Internationals in the Breeders' Cup -- Friday

INTERNATIONALS IN THE

BREEDERS' CUP

OCTOBER 31, 2013

Breeders' Cup Friday

by Kellie Reilly

It's time for the sixth annual "Internationals in the Breeders' Cup," the

scouting report outlining the strengths, weaknesses, and prospects of the

foreign raiding party assembling at Santa Anita. Here's the first installment,

with the profiles of Saturday's runners to follow.

MARATHON

EVER RIDER: This Argentinean shipper will naturally be compared to his

compatriot Calidoscopio, who was much the best in last year's Marathon, but

their resemblance is superficial. Both captured the same "Win & You're In" event

at home -- the Clasico General Belgrano at about 1 9/16 miles on the Palermo dirt

-- but the parallel ends there. Calidoscopio had a lengthy record as a Group 1

performer over the years; in contrast, Ever Rider was making his stakes debut in

the June 21 General Belgrano, where he sprang an upset as a 28-1 longshot. Calidoscopio,

a come-from-the-clouds closer, was already proven at marathon trips. Ever Rider

is a confirmed front runner who will be tackling this 1 3/4-mile distance for

the first time, and the evidence from the Belgrano is not terribly persuasive.

After establishing daylight turning for home, he began to tire late and just

lasted by a diminishing neck. The final difference concerns his training

situation. Ever Rider improved markedly this year after stepping up in trip for

trainer Juan Carlos Bianchi. But now Ever Rider is back under the tutelage of

his original trainer, Maria Cristina Munoz. Calidoscopio, who didn't undergo a

trainer switch before the Marathon, posted seven-furlong and mile works in

preparation, while Ever Rider has had more half-mile breezes in his build-up.

That might turn out perfectly fine for him (and at this writing, his last

published work was October 14, so he's been galloping in the interim) but it's just another point of

difference worth noting. Given the dubious quality of this race, however, Ever

Rider might not have to be as good, or compelling, as Calidoscopio to win this.

He must also face a couple of other front-running types in the Marathon, but he does pick up a tactical maestro in Hall of Famer Gary Stevens.

LONDON BRIDGE: English-based handicapper was withdrawn from the St Leger

due to rain-softened ground, and now hopes to become the second three-year-old

to capture the Marathon. The first was also a Euro invader, Man of Iron, who won

for Aidan O'Brien in 2009. Significantly, that edition was staged on Santa

Anita's old synthetic Pro-Ride. London Bridge faces an entirely new challenge on

dirt, but as a son of Arch, he could adapt to it. From the low-profile yard of

Jo Hughes (who also trains jumpers), London Bridge was on a roll in June,

winning three straight versus modest competition in handicaps. The progressive

colt took a class hike for an Ascot handicap and finished a close third, beaten

only a half-length by The Queen's useful Bold Sniper. London Bridge ventured to

France to try stakes company in the August 15 Prix Michel Houyvet at Deauville,

where he was prompted throughout on the front end before winding up fourth to a

smart Juddmonte prospect in Destruct. London Bridge will actually be dropping

back in trip off that 1 7/8-mile test. Interestingly, he was cataloged for the

Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale set for this week. But in the

interim, he was acquired by Australian interests (Waratah Thoroughbreds) and

hence withdrawn from the sale. While the dirt is a big question, the Marathon is

not nearly as ambitious a spot as the St Leger would have been. As a dogged type

with plenty of stamina, and possibly still on the upgrade, he's not out of place

in an open-looking race, and he picks up Hall of Famer Mike Smith.

JUVENILE TURF

GIOVANNI BOLDINI: Exciting son of the red-hot War Front

has a lot more upside than Ballydoyle stablemate WILSHIRE BOULEVARD, both of whom are

trying to give O'Brien his third straight win in this race. A $675,000 Saratoga

yearling purchase, Giovanni Boldini won his debut over Dundalk's Polytrack on

raw ability, for he ran greenly. Slow to leave the gate, he was patiently

handled at the rear of the three-horse field, and easily pulled clear in the

stretch. He was unlikely to have learned much from what was basically a paid

workout. Just a week later Giovanni Boldini was thrown to the Group 1 wolves in

the National Stakes, where he was outpaced by Toormore, but still finished a

commendable third in his only turf attempt so far. Giovanni Boldini turned in a

thoroughly professional display last time in the Star Appeal back on the

Polytrack at Dundalk. After breaking alertly, he cruised on the bridle while his

rivals were driven along, and he drew off unextended. Giovanni Boldini is

clearly a serious prospect with plenty of scope for improvement, but it could

be significant that he has raced exclusively in small fields, and the

still-learning colt could experience a trial by fire in a big field here. Being

drawn in post 2 might exacerbate the issue, and jockey Ryan Moore has to avoid

being buried in traffic on the inside (as Sky Lantern and The Fugue found out

last year). It's also an open

question whether turf will end up being his preferred surface. Although War

Fronts can run on anything, he is out of a mare by Old Trieste, and his

immediate family is crammed with Argentinean Group 1 winners on dirt.

