Breeders' Cup Santa Anita 2012: Biggest Names to Watch

Day 1 of the Breeders' Cup is over and most of the big names failed to make an impact.

Only Royal Delta was able to come out on top and what an incredible race she ran. After blitzing through some super fast fractions like the 1:09.80 for the three-quarter pole; that is a time sprinters do for that distance.

On Day 2, there will be some big-name horses that will take the track and will be expected to win their races.

Some of the are running not only to win, but to state their case in the Horse of the Year Award debate.

Nine races will be run today, but there are five that really call for most of the attention, and that is because of the star horses in them.

Let's take a look at which big-name horses you cannot afford to miss running today.

Groupie Doll

Owner: Fred F. Bradley, William B. Bradley, Carl Hurst & Brent Burns

Trainer: William Bradley

Jockey: Rajiv Maragh

Record: 15-8-3-2

Earnings: $1,047,850 

Groupie Doll might be the biggest favorite during the Breeders' Cup two-day card.

She started the year at Gulfstream Park losing an optional claimer race to Boys at Tosconova at a mile.

Her next two races were graded stakes losses to Awesome Maria and Royal Delta at the Grade 3 Sabin and to Musical Romance at the Grade 2 Inside Information.

It was then that she was taken to Keenland and was put on blinkers for her next race. That was the change that turned her into the dominant force she has become in her division.

Since she is a perfect 4-for-4 with blinkers on and now 8-for-15 lifetime, is coming off a pair of Grade 2 victories, an impressive 6.5 lengths win in the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes at Keeneland and a 3.75 length romp in the Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes in Erie, Pa. 

She has followed the same path as the last three victors of the seven-furlong Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint and eventual Eclipse Award Female Sprinter by winning the TCA and Masters Stakes.

Her biggest opponent will be Dust and Diamonds, who just dusted her opposition in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom Handicap. She was just one-fifth off the track record on that race.

This will be a great challenge for Groupie Doll who hasn't been challenged since she got the blinkers on.

Shackleford

Owner: Michael Lauffer, WD Cubbedge and Phillip

Trainer: Dale L. Romans

Jockey: Ramon A. Dominguez

Record: 18-5-5-1

Earnings: $2,824,047

The 2011 Preakness Stakes winner will likely be the favorite for the Dirt Mile.

His trainer, Dale Romans, believes that of the five entrants he has in the Breeders' Cup, he gives him the best shot a winning.

He will have two-time Eclipse Award winning jockey Ramon Dominguez aboard, so you can be sure that if Shackleford doesn't perform, it won't be because he had a bad trip.

Shackleford is a warrior that just hasn't been on his best form lately, or at least he hasn't shown the consistency that characterizes him.

He has won at a variety of distances but he has shown to be an excellent miler and has won some of the most important mile races in the country over the past two years like the Grade 1 Met Mile.

But one thing worth noting is that he has been at his best during that time in one-turn races. In fact, the last time Shackleford won a two-turn race was the 2011 Preakness, since then he is winless in six starts around that configuration.

His main opponents will be Emcee and Jersey Town who toppled him in his last race at the Grade 2 Kelso Handicap.

He seems ready to run a big race, and he will need to do just that to win. There will be pace and closers abound to challenge him.

Point of Entry

Owner: Phipps Stable

Trainer: Claude R. McGaughey III

Jockey: John R. Velazquez

Record: 14-7-2-1

Earnings: $1,294,490

The Turf is the first of two races today where an American turf horse will try to end Europe's stranglehold on the event. Tat horse's name is Point of Entry,

Point of Entry has been dominant this year on American turf courses, and the word dominant might even be an understatement.

He comes into the race running a five-race win streak from six starts this year that features Grade 1 victories in the Man o' War Stakes, Sword Dancer and Turf Classic Invitational.

This makes him the only North American-based horse other than dual classic winner I'll Have Another to have three Grade 1 wins to his credit in 2012. This certainly puts him in the center of the debate for the Horse of the Year Award.

Defending champion St, Nicholas Abbey (IRE) and formidable filly Shareta (IRE) made the travel across the Atlantic to challenge Point of Entry and take home the trophy. Also Japanese Trailblazer (JPN) makes his second start in the US and will benefit from the added distance today.

The last time an American turf horse was a favorite on this race was in 2004 with Kitten's. In the last 12 editions of the race, only Johar (2003), Better Talk Now (2004) and English Channel (2007) have managed to keep the bragging rights on this side of the Atlantic by scoring home triumphs.

Point of Entry has been working great for the race. He is also 4-for-4 over the Turf's 12 furlongs distance this year and seems to prefer the firm ground which he will find today.

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/11/01/2393175/breeders-cup-point-of-entry-carries.html#storylink=cpy

Wise Dan

Owner: Morton Fink

Trainer: Charles Lopresti

Jockey: John R. Velazquez

Record: 19-12-1-0

Earnings: $2,461,638

The Mile will be the second race where an American horse will try to topple the Euro invaders and end their reign in the race. The turn now goes to Wise Dan.

Wise Dan has run—and—won over dirt, synthetic and turf this year. But he has been on a tear lately over the turf where he has won three straight graded races including a pair of Grade 1.

If you are not aware yet of the international implications of his participation, you must first know the official Timeform world rankings

Frankel (GB) is the world's top ranked horse and leads the way with 147, and Black Caviar (AUS) is second with 136.

Excelebration (IRE) is co-ranked third with Cirrus Des Aigles (FR) with 135 points, and Wise Dan is fifth with 134 points.

A win here by Wise Dan or Excelebration (IRE) could bump them all the way to second behind Frankel (GB). That should tell you that there will be fans worldwide with their eye on the race.

You also start to understand why he would have to be inlcuded in Horse of The Year award debates.

His main opposition, besides Excelebration (IRE) are the excellent filly Moonlight Cloud (GB), the speedster Obviously (IRE) and the returning winner of the 2011 Kentucky Derby, Animal Kingdom.

This is a stellar field that whomever wins this race will have to run a career race to win it.

Game on Dude

Owner: B. Schiappa, Lanni Family Trust, Diamond Pride & Mercedes Stable

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Jockey: Rafael Bejarano

Record: 20-9-5-1

Earnings: $2,994,658 

Game on Dude has earned the top billing on this race.

He is the definition of horse-for-the-course as he is  a perfect 5-for-5 lifetime at Santa Anita, including a hotly-contested victory in last year's Santa Anita Handicap and a solid victory in the Awesome Again just five weeks ago.

This year, he has won four times in six tries, including two Grade 1 and two Grade 2 races. His only loss came on the final strides of the Grade 1 Pacific Classic over the synthetic track at Del Mar to Dullahan.

Last year, he looked like a winner in the Classic until Drosselmeyer caught him in the final strides. This year, if he is going to lose, it will have to be in the same fashion.

For his last race, trainer Bob Baffert made a jockey switch. He changed Chantal Sutherland for Rafael Bejarano. And with no disrespect to Sutherland, Bejarano is Southern California's top rider  and he brings an immediate upgrade now in the irons.

Baffert is going for his first Classic believe it or not, and has the horse to beat, there is no doubt about that.

Game on Dude has been working like a champ and looks phenomenal in the mornings. His main opposition will come from Ron the Greek, Flat Out and Fort Larned.

If there might be any weakness in his armor might be the 10 furlongs, which he has been shaky sometimes.

Just like Wise Dan, Point of Entry and yesterday's Ladies Classic winner Royal Delta, he is in the thick of the Horse of the Year Award debate. A win here could solidify his chances.