One question bettors need to know is will Breeders’ Cup history repeat itself at Santa Anita this year? Now is the time for gamblers to get a leg up on what happened the last time the Cup was run in Arcadia, California.
The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf kicked off the action on the first day of the Breeders’ Cup in 2014 and tactical speed was mandatory.
The winner Hootenanny shipped in from Europe and was the recipient of a perfect three-hole trip. She rallied three wide to get up by three-quarters of a length at 6-1 for trainer Wesley Ward.
War Envoy went off the tepid chalk, was troubled and faded badly.
It was the Dirt Mile next and in 2014 Goldencents was coming off a heart-breaking loss by a nose in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship. His fortunes changed in the Dirt Mile when he set fast fractions, had a three-length lead at one point and never looked back as the favorite.
Breeders’ Cup history saw the chalk win once again as Lady Eli prevailed in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. She was ridden confidently by Irad Ortiz Jr., took over at the top of the stretch and won going away to pay $6.80.
The first day of 2014 action closed with yet another favorite wearing down the speed. Untapable sat mid-pack early in the 11-horse Breeders’ Cup Distaff but then she cruised to the lead with an eighth of a mile to go and won at 8-5.
Things can change in a New York minute when talking about Breeders’ Cup history and Take Charge Brandi kicked off the second day of BC action by shocking the Juvenile Fillies field. She went to the lead, set legit fractions under Victor Espinoza, and when it was all said and done the tote board lit up to the tune of $125.40.
Once again, tactical speed was preferred in the Filly and Mare Turf. Trainer Chad Brown brought Dayatthespa to Santa Anita off a win at Keeneland and the mare controlled the pace and outcome. She paid $13 under Javier Castellano.
It wasn’t easy but Judy the Beauty had her makeup intact after the Filly and Mare Sprint. She stalked five wide in the seven-furlong fixture and just held it together by a head. She was the co-favorite at 3-1 but with a 25-1 shot running second and a 39-1 shot running third, the exotic wagering was exciting. The superfecta paid nearly $8,500 for a $1 wager.
The tricky hillside was next as the Turf Sprint was staged. Experience is pivotal on this course and Joel Rosario used it to his advantage as his mount Bobby’s Kitten was dead last early but went from twelfth to first in a blink of the eye. The first four finishers were within a length of each other and that will probably not change this year.
Speed killed those forwardly place in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. The first, second and third early leaders’ finisher tenth, seventh and fifth. That left the door open for Texas Red to loop the field to win at 13-1.
Timing is everything with turf racing and John Velazquez aloft Main Sequence timed his move expertly in the BC Turf. Ninth of twelve early, Main Sequence rallied four wide to get up at 6-1.
Because a runner cannot lose the momentum in the BC Sprint, the ability to stay close to the pace is important at Santa Anita. Work All Week sat right off the leader in 2014, made the lead with a furlong to go and held it together at 19-1.
Breeders’ Cup history was all about French fries in the BC Mile. The first 2 finishers, Karakontie and Anodin, were coming off losses at Longchamp but paired to save the day for the foreigners. Karakontie won at 30-1.
The granddaddy of them all, the BC Classic, closed the curtain on the 2014 Breeders’ Cup and there should have been a traffic cop on the racetrack. Bayern wiped out the eventual last-place finisher thereby hurting his main rivals. The runner just kept going, and held it together by a nose.
Sure, things change, but to have a concept on how the Breeders’ Cup history worked in 2014 can’t be underestimated.
