Take a look at Antiquarian’s past performances, jockey, trainer, early BUSR odds, and complete analysis heading into the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
By Richard Rosenblatt
The Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) will be remembered for the chain reaction that resulted in Mindframe unseating his rider, Sierra Leone altering his course, Phileas Fogg being disqualified, and Antiquarian running clear from the outside post for a 1 ½-length victory.
By winning the Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In’’ race, Antiquarian earned an automatic spot in the Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 1.
Antiquarian, trained by Todd Pletcher (he has three other Classic contenders in Fierceness, Mindframe, and Locked), has been working steadily at Saratoga since his surprising win on Aug. 31.
The 4-year-old son of Preservationist most recently breezed 5 furlongs in 1:00.56 in company with stablemate Fierceness.
“I thought Antiquarian responded well,’’ Pletcher said after the chestnut’s Oct. 17 work – his fifth since the Jockey Club Gold Cup. “He stayed on course and galloped out nicely, a good work from both of them.”
Antiquarian should not be discounted despite a strong field that includes Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Sovereignty, Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Journalism, defending champ Sierra Leone, and Japan star Forever Young.
He opened his 4-year-old campaign with an allowance optional claimer win, then ran second to Mystik Dan in the Blame Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs and was beaten a head by Phileas Fogg in the Suburban Stakes (G2) on July 4 at Saratoga.
“He’s doing excellent, very good. I thought that was a great performance,’’ Pletcher said of the Jockey Club Gold Cup. “He is steadily improving. I thought that was his best race to date. He is kind of learning how to polish a race off, so we are very happy for him.”
Discard at your own risk, but Antiquarian has been improving with each race, and his workouts with rival stablemates make him a live longshot.
Notes: Centennial Farms has seven Breeders’ Cup winners on its impressive resume: Colonial Affair (Classic, 1993); Corinthian (Dirt Mile, 2007); King Cugat (Mile, 2000); Rubiano (Sprint, 1992); Signal Tap (Turf, 1995); Silent Account (Juvenile Fillies, 1985); Wicked Strong (Dirt Mile, 2015) ... In 2007, Curlin won the Jockey Club Gold Cup and the Breeders’ Cup Classic; he won the JCGC again the next year and then ran fourth in the Classic.
Richard Rosenblatt is an award-winning journalist and former Associated Press Horse Racing Editor. Currently, he serves as the news editor at US Racing, overseeing exclusive content from contributors worldwide.
