As the days shorten in the Northern Hemisphere and chilly winds spring up, as tree leaves change colour to riotous shades of carmine, red, amber, orange and yellow and begin to shed, you can be sure of one thing – the fascinating season of Autumn (or Fall) is here. And that means it is time for the Breeders' Cup World Championships, first run in 1984. 

Till 2006, all the championship events were contested on a single afternoon, invariably a Saturday. From the following year, the programme was extended to two days – a Friday card followed by the richer and more action-packed Saturday card. A further refinement last year means that all the five Juvenile events are now run on the Friday, or “Future Stars Friday” in marketing jargon.

Naturally, fans of the turf eagerly anticipate the annual ritual which brings out the best runners in North America and a sprinkling of the best foreign performers. Followers of favourites need to keep in mind that the racing is extremely competitive with all the runners going all out, and historically upsets are very common. As such, “exotic” wagersmight provide better value to punters than straight bets.

This year's renewal is to be held at Santa Anita in Arcadia, California, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area for a record tenth time. Today's piece covers the card for Friday, November 1st, while that for Saturday will be published tomorrow. Note that IST is 12½ hours ahead of Pacific Daylight Time (PDT). "PP" stands for Post Position and represents both the card no. and draw no. Odds refer to pre-race forecasts and can change significantly by post time depending on the wagering.

5th Race, Post Time 1:12 pm PDT/ Saturday 1:42 am IST

BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE TURF SPRINT (Gr.2) – 5 fur.T, 2yo, $1,000,000

Fans of Frankie Dettori can start the series off with a punt on A’Ali. This likeable sort has been very consistent, barring one below par effort at Deauville, attributed to the heavy going. The Italian ace rider will be going against a trainer who often uses his services in Europe, namely Wesley Ward, saddler of Kimari. Given that the latter is unbeaten in the USA, one feels she has the edge. Ward has another runner in the unbeaten Four Wheel Drive, who will however be cutting back in distance. Band Practice and Alligator Alley are lively place prospects.

6th Race, Post Time 1:52 pm PDT/ Saturday 2:22 am IST

COOLMORE AMERICA BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE TURF (Gr.1) – 8 fur.T, 2yo C. & G., $1,000,000

Exciting sons of Shamardal have been proving too much for the Coolmore hope Arizona in his last three starts in Europe. With nothing of that calibre around here, the battle-hardened colt can help open the 2019 accounts of Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien. Peace Achieved took three starts to break his maiden and has since graduated successfully to Graded Stakes company. However, that form looks somewhat weaker than that displayed by the Irish star, who will be accompanied by his talented stablemate Fort Myers, not without a chance. In fact, the trip may suit the latter better as he is out of a Galileo mare. Decorated Invader should be thereabouts as well.

7th Race, Post Time 2:32 pm PDT/Saturday 3:02 am IST

BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE FILLIES (Gr.1) – 8½ fur., 2yo F., $2,000,000

None of the nine fillies in the first of the Breeders’ Cup dirt races has been a real standout so far, with the consequence that four are disputing the honour of starting as the favourite. Owned by Indian-American Kaleem Shah, son of the late trainer S.M. Shah, Donna Veloce looks most promising, even though the $800,000 two-year-old in training purchase has made just a single – albeit winning – start. As that nearly ten-length romp came on this very track, the grand-daughter of Montjeuhas a lot in her favour.

One can never neglect a Bob Baffert pupil, that too on its home track, so the $500,000 yearling, Bast, facile winner of her last two, is in the mix. British Idiom, from humbler origins as her $40,000 price attests, is unbeaten in both her starts and might have the last laugh. Also 2-for-2, Wicked Whisper has been wickedly fast in her efforts in the East and will prove a threat if she adapts well to the track.

8th Race, Post Time 3:12 pm PDT/Saturday 3:42 am IST

BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE FILLIES TURF (Gr.1) – 8 fur.T, 2yo F., $1,000,000

Once again this is a race without a clear standout that the public can latch on to. The home team and the raiders are split evenly in numbers with 7 apiece, but on form this should be another European benefit. Albigna and Daahyeh look the pick of the Transatlantic visitors, and experienced handicappers rate them – and Living In The Past – at least 5 lbs. superior to the best of the Americans, Sweet Melania. A win for the last named would give a huge boost to the stallion career of American Pharoah. Riders like Irad Ortiz, Jr., tend to shine on this stage, and Abscond could prove to be the vehicle for another notch in the tally of the elder of the two Puerto Rican brothers – Jose is the other – who have stormed the American Turf.

9th Race, Post Time 4:03 pm PDT/Saturday 4:33 am IST 

TVG BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE (Gr.1) – 8½ fur., 2yo C. & G., $2,000,000

Much of the excitement of this event was lost when Maxfield, after having been flown out to California with his trainer accompanying himon the flight, was found to be a “little off” in his right fore. That led to his withdrawal and if the issue is not serious he is sure to be back. In his absence, Dennis’ Moment, who has the right profile for this race, looks likely to start at around evens, if not shorter. Although unplaced at his debut – he lost his rider – he has won his next two, including a maiden by nearly 20 lengths! Sharing an identical scoreline of 2-from-3 is Eight Rings who dropped his pilot as a half-money choice in the Gr.1 Del Mar Futurity. He then came back to take the Gr.1 American Pharoah Stakes by 6 lengths. 

It’s hard to see anything else popping up out of the woodwork apart from Scabbard, who has a couple of lengths to find vis-à-vis the favourite, and the unequalled assistance of Mike Smith to help him in his quest. With 26 Breeders Cup trophies in his locker, “Big Money Mike” would love to add to his tally! An unusual aspect of this race is the presence of a Japanese-trained runner in Full Flat, who will become the first of his ilk to participate in a juvenile Breeders’ Cup event. Japanese horses are in full form internationally these days – Deirdre, Mer De Glace, Lys Gracieux to name a few – but their latest challenger does not appear to be of the same class.