Las Vegas, NV – Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California will play host to the Grade 2 Breeders’ Cup Marathon this Friday, November 1. Horses three years old and upward will take part in this 1 3/4 mile turf test as they chase the winner’s portion of the $500,000 purse.
A strong field of 10 entries with a lot of international flavor has been confirmed for the BC Marathon which comes our way at 1:45 PM PT Friday. Let’s delve into the past performances of all 10 entries for this intriguing, diverse Grade 2 Breeders’ Cup stakes.
Ever Rider – ships in from Argentina for his first North American start having finished in the money in his last seven starts. Last time out was a career highlight – a win in the group 2 General Belgrano June 21 – the same race that Calidoscopio won before he won the BC Marathon last year. He has four career wins in 23 starts – all of those coming in his last six starts so we know that he is in fine shape ahead of this weekend. He lines up in post 4 and will have the legendary Gary Stevens in the saddle at 7-2 odds.
Indian Jones – has 10 straight starts at Parx and enters having placed in four straight – two Allowance Optional Claiming scores followed by a pair of seconds – the Grade 3 Greenwood Cup behind 2010 Marathon winner Eldaafer at Parx September 2 and an Allowance Optional Claiming at Laurel Park September 26. He has 34 career starts with six wins, five seconds and 12 third place finishes. Indian Jones has placed in eight of nine starts this year however and looks to be in career-best form ahead of Friday’s big race. Angel Castillo will get the mount for the 5-1 second choice who leaves from post 6.
Worldly – has 27 career starts for trainer Brendan Walsh with three wins, nine seconds and three third place finishes but has yet to record a graded stakes win. He enters having placed in three straight races – seconds in the minor Prairie Meadows Handicap Governor’s Cup Stakes behind Prayer for Relief and this summer and a third last time out in the minor Homecoming Classic behind Fort Larned at Churchill Downs September 28. Worldly hasn’t won since July 2011 but is highly regarded ahead of the Breeders’ Cup Marathon. He departs from the far outside post with David Flores in the reins at 6-1 odds.
Blueskiesnrainbows – Jerry Hollendorfer pupil won the 2012 Grade 1 Swaps Stakes but hasn’t been the same since. He was an OK fourth in the Grade 2 Mervyn Leroy as 2-1 favorite at Hollywood Park May 4 of this year to follow a nice Allowance Optional Claiming score by 3 3/4 lengths March 22 and a pair of seconds in Allowance Optional Claiming to start his 2013 campaign. He had his best graded stakes result in a while – a third in the Grade 3 Cougar II Handicap July 26 but followed that with a twelfth in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic August 25. He won the minor but competitive Ralph M. Hinds September 22 at Barretts Race Meet At Fairplex but fell back to a fifth last time out in the minor Bull Dog Handicap at Fresno October 13. Despite the inconsistency Blueskienrainbows is listed at 6-1 odds and departs from post 8 with Martin Pedroza aboard.
Breeders’ Cup Marathon betting at Santa Anita Park with OffTrackBetting.com
Commander – has won four of his last five starts and has placed in seven of nine – the only off the board finishes coming in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Marathon when he finished ninth and the minor John Longden 6000 Stakes in May. Last time out was a repeat win in the 1 3/8 mile Grade 3 BC Premier’s Handicap after a second behind Wilo Kat in the minor S.W. Randall Plate September 8 and 3 more wins – the Westerner Handicap, the Fred Jones Handicap and the Spangled Jimmy Handicap – all minor stakes action at Northlands Park this summer. He will have Aaron Gryder in the saddle from post 3 and is the co-third choice at 6-1 odds.
Old Time Hockey – Thomas Proctor trained gelding won the Grade 2 La Jolla Handicap last August 11 2012 but hasn’t tasted victory since. In fact he’s placed in just one of eight races since – a third in an Allowance in June at Hollywood Park. He is coming off two straight fourth place finishes – the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship September 29 and the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap in August. He departs from the rail at 8-1 odds and will have Jose Lezcano aboard.
Cease – David Jacobson trained gelding is coming off an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Belmont Park October 10 – his only win of the year. In six other starts in 2013 Cease has three third place finishes – the best coming in the minor Opening Verse Stakes at Churchill Downs in June. He was at his best at this time last year – a second in the Grade 2 Hawthorne Gold Cup in October and a third in the Grade 1 Woodward in June. Cease will have David Cohen in the saddle on the sixth place finisher in this race in 2011. He goes off at 8-1 odds from post 2.
Pool Play – is a multiple graded stakes winner who finished third in last year`s Washington Park Handicap September 1 and followed that up with an impressive score in the Grade 2 Hawthorne Gold Cup October 6 – the last time he tasted victory. He was an eighth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic and followed that with a very good second in the Grade 3 Hal’s Hope behind Csaba at Gulfstream January 13 but has placed in just one of six starts since – a third in the Grade 3 Greenwood Cup at Parx September 2. Last time out he was a sixth in the minor Homecoming Classic at Churchill Downs September 28 in a race that Fort Larned won. Pool Play is listed at 8-1 odds and leaves from post 9 with Eurico Rosa da Silva in the saddle.
London Bridge – makes his North American debut Friday and steps up in company as well. He won three straight low-level Turf Handicap races in Europe this summer but is coming off a fourth at Deauville in August. London Bridge will have Mike Smith aboard from post 7 at 8-1 odds
Suns Out Guns Out – Dale Romans trained colt has two wins, two seconds and two third place finishes in nine starts this year but has just one graded stakes race under his belt – a fourth in the Grade 3 Greenwood at Parx September 2 after a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming, a fourth and a win respectively in similar races. Last time out was an Allowance Optional score at Parx September 21. He has just three wins in 22 career starts and is the longest shot in the field at 10-1 odds.
Race 6 on Santa Anita Park’s Friday card with a Post Time of 1:45 PM.
| Entry | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | ML Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Time Hockey | J. Lezcano | T. Proctor | |
| 2 | Cease | D. Cohen | D. Jacobson | |
| 3 | Commander | A. Gryder | T. Taylor | |
| 4 | Ever Rider (ARG) | G. Stevens | M. Munoz | |
| 5 | Suns Out Guns Out | J. Leparoux | D. Romans | |
| 6 | Indian Jones | A. Castillo | P. Aristone | |
| 7 | London Bridge | M. Smith | J. Hughes | |
| 8 | Blueskiesnrainbows | M. Pedroza | J. Hollendorfer | |
| 9 | Pool Play | E. Da Silva | M. Casse | |
| 10 | Worldly | D. Flores | B. Walsh |
| Breeders’ Cup Race | Grade | Purse | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint | I | $1,000,000 | November 3 |
| Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf | I | $1,000,000 | November 3 |
| Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies | I | $2,000,000 | November 3 |
| Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf | I | $1,000,000 | November 3 |
| Breeders’ Cup Juvenile | I | $2,000,000 | November 3 |
| Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint | I | $1,000,000 | November 4 |
| Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint | I | $1,000,000 | November 4 |
| Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile | I | $1,000,000 | November 4 |
| Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf | I | $2,000,000 | November 4 |
| Breeders’ Cup Sprint | I | $2,000,000 | November 4 |
| Breeders’ Cup Mile | I | $2,000,000 | November 4 |
| Breeders’ Cup Distaff | I | $2,000,000 | November 4 |
| Breeders’ Cup Turf | I | $4,000,000 | November 4 |
| Breeders’ Cup Classic | I | $6,000,000 | November 4 |
