Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic Betting: Royal's rivals to be Delta-nother blow

Royal Delta winning the 2011 Ladies' Classic

Adam Brookes takes a look at the Ladies' Classic, the big race on Friday's Breeders' Cup card.

The average starting price for the winner of the nine-furlong Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic, or Distaff as it was known from its inception in 1984 to 2007, over the last decade points to a filly that has been sent off at double-figure odds emerging victorious. Sadly for punters, however, this looks unlikely to be the case this time round with it seemingly inconceivable that the successful party won't be one of the first five in the market, all of which are currently trading at 7.06/1 or shorter on Betfair.

While neither My Miss Aurelia nor Questing have yet taken on their elders in stakes company, many will believe that the three-year-olds are capable of striking in a race that has gone to the age group eight times over the course of the last quarter of a century.

"We feel confident in who she is" said Steve Asmussen of My Miss Aurelia prior to her head victory over Questing in the Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes in September, just her second start of the season after being sidelined by a shin injury, and the trainer has every right to believe his unbeaten filly, winner of the Juvenile Fillies at Churchill Downs (beat Grace Hall by three lengths) 12 months ago, is a Ladies' Classic winner-in-waiting. However, while she has already reached the level it usually takes to win this race, she still has a few pounds to find with some of her rivals, including Godolphins' Questing.

Front runner Questing's tendency to hang right in the Cotillion may be slightly off-putting but it shouldn't be overlooked that the dual Grade 1 winner nevertheless battled on gamely in her bid for a fourth consecutive success and now find herself on 7 lb better terms. The worry for her connections, however, is that she may not have the luxury of an uncontested lead this time.

Royal Delta became the first three-year-old to win the Ladies' Classic in seven years when beating fellow sophomore It's Tricky in the race 12 months ago. However, the winner of the Eclipse Award as champion three-year-old filly in 2011, who remained with trainer Bill Mott despite selling for a staggering $8.5 million a month after her Churchill triumph, has taken her form to even greater heights this term.

Since running a below-form ninth in the Dubai World Cup Royal Delta has run to a high-class level on all four outings, winning Grade 2s at Churchill in June and Del Mar in July and the Grade 1 Beldame Invitational at Belmont last time, meeting her only defeat when beaten half a length by Love And Pride in the Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga, form she is expected to reverse on 10 lb better terms. While this year's Ladies' Classic is a quality renewal, she is very difficult to find fault with and is a more than worthy favourite.

Love And Pride is trained by Todd Pletcher and will be ridden by John Velazquez, the same combination responsible for 2003 Ladies' Classic heroine Ashado.

Formerly blinkered (she has been referred to as "tricky" by her trainer and is said to resent the whip), Love And Pride caused an upset racing without that headgear for the first time when beating Royal Delta and multiple top-level winner It's Tricky in the aforementioned Grade 1 in August, her first victory in the highest class. Again without blinkers, Love And Pride matched that level of performance when following up in the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes over an extended mile at Santa Anita since, but the fact she is drawn widest of all on Friday and will have Questing to contend with up front tempers enthusiasm of her being able to produce a winning effort.

The last of the five is Awesome Feather who was North America's champion two-year-old filly when trained by Stanley Gold and who is now unbeaten in ten starts having joined Chad Brown. A Grade 1 winner last term, she has improved as a four-year-old this time round, easily landing a nine-furlong race at Gulfstream Park in January and a justifying odd-on favouritism in a mile event at Belmont Park in September. With it likely she has more to offer she can chase Royal Delta home.

Three-year-old Grace Hall, only fifth behind Questing last time, Class Included, a prolific winner at up to Grade 3 level, and Include Me Out, a Grade 1-winning course specialist, complete the eight-runner field.

Recommendation
Back Royal Delta @ 3.55/2 in the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic at Santa Anita