In a race devoid of Mach speed on paper, the Bob
Baffert-trained Fed Biz could find himself on a Bayern-type lead in Saturday’s Grade
1,
$300,000 Awesome Again sending three-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles.
The race is one of five
Breeders’ Cup Challenge races on a blockbuster second day of racing at
Santa
Anita, which hosts the Breeders’ Cup World Championships for the third straight year on October 31 and November 1.
“There is a lot of speed,” said Baffert, who trains Fed Biz
and the stretch-running marathon specialist Sky Kingdom. “There’s ridiculous
speed in there, like Mystery Train, but not real speed.
“Fed Biz is speed. He likes to run going long, he likes to get out there, so
we’re just going to let him bounce away from there, especially from his (No. 1)
post position.”
Fed Biz is coming off a game second to front-running Goldencents in the seven furlong Pat O’Brien at
Del Mar. The Giant’s Causeway
five-year-old won Santa
Anita’s San Fernando at 1 1/16 miles gate-to-wire last January.
Joining Fed Biz in the Awesome Again starting gate will be Footbridge, who is seeking his first stakes victory. The son of Street Cry is coming off two straight seconds in the
Oak Tree and San Diego Handicaps.
“The distance will suit him,” trainer Eoin Harty said of the four-year-old
colt. “I’m not sure if the company will suit him. It’s a tough race, but our
horse is very fit and he’s doing very well and I expect him to run a good race.”
Footbridge worked five furlongs on Santa Anita’s fast main track Monday in 1:00
2/5.
The one to beat in the Awesome Again is the undefeated three-year-old Shared
Belief, who just captured the Pacific Classic on August 24 at Del Mar.
Sean McCarthy, who trains Gold Cup at Santa Anita
winner Majestic Harbor, noted in reference to the 3-5 morning-line favorite
Shared Belief, “The obvious is the obvious. But I think there’s a decent
amount of speed in there. There’ll be a pace for sure. I just hope we have a
good trip and fire when necessary. That’s the bottom line, really.”
Argentine-bred Mystery Train prompted the pace before finishing 42 1/2
lengths behind Shared Belief at 25-1 in the Pacific Classic.
“That’s kind
of the way he’s always run (in his native country),” noted Kris Vienna, son of
and assistant to Darrell Vienna. “I’m not sure how much he really liked the Polytrack at Del
Mar. He seems a lot better on this track. I watched his races from Argentina on
video and the one that he didn’t make the lead in was the only time he was badly
beaten. I expect him to be out on the pace. I don’t think we have much choice.”
Earlier on the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Day at Santa Anita, American Pharoah
will be in uncharted territory when he runs in
the Grade 1, $300,000 FrontRunner at 1 1/16 miles, but he has a lot of company
as none of the eight two-year-olds entered has run beyond a
mile.
American Pharoah is himself coming off a 4 3/4-length score in the
seven-furlong Del
Mar Futurity on September 3.
“We’re all in the same boat,” Baffert noted about the Pioneerof the Nile ridgling.
“All the horses are
going long first time, but American Pharoah’s win at Del Mar was very powerful.
“Everybody is hoping they can go two turns but you don’t know it until they
prove it. On the other hand, I haven’t seen anything in his works that would
make me inclined to think he can’t do it. He’s pretty special, so we’ll see what
happens.”
Baffert won the FrontRunner in 2012 with Power Broker and
five times when it was run as the Norfolk Stakes from 1970 through 2011, with
Lookin at Lucky (2009), Roman Ruler (2004), Kafwain (2002), Flame Thrower
(2000) and Souvenir Copy (1997).
Bee Brave will also be stretching out while seeking her first U.S. stakes win in
the Grade 1, $300,000 Rodeo Drive for turf distaffers going 10 furlongs, and
trainer Simon Callaghan is optimistic that she has a longshot’s chance.
“She’s coming into the race well,” the trainer said of the
English-bred daughter of Rail Link. “I think she’s getting better. It’s a step
up in class but she won well last time (on August 24 by nearly a length despite
steadying on Del Mar’s turf), and if she hadn’t had trouble, she would have won
a lot easier. We’re taking a shot, but she’s going the right way.”
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