California Crown – Grade I (P10) [BC]
SA Race #10 1 1/8m Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $1,000.000 For Three-Year-Olds And Upward.

1 Individuation Mb Stables Prat F 124 —

It is not very often we see a $1,000.000 race with just one Mb runner but when you have a horse like Individuation you don’t need another runner. This brilliant five-year-old has 12 wins for $8,155.000 in prize money and really needs no introduction as a BC Classic winner and victor in 5-grade ones. 2024 certainly hasn’t been his best year and it seems a while ago since he was the brilliant winner of the GP Mile, but it wouldn’t be a Breeders Cup without him in the field so let’s hope he can get the job done today. His last two races have been most unlike him, and it does make you question the performances but his works are as good as ever so I am going with the hope that the HRP random will fall his way today.

2 Cheap Ways Iolaus Racing Beschizza A 124 —

Claimed back in June. he has gone two from two for the new owner winning the Iselin Stakes last time with a powerful late finish. He is certainly going the right way, but this is another step up and he will have to find a bit more to win this with the same late finish. Had Individuation behind in a well-beaten fifth in the Iselin so that was clearly a huge effort and if he can repay his trainer’s confidence here, he will have a strong chance in the BC.

3 Prince Ferro Maxmillion Farm Jimenez A 124 —

He switched back to dirt last time for a huge run in the Pacific Classic going down by a length and taking some very good horses on the way. Generally racing over further than this he will have to work hard early to stay in touch but if he can we know he has the quality to run them down late.

4 Bonus Baby Night Rider Stables Jaramillo E 124 —

He has been in good form this year with some consistent efforts being rewarded with a game-win in the Seagram Cup last time. I think this may be his best trip, so I am looking for a career-best effort today and if that is good enough, he is certainly a hope.

5 Calling All Angels D J C Racing Stables Hernandez R M 124 —

Another turf regular that switched to dirt for a big effort, he was third in the CT Classic last time at big odds. Certainly, looking over the horses in this race and others we seem to be losing any definition between a turf and a dirt horse recently with players cottoning on to the fact that very few have any real preference, unlike real life. So, on his effort in the Classic, he is certainly a chance but looking at his form in general and his dirt work times, I do feel he has a bit to find with a few.

6 Twin Rackets Alydar Stables Conner T 124 —

I still can’t believe this horse hasn’t won a race this year although with $514.000 in place money, you can’t say it hasn’t been a successful year. He always finishes like a train from the clouds, but the AI never seems to get the timing right, when it does, this horse is going to look like Pegasus! I think I have tipped him every time I have written about him because every time he runs it’s a black book run, but a win really doesn’t come down to his ability, it comes down to a host of other race engine-based things. I hope for his sake he can win today, there is no horse that deserves it more.

7 Living In The Matrix TwinTowersRacing Cedillo A 124 —

An on-pacer, he is suited by this engine and with so many closers in this race I wonder whether he can slip them today and get his second win of the year. It worked in the Suburban where he set a modest pace, kicked and held on, but that didn’t work in the Whitney where he was pushed to go too fast early on. He was a bit disappointing in the Pacific Classic but never got a comfortable run on the lead and lost interest down the stretch. If he gets the front, he may be hard to pass.

8 Master And Commander Fractious Franco M 121 —

Not too many favors for Fractious from the Draw Monster here as their two runners are both drawn wide. This is the only three-year-old in the race and the 3 Lb allowance brings him nicely in line with his elders giving him every chance if the draw doesn’t beat him. He ran a huge race to be second in the Travers last time but is another who likes to come late and those types do struggle to win on this engine. If the AI works for him, he has the ability to win.

9 Schopenhauer Maxmillion Farm Ferrer J C 124 —

Well, this one is here for one reason, the 1.10 flat works. He had been pretty average previous to his last win and recent works, but clearly that good old five-year-old fairy dust got liberally sprinkled in his food bin and he could be far better than what he has shown so far. The draw is tough for a shock win, but you can’t blame the trainer for taking the shot.

10 South China Sea Fractious Velazquez J R 124 —

There is a lot of Whitney form running this weekend and this one as the winner of that race is certainly an eye-catching runner here. Typical of HRP he was beaten by some of the other runners in previous races but has been consistent all year and it was his turn in the Whitney. The wide draw may well see him waiting on a hopeful late run again but if the pace is hot and he can reproduce his last win then he will be a very big chance.

SUMMARY

An interesting race here. We have the established star of the game in Individuation, but he has been out of form. We have the Whitney winner, but he is drawn wide, we have a freakish worker who has done little to date but just maybe one of those Max specials, we have the three-year-old with the TC form, the deep closers, the converted turfers and the hopefuls. It’s a race full of stories waiting to be written. As for who is going to win, well I am once again going for Twin Rackets because once a year the AI seems to get the closing timing right for those types and I don’t want to miss out when that happens for him.

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES