From four juveniles on Friday to the veteran Next in the Classic (G1) on Saturday, Not This Time will have seven runners in this year’s Nov. 1-2 Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar.
Only Into Mischief had more horses pre-entered in this year’s championships.
All four of Not This Time’s entrants on Friday are in turf races: Shareholder in the Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1), Abientot in the Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), and the duo of Dream On and Tenacious Leader in the Juvenile Turf (G1).
Shareholder, like many in the 12-horse field, ships from Europe for the five-furlong Sprint. Shareholder won the Norfolk S. (G2) at Ascot in June, one of the more prestigious sprint races for 2-year-old in Europe. The bay colt is owned by Wathnan Racing and was bred by Skyfall Thoroughbreds LLC.
Abientot drew post 10 in the 14-horse Fillies Turf. With five races under her belt, Abientot won the Matron S. (G3) at Aqueduct in early October. She races for Tracy Farmer and was bred by Killora Stud LLC.
In the Turf, which also drew 14 horses, Dream On drew well in post 2, while Tenacious Leader was unlucky to get the outside post. Dream On has placed in a pair of stakes, including the Grade 1 Summer S. at Woodbine. The bay colt is owned by D J Stable LLC and was bred by Aaron & Marie Jones. Tenacious Leader is also stakes-placed in his lone turf try, a second in the With Anticipation (G3) at Saratoga.
On Saturday, Not This Time’s duo of Arzak and Cogburn will vie in the Turf Sprint (G1). Veteran Arzak was beaten just two lengths in this race last year and is a three-time graded winner. Arzak, owned by Sonata Stable and bred by John Oxley, is in post 3. Cogburn, in post 9, is the morning line favorite following three brilliant performances, all wins, this year. The 5-year-old is owned by Clark Brewster and Bill & Corinne Heiligbrodt and was bred by Bellary Bay Bloodstock.
Next, who drew the outside post in the $7 million Classic, will need to clear 13 horses to his inside to get his desired spot near the front of the field. Next has not lost in 18 months, winning seven stakes, four of them graded, by a combined 91 lengths. The 6-year-old races for Michael Foster and was bred by Silverton Hill LLC.
