Oak Tree brings out Breeders' Cup hopefuls on Saturday

Zenyatta will put her undefeated mark on the line in the Lady's Secret (Charles Pravata/Horsephotos.com) The first Saturday of the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meet will pack quite a punch with six Grade 1 races, which are situated to be key Breeders' Cup preps with the 25th running of the World Championship event being held this year at Santa Anita on October 24-25. With top Thoroughbreds like ZENYATTA (Street Cry [Ire]), STREET BOSS (Street Cry [Ire]), STARDOM BOUND (Tapit) and WAIT A WHILE (Maria's Mon) in the fields, Saturday's races figure to have major impact upon this year's Breeders' Cup. Zenyatta is the unquestioned leader of the distaff division. Unbeaten in seven career starts, the four-year-old filly is five-for-five this season with victories in the Clement L. Hirsch H. (G2), Vanity H. (G1), Milady H. (G2), Apple Blossom H. (G1) and El Encino S. (G2). Trained by John Shirreffs, the Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Moss colorbearer has scared away most of the competition in the $250,000 Lady's Secret S. (G1), leaving but one quality opponent for Zenyatta and regular rider Mike Smith to face in the five-horse field. Grade 1 winner HYSTERICALADY (Distorted Humor), a $2.2 million earner in razor-sharp form, will take on the favorite in the 1 1/16-mile contest. The Jerry Hollendorfer-trained mare exits an eight-length win in the Molly Pitcher H. (G2) at Monmouth Park. She captured the Delaware H. (G2) by four lengths two starts back and rolled to a 7 1/2-length score in the Fleur des Lis H. (G2) prior to that.

The $500,000

Goodwood

S. (G1), which will take place at nine furlongs over the new Pro-Ride track,

is the richest race on the program and will feature a good group of 11. Multiple

Grade 1 hero TIAGO (Pleasant Tap) is back to defend his title in the 1 1/8-mile

event, but the Shirreffs runner will be making his first start since a sixth in

the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) in late June. He did capture the Oaklawn H. (G2)

earlier this season, and the $1.7 million earner ran big in last year's Goodwood

off a similar layoff. Multiple Grade 2 winner and Pacific Classic (G1) runner-up WELL

ARMED (Tiznow) is a top contender for Eoin Harty, and six-time Grade 2 victor

SURF CAT (Sir Cat) always merits respect. The Goodwood will mark the synthetic

debut for SPIRIT ONE (Fr) (Anabaa Blue), who was last seen recording a

wire-to-wire victory in the Arlington Million (G1). The four-year-old colt

recently shipped back to America for conditioner Philippe Demercastel, who

hopes to use the Goodwood as a springboard to a berth in the Breeders' Cup

Classic (G1).

Street Boss entered 2008 with only a maiden special weight win to his credit,

but the four-year-old colt has made great strides this season for Bruce Headley.

He'll bring a five-race winning streak into the $250,000

Ancient Title S. (G1), including scores in the Bing Crosby H. (G1) and

Triple Bend Invitational H. (G1) in his last two starts. The late runner is the

king of the California sprint division, and he'll solidify his status as the

favorite in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) with a victory on Saturday. David

Flores will retain the mount. IDIOT PROOF (Benchmark) captured the 2007 Ancient

Title and went on to finish second in the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Monmouth Park.

Runner-up in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1) in late March, he returned from a

near five-month layoff with a solid runner-up finish in the grassy Green Flash

H. at Del Mar last out. Grade 1 winner IN SUMMATION (Put It Back) is also part

of the eight-horse field.

Wait a While, the 2006 champion three-year-old filly, returned to training as

a five-year-old this season with champion turf female aspirations, and she'll

take a step in that direction with a victory in the $400,000

Yellow Ribbon S. (G1).

After opening 2008 with a victory in the San Gorgonio H. (G2) at Santa Anita in

January, the gray mare headed to the sidelines and wasn't seen again until a

seventh in the Diana S. (G1) in late July. She rebounded from that

uncharacteristic performance with a win in the Ballston Spa H. (G2) at Saratoga,

and the Todd Pletcher pupil will return to arguably her

favorite course on Saturday. Winner of the 2006 Yellow Ribbon, Wait a While will face nine rivals, including John C. Mabee H. (G1) and Beverly Hills H.

(G2) victress BLACK MAMBA (NZ) (Black Minnaloushe), in the 1 1/4-mile turf

affair.

Last-out Del Mar H. (G2) winner SPRING HOUSE (Chester House) is the one to

beat in the $250,000

Clement L.

Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship S. (G1) over 10 grassy furlongs. The six-year-old gelding is two-for-two

over the course, with a victory in February's San Luis Obispo H. (G2) to his

credit. Six rivals will line up against the Julio Canani trainee, including

multiple Grade 2 winners RED GIANT (Giant's Causeway) and OUT OF CONTROL (Brz) (Vettori).

The former exits a win in the Fourstardave H. (G2) for Pletcher. The Bobby

Frankel-trained Out of Control finished second by a nose in the Manhattan H.

(G1) two starts back.

Stardom Bound, who exits a smashing 4 1/4-length triumph in the Del Mar

Debutante (G1), tops a field of 12 juvenile fillies in the $250,000

Oak Leaf

S. (G1). Conditioned by Christopher Paasch, the gray lass will meet up again

with Debutante runner-up PALACIO DE AMOR (Dixieland Band) and third-placer WILL

O WAY (Broken Vow). Recent maiden winners TORO BONITO (El Corredor) and

KINESIOLOGY (Dixie Union) are also entered in the 1 1/16-mile test.