Eight Rings gets 2nd chance in loaded American Pharoah Stakes
Trainer Bob Baffert’s Eight Rings, Mark Glatt’s Collusion Illusion, John Shirreffs’ Express Train and Steve Asmussen’s Shoplifted head a strong field of nine juveniles in the Grade 1, $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes featured on opening Friday at Santa Anita Park. 1 1/16 to be run at a mile and one sixteenth over Santa Anita’s main track.
With this race a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” qualifier, the winner of the 1 1/16-mile American Pharoah will earn a fees-paid berth into the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 1, also at Santa Anita.
Here's a closer look at the main contenders...
Trainer: Bob Baffert
A runaway 6 ¼-length first-out maiden winner going 5 ½ furlongs on Aug. 4 at Del Mar, this colt by Empire Maker was off as the prohibitive 1-2 favorite in the seven furlong Del Mar Futurity (G1) on Sept. 2 but ducked in at the break, then unseated jockey Drayden Van Dyke. With Van Dyke’s status uncertain until recently, Baffert has opted to bring Hall of Famer John Velazquez in to ride on Friday for the colt's 2-year-old debut.
Trainer: Mark Glatt
A Florida-bred colt by Twirling Candy, he’s done little wrong in two starts. A first out half-length maiden winner going five furlongs on July 21, Collusion Illusion made an impressive late run in taking the six furlong Best Pal Stakes (G2) at Del Mar by 1 ¼ lengths on Aug. 10. Joe Talamo rides back a fresh horse as Collusion Illusion bids for his third straight win.
Trainer: John Shirreffs
Second, beaten 6 ¼ lengths by Eight Rings going 5 ½ furlongs on Aug. 4, this Union Rags colt stretched out to mile in his second start, winning by 14 ¼ lengths as the 3-5 favorite. A $500,000 Keeneland September yearling, he’ll be ridden back by Mike Smith.
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
An $800,000 March 2-year-old in training sale purchase, this Into Mischief colt was an impressive 4 ½-length first-out maiden winner going 5 ½ furlongs at Saratoga on July 27 and came back to run second over a sloppy track in the Hopeful Stakes (G1) going seven furlongs on Sept. 2. Top gun Joel Rosario will ship in from New York to ride.
Trainer: Peter Miller
A 10 ½-length maiden $100,000 claiming winner at odds of 1-2 on Aug. 21, this Ghostzapper colt was dismissed as a 35-1 longshot in the Del Mar Futurity, which was his fifth career start. Breaking from post position seven, he avoided any trouble that may have been caused by favored Eight Rings, who broke from post position two. And with Norberto Arroyo, Jr., up, Nucky pressed the pace and went on to post a 2 ¾-length win but received a 68 Beyer Speed Figure for it.
THE AMERICAN PHAROAH WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS