be one of the main challengers to Nahrain, alongside Irish 1000 Guineas winner Misty For Me and superstar French runner Stacelita.
11.30 (7.30 EST) $2,000,000 Ladies' Classic (Grade 1) 9f, 3-year-olds+ (10 runners)
Ultra Blend (Art Sherman/D Flores) 13/2ew or Pachattack (Gerard Butler/R Maragh) 16/1ew
Ultra Blend has been a model of consistency throughout her career, and on recent Grade 1 form, should give the more fancied entrants in this contest a good run for their money. Gerard Butler's Pachattack has been running Stateside since late May, and with two second placed finishes in Grade 1 events under her saddle recently, could also be there or thereabouts at a larger price.
