By Allan Gray

Wicked Style has to reassert himself after
disastrous Breeder’s Cup

Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) – Churchill Downs, Saturday, Nov. 24

Wicked Style was one of the favourites going into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, however the rains came and washed his hopes away. Never running on anything put Polytrack, Wicked Style, trained by George Arnold finished a disastrous tenth in the slop of Monmouth. This weekend’s Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes could be his redemption.

Unbeaten in three starts including two graded stakes prior to the Breeders Cup Juvie, the 2-year-old son of Macho Uno was running in the fast lane on the road to the Kentucky Derby. A horse that likes to run up front, Wicked Style might have the lead by himself considering the class of horse he has run against in the past. However, if that doesn’t happen he can be content to sit in behind the leaders.

Cool Coal Man could be one of the horses that challenge Wicked Style for the lead. Winner of his last two, Cool Coal Man, trained by Hall of Famer Nick Zito, demolished a maiden special weight field at Delaware Park , winning by ten lengths. He then ran an impressive race winning at Churchill Downs against allowance company.

A horse you might want to watch will be Racecar Rhapsody. A winner of his last start at Keeneland, Racecar Rhapsody has never run over 6 ½ furlongs but his closing kick could be a sign he will like a distance. His sire Tale of the Cat was a sprinter, but he does have A. P. Indy on his mother’s side and that usually indicates there is a route horse in the making. He could get caught by the distance this time, but should hit the board. If he does, make sure you have his name on your list of horses to watch as the Kentucky Derby trail starts.

Will Midnight Lute be able to carry his speed to a mile?

The Hill ‘n’ Dale Cigar Mile (G1) – Aqueduct, Saturday, Nov. 24

He was incredible in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint coming from ten lengths back on a sloppy track to win going away. Can this champion sprinter get a mile? With the closing kick shown in his last two starts there should not be a problem.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Midnight Lute has had problems in the past with anything over seven furlongs. However that was before he had surgery to correct a breathing problem. Since the surgery he has given racing fans the fastest beyer speed figure of the year in the Forego Stakes at Saratoga and his incredible Breeders Cup victory. A horse can’t have a breathing problem to accomplish that.

Xchanger , who last appeared in the Breeder’s Cup Dirt Mile where he finished a disappointing sixth, should run much better than he did in the slop at Monmouth. Winner of the grade three Barbaro Stakes at Delaware Park earlier this year, Xchanger looks to be the only horse of substance in this race that could battle with Midnight Lute, at least at the top of the stretch anyway.

Nobiz Like Shobiz class of the field in Hollywood Derby

Hollywood Derby (G1) – Hollywood Park, Sunday, Nov. 25

After a respectable showing on the Kentucky Derby Trail early this year winning the Wood Memorial and the Holly Bull Stakes, Nobiz Like Shobiz has found his calling. That calling is on the grass as he won three graded turf stakes before he tackled older horses in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. Finishing fourth on a soggy turf against some of the best in the world is no easy task.

Having won the Hall of Fame at Saratoga , the Kent at Delaware Park , and the Jamaica at Belmont, Nobiz Like Shobiz now takes on the best young turf talent from the west in the Hollywood Derby. Trainer Barclay Tagg could be the first trainer to win back to back Hollywood Derbies if Nobiz can get the job done. Tagg won last year’s Hollywood Derby with Showing Up.

Bold Hawk , trained by James Toner, is coming into the Hollywood Derby after winning the Hawthorne Derby in October. Having faced traffic problems throughout the final turn, Bold Hawk made a huge move between horses down the stretch to catch Twilight Meteor at the wire. If Bold Hawk could run up to that performance again he could do well here.

Twilight Meteor has finished second to both Nobiz Like Shobiz in the Kent and Bold Hawk in the Hawthorne Derby. This 3-year-old Canadian-bred seems at home on the grass going seven of eight in the money. Twilight Meteor is trained by the ever present Todd Pletcher.