US Racing / Graham Cunningham / 23 October 2008 / 1 Comments

The sun keeps shining and the clock keeps ticking as the countdown to Breeders' Cup 2008 continues in California. Racing UK analyst Graham Cunningham has been trackside for betting.betfair.com all week and runs the rule over the main players on Friday's card.

There comes a time when you need to stop gaping at the splendour of the scenery at Santa Anita and start wondering how to attack the Breeders' Cup from a betting viewpoint.

That time has arrived for yours truly and the first point to make is that the expansion of the fixture from one day to two has thinned the talent considerably. Whether that will make winner finding much easier remains to be seen, but the desire to get off to a flyer is the same the world over and pace looks sure to be a key angle in solving the BC Filly & Mares Sprint (8.35 UK time).

Indian Blessing is the heavy favourite and was dominant at Belmont last time. She's probably the most gifted athlete in the field and looks bound to go close despite the presence of several other powerful front runners like Indyanne, Dream Rush and Dearest Trickski.

I'm against Intangaroo, who got a fair way behind when showing improved form at Saratoga, and Ventura makes more appeal in the win and place markets. British racegoers may well remember this filly during her time with Amanda Perrett. She's thrived for the move to Bobby Frankel, showing a fine turn of foot over a mile and the return to seven on a synthetic surface looks tailor made for her to produce a telling late charge.

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Forcing the issue is one of the worst things you can do as a punter and the BC Juvenile Fillies' Turf (9.15) looks a race to tread warily in.

The first point to make is that it will take a lot less winning than most BC races. And the second is that European raiders Heart Shaped and Beyond Our Reach look up against it.

Laragh and C Karma loom large among the home team. The latter came out clearly the best of the pair on soft ground at Woodbine, but Laragh faded in the mud there and has potential to reverse that verdict on this much faster surface based on her impressive all-the-wat success at Keeneland.

Maram is two from two but needs to progress again given that she was all out in a bunched finish at Belmont. Freedom Rings was beaten by just a neck there, but she enjoyed a perfect trip up the inside rail. She will find it tough to reverse the form in this much more demanding contest and offers some potential as a place lay.

Can Stardom Bound really loaf around in rear for five furlongs before cutting down a high quality field in the way she did in the Oak Leaf here?

That is the big question surrounding the BC Juvenile Fillies (9.55) and, for all that she could be something very special, I have reservations. Granted, Stardom Bound has been hugely impressive in two Grade 1 wins, but her running style must be a concern in a 13-strong field in a race which has tended to favour pace horses over the years and for that reason I prefer Sky Diva, who was highly impressive in the Frizette at Belmont.

Granted, this synthetic surface poses a different question, but I'm hoping it's one she can answer in the positive and she's trading at an each way price.

Of the rest, Dream Empress trounced Be Smart in another key trial at Keeneland. Irish raider Pursuit Of Glory doesn't look quite up to the job, while CS Silk bolted up in a Grade 3 at Arlington but is in much deeper now and will have plenty of pressure for the lead this time.

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Europe boasts a fine record in the BC Filly & Mare Turf (10.35) and it makes sense to start with a three-pronged challenge headed by Halfway To Heaven and backed up by Visit and Folk Opera.

I'll have to pass on Folk Opera, who is very game but doesn't look quite up to this task. Visit hails from a family who have thrived in America but looks held by Halfway To Heaven, who seldom does things flashily but is a triple Group 1 winner and very tough to beat in a tight finish.
However, the Americans also look strong here. Mauralakana has enjoyed a fine season on the East coast and is much better than she showed when beaten by Dynaforce, who got an easy lead on soft ground in the Flower Bowl at Belmont.

Forever Together boasts a very powerful late surge, while Wait A While lays down an unbeaten record at Santa Anita after a decisive defeat of Vacare in the Yellow Ribbon here last month.

In short, this looks very tight. I'm not mad on the Europeans overall and tactics could be very important, but Wait A While looked right back on song last time and these conditions look tailor made for her to go very close again.

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There are times when it just pays to keep things simple. And if form means anything then the mighty Zenyatta will crown day one of Breeders' Cup 2008 by dishing out a beating to her BC Ladies' Classic rivals at 11.15.

The odds will be tight, and the opposition is strong, but Zenyatta would have been a worthy contender against the males in the Classic had connections opted for that route and the way she maintained her long unbeaten streak by trouncing Hystericalady over this course and distance last month indicates that she is thriving on racing.

Cocoa Beach and Music Note give Godolphin a strong hand if the favourite disappoints, while Ginger Pinch won this last year and certainly hasn't gone backwards, but Zenyatta has been billed as the star of day one and I don't think she will disappoint.