Race 10 at Del Mar | Saturday November 2 | Post Time 7:05 PM Eastern

Breeders’ Cup Sprint – Grade 1 | Purse $2 Million | Six Furlongs | Three Year Olds and Upward

Analysis and top contenders:

Remake (9) gets a set up for his late kick like no other. Raging Torrent has led from start to finish in three straight and must go fast from the rail to avoid other horses coming over. Federal Judge may be one of those, AND Don Frankie is for sure based on how he’s run in Japan and the U.A.E. Straight No Chaser is ABSOLUTELY a horse that needs the lead to win, having ben in front from the start in eight of nine races, including all five wins. Skelly is even more determined, as he’s been in front after a quarter mile and a half mile in EVERY ONE of his last 12 races. I’m not going to predict how fast the early pace will be but if it is under 44 seconds for the first half mile that wouldn’t surprise me on bit. Remake has won two of three races this year and nine of 18 in his career. He won the $15 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint in February, and he won the Korea Sprint Stakes in September, following five months off. This will be his second start off a layoff and he’s going to run even better than when rallying with a huge kick to beat 14 other horses in the Korea Sprint, so he’s the one to beat.

Nakatomi (4) was no match for the top two in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint but gamely got third by a neck at the wire. The top two are not back this year and Nakatomi also will benefit from the sizzling early pace. He won the Vanderbilt Handicap in July and was second in the Phoenix last month when Federal Judge was allowed to control the pace in front from start to finish, which will not be the case today. Gaffalione has been aboard for the horse’s last three wins and will be moving him strongly in the final stages once again.

Other contenders:

Gun Pilot (2) can’t be completely ignored at high odds, because he won the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes just three races back in May, and he was well regarded at 5 to 1 in that race. Like Nakatomi, Gun Pilot had no shot to win in the Grade 1 Forego Stakes when last seen in August as Mullikin controlled the pace in front from start to finish. That not being the case today, we can expect to see an effort more like the one in the Churchill Downs Stakes where he rallied from fifth to win.

Mullikin (10) may have a small shot to win, and definitely to be part of the exacta, as he’s won or placed in eight of nine races. He did rate in third early three races back in June, and in second when winning the Nerud Stakes in July, but in this case, he may need to rate in fourth or fifth to succeed. That’s not out of the question though so he should be considered a contender.

Bentornato (6), like Gun Pilot, starts are ridiculously high odds which do not consider his off the pace style. He’s won five of eight, including the Grade 2 Gallant Bob Stakes in September, and he fits at this level. Saez can be aggressive and if he is then Bentornato will get sent into the teeth of the pace battle between Raging Torrent and Straight No Chaser and have little left, but if Saez can get him to relax in third or fourth and if the horse can show some kick as he’s done a couple of times, he might outrun high odds for a piece and help us make a profit on exacta tickets, or even post the upset win.

Win Bets –

Remake (9) should be considered for a win bet at odds as low as 2 to 1.

Nakatomi (4) can be considered for a win bet at odds of 7 to 2 or more.

Win bets for smaller amounts than on either of the two horses above can be considered as follows:

Gun Pilot (2) at 5 to 1, Mullikin (10) at 6 to 1, Bentornato (6) at 6 to 1

Exactas:

Remake (9) and Nakatomi (4) over Remake (9), Nakatomi (4), Gun Pilot (2), Mullikin (10), Bentornato (6) and Skelly (11).