Racing! Let’s take a look at the BC Distaff

Hello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter as the World Series moves to Dodger Stadium. (I know it has nothing to do with horse racing.)

I thought we would take a look at one of the Breeders’ Cup races next week. If there is a loser in the two-day event it is the Distaff, which went from the main event on Friday to the undercard on Saturday. The move was the result of the Breeders’ Cup moving all five 2-year-old races to Friday.

What it does is elevate the Juvenile to the main attraction on Friday. It’s yet another sign that the sport is built around the Triple Crown season. Not saying it’s good or bad, just the way it is.

So, let’s look at the Distaff, which is fillies and mares 3 and older going 1 1/8 miles. All the horses entered should run as it did not fill with the maximum of 14.

--Abel Tasman, trainer Bob Baffert. This filly won last year’s Kentucky Oaks, in a last to first performance. She had a couple of good Grade 1 wins until her last race, the Zenyatta at Santa Anita. She finished an inexplicable fifth as a bridge-jumping favorite. People will wonder if this was a blip or if there is a problem.

--Blue Prize, trainer Ignacio Correas. She has won four of six this year, including her last three, which included the Spinster Stakes at Keeneland. She’s been running in good company. Started her career in Argentina.

--Champagne Problems, trainer Ian Wilkes. She was second to Blue Prize in the Spinster. But this will only be her fourth graded stakes, so this filly might be over her head. Despite that, she won a Grade 3 at Ellis Park and a second in a Grade 3 at Churchill Downs before the Spinster.

--Fuhriously Kissed, trainer Anthony Quartarolo. This mare has only won one of eight races this year, an allowance at Thistledown. She was fourth in the Spinster but her late running style may not be enough for a group this strong.

--La Force, trainer Paddy Gallagher. She was second to Vale Dori in the Spinster Stakes, which means she beat Abel Tasman, but four horses could claim that on that day. She’s only won two of 22 races lifetime and after three races in Italy at the start, has only raced in Southern California.

--Midnight Bisou, trainer Steve Asmussen. She originally started with Bill Spawr, where she won the Santa Anita Oaks this year. After a third in the Kentucky Oaks, she was shipped to Asmussen back East. She has won five of eight this year including breaking a five-win streak by Monomoy Girl. It came after a jockey objection by Mike Smith led to a disqualification of Monomoy Girl. Check to see which horse Smith decides to ride: Abel Tasman or Midnight Bisou.

--Monomoy Girl, trainer Brad Cox. She’s the likely favorite in this race having crossed the finish line first in all six races. She won the Kentucky Oaks and Acorn Stakes this year. It’s hard to find anything wrong with her performance this year.

--Mopotism, trainer Doug O’Neill. You can always count on O’Neill and owner Paul Reddam to enter every big race they can. Mopotism has not won since the La Canada on Jan. 13 and has one win in her last 14 races, but she has been in heavy company. She was fifth in last year’s Distaff.

--Vale Dori, trainer Baffert. She won six in a row last year before running into Stellar Wind, and later Unique Bella. The 6-year-old mare won last out in the Zenyatta. You can count on her being near or on the lead, it’s just a matter of if she gets run down.

--Verve’s Tale, trainer Barclay Tagg. She’s winless in five starts this year and three of 22 lifetime. It took her eight tries to break her maiden and been running in stakes races since then. Her last win came on Aug. 20 of last year.

--Wonder Gadot, trainer Mark Casse. You have to give her connections credit when they won the first two legs of the Canadian Triple Crown and then decided to send her to the Travers to run against the boys. She finished last but left us with a scene that was touching. After she crossed the finish line you could see jockey Irad Ortiz gently patting her as if to say, “You did your best.”

--Wow Cat, trainer Chad Brown. She reeled off eight straight wins in Chile before being sent to the States. She finished second in a Grade 2, third to Abel Tasman in the Personal Ensign and then won the Grade 1 Beldame Stakes last out. So, you figure what to do with this 4-year-old.

Santa Anita review

Santa Anita didn’t really have a feature on Thursday, but I won’t let hem get away with it. I’m naming the fourth race, a 6 ½ furlong allowance dirt race worth $53,000 as the top race of the day.

