McCarthy hopes to upset Santa Anita Breeders' Cup preps

Mike McCarthy has three horses entered Saturday in four of Santa Anita’s Grade 1, Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” stakes races, all of them not favored, but that isn’t preventing the 47-year-old trainer from looking at the glass as half full.

A protégé of Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, McCarthy has Paved in the Rodeo Drive Stakes for fillies and mares, 3 and up, at a mile and a quarter on turf; The Lieutenant in the Awesome Again Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles; and Vibrance in the Chandelier Stakes 1 1/16 miles for 2-year-old fillies.

“Paved is a 3 year old facing older horses and we’re looking to get back on track with her,” McCarthy said, alluding to out-of-the-money finishes in her last two starts, the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks and the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks.

“She’s trained wonderfully here since Del Mar and a mile and a quarter should be right up her alley.”

Triple Crown winner Justify might be retired, but his older half-brother will go against California's best in Accelerate and West Coast.

“The Awesome Again is an awful tough spot for The Lieutenant, but he’s training well. He went a mile and a quarter in the Suburban,” McCarthy said.

The Lieutenant was second to Diversify at Belmont Park July 7 before finishing nearly 22 lengths behind Accelerate in Del Mar’s Pacific Classic on Aug. 18.

“It didn’t seem he liked the surface at Del Mar that day, he got a little farther back than we wanted and didn’t break well, so we’ll try and put our best foot forward tomorrow.”

McCarthy will also be looking for an upset in the Chandelier.

“Vibrance has a win going two turns, but she’s in against five other very talented fillies,” he said. “That said, we have a bit of an edge with a couple two-turn races under our belt, so hopefully that plays to our strengths, we have a nice trip, and have something to say at the finish line.”