In case you don’t know it, Beholder has been scratched from Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Classic due to bleeding in her lungs after a gallop on Thursday.
It’s a shame because I really wanted to see her face American Pharoah, but the show much go on so here are my thoughts for Friday.
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Sixth Race: JUVENILE TURF
7-Ray’s The Bar
2-Azar
11-Hollywood Don
4-Shogun
If we get this morning-line, I’ll be stunned as trainer Chad Brown and jockey Javier Castellano just don’t go off at 20-1. RAY’S THE BAR had traffic trouble in U.S. debut so here’s hoping for a clean trip.
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Race 7: DIRT MILE
5-Lea
3-Liam’s Map
1-Red Vine
7-War Envoy
LIAM’S MAP will be everyone’s single here. Not me. This Bill Mot runner LEA is a perfect 3-for-3 at the distance and finished third in the Dubai World Cup. Mott put a good work into over the track recently signaling all systems are go.
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Race 8: JUVENILE FILLIES TURF
3-Alice Springs
10-Illuminate
14-Last Waltz
8-Harmonize
Sticking with the Euros in this race. They just seem to do well here. The condition of the turf course will be a concern to some after rain most of the week but reports are that the inside is harder than the inside so you might see horses all over the place depending on what type of turf they prefer.
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Race 9: DISTAFF
1-I’m a Chatterbox
14-Sheer Drama
7-Wedding Toast
6-My Sweet Addiction
Boy, if Beholder was healthy and running in this race she would be 1-9. She’s not so let’s go with an up and coming 3-year-old filly facing older for the first time in I’M A CHATTERBOX. Larry Jones is a great trainer and will have her ready.
@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter