Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) champion SINGLETARY (Sultry Song) is the headliner on
Saturday’s Oak Tree program at Santa Anita and will square off against five
rivals in the $250,000 Oak Tree Breeders’ Cup Mile (G2). One race later, seven
sprinters will battle in the $250,000 Ancient Title Breeders’ Cup S. (G1). Both
events have had serious impacts upon the Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred
Championships in years past, but the focus is squarely upon the former in
regards to the 2005 edition on October 29 at Belmont.
Singletary captured the Arcadia H. (G2) in his second start this season and
the five-year-old exits a good third in the Eddie Read H. (G1) at Del Mar. The
Donald Chatlos Jr. charge is the likely favorite under David Flores. DESIGNED
FOR LUCK (Rahy) captured the 2003 running of this race but is unraced since
defeating Singletary by 1 1/2 lengths in the 2004 Shoemaker Breeders’
Cup Mile (G1). The eight-year-old gelding faces a difficult task off the
17-month layoff, but he owns plenty of back class.
BUCKLAND MANOR (Bien Bien) finished a good second in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile
H. (G1) three starts back and has the class to be a factor off a freshening for
trainer Paco Gonzalez. KING OF HAPPINESS (Spinning World) captured the Inglewood
H. (G3) earlier this year and finished a commendable second in the this year’s
Shoemaker. WE ALL LOVE ALEYNA (Nines Wild) just missed by a nose last time
against Three Valleys (Diesis [GB]) in the Del Mar Breeders’ Cup H. (G2).
In post parade order, the horses and riders are We All Love Aleyna, Garrett
Gomez; WILD BUDDY (Line in the Sand), Tyler Baze; Singletary; Designed for Luck,
Victor Espinoza; Buckland Manor, Kent Desormeaux; and King of Happiness, Corey
Nakatani.
All starters carry 119 pounds.
In the six-furlong Ancient Title, GOTAGHOSTOFACHANCE (Silver Ghost) has the
opportunity to earn a berth into the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) with a good
showing. Runner-up in the seven-furlong Pat O’Brien Breeders’ Cup H. (G2) last
time in his 2005 bow, the Roger Stein-trained gelding was scratched from last
Saturday’s 1 1/8-mile Goodwood Breeders’ Cup H. (G2) in favor of the Ancient
Title.
Grade 2 winner MCCANN’S MOJAVE (Memo [Chi]), Triple Bend H. (G1) runner-up
BEAR IN THE WOODS (Formal Gold) and Pirate’s Bounty H. winner INDIAN COUNTRY
(Indian Charlie) are among the other contenders.
CAPTAIN SQUIRE (Flying Chevron), who exits a four-length win in his 2005
debut, will break from the rail with Alex Solis. Next in post position order
comes Gotaghostofachance, Alex Solis; McCann’s Mojave, Gomez; Indian Country,
Flores; Bear in the Woods, Nakatani; ZANZIBAR (Arg) (Luhuk), Desormeaux; and
BILO (Bertranco), Espinoza.
All runners will tote 124 pounds.