Santa Anita showdowns kick off October as there are 5 ‘win and you’re in’ races carded in Arcadia, and all will have a direct relationship to what happens on Breeders’ Cup Day.
Let’s take a look at some of the possible players and try to separate the pretenders from the contenders in the $300,000 events.
Santa Anita showdowns kick off October with juveniles basking in the spotlight in the FrontRunner Stakes. The winner of FrontRunner, who gets an automate berth to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, has some big shoes to fill as the last 2 winners went on to glory. American Pharoah won this race in 2014 and then captured the Triple Crown while Nyquist won the FrontRunner and also took the Kentucky Derby.
A short field is in prospect for the FrontRunner, a Grade 1 mile and a sixteenth fixture for 2-year-olds. Bob Baffert will saddle the likely favorite Klimt. After a wide debut, Klimt has won three races in a row, the last in the Del Mar Futurity when he earned a 94 Beyer Speed Figure. The special thing about the Beyers this runner has earned is that all have escalated, which suggests there is more in the tank.
On the surface, it may look like Klimt could be distance challenged, but go long in his pedigree and researchers will locate Breeders’ Cup Classic hero and over $3 million earner Concern.
The runners that just chased Klimt home, Straight Fire and Midnight Pleasure, will give him another test.
The Chandelier Stakes is a sister to the FrontRunner, with the same distance but just for juvenile fillies. In this race Santa Anita showdowns kick off October with American Pharoah’s half-sister American Cleopatra. After winning her debut at a ridiculous 7-1 American Cleopatra found life vs. winners tougher as she tired to run 2nd in the Del Mar Debutante. She still seems to be the one to beat and if she wins, she’ll continue in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Fillies.
The Rodeo Drive Stakes is for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up at a mile and a quarter on grass and the winner will be rewarded with a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf.
Zipessa has speed but probably won’t be alone on the lead in the Rodeo Drive.
Real Smart will have to ship from New York but she is in the right hands of Graham Motion and would rate a long shot look in the Rodeo Drive.
Sobradora Inc will be out to make amends in the Rodeo Drive. She tasted defeat for the first time in her last race and will be in revenge mode.
Frenzied just won her first race in the states but she could be up against it as she could square off against a runner that has already had her number. Majestic Heat beat Frenzied in June and she did it with class.
Avenge is coming to the Rodeo Drive peaking as she is seeking her third win in the row. She was fully extended winning the John Mabee last time but her Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella will have her ready.
Santa Anita showdowns kick off October with the Zenyatta Stakes too and it could be a doozy. This race is carded with similar conditions to the Rodeo Drive Stakes but will be shorter, a mile and a sixteenth, on dirt. The heroine of the Zenyatta will face foes in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff next out. If things go right, this race could be another match-up of champion Beholder and the runner that just upset her, Stellar Wind.
The former has a resume that is etched in gold and the latter proved her quality losing by only a neck in the Distaff last year.
Only a couple of brave soldiers will show up to face California Chrome and the way that horse is going right now, he should be a monster in the Awesome Again Stakes. If there is an upset, that runner will be giddy to start in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
When Santa Anita showdowns kick off October bettors need to pay strict attention. Not unlike National Football League teams, when a club plays at home, they have an advantage. They are more relaxed, they don’t have to travel, and the normal things they do daily can be incorporated into that week’s process.
That is why the winners on October 1 at Santa Anita will be super dangerous on Breeders’ Cup Day.
Santa Anita Showdowns Kick Off October