And, it was a performance worthy of a feature. Awesome Anywhere moved to the front early in the race and was never headed winning by 7 ¼ lengths for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and jockey Assael Espinoza. Now, if you wanted to see the call of the start of the race you were out of luck as TVG was showing the end of a Keeneland race. OK, that happens.

But how about when Golden Gate and Santa Anita, both Stronach tracks, were running their first race at near the same time. Can’t the tracks get together and keep this from happening on a Thursday afternoon? Can’t two tracks owned by the same company keep that from happening?

OK, back to the feature. Awesome Anywhere paid $4.60, $2.80 and $2.60. El Huerfano was second and Street Vision was third in the five-horse field.

Santa Anita preview

Nothing to get too excited about in Friday’s eight-race card, although half the races are on the turf. There are two maiden special weights, with $50,000 purses. The feature is the final race, going 1 ¼-mile allowance/optional claimer going on the turf. The purse is $53,000.

The favorite is Well Developed, at 2-1, for trainer Gallagher and jockey Drayden Van Dyke. He won three in a row starting with his second race, a maiden, and then has kicked around in lower level stakes. He finished in his last start, an allowance at Golden Gate. Maestro Dearte, for Peter Eurton and Gary Stevens and Oscar Dominguez, for Peter Miller and Joe Talamo, are at 5-2.

Here are the field sizes, in order: 8, 5, 9, 7, 6, 8, 10 (1 also eligible), 7.

Bob Ike’s SA play of the day

FIRST RACE: No. 5 Magical Gray (7-2)

If this sophomore filly from the Victor Garcia barn can avoid a speed duel, she can stretch out and win this race under Agapito Delgadillo. Good runner-up effort coming down the hill last time after blinkers were added and she's had three weeks to recover. Hopefully she can hold off the favorite and one to beat She Be Striking.

Thursday’s result: Ultimate Bango (6-1) got to the wire first but was disqualified for drifting out several lanes and impeding the horse who originally finished fourth. Can't argue the call but a painful reminder of the old adage “there are a lot of ways to lose a horse race.”

Bob Ike is a Partner/VP of Horsebills.com (here's a video) and the proprietor of BobIkePicks.com (full-card picks, 3 Best Plays and betting strategy).

Los Alamitos weekend preview

This weekly segment is in the hands of Orlando Gutierrez, marketing and media maven at Los Al. So, the floor is yours, Orlando.

“The richest race of the weekend at Los Alamitos takes place on Sunday night with the running of the $136,850 Wild West Futurity. The 350-yard dash will be headed by Jess Send It, who dominated her trial by ¾ lengths while posting the fastest qualifying time on Oct. 7. The Wild West is open to horses who have previously raced in the Intermountain and Northwest regions, plus Arizona, Nevada or Canada.

“Trained by Paul Jones, Jess Send It will start from the two and is the one to beat in the Wild West based on her season-long form of six consecutive in-the-money finishes. She could also follow the likes of Zoomin For Spuds and Moonie Blues as the next major quarter-horse star to come out of this race. Zoomin For Spuds is the stakes’ most successful graduate to date, as he followed his 2015 Wild West victory by taking the Grade 1 Champion of Champions in 2016 and this year’s Grade 1 Vessels Maturity. Moonie Blues won the Wild West final last year and the Grade 3 PCQHRA Breeders Derby earlier this month. She’s qualified to five graded derbies this year.

“Jess Send It won the $77,000 Hadley/Giles Futurity at Weber Downs in Utah on May 19 and now goes after her fourth victory of the year. Her main challengers in the Wild West figure to be Ladys A Cartel and Arizona Favorite, the first and second place finishers, respectively, of the Pot O’ Gold Futurity at Sun Downs in Kennewick, Washington on May 6. Ten juveniles will be in action in the Wild West.

“The weekend’s other stakes races is the John Ward Handicap on Saturday night. Led by Blane Schvaneveldt Handicap winner Love To Reason BR, seven of the nine horses that competed in Schvaneveldt at 400 yards are back at the same distance to race in the John Ward. In addition to Love To Reason BR, others returning for the John Ward include Schvaneveldt runner-up SP Four Square, third place finisher Joe Legacy and fourth place finisher Jess A Cowboy, who was the 4-5 favorite in the Schvaneveldt.

