Belmont Park: Shanghai Bobby, Dreaming of Julia both confirmed for Breeders' Cup

ELMONT, N.Y. – The undefeated Shanghai Bobby, winner of the Grade 1 Champagne on Saturday at Belmont Park, will make his next start in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita on Nov. 3, his connections said Monday.

Shanghai Bobby earned a fees-paid berth into the Juvenile by virtue of his five-length victory in the Champagne – a Win and You’re In race – but afterward his connections were somewhat reluctant to commit to the race.

On Monday, Jack Wolf, part-owner of the Starlight Stable partnership which owns Shanghai Bobby, said that after consulting with his trainer, Todd Pletcher, the decision was made to run.

“When it comes to placing horses, he’s as good as there is,” Wolf said of Pletcher. “At this stage, we would be the horse coming out of his barn. He thinks he fits, he’ll be a short price, and it makes sense to go out there.”

One of Wolf’s concerns about running in the Juvenile is his belief that horses who compete in the race do not come back and perform well at age 3. Wolf said he is less concerned about the fact that 2-year-olds who compete in this year’s Breeders’ Cup will not be permitted to race on Lasix. Shanghai Bobby has made all four of his starts on Lasix.

“This horse hasn’t shown a propensity to bleed; that’s not a concern to either one of us,” Wolf said.

Monday morning, before Wolf made his announcement, Pletcher indicated a desire to run Shanghai Bobby in the Juvenile.

“The horse is doing well and he’s running well,” Pletcher said. “Most of the time you look at what’s right in front of you and not project what’s going to happen six months from now.”

Shanghai Bobby, a son of Harlan’s Holiday, would most likely be favored in the Juvenile. He is 4 for 4 with victories in the Grade 2 Hopeful and Grade 1 Champagne.

In the Breeders’ Cup era, only three horses have won the Hopeful and Champagne. Dehere, in 1993, finished eighth as the 3-5 favorite in the Juvenile at Santa Anita yet was still voted 2-year-old champion. First Samurai finished third as the 6-5 favorite in the Juvenile at Belmont, but did not win the Eclipse Award. Vineyard Haven did not compete in the Juvenile and also did not earn an Eclipse Award.

Shanghai Bobby’s victory in the Champagne helped move Pletcher into second on the all-time earnings list, surpassing Bobby Frankel.

Through Sunday, which included Pletcher’s victory with In Lingerie in the Grade 1 Spinster at Keeneland, Pletcher’s purse earnings were $228,501,673.

D. Wayne Lukas, Pletcher’s former boss, is the all-time leader on the earnings list with more $260 million.

Dreaming of Julia to Juvenile Fillies

Pletcher said that Dreaming of Julia came out of her hard-fought head victory in the Grade 1 Frizette “very good” and that she remains on course for the $1 million Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita on Nov. 2.

“Right now all, systems go,” Pletcher said.

After winning her first two starts by a combined 26 3/4 lengths, Dreaming of Julia had to withstand a stern test for the final three furlongs from My Happy Face, before beating her by a head.

“I think it’s the first time she’s had to work,” Pletcher said. “It could be the kind of race that moves her forward.”

With Dreaming of Julia headed to the Juvenile Fillies, her stablemate, the undefeated Kauai Katie, could run in the Juvenile Sprint, Pletcher said.

Dreaming of Julia and Kauai Katie, both 3 for 3, are both owned by Stonestreet Stable.