BC Turf

BREEDERS' CUP SATURDAY

PREVIEWS

Virtually every year, the $3 million Breeders' Cup Turf features a vaunted

European or two. On Saturday, however, Europe has an embarrassment of riches.

Not only does the Old World field the majority of the nine entrants, but they

are a "Fab Five" indeed. Any one of them would be a worthy winner of the 1

1/2-mile test, and it wouldn't be a bad idea to box the five in the exotics.

1ST -- SARAFINA: Ordinarily, a 5-2 morning-line favorite in this situation

would be opposable, unless her name happens to be Sarafina. Her electric turn of

foot makes her the one they all have to beat, and given the depth of the field,

she might end up going off at a decent price.

Yet another from the superb Aga Khan production line that keeps churning out

superstars, Sarafina has beaten several top-class males this season. Twice she's

defeated Cirrus des Aigles, most recently the conqueror of So You Think in

course-record time. She has also dismissed Cape Blanco, a three-time Grade 1

winner on the American turf this year, as well as Turf rival St Nicholas Abbey.

So compelling is Sarafina's form that she was dispatched as the favorite in

Europe's championship event, the Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. But a deadly

draw ensured that she'd be hung out wide throughout, and she could get no closer

than seventh, the only unplaced effort of her life. Trainer Alain de

Royer-Dupre, who puts her roughly on par with his Arc winners Zarkava and

Dalakhani, was quick to confirm her for the Breeders' Cup. She's drawn much

better here in post 2 with regular rider Christophe Lemaire, fresh from his

winning ride in a Melbourne Cup thriller. Sarafina has the ability to mow them

all down and become the fourth Turf winner bred by the Aga Khan, following

Lashkari (a de Royer-Dupre trainee who won the inaugural running in 1984),

Daylami (who won for Godolphin in 1999) and Kalanisi (2000).

2ND -- ST NICHOLAS ABBEY: The Arc has historically been the key race for the

Turf, with no fewer than eight Arc losers going on to take top honors at the

Breeders' Cup. If Sarafina doesn't pad that statistic, St Nicholas Abbey is well

qualified to do so. Blown away by Sarafina two starts back, the Aidan O'Brien

charge gained hollow revenge of sorts when fifth in the Arc last time out.

But St Nicholas Abbey is the type to thrive on a course like Churchill Downs.

His most eye-popping performance of the year was a nine-length romp in the Group

3 Ormonde at Chester, a tight-turning, left-handed circuit. He also beat Midday

going left-handed at Epsom, although he was visibly discomfited by going

downhill and on a camber, which he won't have to do here. The former champion

European juvenile has turned in commendable efforts in defeat in his past three,

and if young jockey Joseph O'Brien rides a tactically astute race, he can steal

a march on Sarafina. He'll try to succeed where his sire Montjeu failed as the

favorite in 2000.

3RD -- Multiple Group 1 star MIDDAY is in the Turf, rather than trying to

regain her Filly & Mare Turf crown, because Sir Henry Cecil reasoned that the 1

1/2-mile trip suits her better at Churchill.

A magnificent winner of the Group 1 Nassau for the third straight year in

July, the Juddmonte homebred has been a shade unlucky not to win more often this

year. She was arguably sent to the front too soon in the Group 1 Coronation Cup,

where St Nicholas Abbey overhauled her late, and in the Group 1 Juddmonte

International, where stablemate Twice Over also wore her down. Last time out in

the Group 1 Champion Stakes, she had the opposite problem of being too far back

before rallying for fourth to course record-setter Cirrus des Aigles.

Interestingly, Midday is employing a timetable similar to her 2009 Filly &

Mare Turf victory. In 2009, she returned from a two-month layoff to finish third

in her prep, which set her up perfectly for the Breeders' Cup one month later.

Cecil took a different tack last year, so she entered the 2010 Filly & Mare Turf

off a nearly two-month absence, and didn't put her best foot forward during a

messy trip. Midday should improve quite a bit off the Champion.

OTHERS -- SEA MOON is a three-year-old short on experience, but he's been

making a good impression since his arrival at Churchill. The Sir Michael Stoute

trainee exits a troubled third in the Group 1 St Leger, the same race that

Stoute's Conduit won on the way to his first Turf victory in 2008. At one time a

hopeful for the Group 1 Epsom Derby, the Juddmonte homebred spread-eagled the

field in the Group 2 Great Voltigeur in his only attempt at 1 1/2 miles. That

came over soft ground, so the prospect of rain would be welcome. It came at an

inopportune time, however, on Thursday morning, prompting Churchill to close the

turf course. As a result, Sea Moon couldn't breeze as scheduled with jockey Ryan

Moore. Stoute was in a towering rage at the decision, and it's anyone's guess

how much, or whether, this last-minute debacle will affect Sea Moon.

AWAIT THE DAWN is the wild card, if he's sufficiently recovered from a

life-threatening illness that came to light after his disappointing effort in

August. The O'Brien colt had looked sublime in his previous four starts, all

convincing victories, and like stablemate St Nicholas Abbey, he should prosper

at Churchill. Although the American horses are up against it, DEAN'S KITTEN is

the most logical candidate to crack the superfecta. In his first try at this

distance, he nearly upset Cape Blanco in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic

Invitational, the top U.S. prep for the Turf.