“On Friday night, Los Alamitos will have an eight-race program, plus simulcasting of the $5 million Cox Plate from Moonee Valley in Australia. The great mare Winx will be going after her fourth Cox Plate victory and her 29^th consecutive win. Approximate post time for the Cox Plate is 11 p.m.”

Ed Burgart’s LA play of the day

SIXTH RACE: No. 8 JB Gray Dawn (5-1)

He is much better than his first two local tries indicate when badly impeded in both outs. In last start, he was bumped off stride repeatedly early before getting turned sideways in his hind quarters prior to the 1/8-pole. He now moves to the outside post and drops into an easier spot. His main contender is Firebaugh Jess, who broke about one length slow when sixth in last Wild West Futurity trial outing. I suggest a win bet on JB Gray Dawn and make an 8-3 exacta box.

Final thought

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Listen to the latest edition of our new sports podcast “Arrive Early, Leave Late,” with insights on the World Series, LeBron James and the NFL.

Now, the star of the show, Thursday’s results and Friday’s entries.

BELIEVE INDEED stalked outside a rival, split horses three deep into the second turn, bid outside the pacesetter leaving that turn, took a short lead in upper stretch, inched away under a brisk hand ride in deep stretch and was under a long hold late. SEKHMET'S REVENGE angled in and set the pace along the inside under a rating hold, fought back into and on the second turn and in the stretch, could not match the winner late but held second. PEACH COVE (NZ) saved ground stalking the pace, came out for room in upper stretch and was edged for the place. SUBIC BAY stalked inside, came out on the backstretch, went three deep then four wide into the second turn, angled in alongside a rival on that turn, came out into the stretch and lacked the needed late kick. BONNEVILLE FLATS close up stalking the pace outside a rival, bid alongside the pacesetter leaving the backstretch, was between foes into the second turn, dropped back and angled in on that turn, came out in upper stretch and weakened.

ENAYA ALRABB stalked a bit off the rail then inside, bid along the fence bumping with the pacesetter in midstretch to gain the lead, inched away under urging a sixteenth out and won clear. CALF MOON BAY pulled and steadied between horses into the first turn, stalked outside, went up four wide on the second turn and into the stretch, battled three deep in midstretch then could not match the winner but outfinished a rival for the place. CLAUDELLE took the early lead, set the pace inside, dueled along the fence then a bit off the rail leaving the second turn, bumped with the winner while between foes in midstretch and bested the others. NOMIZAR broke a bit slowly, stalked three deep, bid between horses on the second turn and four wide into the stretch and weakened in the drive. SPEEDETTE settled inside then stalked between foes on the backstretch, fell back a bit off the rail on the second turn, came out into the stretch and did not rally. CHOI stalked off the rail then between foes on the first turn, bid outside a rival then between horses on the backstretch, also dropped back on the second turn and weakened.

BLACKOUT (FR) stalked the pace off the rail, came three deep into the stretch, took the lead three wide in midstretch, inched away and drifted in under left handed urging and won clear under a hold late. R CHA CHA had speed off the inside then stalked the pace, bid alongside a rival to duel for the lead leaving the hill, put a head in front into the stretch, battled between foes in midstretch and held second. COOL GREEN saved ground stalking the pace, came out some in the stretch and split horses late for the show. INCENSED chased between horses to the stretch and was edged for third. KRISTI'S COPILOT sped to the early lead, set the pace inside then dueled along the rail, fought back in the stretch and weakened some late. VENDING MACHINE chased outside then three deep down the hill and into the stretch and lacked the needed late kick. CLEAR THE MINE settled outside then off the rail, went three deep then alongside a rival on the hill, came out into the stretch and did not rally. DEAD EASY bobbled some at the start, chased inside, came out into the stretch and weakened. Rail on hill at 14 feet.

AWESOME ANYWHERE dueled three deep between horses, inched away and angled to the inside on the turn and drew off in the stretch under urging and steady handling late. EL HUERFANO threw his head in the air just before the start and was a way a step slowly, went up to press the pace four wide then three deep early on the turn, stalked outside a rival on the turn and into the stretch and bested the others. STREET VISION had speed a bit off the rail then dueled between horses, fell back just off the fence on the turn, came out some in the stretch and edged a rival for the show. LOOKIE LOO saved ground stalking the pace throughout and was edged for third. STONE HANDS stalked just off the rail on the backstretch, continued off the inside on the turn and three wide into the stretch and weakened.

