Chad Brown won the 2017 renewal at this track with a maiden but this year’s representative JACK CHRISTOPHER arrives on the back of an impressive victory in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont. He’s taken to confirm latest running with runner-up Commandperformance while the latter’s stablemate Double Thunder also finished second in a Grade 1 race last time and is fitted with blinkers for this. Bob Baffert runs three though Corniche is drawn high and Pinehurst is upped in trip after scoring over 7f here. Both have won at the highest level and are preferred to stablemate Barossa while the Japanese raider Jasper Great is hard to assess on his impressive maiden victory at Hanshin though is related to a Grade 1 winner in North America.
Jasper Great (USA) 11-2 (8-9) won at Hanshin 1m 1f in Oct beating Fin Heureuse (8-9) by shd, 10 ran.
Oviatt Class (USA) 13-2 (8-10) Ins,2w into str,mildly, 3rd of 7, 3 3/4l behind Corniche (8-10) at Santa Anita 1m stks fst in Oct.
Pappacap (USA) 13-1 (8-10) 3wd into str, held 2nd, 2nd of 7, 3 1/4l behind Corniche (8-10) at Santa Anita 1m stks fst in Oct.
Double Thunder (USA) 7-1 (8-10) Slw st,drvn/gain 5p2nd, 2nd of 13, 4 1/4l behind Rattle N Roll (8-10) at Keeneland 1m fst in Oct.
American Sanctuary (USA) 25-1 (8-10) Checkd,ins,traffic upr, 4th of 13, 6l behind Rattle N Roll (8-10) at Keeneland 1m fst in Oct.
Giant Game (USA) 3-1 (8-7) Press 2w,vied,drew off, won at Keeneland 1m mdn fst in Oct beating Call Me Midnight (8-7) by 3l, 11 ran.
Barossa (USA) 14-5fav (8-10) Wore down rival, won at Santa Anita 1m mdn fst in Oct beating Durante (8-10) by 1/2l, 9 ran.
Pinehurst (USA) 4-1 (8-8) Brsh st,clear,drew off, won at Del Mar 7f stks fst in Sep beating Finneus (8-8) by 4 1/2l, 6 ran.
Commandperformance (USA) 12-1 (8-10) 3-4wide turn,willingly, 2nd of 6, 2 3/4l behind Jack Christopher (8-10) at Belmont Park 1m stks fst in Oct.
Tough To Tame (USA) 35-1 (8-6) Tug ins,drift upr,bid, 2nd of 10, nk behind Major General (8-6) at Churchill Downs 1m stks fst in Sep.
Corniche (USA) 2-5fav (8-10) Met bid 2nd,kicked clr, won at Santa Anita 1m stks fst in Oct beating Pappacap (8-10) by 3 1/4l, 7 ran.
Jack Christopher (USA) 17-10fav (8-10) Tkn bck early,2-3path, won at Belmont Park 1m stks fst in Oct beating Commandperformance (8-10) by 2 3/4l, 6 ran.