Get set for the biggest two days in the American racing calendar this weekend as the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita takes centre stage.
The Californian track will host 14 Breeders' Cup World Championships races across Friday and Saturday, including the iconic Breeders' Cup Classic itself on Saturday night.
Enda McElhinney looks ahead to day one of the Breeders' Cup on Friday with five Grade 1s on the agenda. All race times are UK/GMT.
21:00 - Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (Grade 1, 5f)
As with many of the turf races at the Breeders' Cup, the European contingent will be expected to dominate. The market for the Juvenile Turf Sprint certainly hints as much with Big Evs heading things up for Michael Appleby and Tom Marquand.
The Blue Point colt won the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot on his second start and has won group races at Glorious Goodwood and Doncaster's St Leger Festival either side of a disappointment against his elders in York's Nunthorpe. He's a key player, albeit his standout efforts have come on softer going.
Aidan O'Brien's Cherry Blossom could have a say while fellow Irish raider Tiger Belle is improving for Ado McGuinness after a Group 3 win at Longchamp and now has Cristian Demuro for company.
Jessica Harrington has been quite bullish about the hopes of GIVEMETHEBEATBOYS and her colt should go well under Shane Foley. He has run big races in defeat at Royal Ascot and in Newmarket's Group 1 Middle Park this season, when just finding it tough inside the final furlong. He has plenty of early speed and may relish this test.
The filly Crimson Advocate showed a superb attitude when winning the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot in June for Kentucky-based trainer George Weaver, and that form has been positively advertised by runner-up Relief Rally. John Velazquez is aboard the daughter of Nyquist and they lead the home challenge.
21:40 - Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (Grade 1, 1m½f)
It's hard to get away from TAMARA here for US trainer Richard Mandella and veteran pilot Mike Smith. The Bolt Doro filly made a winning start at Del Mar in August over six-and-a-half furlongs and took a rise in grade in her stride when landing the Grade 1 Debutante Stakes there in September over half a furlong further.
She got bumped exiting the starting gates that day but it didn't stop her from cruising clear of 11 rivals once asked by Smith as Tamara ran out a seven-length winner. This is tougher but she could be out of the top drawer and the extra distance should only help.
On form, Todd Pletcher's Candied looks the main danger after winning the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland last time out, while Justify filly Just F Y I won a Grade 1 at Belmont At The Big A on a wet track on her second start and could improve.
22:20 - Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (Grade 1, 1m)
Another turf race and, once more, the Europeans head the betting with CARLA'S WAY for Simon & Ed Crisford and Porta Fortuna for Donnacha O'Brien.
The latter won the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket in late September and Oisin Murphy's mount is a serious contender. That was her sixth start of a busy two-year-old season, however, and this might be one race too far.
Carla's Way, on the other hand, was given a midsummer break and a wind operation after disappointing in the Albany at Royal Ascot – a race Porta Fortuna won – and she was perhaps undone by soft ground when second at Goodwood in late August.
She produced easily her best run to date when taking the Rockfel at Newmarket (7f, good to firm) in September and that form has been handsomely advertised since as the placed pair Ylang Ylang and Shuwari finished first and second in the Group 1 Fillies' Mile.
Aidan O'Brien's Content could run a big race while US pair Hard To Justify and She Feels Pretty are on the upgrade. So is Brendan Walsh's Austere and the Mendelssohn filly is an outsider worth noting in the hands of Tyler Gaffalione after she surged clear to land a valuable prize at Kentucky Downs last time out.
23:00 - Breeders' Cup Juvenile (Grade 1, 1m½f)
The day one feature contest and a prize of $1,260,000 to the winner, with the betting finding it tough to split the first five in a wide open contest set to feature ten runners after Ecoro Neo was scratched.
Bob Baffert has a strong hand to play with Prince Of Monaco, Wine Me Up and Muth all representing the iconic American handler, who has won this contest twice in the last five years.
Muth had no problems justifying odds-on favouritism in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes over course and distance last month, with stablemate Wine Me Up playing second fiddle to the tune of four lengths.
Last month's Champagne Stakes on a wet track at Belmont At The Big A saw TIMBERLAKE overhauling General Officer late on.
The Chad Brown-trained runner-up led the field and looked to slip away turning for home. However, Timberlake and Florent Geroux travelled well off the fast pace given the conditions and while it initially looked as though General Office's tactics might pay dividends, the Brad Cox-trained son of Into Mischief ran down the leader and won going away. He could be the real deal.
23:40 - Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (Grade 1, 1m)
The US won this with Structor and Fire At Will in 2019 and 2020, but since its inception in 2007 there have been 11 European-trained winners.
A record five of those have gone the way of Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore, and they team up this year with River Tiber. He justified the hype when winning the Coventry at Royal Ascot in June and both runs since have yielded third-place finishes behind Vandeek in Deauville and Newmarket Group 1s. The Wootton Bassett colt is interesting tackling a mile for the first time.
The Ballydoyle handler also sends out Unquestionable, who has Frankie Dettori on board, and MOUNTAIN BEAR, in the hands of Dylan McMonagle. Both have claims.
Mountain Bear is by No Nay Never and while unable to win a group race on turf in the UK or Ireland, he took out the 7f Listed Star Appeal Stakes at Dundalk last time out – the same race Hit It A Bomb won en route to bagging this for O'Brien in 2015. Some luck is always needed in mile races at Santa Anita and, at the prices, the outsider of the Ballydoyle trio is worth a try.
Unbeaten US-based contender Endlessly could have a say if finding himself in the mix on the run to the line, while the Mark Casse-trained Can Group is another for the home team who can be given a chance.
