Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series Race Previews: Sunday October 9

Keeneland Race #8: Bourbon Stakes (4:10 PM CST)

Win and You’re In for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf

Top Pick: #2 Ticonderoga

Others to Use in Multi Race Wagers: #5 Keep Quiet

Analysis: When talking about turf races in the United States it certainly starts with one name: Chad Brown.  It just so happens in this race Brown might have his best 2 Year Old colt that runs on the turf in Ticonderoga.  On debut Ticonderoga lost by only a head to my Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf top choice Good Samaritan at Saratoga, and last time out he crushed a maiden special weight field at Belmont Park.  I’m looking for a big time effort from him in this spot.

While Ticonderoga might lack experience, Keep Quiet certainly does not as he finished second in the Grade 2 With Anticipation at Saratoga last time out.  He ran a huge race that day, but was defeated by Made You Look who saved all the ground in that race.  Keep Quiet is a very talented horse, and like I previously stated might have the experience edge over my top choice.

Others with ample stakes experience include: Bird’s Eye View, All Right, Cold Snack Thirty, Royal by Nature, Hot Dad, Ancient Warfare, Prados Way, and Hembree.  Out of those only two actually are stakes winners though as All Right won the Kentucky Downs Juvenile and Royal by Nature won the Sunday Silence at Louisiana Downs.  Artful Union, It’s Your Nickel, Heaven Is Waiting, and Unbridled Eagle all come into this one off maiden special weight wins and could be ready to jump up and make an impact here.

Keeneland Race #9: Spinster Stakes (4:45 PM CST)

Win and You’re In for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff

Top Pick: #3 I’m A Chatterbox

Others to Use in Multi Race Wagers: #1 Paid Up Subscriber

Analysis: At times during her career I’m A Chatterbox has disappointed in the big races, but I don’t see that happening on Sunday evening.  After all this is a field of only five horses, and she’s dominated these rivals in the past.  This will serve as a nice tune up for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, but she’ll have to raise her game to another level if she wants to compete with those horses.

Paid Up Subscriber will be the main challenger to I’m A Chatterbox, and has run very fast races at this distance.  However, this horse has not been able to beat I’m A Chatterbox yet so its hard to put Paid Up Subscriber on top here.  She’ll have to hope for a very hot pace up front that perhaps softens Chatterbox up, and maybe Paid Up Subscriber can run her down late.

Genre runs for Todd Pletcher here, but was beaten easily by I’m A Chatterbox a couple of races back.  However, since that loss she has come back to win two small stakes races.  Rounding out this small field is Miss Pink Diva and Engaginglee both of who must improve greatly to get the job done on Sunday.