HANDICAPPING HEROES -- Breeders Cup week -- Wednesday -- Horses to watch. in Classic, Mile and Juvenile Turf Sprint

Yes, Breeders Cup comes to Churchill Downs this week and we're expanding our coverage here at HANDICAPPING HEROES starting today. There will be articles here today through Sunday and here's what we have in store for you:

TODAY --  Horses in three races Paulie thinks you should consider.

THURSDAY -- Thoughts on trainers and who they're bringing to Churchill

FRIDAY -- Our picks and audio for the five Friday Breeders Cup races

SATURDAY -- Who we like in the Breeders Cup Day Late Pick 4

SUNDAY -- Recap and review.

So, with 14 races over two days, there is a lot of ground to cover. The best of the best. All ages, different distances, different surfaces. I thought I'd look at horses, from three different races, who just might warrant your attention.

IN THE CLASSIC

Catholic Boy. The 3-year-old multi-surface talent flourished this summer, reeling off three straight graded stakes wins in a span of less than three months, including the Grade 1 Belmont Derby on turf and the Grade 1 Travers at the Classic distance. Not much chatter surrounding the bay ridgling as he’s facing older males for the first time, but is he that much far off? He looked strong in his 5-furlong work (1:01.02) Sunday at Churchill Downs. An overlooked upset candidate? We'll take 8-1. 


IN THE JUVENILE TURF SPRINT

Aidan O'Brian is loaded for bear in the opening race of the Breeder Cup five races, the "Future Stars Friday".  He will send a pair of talented European-based turf runners. Among them is group 3 winner Sergei Prokofiev, a son of the late Scat Daddy. As a counterpart to the colt, O'Brien has also entered So Perfect, a Scat Daddy filly and fellow group 3 winner who finished second against males—a half-length behind the winner—in the Aug. 12 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes (G1) at Newmarket. Don't be surprised if both "hit the board" and give him a exacta finish. With 6-1 on Sergei and 12-1 morning line odds on So Perfect, a great chance to hit "sumthin' big". 


THE SATURDAY SPRINT

If you're going to the Saturday Breeders Cup races, don't forget the limo. Not the chauffeured-driven kind, (although that'd be nice). We're talking about morning line 6-1 runner LIMOUSINE LIBERAL , who will break from the gate for owner Katherine Ball, trainer Ben Colebrook and have Jose Ortiz on his back. 

While, for whatever reason, Keeneland has proven to be an unlucky host to Limousine Liberal, the other big track in the Commonwealth has proven to be his own friendly confines. In eight lifetime races under the iconic Twin Spires, he has six wins, while just missing in another. Making that stat line all the more impressive is the fact that he comes to this year's edition of the Sprint having won five straight at Churchill Downs, and all of them were stakes races. You wanna give us 6-1 on this "horse for the course?" Yep, we'll accept. 



paulie
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