Former Australian-trained star So You Think has figured in an important gear change for his Breeders’ Cup Classic assignment.
Last year’s Melbourne Cup placegetter, who has drawn stall five, will wear blinkers in the $US5 million race at Churchill Downs.
It will be So You Think’s first time in blinkers since his three-year-old days when under the care of master Australian trainer Bart Cummings.
So You Think wore blinkers in the first of his two Cox Plate triumphs and new trainer Aidan O’Brien has employed the gear change for what will be the entire’s 2011 swansong race.
Meanwhile, Goldikova will break from stall one in her bid to win a fourth Breeders’ Cup Mile.
Freddie Head’s star mare faces 12 rivals in her shot at history and fared much better than her major market rival, Richard Hannon’s Strong Suit, who needs to overcome barrier 11.
Thierry Blaise, Goldikova’s exercise rider for the last three years, said: “We are very happy with her position this time.
“She was drawn on the outer last year but we think this is a better place for her.
“It’s a good position for Olivier (Peslier) and should give him more room than if she was on the outside again, and she will have less distance to travel.
“She has travelled across very well and we’ll be out on the track tomorrow.”
Andre Fabre’s Byword is in eight with Aidan O’Brien’s Zoffany next to Goldikova in two.
In the mile-and-a-half Breeders’ Cup Turf, traditionally a European stronghold, O’Brien’s St Nicholas Abbey is in one, Sarafina in two, Await The Dawn in six, Sea Moon in seven and Sir Henry Cecil’s Midday widest of all in nine.
In the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, O’Brien’s Wrote will break from stall five, Alan McCabe’s Caspar Netscher stall seven and Roger Varian’s Farraaj stall four.
McCabe said: “I couldn’t have picked it better if I’d done it myself, that’s just where we wanted to be, ideal.”
O’Brien’s pair in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile suffered differing fortunes with Daddy Long Legs out wide in 11 but Crusade in three.
AAP PA TURF
