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Happy Breeders’ Cup Saturday! First Post is 10:05 a.m. PT and 1:05 p.m. ET.

 BEST BET: 9-Cinderella’s Dream (Race 12)

Race #1: Selections: 12-1-3

12-Twirling Point must negotiate a tricky outside draw, but is a stakes winner for conditioner Jonathan Thomas, and the addition of blinkers should allow him to land a favorable early position. The Twirling Candy gelding makes his third start of the form cycle today and drops in class. 1-One of These Days (Ire) will look to stretch out an additional sixteenth of a mile today, exiting a sharp score at Santa Anita on Oct. 12 when he posted a career-best (89) Beyer for trainer Victor Garcia. 3-Suchet (Fr) is still looking for his first Stateside victory for Sadler, but has not had the smoothness of trips in the last pair. Rosario replaces Hernandez, who opts to ride our second choice.

Race #2: Selections: 8-1-2

8-Modus Bestia smoked a maiden field going 6 ½ furlongs over this main track on Sept. 7, earning a flashy field’s best (99) Beyer speed figure, and will prove tough to beat with a repeat effort of that stature for Baltas and Prat. 1-Ghost of Midnight defeated a trio of today’s returning rivals with a sharp off-the-pace run on Sept. 27 at Santa Anita and now goes first off the claim for a new barn. The veteran 7-year-old gelding has finished first or second in eight of nine career starts and figures to sit a favorable ground-saving trip from the rail. 2-Tall Paul flashed good speed, but tired badly to finish eighth and last when returning off the nine-month layoff back on Aug. 24 for team Baffert. The 4-year-old gelding drops off that subpar performance, but can improve today on the class drop, making his second try off the bench.

Race #3: Selections: 3-2-5

The mile specialist 3-Special Wan (Ire) has had three well-spaced tries for her 2025 campaign for the red-hot Brendan Walsh barn and exits a game score at Kentucky Downs in the Ladies Turf (G3). This talented 5-year-old mare holds a double Beyer advantage over the rest of this field. 2-Deep Satin drops out of the Grade 1 First Lady at Keeneland into this softer spot this afternoon, when just missing the show spot in that tougher heat from a difficult post. This multiple stake winner for conditioner Cherie DeVaux moves inside this afternoon and figures to sit a favorable stalking trip. Grade 2 John C. Mabee S. runner-up 5-Medoro has run well in both starts this year for trainer Peter Eurton and loves this turf course. The 4-year-old filly has hit the board in all five tries at a mile.

Race #4: BC Filly and Mare Sprint (G1)

Selections: 9-8-2

Trainer Bob Baffert has three entrants here and won this race in 2020 with Gamine at Keeneland. 9-Richi shortens up to seven furlongs and makes his third start of the form cycle this afternoon for Team Baffert. The 5-year-old mare is training superbly and looks primed third off the bench. The talented Quality Road 4-year-old 8-Hope Road is 12-5-4-1 lifetime, but more importantly, 6-3-2 at Del Mar. She will be happy not to face Kopion, who has beaten her three times previously. Baffert also sends out 2-Splendora, who is a perfect 3-for-3 and is also training superbly off the two-month mini-freshening.

Race #5: BC Turf Sprint (G1)

Selections: 2-1-5-11

2-Reef Runner has crossed the wire first in his last three turf sprint starts since being gelded by conditioner David Fawkes. He was unfortunately DQ’d two back at 18-1, but exits with a career-best Beyer in his Eddie D (G2) win on Sept. 27. 1-Motorious (GB) was a neck shy of winning this event last year at 12-1 and loves the Del Mar grass course, as evidenced by his 4-1-0 record from five starts. The veteran 7-year-old gelding continues to fire for trainer Phil D’Amato and is only making his third start of his 2025 campaign. 5-Bring Theband Home was a beaten favorite in Woodbine’s Grade 2 Nearctic but looks like the speed of the speed in here, which is always a dangerous thing going five furlongs on turf. 11-Bucanero Fuerte (GB) looks best of the Euros for conditioner Adrian Murray. He’s a multiple winner at five furlongs and should give their American rivals all they can handle in this grass dash.

