Breeders' Cup 'Charge'-s Into Del Mar

The former National Football League franchise–we'll spare any mention of their name–may have packed their bags for a permanent home a little more than two hours north on Interstate 5 in greater Los Angeles, much to the chagrin of many.

But San Diegans–have no fear, the Breeders' Cup is here.

For the first time in the history of the event, the iconic Del Mar Thoroughbred Club about 25 minutes from the city center will play host to some 180 of the world's best Thoroughbreds.

Fields for the 13 races were drawn this past Monday and Friday's program will serve as the appetizer for Saturday's main event, headlined by a mouth-watering clash in the $6-million GI Breeders' Cup Classic between defending champion and 'TDN Rising Star' Arrogate (Unbridled's Song) and Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}), whose body of work since returning to action in June has earned him the 9-5 nod on Russ Hudak's morning line.

But first things first. Friday's activity at the seaside oval is topped by the $2-million GI Breeders' Cup Distaff in which a legitimate case can be made for as many as five of the eight females that will load the gate at 4:35 p.m. Pacific time. Stellar Wind (Curlin) is favored on the morning line with 10 wins from 15 career trips to the post and a perfect mark at Del Mar, including consecutive runnings of the GI Clement L. Hirsch S. That's the good news. But many will still be willing to oppose the chestnut, who comes into the Distaff off a 95-day hiatus.

Trainer John Sadler's has made his bed and he seems prepared to sleep in it.

“The design was to have her ready in March for the Santa Margarita,” the conditioner said. “But we had historic rains in January and February and I didn't want to put her over a lot of sealed tracks. She didn't make the [GI] Santa Margarita so we went to the [GI] Apple Blossom. So she lost a little time at the beginning of the year due to weather.

He added, “After that it was pretty routine–the [GI] Beholder [Mile] and the Clement Hirsch. The other deviation was to skip the Zenyatta and train up to this. The Zenyatta was a little bit of a hard prep for her last year, when she had to work really hard to beat Beholder (Henny Hughes). We're going in fresher this year. Right or wrong I'm not really stressing. She's great and it would be nice if she wins but it's all gravy at this point.”

Should she stub her toe, a formidable trio of sophomore fillies is poised to take advantage. Royal Delta (Empire Maker) progressed rapidly for trainer Bill Mott to win the Distaff at three (and at four) and he has a runner of a very similar profile in the form of 'TDN Rising Star' Elate (Medaglia d'Oro), who could well be the wiseguy horse of the entire Breeders' Cup. She couldn't quite solve GI Kentucky Oaks winner Abel Tasman (Quality Road) in the GI CCA Oaks in July, going down by a hard-fought head, but she has since won the GI Alabama S. and GI Beldame Invitational S. by a combined 13 3/4 lengths and looms a dangerous–if possibly overbet–rival seeking to become a sixth Distaff winner for Mott.

“I think you always kind of draw comparisons between the good ones,” Mott said. “But she's a very straight-forward filly.”

In addition to the Oaks, Abel Tasman made an additional three trips across the country, the last of which resulted in a two-length defeat in the GI Cotillion S., a race for which she has valid excuses. Mike Smith, a five-time winner of the Distaff has the call. Abel Tasman and Arrogate are bred by the Cleary family's Clearsky Farm.

'TDN Rising Star' Paradise Woods (Union Rags) thrashed them in the GI Santa Anita Oaks and was favored beneath the Twin Spires, but went too hard on the front end and was done after six furlongs. A stumbling-start sixth in this track's GIII Torrey Pines S. Aug. 27, she ran an overmatched bunch off their feet to win the Zenyatta by 5 1/4 lengths Sept. 30 and looms the controlling speed here.

Perhaps most under the radar is Forever Unbridled (Unbridled's Song), third to Beholder and Songbird (Medaglia d'Oro) last year and perfect in two tries this season. The Fipke homebred will hope that last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies upsetter Champagne Room (Broken Vow) is ridden for speed from the inside gate and will take a run at them late.