U.S.-Trained Females Uni, Got Stormy to Try BC Mile

In a surprising statistic given the popular perception, six of the past eight winners of the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) have been trained in North America.

Thanks to the excellence of Wise Dan, who followed in the hoofprints of back-to-back Mile winners Lure, Miesque, and Goldikova—the last of those a three-time winner—domestic entrants have fared well in this test of speed and acceleration. In all, 18 of 35 editions of the Mile have been won by horses based in North America.

The home team will be put to the test in this year's edition, however, slated for Nov. 2.

A quintet of recent grade 1 winners offer a good chance for the home squad, but they will be met in equal numbers by European invaders. A pair of females, Got Stormy and Uni, possess square shots to add to the six distaffers who have won the Mile.

Not only did Gary Barber's Got Stormy defeat males in the Aug. 10 Fourstardave Handicap (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course in August, but she did it in a course-record 1:32 flat just one week after winning the Aug. 3 De La Rose Stakes at the upstate New York oval. The daughter of Get Stormy returned to finish a bang-up second in the Sept. 14 Richo Woodbine Mile (G1T) to Breeders' Cup entrant El Tormenta. The mark Casse trainee is a mile specialist who stalks the pace, and her best effort puts her in the mix here.

Uni, the impressive winner of the Oct. 5 First Lady Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland, has found her best footing as a come-from-behinder with a big kick. Her only defeat over her last seven races was a third behind Got Stormy in the Fourstardave.

"This is her distance," stated Brown, who will be seeking his first Mile score. "She's in great form and I think she fits in the race."

Santa Anita Park will represent a home game for Bolo and Bowies Hero, each of whom has graded scores to their credit in the Golden State this season. Bolo won the Shoemaker Mile (G1T) over good footing at Santa Anita in May but has tailed off since. Bowies Hero, who took the Eddie Read Stakes (G2T) at Del Mar in July, ventured to Keeneland and came back with the Shadwell Turf Mile (G1T) trophy Oct. 5 for Agave Racing Stable, Erik Johnson, Madaket Stables, and Rockin Robin Racing Stable. He also does his best running on from behind.

The European contingent is led by multiple top-level winner Circus Maximus from the Aidan O'Brien factory. His best performances this year include victories in the St. James's Palace Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot and the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (G1).

Entries: TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, November 02, 2019, Race 9

• Grade IT
• 1m
• Turf
• $2,000,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 3:20 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Suedois (FR)	Javier Castellano	126	David O'Meara	20/1
2	2Lucullan (KY)	Luis Saez	126	Kiaran P. McLaughlin	12/1
3	3Space Traveller (GB)	Daniel Alexander Tudhope	123	Richard Fahey	12/1
4	4Trais Fluors (GB)	William James Lee	126	Ken J. Condon	20/1
5	5True Valour (IRE)	Drayden Van Dyke	126	Simon Callaghan	20/1
6	6Got Stormy (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	123	Mark E. Casse	7/2
7	7Bolo (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	126	Carla Gaines	30/1
8	8El Tormenta (ON)	Eurico Rosa Da Silva	126	Gail Cox	12/1
9	9Circus Maximus (IRE)	Ryan L. Moore	123	Aidan P. O'Brien	3/1
10	10Without Parole (GB)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	126	Chad C. Brown	20/1
11	11Uni (GB)	Joel Rosario	123	Chad C. Brown	7/2
12	12Lord Glitters (FR)	Jamie P. Spencer	126	David O'Meara	12/1
13	13Hey Gaman (GB)	Lanfranco Dettori	126	James Tate	12/1
14	14Bowies Hero (KY)	Flavien Prat	126	Philip D'Amato	12/1
15	15Caribou Club (FL)	Joseph Talamo	126	Thomas F. Proctor	15/1
16	16Next Shares (KY)	John R. Velazquez	126	Richard Baltas	30/1