COME ON KAT had speed outside then alongside a rival, inched away, set the pace a bit off the rail, kicked clear then drew off in the stretch under urging. BIG BASE stalked outside then between horses on the turn and alongside a rival into the stretch and held second. TRAPPIZA chased outside, went four wide on the turn and into the stretch and was edged for the place. CRACKLING BREAD stalked outside a rival then three deep on the turn and into the stretch and weakened. SWEETENER settled off the rail then outside, came three deep into the stretch and lacked a rally. MINISTER'SMISTRESS chased outside then three deep into and out of the turn and weakened. COCO LOCO MAMA settled a bit off the rail chasing the pace, angled to the inside on the turn, came out into the stretch and also weakened. VENICE broke in and a bit slowly, saved ground chasing the pace, came out into the stretch and lacked a further response. TERAJOULE broke a bit slowly then bobbled, settled just off the rail, found the fence on the turn and in the stretch and failed to menace. LUCKY HAND saved ground stalking the pace and had little left for the stretch. OMERTA angled in and pressed the pace a bit off the rail then stalked, dropped back between foes on the turn, gave way and was eased in the final furlong.

ULTIMATE BANGO had good early speed and dueled inside, inched away a bit off the rail in midstretch, drifted out from the left handed whip in deep stretch and held on gamely. FIGHT ON stalked a bit off the rail then three deep a half mile out, fell back and angled in on the second turn, came out in the stretch and closed with a rush late. EXTRORDINARY JERRY angled in and dueled outside a rival then between foes into the second turn, stalked outside a rival on that turn, was between horses into the stretch and continued willingly. MAGIC MUSKETIER saved ground stalking the pace, came out for room in the stretch, steadied in tight off heels in deep stretch and was in tight again at the wire. EAST RAND chased inside then between horses on the backstretch, continued outside a rival on the second turn and three deep into the stretch and was outfinished. NOIVO (IRE) saved ground chasing the pace, moved up briskly between foes on the backstretch, bid three deep into the second turn then outside a foe, continued between horses in the stretch and was in tight off heels in deep stretch. SHADOW SPHINX stalked outside a rival then a bit off the rail on the second turn, angled inward past midstretch and could not quite summon the necessary late kick. Following a stewards' inquiry and a claim of foul by the rider of MAGIC MUSKETIER against ULTIMATE BANGO, the latter was disqualified and placed fourth for interference in deep stretch.

RANSOMED dueled three deep between foes then between horses leaving the turn, took the lead nearing the stretch, inched away under urging in midstretch and held.held 3rd. TIZWAY THAT WAY saved ground stalking the pace, came out into the stretch, split horses in midstretch and continued willingly. SLY HUMOR dueled six wide on the backstretch and four wide midway on the turn, battled back three deep leaving the turn and into the stretch and held third. DURANGA vied for command five wide between foes then stalked on the turn, came three deep into the stretch and was edged for the show. BE A LADY had good early speed and dueled inside, fought back on the turn and into the stretch and was outfinished for a minor award. PRINCESS DORIAN forced the pace four wide between foes then stalked outside on the turn, came four wide into the stretch and weakened. FORTHENINETEEN dueled between horses then stalked a bit off the rail on the turn and also weakened.

LUCKY KNICKERS had speed off the rail then dueled outside a rival, inched away into the stretch and won clear under urging. GLEEFULY between horses early, stalked a bit off the rail, split horses in upper stretch and was clearly second best. SWEET CONGRATS stalked outside a rival then a bit off the rail, came three deep into the stretch and held third. BEYOND PLEASURE chased outside a rival then three deep leaving the hill and into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. SECOND FIDDLE went up inside to duel for the lead, fought back leaving the hill and weakened in the stretch. GRECIAN FORT settled outside a rival, came out three deep into the stretch and did not rally. EXES N OHS angled in and chased inside, cut the corner into the stretch and weakened. MONACO GIRL chased a bit off the rail then inside down the hill and into the stretch and also weakened. SOLAR GRACE settled outside a rival chasing the pace, came out into the stretch and lacked a further response. GAL OF THE CENTURY broke in and a step slowly, settled inside, came out into the stretch and was not a threat. Rail on hill at 14 feet.