WILSHIRE BOULEVARD: O'Brien pupil has had a busy season, with this being

his eighth race of the year, but he is a typically tough and hardy son of Holy

Roman Emperor. While a cut below the yard's best, this half-brother to Group

1-winning juvenile Zoffany is genuine and reliable. Even his worst effort, a

10th

of 24 in the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot, wasn't as bad as it looks,

considering his unfavorable post. Since then, Wilshire Boulevard upset his

better-fancied stablemate Oklahoma City in the Anglesey; rallied for a determined second in

the Gimcrack to Astaire (who boosted the form by subsequently taking the Middle

Park); and checked in a one-paced fourth in the Jean-Luc Lagardere. He'd need a

career best to upstage the principals at Santa Anita, but given his admirable

attitude, is not to be discounted from the exotics.

SHAMSHON: Richard Hannon trainee must improve

considerably on his form in the book, but he will enjoy the firm turf. A

$705,776 Tattersalls October yearling purchase, the Invincible Spirit colt pulverized an

iffy field in his five-furlong unveiling at Sandown. He passed his first stakes examination

in the Prix de la Vallee d'Auge over the same trip at Deauville, but not with flying colors, for he

had to work hard to prevail over an uninspiring bunch. (A couple had chased

Juvenile Fillies Turf threat VORDA earlier in the year, but they have since been exposed.) In his only

subsequent start, Shamshon was a lackluster fifth in the Mill Reef at Newbury, which

can be read in two ways: one can give him a pass because the soft ground likely

conspired against him that day, or take a more skeptical view about whether he's

quite good enough. The abrupt step up from six furlongs to a mile is another

uncertainty, although his pedigree implies that he ought to handle it. Owner

Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al Thani, of the Qatari royal family, is enthusiastic

about having multiple runners at the world's premier meetings, and this smacks

of his spotting.

JUVENILE FILLIES TURF

AL THAKHIRA: Marco Botti pupil rates as a

potentially top-class performer after blowing her rivals away in both of her

starts. A convincing, if somewhat green, winner at Yarmouth in the colors of

Mubarak al Naemi, she was promptly snapped up by Sheikh Joaan (the nephew of

Vorda's owner). Al Thakhira was even more dynamic when upped in class for the

Rockfel at Newmarket. Traveling effortlessly while the others were toiling, she

skipped clear under supremely confident handling. This represents another order

of magnitude, but she looks primed for it. A bigger question revolves around the

ground. Al Thakhira has only raced over softish going so far, a far cry from the

lightning-quick conditions she'll find at Santa Anita. But if she proves as

adept on firm turf, and can avoid a traffic snarl in post 2, she's a major contender. By Dubawi and out of a Green Desert

mare, Al Thakhira is bred on the potent cross that has produced the likes of

2000 Guineas hero Makfi and Hong Kong superstar Lucky Nine.

CHRISELLIAM: Charles Hills trainee brings sparkling

credentials, having mowed down Rizeena fair and square in the Fillies' Mile on

quick ground at Newmarket. Chriselliam was a massive overlay at 28-1 that day,

but she had plenty going for her. She broke the seven-furlong juvenile course

record, albeit at the lesser venue of Warwick, in her maiden win, and was just

outdueled by Hannon's highly-regarded colt Chief Barker in the Ascendant at

Haydock. Chief Barker, an early entry for next year's Epsom Derby, subsequently

disappointed in the Racing Post Trophy, but the soft ground makes it hazardous

to draw any firm conclusions from the form. The slight concerns about Chriselliam are that she didn't negotiate the turn at Haydock well, and that she

did her best work late at the end of a stiffish mile at Newmarket last time. She

could find the two-turn mile at Santa Anita unfolding all too quickly for her,

and it wouldn't be a shock if she left herself too much to do in the stretch. On

form, she's perfectly logical, but she's got to adapt to a scenario that might

not play as much to her strengths. On the plus side, Hills has been happy with

the way she's taken to Santa Anita in the mornings, including her navigating

around the turn.