Racing! We make the Breeders’ Cup easier for you with a new video feature

Hello, my name is John Cherwa, and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter and let the Breeders’ Cup countdown begin.

First let me thank all of you who sent forth your thoughts on Broadway songs about horse racing. Seems that “Fugue for Tinhorns” is really the only one. Where else but this newsletter can you talk about horse racing and Broadway in the same sentence.

Some of you offered up other songs, which I had forgotten about. One by John Stewart called “Let the Big Horse Run” (you can hear it here) , which is a tribute to Secretariat. Another one, which I forgot about but upon recollection is one of my favorites, is called “Run for the Roses” (you can hear it here) by Dan Fogelberg. Is there a better line than “the chance of a lifetime in a lifetime of chance”?

Those were songs before fancy music videos, as you’ll note when you watch.

On to the Breeders’ Cup.

Breeders’ Cup update — With new special feature

We are delighted to start a video feature from Jeff Siegel and Aaron Vercruysse of xbtv as we start the countdown to the Breeders’ Cup. Lots of insight and knowledge. Definitely worth a watch. Today, they talk about the Classic, Unique Bella’s work and a host of other stuff to make you smarter. And, if you haven’t checked out xbtv.com, you should. There is a lot of content and just about every workout or gallop you can imagine. Personally, if a horse isn’t working with another horse, I can’t tell if a workout is good or bad, but these folks know. (Watch it here)

The Breeders’ Cup announced the schedule and betting menu. Here’s a look.

Nov. 3

11:25 a.m. Race 1 Non-Breeders’ Cup race: WPS, Ex, Tri, Super, Pick 3, DD, Pick 5

Noon Race 2 Non-Breeders’ Cup race, WPS, Ex, Tri, Super, Pick 3, DD

12:35 p.m. Race 3 Non-Breeders’ Cup race. WPS, Ex, Tri, Super, DD, Pick 4

1:10 Race 4 Non-Breeders’ Cup race, WPS, Ex, Tri, Super, Pick 3, DD, Pick 6

1:45 Race 5 Non-Breeders’ Cup race, WPS, Ex, Tri, Super, Pick 3, DD

2:25 Race 6 Juvenile Fillies Turf, WPS, Ex, Tri, Super, Pick 3, DD, Pick 4

3:05 Race 7 Dirt Mile, WPS, Ex, Tri, Super, Tri, Super, Pick 3, DD, Pick 4

3:50 Race 8 Juvenile Turf, WPS, Ex, Tri, Super, Pick 3, DD

4:35 Race 9 Distaff, WPS, Ex, Tri, Super, DD with Classic, Super Hi 5

5:17 Race 10 Non-Breeders’ Cup race: WPS, Ex, Tri, Super

Nov. 4

10:10 a.m. Race 1 Non-Breeders’ Cup race, WPS, Ex, Tri, Super, Pick 3, DD, Pick 5

10:45 Race 2 Non-Breeders’ Cup race, WPS, Ex, Tri, Super, Pick 3, DD, Pick 5

11:20 Race 3 Non-Breeders’ Cup race, WPS, Ex, Tri, Super, Pick 3, DD

Noon Race 4 Juvenile Fillies, WPS, Ex, Tri, Super, Pick 3, DD

12:37 p.m. Race 5 Turf Sprint, WPS, Ex, Tri, Super, Pick 3, DD, Pick 4

1:14 Race 6 Filly & Mare Sprint, WPS, Ex, Tri, Super, Pick 3, DD

2 p.m. Race 7 Filly & Mare Turf, WPS, Ex, Tri, Super, Pick 3, DD, Pick 6

2:37 Race 8 Sprint, WPS, Ex, Tri, Super, Pick 3, DD

3:19 Race 9 Mile, WPS,. Ex, Tri, Super, Pick 3, DD, Pick 4

3:58 Race 10 Juvenile, WPS, Ex, Tri, Super, Pick 3, DD

4:37 Race 11 Turf, WPS, Ex, Tri, Super, DD

5:35 Race 12 Classic, WPS, Ex, Tri, Super, SuperHi 5

Minimum bets:

