Excelebration time in BC Mile
The four-year-old put up arguably a career-best performance when winning the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.
Trainer Aidan O’Brien hopes those exertions have not left their mark.
“As he’s got older he appears to have got stronger and faster,” said the Ballydoyle handler.
“When he won at Ascot, the ground was obviously a lot softer than he’ll meet on Saturday, but hopefully he’ll handle that OK.
“It was always the plan to come on to the Breeders’ Cup after Ascot.
“I suppose there is always the chance that two Group One races in two weeks is asking too much of the horse, but he seems in very good form.”
Excelebration had won the Prix Jacques le Marois on his previous start when Moonlight Cloud was beaten a length and three-quarters in fourth place.
Her trainer Freddie Head believes she ticks all the right boxes for this race.
“She has all the right tools to win a race like that,” he said.
“She’s handy, she’s fast, and she can turn.
“All the work has been done at home.
“We’ll be going seven furlongs or a mile from now on and it remains to be seen whether she stays in training – although I would love it if Mr Strawbridge (George, owner) said she could.
“Nowadays, this filly knows how to adapt and has been much more settled in her races.”
Both Excelebration and Wise Dan have Cityscape among their victims and the latter’s trainer Charles Lopresti appreciates the stiffness of the task.
“It seems like he’s won from every hole there is,” Lopresti said of Wise Dan’s stall two draw.
“I would have rather had probably stall four to six if I could get it, but I’m glad there’s only nine horses in there. He’s going to have to run the race of his life, I’ll tell you, but then whoever wins the race will have run the race of their life.
“There’s some really nice horses in there and you’ve got to consider all of them.”
Animal Kingdom won last year’s Kentucky Derby, only to suffer defeat in the final two legs of the American Triple Crown.
He has had just the one race this year, back in February, but his trainer Graham Motion will not use lack of race fitness as an excuse.
“He’s the best horse I’ve ever trained and, at this stage of his career, it’s a great opportunity to take a shot at this race,” he said.
“Everything has gone off without a hiccup, which is just amazing.
“At the risk of jinxing myself, he hasn’t missed any work, hasn’t missed a beat.
“If anything had gotten in the way, I wouldn’t have done this.
“I think mentally and physically, he’s really developed and he’s trained really well on the run up to the race.
“I would say he’s ready.”
