Kentucky Breeders’ Cup

Trainer Steve Asmussen will saddle four horses in Thursday’s $150,000
Kentucky Breeders’ Cup S. (G3), and SEQUOIA KING (Forestry) rates our top
choice. The chestnut colt broke well, dueled for the early lead, then drew off
through the stretch when given the signal in his debut over a sealed sloppy
track at Keeneland. Sequoia King has worked well over this surface since then and is
well drawn on the rail for a ground-saving trip under new rider Garrett Gomez.
He should be hard to deny with a clean, fast break.

Another Asmussen trainee, DATRICK (Favorite Trick), was a good-looking,
first-out maiden winner at Keeneland. The dark bay colt broke running, then drew
off to a 7 1/2-length victory in the 4 1/2-furlong dash, earning a 107 BRIS
Speed rating. Datrick breezed in company with our top choice over this surface
on Saturday and is nicely drawn near the inside. He could be the one to complete
an all-Asmussen exacta.

Santa Anita shipper HOT FLAME (Flame Thrower) is the wild card. The chestnut
colt zipped to a daylight score going just two furlongs when unveiled on March
30. He will make his first start for trainer Bob Baffert, adds Lasix, and has
posted four works since his debut. Our concern is the added distance and that he
must negotiate a turn.

SENTRY (Silver Deputy), also trained by Asmussen, dueled early before drawing
off to a 6 1/2-length victory in his debut at Keeneland. The chestnut colt is well
drawn near the inside and would be no surprise to light the board. BEAUTIFUL
VENUE (Came Home) is not the best actor in the gate, but she broke well and
drove to a three-length win in her debut in Lexington. The dark bay filly is yet
another player who is drawn inside. She may add value to the exotics with some
improvement.

ERIN’S KRISTINA (Precise End) ships in from Santa Anita after winning a
two-furlong maiden race. Trained by Wesley Ward, who is very good with
two-year-olds, the bay filly adds blinkers and attracts top jockey Rafael
Bejarano. She is worth a second look at decent odds. FORTUNATE ENVOY (French
Envoy), yet another Asmussen trainee, attended the early running from the
outside before diminishing in the lane first out at Keeneland. He may improve
over this surface.

PRO PINK (Touch Gold) came running from way back to break her maiden at odds
of 24-1 in her debut at Keeneland. She seems to be ambitiously placed here.
NEREUS (Sea of Secrets) was in the mix early before finishing a distant second
to Datrick in his debut. The gray could be compromised by his outside post
position. MISTYCAL LIGHT (Festival of Light) and TEUFLESBERG (Johannesburg)
finished third and fourth, respectively, to Datrick. The former had some trouble
at the start and gets a rider change to Julien Leparoux. The latter recently
worked well over this surface. Both are hard to recommend with confidence.
RINGSIDE PARTNER (Pure Prize) is a first time starter who must break from the
far outside post position. Pass.