Goldencents Seeks Second Dirt Mile Victory

Goldencents  , W. C. Racing's winner of the $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I) in 2013, leads a group of 12 pre-entered contenders for the 2014 edition as he aims to become the first two-time winner in the race's seven-year history Oct. 31 at Santa Anita Park.

 

Goldencents will face Winchell Thoroughbreds' homebred West Virginia Derby (gr. II) victor Tapiture, who had previously also been under consideration for the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I). Tapiture's connections did not declare the Classic as a second preference for their multiple graded stakes winner.

 

Fed Biz, a two-time Dirt Mile contender for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, was also pre-entered in the race this year off a gutsy second to Classic contender Shared Belief in the Sept. 27 Awesome Again Stakes (gr. I). He was sixth in the Dirt Mile in 2013 and eighth in the race in 2012.   

 

Bronzo is the only international invader targeting the Dirt Mile. He won the June 27 Copa de Oro Vinas de Chile (Chi-II) at Hipico Chile in Santiago to earn an automatic berth in the field as part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" promotion.

 

Hard-knockers Golden Ticket, Capo Bastone, Handsome Mike, Vicar's In Trouble, and Pants On Fire are also among those headed to the Dirt Mile. Grade III winner Carve joins them, stepping into deep waters after running fifth in the Sept. 27 Homecoming Classic at Churchill Downs.

 

XpressBet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) contender Bourbon Courage and Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) hopeful Big Bane Theory listed the Dirt Mile as their second preference.