By:  Blood Horse

Photo Credit:  Anne M. Eberhardt

Rich Strike Confirmed for Breeders’ Cup Classic

Kentucky Derby (G1) winner will take on World Championships Nov. 5 at Keeneland.

Team Rich Strike  is set to swing for the fences again.

The connections of the 80-1 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) winner confirmed to BloodHorse Oct. 23 that the 3-year-old son of Keen Ice   will run in the Nov. 5 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Keeneland.

“I have just this morning decided to run Richie in this year’s Breeders Cup Classic…” owner Rick Dawson of RED TR-Racing noted via email. “We will for the second time be running against older horses and the absolute best in the world. A big stage again for Richie, but we wouldn’t run him if we didn’t have confidence he will be successful.”

Favored for the 1 1/4-mile event is Flightline , the undefeated son of Tapit   who won the Sept. 3 TVG Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar last out by 19 1/4 lengths while geared down by jockey Flavien Prat. In to oppose is Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Presented by 1/ST BET (G1) winner Life is Good  , who has won his past three in a row, including the Woodward Stakes (G1) and the Whitney Stakes (G1). Hot Rod Charlie , who turned back Rich Strike by a head after a fierce stretch battle in the Oct. 1 Lukas Classic Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs, is also aiming at a start in the marquee race at the World Championships.

Rich Strike, who arrived at Keeneland Sunday morning to be stabled there until the Breeders’ Cup, is scheduled to drill Oct. 25 at 5:30 a.m. ET at the Lexington track in his final move before the Classic. He delivered his penultimate work Oct. 15 at Keeneland, going four furlongs in :47 3/5 with regular exercise rider Gabriel Lagunes in the irons.

“He’ll put in a pretty stiff work and that’ll do it for Richie, and I’ll just have to hold him on the ground until Breeders’ Cup,” trainer Eric Reed said. “He’s super sharp and he came out of the Lukas Classic as good as I’ve seen him come back. In the workout the other day, he worked very good and really didn’t want to stop. I think if we’re ever going to do it, now’s the time. He deserves the chance.

“It’s something Rick really wanted to do and he asked me what I thought, and I said I don’t think there’s a right or wrong decision,” Reed added. “There’s no guarantees for any race we want to run in, but if he wants to run here, the horse is ready.”

With a 2-1-3 record from 11 starts and earnings of $2,200,489, Rich Strike ran fourth in the Aug. 27 Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) and sixth in the June 11 Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) between the Lukas Classic and the Kentucky Derby.