The West Coast challenge

‘Horses for courses’ is a phrase often uttered by punters in a bid to find a clear angle to favour one runner over another. It makes perfect sense as prior experience on certain tracks can provide a big advantage and, although the majority of US venues are oval-shaped and a similar distance in circumference, previous Del Mar victories can only be good news.

The 2024 Breeders’ Cup was held at this very picturesque venue and we saw three West Coast-based winners, all of which are returning 12 months on. Here are the local-based runners bidding to enter the Del Mar winner's circle at this year’s World Championships.

BOTTLE OF ROUGE 

(NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, Friday)

After an underwhelming yet victorious Grade 1 Alcibiades Stakes performance for long-term ante-post favourite Tommy Jo, traders decided to push Bottle Of Rouge to the top of the Juvenile Fillies market for trainer Bob Baffert, who won this contest in 1998 and 2007. This strong-staying Ted Noffey filly won the Grade 1 Debutante Stakes here last month but boasts tepid favouritism in what looks to be a competitive race.

BRANT 

(FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, Friday)

Bob Baffert has had record-breaking success in the Juvenile, a race in which he saddled Citizen Bull to land the spoils at a big price last year. His chief representative this season is Brant, an unbeaten son of Gun Runner who cost a mighty $3million in March. Impressive in two outings at this venue earlier this season, which includes a gutsy victory in the Del Mar Futurity, Brant will look to keep this prize on the West Coast but he will have to fend off current favourite Ted Noffey to do so.

KOPION 

(PNC Bank Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, Saturday)

Richard Mandella has proceeded with caution with his star filly this autumn after she confirmed that she was top of this division with an impressive strike in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff at the Kentucky Derby meeting at Churchill Downs. She enters this contest with a nice worktab and she will look to become the first West Coast-trained filly to win the Filly & Mare Sprint since Ce Ce in 2021.

MOTORIOUS

(Prevagen Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, Saturday)

This speedy gelding began his racing life in the care of trainer Stuart Williams, for whom he won twice and largely competed in handicap company. Since moving Stateside, Motorious has improved drastically and he has now amassed just under $1million in total prize-money with his career highlight coming when second in the Turf Sprint last season. Will he go one better this time around? He will need some luck in running, that’s for sure.

IMAGINATION

(Cygames Breeders' Cup Sprint, Saturday)

One of three very strong West Coast contenders in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint this year. Unlike Dr Venkman and Straight No Chaser (more on him below), Imagination hasn’t spent most of his career running over this distance. In fact, he was largely penciled in as a Triple Crown type during his three-year-old season and only dropped down to six furlongs last month at Santa Anita. His impressive victory that day catapulted him to the top of the Sprint market.

STRAIGHT NO CHASER 

(Cygames Breeders' Cup Sprint, Saturday)

While Imagination has to prove that he is top-class over sprinting distances, Straight No Chaser is the complete opposite. Last year’s winner of this race boasts immense early speed and has been aimed at a repeat Breeders’ Cup victory ever since his spring Middle East campaign. Trainer Dan Blacker knows how to get his horses ready and vast improvement is expected from his recent Santa Anita spin.

SEISMIC BEAUTY 

(Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff, Saturday)

The Distaff division was thrown up into the air after the defeats of Nitrogen and Thorpedo Anna, who is now retired, in the Grade 1 Spinster Stakes at Keeneland earlier this month. There is a large vacancy for a new champion in this division and Bob Baffert relies on Seismic Beauty, a four-time winner who plundered the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Stakes on this course in August. But is she race-fit after a three-month absence? Time will tell.

JOURNALISM 

(Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, Saturday)

Journalism’s tough schedule yet consistent performances has been one of the stories of this season. Winner of the Santa Anita Derby, Preakness, and Haskell, backed-up by runner-up efforts behind Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, it is fair to conclude that Journalism has danced every dance. Maybe a dip in form was due, and that came on this track when he finished a distance second to Fierceness in August. Now freshened up, can he return to his best in the Classic?

JOHANNES 

(FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile Presented by PDJF, Saturday)

Last year, the Cherie DeVaux-trained More Than Looks ended a streak of European-trained winners in the Breeders’ Cup Mile that had stretched to four. The market believes the prize will head back to the UK this time around, but Tim Yakteen will be hoping it’s Johannes’ time. Runner-up 12 months ago and subsequently twice successful in Grade 2 company at Santa Anita, Johannes will bid to add a second Grade 1 victory to his CV.

NYSOS 

(Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, Saturday)

Just how good is Nysos? We should find out in the Dirt Mile on Breeders’ Cup Saturday. This much-hyped colt has had a truncated career with numerous setbacks and late withdrawals, but he appears to be all systems go ahead of this advised target on his home course. With five wins from six starts and an excellent grinding style, maybe Nysos will come of age just at the right time. He’s a short price for that to happen.