Friday Breeders' Cup Selections From Michael

I have decided to put the post from SureBet's Martha Claussen with her selections separately from mine because I have learned over the years that it's better to let Martha go ahead and have her say and then allow myself time for rebuttal. Martha did go with the top four selections for each race. I am going to take a slightly different approach with my piece and give out two horses for each race. In some instances, it will be two favorites. There will also be races where I selected a favorite and a longshot or two longshots. It is up to you the reading public to do with these selections what you may. So, without any further ado:

The $500,000 Breeders' Cup Marathon
Mastery has been a horse that I have pimped in this blog since he won the St. Leger in September and I am not abandoning ship now. I said all along the St. Leger is a better Breeders' Cup prep than the Arc and I will prove it here. My longshot pick is the defending champion here, Muhannak. He has not done a darn thing since winning here last year, but he does have that score over this track and I like the price at 12-1.

The $1,000,000 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf
In the quest for a price, this might be a good spot to look. Part of me says it is pure folly to go against Lillie Langtry and her 6 for 6 in-the-money in Europe. The other part of me says let's find a price and go with Elusive Galaxy, who faded to fourth last out at Woodbine and has finished behind some of these, including the favorite pick, but at 12-1, I think she is an attractive alternative and Rafael Bejarano gets the call.

The Grade 1 $2,000,000 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
Blind Luck fits the profile of almost all the previous winners of this race at Santa Anita. She won the Grade 1 Oak Leaf and did it easily. She is maturing quite nicely and she is going to be running into a lot of speed at the front here. My longshot is only 8-1, but She Be Wild might be able to reverse the last race and beat out Negligee. She has a bullet workout on October 30 and she is certainly very well-bred.

The Grade 1 $2,000,000 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf
Not much of a chance for a longshot in here since all the main competitors are fairly chalky, but I will go with the horse that seems to be garnering the most attention from the "wise guys" and that is Midday. She is going 2nd off the layoff here and won the Group 1 Nassau Stakes at Goodwood two back at the distance. I will also favor the defending champion here with Forever Together. Her only Grade 1 win since last year's Cup was the Grade 1 Diana at The Spa, but she is more than capable of going back-to-back in this event.

The Grade 1 $1,000,000 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint
Another race that the candidates don't afford much of a chance for any prices, so I will take the defending champion, Ventura. I just think she is sitting on another big effort here off her win in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile on September 20. She did get beat by Informed Decision two starts back and I think she is the only horse in here that might beat Ventura. She has won five of six at the extended sprint distance for this race of seven furlongs.

The Grade 1 $2,000,000 Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic
You know to me, this is still the Distaff, but I am not in charge, so there you go. With the defection of Zenyatta to the Classic on Saturday (YIPPEE!!! for all the bettors out there), I will try for a minor price with Life Is Sweet. She has been getting beaten by Zenyatta all summer out west and acquitted herself nicely when SHE faced the boys in the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup, running third. She hasn't won since March, but she is three for four over the Santa Anita surface. I also think that Rainbow View has a definite shot in here. She was stunned in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor at Woodbine on October 17 by Lahaleeb, who was 40-1. Rainbow View has been the betting choice in her last two and she is an attractive 6-1 on the morning-line here.

So, there you have it. Remember, Martha's picks immediately follow in the next post below this one and I thank her for the compliments on my move to Turf Paradise and look forward to keeping our spirited competition going. Saturday's picks will be posted from the two of us on Friday evening, so stay tuned for that. Remember, we accept no responsibility for any wagers placed in conjunction with these selections. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!