$2-WPS, DD, Pick 6

$1-Ex, Distaff/Class DD

$0.50-Trifecta, Pick 3, Pick 4, PIck 5, Super Hi 5

$0.10-Superfecta

Santa Anita preview

Santa Anita is winding down its fall meeting with an eight-race card on Thursday with half of the races on the turf. Before the meeting, Santa Anita boss Tim Ritvo definitely said he was increasing the number of turf races and he’s kept that promise. The first turf race is the first, for claimers going one mile, with nine entries. The third and sixth are down the hill over about 6½ furlongs, one a maiden special weight with 10 entrants and four also eligible and the other an allowance optional claiming with 10 and 1. The eighth race is another miler for maiden claimers with 10 and 3. And what does a max of 10 horses tell you? The rail is set at 20 feet. The other four races are on the dirt with field sizes of 6, 7, 8 and 6.

I know I keep saying that any good horse is headed to San Diego, making the cards elsewhere devoid of stars. Not to get ahead of ourselves, but this Saturday at Santa Anita a truly special horse in Hoppertunity is running in the $70,000 Comma to the Top Stakes over a mile. He’s been off since March, when he ran in Dubai, but this well-traveled horse also ran in last year’s Classic. He’s earned more than $4.2 million running for trainer Bob Baffert. Flavien Prat. who may have as many as 10 Breeders’ Cup rides, gets the mount. Hoppertunity is worth a watch at about 2:15 in the fifth race on Saturday’s 11-race card.

Jeff Nahill’s SA spot play

THIRD RACE: No. 4 Minister's Glory (15-1)

It's first time turf for this 2-year-old son of Ministers Wild Cat, who gets 14% winners first time on the grass. The damsire, Valid Wager, gets 13% winners first time on the turf. Trainer Mike Machowsky is 20% first time turf and he has a good turf rider in Joe Talamo on board. Machowsky also puts blinkers on (20%). This gelding moves from a Maiden $50,000 claimer to MSW but I'm not concerned by the class rise.

SUNDAY'S RESULT: Spiritual Warrior looked well positioned most of Sunday's eighth race on the rail and turning for home, but just didn't have it in the stretch and finished well back.

Jeff Nahill is a quality editor for the San Diego Union-Tribune. He can be reached at [email protected]. For other selections go to his blog: fromthewinnerscircle.me

Catching up on the news

--Santa Anita is requesting the ability to go to seven-race cards on Thursday and Friday during its Winter-Spring meeting. Steve Andersen of the Daily Racing Form has the details. (read here)

--Royal F J has finally retired after running 102 races, his last on Thursday of last week. During that time he won nine times, finished second 19 times with 18 thirds. The 10-year-old gelding finished with $568,150 in earnings. “He’s going to have a good life ahead and we’re going to find him a good spot,” trainer Jack Carava told Ed Golden of Santa Anita. It’s yet to be determined where he’s going, but we’ve had tons of offers so we’re going to go through those and find him a good home, but he won’t run anymore. The good thing is he leaves here sound. All the years I had him, he was always at the barn with me. I never turned him out, he never missed any training. He still wouldn’t be the kind of horse that would miss any training.”

--The Kentucky Derby has a new sponsor in Woodford Reserve, which sounds a boatload better than naming it after Yum! (don’t forget the exclamation point) Brands. Now this doesn’t mean I’m going to use Woodford Reserve in the title of the race any more than I did Yum! Brands (which is never). Matt Hegarty of the Daily Racing Form has the details. (read here)

Final thought

Still looking to jump the circulation of this newsletter. Can’t beat the price. If you like it, tell someone. If you don’t like it, then you’re probably not reading this. Either way, send to a friend and just have them click here and sign up. Remember, it’s free, and all we need is your email, nothing more.

Any thoughts, drop me an email at [email protected] or feed my ego by following me on Twitter @jcherwa.

Now, the star of the show, Thursday’s entries.