Pedulla and Ehalt Tackle Distaff, Classic Puzzles
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Belle Gallantey wins the Delaware Handicap. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
Bob Ehalt and Tom Pedulla became fast friends when they met on their first day at Fordham Preparatory School in the Bronx, N.Y., in 1971. Bob introduced Tom to Thoroughbred racing soon after that.
They have had their rough moments at the track, with Tom taking exception when Bob repeatedly smacks him on the back with a program as one of their horses launches an all-out stretch drive. Much to Tom’s chagrin and the amusement of onlookers, Bob has been known to call for security as they cashed a $27 triple. They have owned a number of slow horses together and can often be seen carrying on at the track as if they never left their teenage years.
Below are Ehalt’s and Pedulla’s takes on the Breeders’ Cup Distaff and Classic:
Breeders’ Cup Distaff
TOM PEDULLA: If you are willing to forgive Close Hatches for her puzzling fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Spinster Stakes at Keeneland in her last start, I view her as an obvious selection here. She showed she could handle Santa Anita as a solid runner-up in this race in 2013. And I cannot get the Personal Ensign out of my mind. It was the most impressive performance I saw this year.
CLOSE HATCHES WINS THE PERSONAL ENSIGN
Photo by NYRA
She led throughout on a muddy track at Saratoga on Aug. 22 and was so dominant that Joel Rosario eased her under the wire as a 5-length winner. If you treat the Spinster as a race that must be thrown out, even you can see that her fifth victory in six races is at hand for Bill Mott, who knows how to get them ready for this event as a nine-time Breeders’ Cup winner.
BOB EHALT: Tom, you know I’m the forgiving type, but it’s hard for me to overlook that effort at Keeneland by Close Hatches. In fact, I’m seeing so many red flags in this field, it’s pulling me toward the one horse that comes with no caveats and seems poised for another top effort: Belle Gallantey. Her race in the Beldame was outstanding and the surface at Santa Anita should flatter her speed. Her 6-1 odds are the icing on the cake.
PEDULLA: Tiz Midnight was still looking for her first victory as late as June. Do not allow that to discourage you. Bob Baffert has a knack for getting them ready for the big moment. This blossoming 4-year-old missed by just three-quarters of a length to Beholder in the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita in her most recent effort. She is extremely dangerous here.
EHALT: Baffert, eh. Well, I can’t follow you down that path because my vision of the race has Belle Gallantey pressing the pace of Tiz Midnight and putting her away. The forgiving chap that I am, I’ll try Close Hatches for second. I wouldn’t be surprised if she rebounds from the Keeneland debacle, and if she does she’s the one to beat. But at her odds, I’ll pass on win tickets and hope she can complete the exacta.
PEDULLA: For third, a shaky vote for Untapable. Yes, she swept 5 of 6 starts this season, with her only blemish a forgivable poor showing against males in the Haskell Invitational Stakes. Yes, she worked lights out at Santa Anita on Oct. 19, tearing through five furlongs in :58.60. Her one-length decision in the Cotillion was less than convincing, though, as she drifted during the stretch run, suggesting she peaked some time ago.
UNTAPABLE WINS THE MOTHER GOOSE
Photo by NYRA
EHALT: Great minds think alike … when it comes to show bets. Untapable is an outstanding runner when things go her way, but I’m concerned about what will happen when she faces her elders for the first time. Against a field this good, it could be a replay of the Haskell, but I’ll give her the edge for third over Santa Anita-loving Ria Antonia.
Breeders’ Cup Classic
PEDULLA: As you know, I can be the chalkiest of players. Not this time. The pick here is Zivo, and that’s no reach. Our horses tend to sour like over-ripe lemons. Chad Brown has overseen a meteoric rise in a 5-year-old who began the year with a four-race winning streak against New York-breds.
Look at what happened when he moved up to a 1 ¼ miles. He rallied up the rail to be a convincing three-length winner of the Suburban. He was steadied when he missed to Tonalist by 1 ¾ lengths in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. He is primed to run the race of a lifetime.
