Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
DREAM SETUP
IMPROBABLE POISED FOR A PERFECT TRIP IN AWESOME AGAIN,
ARCADIA, Calif. – Although they’ve seemingly been in each other’s orbit for two seasons, the paths of the 4-year-olds Improbable and Maximum Security have only crossed once previously, in last year’s Kentucky Derby. It was a wholly unsatisfying endeavor for both, with Improbable, the race favorite, crossing the wire fifth, and Maximum Security, who crossed the wire first, having that result go far south 22 minutes later.
They meet for the first time since then on Saturday, in the Grade 1, $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes, Santa Anita’s local prep for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 7 at Keeneland. The 1 1/8-mile Awesome Again is a Win and You’re In for the 1 1/4-mile Classic, but both colts are already in via victories in their last starts, Improbable in the Whitney at Saratoga, Maximum Security through the Pacific Classic at Del Mar.
They will be the top two choices in the betting, and on paper lay over the field, but the race carries far more importance for their three challengers – Midcourt, Sleepy Eyes Todd, and Take the One O One – all of whom do their best running when put into the race early.
Maximum Security also likes to fight it out from the start, which leaves Improbable as the one who could benefit most from the potential race shape. Not that he needs any help. Improbable has come back far better at age 4 than he was at age 3. He has won two of his three starts this year, his lone loss a secondplace finish to the high-class Tom’s d’Etat following a wide trip in the Oaklawn Mile when returning from a five-month layoff. He came back to win the
Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita, then the Whitney, earning career-best Beyer Speed Figures in both those starts, most recently a 106 when defeating a troubled Tom’s d’Etat in the Whitney.
In addition, Improbable trains impressively daily, and his works all year are indicative of a horse who is thriving. His main concern often is his deportment in the gate. Drayden Van Dyke, aboard for the Oaklawn Mile and Gold Cup, has the local call.
“He’s doing really well,” his trainer, Bob Baffert, said at Santa Anita earlier this week. “He trained beautifully for the Whitney and he ran like he trained. He’s going to be tough in there. There’s a lot of speed and he can track.”
Baffert, of course, also now trains Maximum Security. It is unusual for him to run horses of this caliber against one another in a prep, but they are owned by different entities, and the placement of the Awesome Again in relation to the Classic made it the most appealing option, compared to, say, the Jockey Club Gold Cup on Oct. 10 at Belmont Park.
“You get an extra two weeks to the Breeders’ Cup,” Baffert said.
Maximum Security will be making his first start at Santa Anita after a pair of wins for Baffert at Del Mar. He captured the San Diego, then the Pacific Classic, in which he got a Beyer Figure of 107. The surface for the Pacific Classic was much firmer than the deep going for the San Diego, so handicappers may want to go to school on the tightness of the track early on Saturday’s card.
“He had every reason to lose that race,” Baffert said of the San Diego. “Not only is he a good horse, but he’s got a will to win. I love that about him.
“Silver Charm,” Baffert said, referencing his first Kentucky Derby winner, back in 1997, “was that way. He likes company.”
Luis Saez, Maximum Security’s regular rider from the Florida Derby through this year’s Saudi Cup, is reunited for this final prep for the Classic. He is spending the weekend here, and Baffert put him on five other runners Friday and Saturday.
Midcourt lost a heartbreaking decision to Maximum Security in the San Diego, then was third in the Pacific Classic after failing to engage Maximum Security early. He should be prominent this time provided he breaks, which has been an issue for him at times.
Sleepy Eyes Todd is taking on the big boys after making a good living recently in secondtier stakes for older runners, like the Charles Town Classic, in which he got a career-best Beyer of 102 after setting a soft pace. He won’t have that luxury here.
Take the One O One comes off a front-running victory in a second-level allowance at Del Mar going a mile. He adds pace to the lineup, but this is a tall order for him.
The Awesome Again is race 10 on an 11-race card that begins at 12:30 p.m. Pacific and features seven stakes, five of them Win and You’re Ins for respective Breeders’ Cup races, including:
◗ race 3, the Chandelier, for the Juvenile Fillies, headed by Del Mar Debutante winner Princess Noor.
◗ race 5, the Speakeasy, for the Juvenile Turf Sprint.
◗ race 7, the Rodeo Drive, for the Filly and Mare Turf.
◗ and race 8, the American Pharoah, for the Juvenile.
In addition, United, second last year in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, has his final prep for this year’s Turf in race 9, the John Henry Turf Championship.
Sunny skies and a high temperature of 88 degrees are forecast for Saturday by Weather.com.