Race #6: BC Sprint (G1)

Selections: 10-2-5-1

10-Bentornato appears to be in career-best form and comes into this race off that dominating Churchill prep for trainer Jose D’Angelo. The 4-year-old makes his second start off the 10-month layoff, is proven over the Del Mar strip, and has never been worse than first or second in five six-furlong tries. If there’s a mad scramble for the lead and the fractions are too fast, things could set up for multiple Grade 2 winner 2-Banishing. The 5-year-old gelding has used the route to sprint move successfully in the past, and shortens up for trainer David Jacobson, exiting the Lukus Classic (G2) and Charles Town Classic (G2). He’s hit the board in nine of 10 tries this year and rattled off five straight double-digit Beyer at Oaklawn to begin this year’s campaign. The Mandella-trained 5-Big City Lights could also benefit from an overzealous early pace duel. The 6-year-old loves Del Mar (2-2-0 from five starts) and won the last pair of stake races by a combined 16 lengths, albeit against softer competition. His stablemate, 1-Kopion (the lone filly in this race), was a late addition to this race. She has a tough assignment facing the boys, but fits on raw numbers, posting some of the flashiest sprint Beyers in this field, albeit going seven furlongs.

Race #7: BC Distaff (G1)

Selections: 1-8-2-10-4

The ultra-game 1-Nitrogen fell a nose short to Gin Gin in the Spinster and has proven to be equally effective on dirt and turf. This Medaglia d’Oro sophomore filly sports a 6-3-2 salty record from 11 lifetime starts and is a must-use as she closes in on $2 million in career earnings. The lightly raced 8-Seismic Beauty sports the field’s best last-out dirt Beyer (110) with a strong wire-to-wire win in the Clement Hirsch (G1) back in August. This daughter of Uncle Mo has trained exceptionally well in recent weeks and is dangerous with a repeat of that last flashy victory. The Argentinian-bred 2-Seawak Rim (Arg) adds blinkers today and could be any kind for conditioner Ignacio Correas. Irad landing here is an encouraging endorsement. 10–Gin Gin was a game gate-to-wire 18-1 upset winner of the aforementioned G1 Spinster for trainer Brendan Walsh and is eligible to move forward off that sharp victory, making her second start off the bench. She’s had a significant form reversal since arriving under this shedrow. 4-Scylla has trained well since arriving in Southern California, exiting back-to-back ITM finishes in the Spinster (G1) and Ballerina (G1).

Race #8: BC Turf (G1)

Selections: 8-1-2-4

The Europeans have won 9 of the last 10 editions of this championship race, as most ship to Southern California knowing their runners can successfully handle a firm turf course. The multiple Grade 1-winning 8-Minnie Hauk (Ire) is a filly meeting the boys. Still, she’s done just about everything right for trainer Aidan O’Brien. She was a head short in the Arc back on Oct. 5 over the soft going and will likely relish the firmer going at Del Mar. This champion daughter of Frankel has never been worse than first or second in seven career tries. At the ripe age of 7, 1-Rebel’s Romance (Ire) continues on just as strong as ever. He’s 20-for-29 for his career and has amassed over $14 million in earnings—the Godolphin homebred looks for a record-breaking threepeat in this prestigious event. The Champion Road warrior posted a strong (106) Beyer in his latest score, the Grade 1 Turf Classic at Aqueduct on Sept. 27. The German-bred 2-Goliath (Ger) arrives here off a win in the Grosser Preis von Baden (G1) for top conditioner Francis-Henri Graffard. The 5-year-old gelding arguably had a more productive 2024 campaign but lands here in good form for top connections and has finished first or second in eight of 11 tries at 1 ½-miles, including beating Rebel’s Romance in the 2024 King George V1 & Queen Elizabeth S. (G1). 4-Redistricting (GB) looks best of the Americans for trainer Chad Brown. The 5-year-old finished second to Rebel’s Romance in the Turf Classic, but draws well with good positional speed.

