Winning a Breeders’ Cup race is no easy task. Many trainers
from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean struggle to find success on the biggest stage
of North American racing.
Here is a list of prominent trainers who have a chance to
win their first World Championship race this week at Santa Anita and I think
some of them will surprise you. This is
not a full list; there are quite a few other trainers that are Breeders’ Cup
maidens.
The Breeders’ Cup races are different than all others and it
takes unique training techniques to win there. Maybe this information will help
you make a decision about using some of these conditioners in your horizontal
tickets.
In parentheses is the total number of Breeders’ Cup starters
prior to 2014 and in italics is a list of the trainer’s 2014 runners.
Tom Albertrani (7)
Since 2004 Albertrani has four in the money finishes with two seconds in the
2004 Juvenile Fillies from Balletto and Bernardini in the 2006 Classic.
Better Lucky (15-1 ML)
Filly and Mare Sprint
Twilight Eclipse (12-1
ML) Turf
Tom Amoss (9) got
two third place finishes from Heritage of Gold in the Distaff in 1999 and 2000.
Ria Antonia (15-1 ML)
Distaff
Rusty Arnold (7)
It’s Tea Time got Arnold a fourth place finish in the 2010 Distaff.
Southern Honey (20-1
ML) Filly and Mare Sprint
Mark Casse (19)
had his best finishes with seconds from Laugh Track in 2013 Sprint and Sealy
Hill in 2008 Filly and Mare Turf.
Conquest Typhoon (12-1
ML) Juvenile Turf
Conquest Harlanate
(10-1 ML) Juvenile Fillies Turf
Conquest Eclipse (4-1 ML) Juvenile Fillies
Kaigun (20-1 ML) Mile
Christophe Clement (23) got very close twice with Gio Ponti in the Classic in 2009 and in the 2010
Mile. Last year Za Approval nearly upset Wise Dan in the Mile.
Irish Mission (20-1
ML) Filly and Mare Turf
Summer Front (30-1)
Mile
Tonalist (5-1) Classic
Eric Guillot (8)
has yet to hit the board with a Breeders’ Cup runner. Fourth place was his best
in the 2010 Filly and Mare Sprint with Champagne d’Oro.
Moreno (20-1 ML)
Classic
Richard Hannon
(9) Hannon has not had much success bringing his horses to the Breeders’ Cup
from Europe. A fourth place in the 2010 Mile with Paco Boy was the best finish
that Hannon could muster. This year he has the morning line favorite in the
Mile.
Osaila (5-1 ML)
Juvenile Fillies Turf
Toronado (5-2* ML)
Mile
Kenny McPeek (23)
McPeek is known for his willingness to take a shot in the big races and so it
has been in the Breeders’ Cup. Even though he has yet to find the winner’s
circle he has garnered four seconds and eight thirds.
Lawn Ranger (20-1 ML)
Juvenile Turf
Golden Ticket (15-1)
Dirt Mile
Peter Miller (5)
Reneesgotzip has a third and second place finish in the Turf Sprint the past
two years. She returns again this year for a third try to get Miller a win in
the Breeders’ Cup.
Hennythelovepenny (20-1
ML) Juvenile Fillies
Reneesgotzip (5-1 ML)
Turf Sprint
Calculator (20-1 ML)
Juvenile
Finnegan’s Wake (30-1
ML) Turf
Big Cazanova (30-1 ML)
AE Classic
Eddie Plesa (5)
Plesa, who is known for his success with two-year-olds, had four starters in
the juvenile races. His best result, however, came in the 2007 Dirt Mile when
Gottcha Gold finished second at his home track, Monmouth Park.
Souper Colossal (12-1
ML) Juvenile
John Sadler (31)
In 2010 and 2011 Switch finished second in the Filly and Mare Sprint. Sadler
has the most unsuccessful tries in the Breeders’ Cup.
Daddy DT (15-1 ML)
Juvenile Turf
Iotapa (6-1 ML)
Distaff
Sweet Swap (12-1 ML) Turf
Sprint
Candy Boy (20-1 ML)
Classic
Wesley Ward (16) Although
Ward has not had a Breeders’ Cup winner, he has been close with a career record
of 16: 0-1-5. His second came from Judy the Beauty in last year’s Filly and
Mare Turf.
Hootenanny (3-1 ML) Juvenile Turf
Luck of the Kitten (8-1
ML) Juvenile Turf
Sunset Glow (7-2* ML)
Juvenile Fillies Turf
Judy the Beauty (5-2*
ML) Filly and Mare Sprint
Undrafted (8-1 ML)
Turf Sprint
Dermot Weld (14)
The Breeders’ Cup has not been kind to Weld whose horses for the most part have
not run well. Only one third place can be credited to him and that was Brief
Truce in the Mile in 1992.
Mustajeeb (6-1 ML) Mile
