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BREEDERS' CUP PREVIEWS
The $3 million Turf (G1) will feature a field of seven, including three classy European invaders and an American-based speedster. Defending champion CONDUIT (Ire) (Dalakhani) is a deserving 7-5 choice on the morning line, but we'll tab his stablemate SPANISH MOON (El Prado [Ire]) for the win. Trained by Michael Stoute, Spanish Moon exits an excellent win in the Prix Foy (Fr-G2) at Longchamp, easily holding off multiple Group 1 hero Vision d'Etat (Chichicastenango), and effortlessly scored in the Prix de Saint-Cloud (Fr-G1) two back, leaving three-time Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) runner-up Youmzain (Sinndar) in his wake that afternoon. The bay has really come on this season as a five-year-old, and he's a fresh horse with only two starts since March. We feel that he's sitting on a big performance here and like the addition of Kieran Fallon to the saddle. DAR RE MI (GB) (Singspiel [Ire]) has registered outstanding BRIS Class numbers while knocking off the best female opposition in Europe this season, and the four-year-old exits a very respectable fifth behind Sea the Stars in the Arc. Trainer John Gosden excelled last year at Santa Anita, winning two Breeders' Cup races, and figures to have this multiple Group 1 heroine ready for a career best. The bay lass has some tactical speed and should sit a good trip under Frankie Dettori before getting involved in the stretch run. Conduit scares us, but the deep closer will face a more difficult task at much shorter odds this time around. Following last year's success (the chestnut registered a 111 BRIS Speed rating for his 1 1/2-length decision), the four-year-old stepped up to face the cream of the European crop, squaring off against the likes off Sea the Stars and Rip Van Winkle (Ire) (Galileo [Ire]), and while he performed admirably in those spots, it's been a tough season. We question whether he'll be as sharp as last year, with Stoute giving him Lasix after bypassing on the drug in 2008, and will have to let him beat us for the win. PRESIOUS PASSION (Royal Anthem) will take them as far as he can on the front end and merits serious respect for the exotics. We have a ton of respect for the Mary Hartmann-trained gelding, but we'll go against him at 12 furlongs in this spot. Winner of the last two editions of the United Nations (G1), the six-year-old shipped to Santa Anita for the 1 1/4-mile Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship (G1) on October 11 and ran his rivals into the ground, recording an easy wire-to-wire decision. We'd give him a chance at 10 furlongs, but he may not be able to last the entire trip against these classy foes. TELLING (A.P. Indy) recorded a 33-1 upset in the Sword Dancer Invitational (G1) two back and finished a decent third in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (G1) last time. The five-year-old has show nice improvement for trainer Steve Hobby this season and loves an extended route of ground, but we have too many class concerns here to recommend his chances. MONZANTE (Maria's Mon) is a hard-knocking gelding for Mike Mitchell, but we can't envision him successfully stepping up in distance and class. RED ROCKS (Ire) (Galileo [Ire]), the 2006 Turf winner at Churchill Downs, is unplaced in three attempts this year and appears past him prime. ALLEGRE (Orientate) was scratched Thursday.
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