Race #9: BC Classic (G1)

Selections: 10-1-9-7

10-Antiquarian matured nicely over the summer for Team Pletcher, posting a pair of triple-digit Beyers at Saratoga and taking The Jockey Gold Cup (G1) in his final prep for this. If the 4-year-old takes to the surface and makes another forward move this afternoon, he has longshot potential. His stablemate 1-Fierceness had all kinds of problems when drawing the 1-hole in his ultra-impressive Pacific Classic (G1) victory when ducking in early, bouncing off the rail, and still managing to recover and win handily by 3 ¼ lengths—a fantastic effort from the Repole Stable 4-year-old. Preakness and Haskell winner 9-Journalism finishes out a tremendous 2025 campaign, where he proved his toughness and versatility on the road, seemingly showing up in each big spot all spring and summer. Jockey Jose Ortiz replaces Umberto Rispoli, who has been aboard for all 10 career starts, and this sophomore colt looks super sharp in his a.m. drills off the two-month freshening. Last year’s BC Classic Champion 7-Sierra Leone deserves utmost respect again, having never not hit the board in 13 career starts for trainer Chad Brown, and figures to make his usual late run over a surface you know he handles well.

Race #10: BC Mile (G1)

Selections: 2-7-11-5

2-Notable Speech (GB) finished third (beaten three-quarters of a length) in the 2024 edition as the beaten favorite and is back again for conditioner Charlie Appleby off a solid win prep in the Woodbine Mile (G1) in Canada on Sept. 13. The six-time winner has notched a trio of Group 1 victories over his career and looks primed to give another good account of himself in this year’s running with regular pilot William Buick. 7-Johanes was runner-up in this event last year and comes into this race with a sharp win in the City of Hope Mile (G2) for conditioner Tim Yakteen, while making his third start of the form cycle.  11-Rhetorical is the New York invader for trainer William Walden, who has rattled off four consecutive victories and exits a career-best Beyer with his Turf Mile (G1) score at Keeneland. The Not this Time gelding has enough positional speed to get over from today’s outside draw. 5-Program Trading is a late threat for trainer Chad Brown and still has potential upside this afternoon, making just his third start of 2025. The 5-year-old is a Grade 1 winner over this turf course.

Race #11: Dirt Mile (G1)

Selections: 2-7-10-6-4

Of the three Baffert runners, 2-Goal Oriented should offer the best value and potentially the most upside. The lightly raced sophomore shortens up to the mile this afternoon, exiting an even third in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1). The Not This Time colt has run just as fast as anyone in here. BC Juvenile winner 7-Citizen Bull was a 5 ½-length runaway winner of the Shared Belief back in August and has trained exceptionally well coming into this. 10-White Abarrio has lost his previous three Grade 1 attempts, but the 2023 BC Classic winner is also shortening up in distance today and has been training lights-out at Gulfstream. Perhaps he can regain his past championship form for the more-than-capable Saffie Joseph. 6–Full Serrano looks for a Breeders’ Cup Dirt repeat for Sadler. This seven-time winner has never been worse than first or second over the Del Mar main track, and sports a solid 6-3-0 tilt from nine tries at today’s one-mile distance. The 2024 Derby winner, 4-Mystik Dan, shortens up this afternoon for trainer Ken McPeek after posting a (100) Beyer in the Lukas Classic score (G2) at Churchill back on Aug. 31. The 4-year-old has trained sharply since that last effort and should find today’s one-mile trip right in his sweet spot. Gulfstream.

Race #12: BC Filly & Mare Turf (G1)

Selections: 9-6-5-13-12

Trainer Charlie Appleby sends out a pair of Godolphin homebreds with 9-Cinderella’s Dream (GB) and 6-Diamond Rain (GB). Cinderella has been disappointing as the beaten favorite in her last pair of Group 1 tries at Newmarket and Deauville, but would not be making the trek here if not right—Buick lands here, which is an encouraging sign. Diamond had a sharp runner-up prep in the aforementioned E.P. Taylor for this and likely offers more upside, making only start number five of her 2025 campaign. 5-Gezora (Fr) was helped by some of the main contenders in this race getting outside draws, and this 3-year-old filly should enjoy getting on firm going after disliking the Arc bog. The Group 1 winner draws well and makes her third start of the form cycle this afternoon. The multiple Grade 1-winning 13-She Feels Pretty is as game as they come for conditioner Cherie DeVaux and is a true road warrior that fires every start. This champion filly has seen her Beyers improve with each subsequent start this campaign. She exits a career-top (104) in the E.P. Taylor (G1) victory at Woodbine on Aug. 16. 12–Bellezza (Ire) kicked away to an impressive score in the Flower Bowl (G2) at Saratoga back on Aug. 30 when getting back to the firm going for trainer Miguel Clement, and the 4-year-old filly should relish the fast Del Mar turf course. She’s trained smartly up to this championship event.