Goldencents Draws Rail for BC Dirt Mile
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W. C. Racing's Goldencents has been remarkably consistent this season, finishing first or second in his four starts. The winner of last year's $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I) leads a group of 10 entered for the 2014 edition as he aims to become the first two-time victor in the race's seven-year history Oct. 31 at Santa Anita Park.
Goldencents, a 4-year-old son of Into Mischief , drew post 1 under Rafael Bejarano and will start under the name of Leandro Mora. Trainer Doug O'Neill is serving a 45-day suspension and has been barred from entering horses in the Breeders' Cup under the World Championships' convicted trainer rule.
"With his style, the post position will fit him fine," Mora said. "Last year we had post 12 and we got very lucky because at one mile, it's very close to the first turn. So we're hoping we get out well from the inside position this time."
The 2013 Dirt Mile winner set a track record in his last win, the Aug. 24 Pat O'Brien (gr. II) at Del Mar, going seven furlongs in 1:20.99. He comes off a runner-up finish by a nose to Xpressbet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) contender Rich Tapestry in the Oct. 4 Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes (gr. I)
Goldencents faces Winchell Thoroughbreds' homebred West Virginia Derby (gr. II) winner Tapiture in the Dirt Mile. The Tapit colt had been under consideration for the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) but his connections opted to put him in the race won two years ago by another Winchell-bred son of Tapit, Tapizar . Tapiture cuts back to a mile for trainer Steve Asmussen for the first time since prior to breaking his maiden last year. Rosie Napravnik will be in the irons from the 9 hole.
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Tapiture and Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Vicar's in Trouble are the 3-year-olds in the field. Vicar's in Trouble, a Louisiana-bred son of Into Mischief, won the Super Derby (gr. II) Sept. 6 and was second in the Indiana Derby (gr. II) Oct. 4 last time out for trainer Mike Maker. John Velazquez has the mount from post 3.
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Fed Biz, a two-time Dirt Mile contender for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, also tackles the race this year off a gutsy second to Classic contender Shared Belief in the Sept. 27 Awesome Again Stakes (gr. I). The 5-year-old son of Giant's Causeway was sixth in the Dirt Mile in 2013 and eighth in the 2012 edition. Martin Garcia rides from the 8 hole.
Bronzo is the only international invader entered in the Dirt Mile. He won the June 27 Copa de Oro Vinas de Chile (Chi-II) at Hipico Chile in Santiago, a 1 1/8-mile group II, to earn an automatic berth in the field as part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" promotion. Bronzo hit the board in all nine of his starts last year, and this season has won three of four. The son of Fusaichi Pegasus won the group I Gan Premio Hipodromo Chile before his Copa de Oro win.
Luis Torres rides from post 7.
Hard-knockers Golden Ticket, Handsome Mike, and Pants On Fire are also among those entered in 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.
| 2014 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I) Oct. 31 3:05 PM PDT | ||||
| Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Odds |
| 1. | Goldencents | Rafael Bejarano | Leandro Mora | 6-5 |
| 2. | Carve | Mike Smith | Brad Cox | 15-1 |
| 3. | Vicar's in Trouble | John Velasquez | Michael J. Maker | 12-1 |
| 4. | Pants On Fire | Paco Lopez | Kelly Breen | 6-1 |
| 5. | Handsome Mike | Mario Guittierez | Leandro Mora | 30-1 |
| 6. | Golden Ticket | Joel Rosario | Kenneth G. McPeek | 15-1 |
| 7. | Bronzo | Luis Torres | Jorge Andres Inda | 12-1 |
| 8. | Fed Biz | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert | 7-2 |
| 9. | Tapiture | Rosie Napravnik | Steven M. Asmussen | 6-1 |
| 10. | Big Bane Theory | Joseph Talamo | Carla Gaines | 15-1 |