EHALT: I have to wonder what’s in the water out there in California. You’re leaving behind your chalky past and breaking out the wallet for a 15-1 shot? Dude, how can you pass up a solid favorite like the undefeated Shared Belief? Even I can’t look past him. His overland trip in the Awesome Again should have him battle-tested for the Classic and he has wins at the distance and on this track in his last two Grade 1 stakes. I believe he’s the real deal. And why wouldn’t I? I heard it on Jim Rome’s show and there’s never any hype or bluster on sports talk radio, right?
SHARED BELIEF WINS THE PACIFIC CLASSIC
Photo by Eclipse Sportswire
PEDULLA: How can I possibly pick against undefeated Shared Belief? While he is undefeated through seven starts, it is worth noting this will be the first time this gelding with notoriously bad feet is being asked to travel a mile and a quarter on dirt. He went this distance in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar, but the synthetic surface there is much more forgiving.
EHALT: The main threat, to me, is Tonalist. He ran a superb race in winning the Jockey Club Gold Cup, but it also came at a track he loves and that’s why I’m giving a slight nod to Shared Belief for the top spot. If he handles Santa Anita as well as he does beautiful Belmont, this Classic should live up to its name.
PEDULLA: I was all over favored Tonalist in the Jockey Club Gold Cup and would be again if the Classic was being held at Belmont Park, where he is 3-for-3. He is as consistent as they come. He will get a piece, just not the biggest piece.
EHALT: Looks like we can share a boxed trifecta here. I’ll take Zivo for third, but I’m reserving my right to look elsewhere if the track plays like the Santa Monica Freeway on Saturday. Zivo will be hard-pressed to close from last against a speed bias – such as the one he encountered when he was fourth in the Woodward Stakes – but if the main track is fair, those 15-1 odds are indeed juicy.
$2-million Breeders' Cup DistaffFriday, Santa Anita Park, Race 9, 7:35 p.m. ET1 1/8 miles, dirt, fillies and mares, 3 years old and older
PP
Horse
Jockey
Trainer
Odds
1
L’Amour De Ma Vie
Maxime Guyon
Pia Brandt
15-1
2
Tiz Midnight
Victor Espinoza
Bob Baffert
10-1
3
Iotapa
Joe Talamo
John Sadler
6-1
4
Belle Gallantey
Jose Ortiz
Rudy Rodriguez
6-1
5
Unbridled Forever
John Velazquez
Dallas Stewart
20-1
6
Stanwyck
Corey Nakatani
John Shirreffs
20-1
7
Don’t Tell Sophia
Joe Rocco Jr.
Phil Sims
5-1
8
Valiant Emilia
Rafael Bejarano
Gary Mandella
20-1
9
Ria Antonia
Paco Lopez
Tom Amoss
15-1
10
Untapable
Rosie Napravnik
Steve Asmussen
5-2
11
Close Hatches
Joel Rosario
Bill Mott
3-1
$5-million Breeders' Cup ClassicSaturday, Santa Anita Park, Race 12, 8:35 p.m. ET1 1/4 miles, dirt, 3-year-olds and older
PP
Horse
Jockey
Trainer
Odds
1
Prayer for Relief
Irad Ortiz Jr.
Dale Romans
30-1
2
Cigar Street
John Velazquez
Bill Mott
12-1
3
Imperative
Frankie Dettori
George Papaprodromou
30-1
4
Moreno
Javier Castellano
Eric Guillot
20-1
5
V. E. Day
Joe Talamo
Jimmy Jerkens
20-1
6
Shared Belief
Mike Smith
Jerry Hollendorfer
9-5
7
Bayern
Martin Garcia
Bob Baffert
6-1
8
Zivo
Jose Lezcano
Chad Brown
15-1
9
Toast of New York
Jamie Spencer
Jamie Osborne
12-1
10
Footbridge
Rafael Bejarano
Eoin Harty
30-1
11
Tonalist
Joel Rosario
Christophe Clement
5-1
12
Candy Boy
Corey Nakatani
John Sadler
20-1
13
California Chrome
Victor Espinoza
Art Sherman
4-1
14
Majestic Harbor
Tyler Baze
Sean McCarthy
20-1
15AE
Big Cazanova
Elvis Trujillo
Peter Miller