Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin announced yesterday Godolphin Stable’s Emcee, coming off a 4 1/2-length romp in the seven-furlong Forego at Saratoga, will stretch out to a mile for the first time in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile next Saturday, rather than cut back to six furlongs for the Sprint, which was listed as his first preference.
McLaughlin was concerned about drawing an inside post in the Sprint, which figures to have a full field of 14, and thinks Emcee might be favored in the Dirt Mile even though the colt has never raced longer than seven furlongs nor gone two turns in his seven-race career. He feels the 4-year-old son of Unbridled’s Song should appreciate the added distance.
“He’s a big, leggy colt with a long stride who stands over a lot of ground,” McLaughlin said. “He doesn’t look like a sprinter.”
Emcee’s chief rivals include Shackleford, Jersey Town, Rail Trip and Delegation.
* Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who has been stabled at Santa Anita for more than 20 years, said there isn’t a home-court advantage in the Breeders’ Cup despite years of evidence there is.
“The only advantage you have in the Breeders’ Cup is if you have the better horse,” said Baffert, who has 11 horses pre-entered in this year’s Cup. “That’s one thing I’ve realized about the Breeders’ Cup. I don’t care where you go, the best horse is your only advantage.
“Believe me, everywhere I’ve gone for the Breeders’ Cup, the only time I had an advantage is when I had the better horse. If I’m 50-1 and only have to walk about 100 yards, it’s not going to help.”
* Amazombie, the Cal-bred gelding who will likely be a lukewarm favorite to win the Breeders’ Cup Sprint for the second year in a row, breezed five furlongs in 1:00 3/5 at Santa Anita.
* The advance forecast for the Breeders’ Cup calls for a high of 80 degrees under cloudy skies on Friday with a slight chance of rain and a high of 81 on Saturday with partly cloudy skies and no chance of rain.
