BC Mile

A full field has been assembled for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile (G1),

and GORELLA (Fr) (Grape Tree Road [GB]) is a slight favorite on the morning line

at 4-1. Seven of the 14 contestants are European shippers, including the 9-2

second choice, Irish classic winner ARAAFA (Ire) (Mull of Kintyre), but

American-based runners have won seven of the last 11 runnings. We're going to

take a stab with a longshot.

BADGE OF SILVER (Silver Deputy) is the probable lone speed and has the class

to steal it. He's unraced since New Year's Day, but trainer Bobby Frankel excels

with horses off lengthy layoffs, winning at nearly a 30 percent clip. The

six-year-old horse is working well for his return, recording a pair of bullet

six-furlong moves recently at Keeneland, and Badge of Silver showed an affinity

for the sod when making his turf debut in the San Gabriel H. (G2) last time out,

earning a 106 BRIS Speed rating for the 2 1/2-length, wire-to-wire score. A

two-time Grade 2 winner, Badge of Silver will receive a jockey switch to Edgar

Prado, who won two Breeders' Cup events last year and can do a good job

rationing the dark bay's speed. North East Bound nearly stole the last Mile at

Churchill (2000) on the lead at 42-1, clicking off a half-mile in :47 4/5, and

Badge of Silver figures to be setting a very moderate pace this year. We'll look

for him to save enough for the finish.

ARAGORN (Ire) (Giant's Causeway) won't be far behind the pacesetter, and he's

got the late kick to win it all. Formerly based in England, the chestnut colt

earned his first U.S. win when capturing last year's Oak Tree Derby (G2), and he's

dominated the turf ranks in California this season, winning the Shoemaker

Breeders' Cup Mile (G1), Eddie Read H. (G1), Del Mar Breeders' Cup H. (G2) and

Oak Tree Breeders' Cup Mile (G2) in his last four starts. If Aragorn runs back

to the first three, he's got an excellent chance to have his picture taken.

However, the Oak Tree Breeders' Cup Mile raised some concerns as Aragorn had to

work harder than expected to defeat lesser rivals. Was that an indication that

he was over the top? We're inclined to say no with Neil Drysdale as the trainer,

and the Hall of Fame conditioner has stated that Aragorn is doing as well as

ever presently. We'll find out for sure on Saturday, and we'll use America's

best turf miler in all multi-race wagers.

Araafa is another top win contender. An excellent second to George Washington

(Ire) (Danehill) in the Queen Elizabeth II S. (Eng-G1) last out, the Jeremy

Noseda-trained sophomore defeated that rival when capturing the Irish Two

Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1), and he added the prestigious St. James's Palace S.

(Eng-G1) to his resume in his following start. Araafa appears capable of

handling any kind of ground, and he gets a top American rider in John Velazquez.

The classy colt should be in position to challenge for it all turning for home.

SLEEPING INDIAN (GB) (Indian Ridge) is an intriguing longshot play from the

barn of John Gosden. A solid campaigner over the past couple of seasons, the

five-year-old horse returned off a 11-month layoff to win a listed stakes at

Newbury in mid-September and then suffered a terrible trip in the Prix de la

Foret (Fr-G1) at Longchamp next out. He prepped for the Mile with a sharp score

in the Challenge S. (Eng-G2) at Newmarket last out. Sleeping Indian is

relatively fresh and is well-regarded by European punters. He could get involved

late under new rider Alex Solis.

ROB ROY (Lear Fan) is another upset candidate. He's been knocking heads

against top-class company all season and exits a first-rate effort in the

Champion S. (Eng-G1), outfinishing Hurricane Run (Ire) (Montjeu [Ire])

for the place. The Group 2 winner appears to be at the top of his game

presently, and trainer Sir Michael Stoute is a three-time Breeders' Cup race

winner. Consider him for the exotics.

AUSSIE RULES (Danehill) drew a bad post (14), but we were very encouraged by

his victory in the Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) last out. The Aidan O'Brien charge

earned a Group 1 victory earlier this year in the French Two Thousand Guineas (Fr-G1) at Longchamp, and he turned in respectable efforts against better

company in the Eclipse S. (Eng-G1), Sussex S. (Eng-G1) and Prix du Moulin de

Longchamp S. (Fr-G1). The gray colt earned a whopping 114 BRIS Late Pace rating

for his strong finish last time, and he's eligible to carry his form forward

with another top showing in the Mile.

Gorella is perhaps the best female turf horse in North America and would have

probably won last year's Mile at Belmont Park with clear sailing (she was

steadied repeatedly before finishing third by three-quarters of a length), but

we're willing to take a stand against her at Churchill. Her only off-the-board

finish in North America came in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (G1) over the

course in May. She was in tight quarters in the stretch that day, but Gorella

never appeared comfortable and wasn't going to challenge for the top three

regardless. The four-year-old lass may also be a little vulnerable off a

grueling win last time in the First Lady S. (G2) at Keeneland. Gorella has the

class to prove us wrong, but we'll just watch to see how she performs.

MIESQUE'S APPROVAL (Miesque's Son) captured the Firecracker Breeders' Cup H.

(G2) at Churchill Downs in early July, and the seven-year-old horse is a

four-time stakes winner this year. We have a lot of respect for trainer Marty

Wolfson, but Miesque's Approval wasn't a factor last time in the Shadwell Turf

Mile and will find this spot even more difficult. AD VALOREM (Danzig) finished a

decent third in the Woodbine Mile (Can-G1) most recently, and the four-year-old

owns plenty of back class, winning the 2004 Middle Park S. (Eng-G1) and this

year's Queen Anne S. (Eng-G1). The O'Brien trainee didn't draw a favorable post

at the rail, and Ad Valorem can be pretty inconsistent, finishing out of the

money in four of his last six starts.

FREE THINKING (Unbridled) nearly upset his rivals in the Kelso Breeders' Cup

H. (G2) last out and has been a very solid turf runner for trainer Doug Danner,

posting a 3-1-1-1 mark at Churchill Downs this year. The five-year-old has

always run well at a mile (5-2-3-0), but Free Thinking is probably facing too

much of a class hike in this spot. SILENT NAME (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) looked

very promising when capturing his first two U.S. starts, including an easy win

over a strong field in the Arcadia H. (G2), but the four-year-old colt did not

go on in his subsequent appearances, dropping his last three starts. He did

travel wide when seventh in the Shadwell Turf Mile, but we don't think he's

sharp enough to challenge for it all.

LIBRETTIST (Danzig) was reportedly lame following a disappointing sixth in

the Queen Elizabeth II at Ascot, and jockey Frankie Dettori has departed him to

ride stablemate ECHO OF LIGHT (GB) (Dubai Millennium). He had reeled off five

straight wins, including two Group 1s, prior to his last, but we're not

convinced that we'll see his best on Saturday. Echo of Light enters off a pair

of nice stakes wins in France and England, but he hasn't had much success in his

two previous attempts at the Group 1 level. SUPER FROLIC (Pine Bluff) has never

finished first or second in six previous turf starts. We can't envision him

being a factor.