Nunthorpe hero Live In The Dream 'thriving' for biggest test yet in Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint

Caravel won the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at 43-1 last year and for all she was a big price, there was no fluke about the victory. She went on to achieve three straight wins afterwards, including a Grade 1 at Belmont in June, and is now back in a bid to defend her crown.

Early speed was the key to Caravel’s success 12 months ago and Live In The Dream showed plenty of that when winning the Nunthorpe at York in August, providing one of the fairytales of the season for trainer Adam West and owners Steve and Jolene De’Lemos.

Glass Slippers is the only horse trained outside of the US to win this race in the last ten runnings, but Live In The Dream isn’t your typical European sprinter.

When winning at York he showed great gate speed and, if he is able to do the same here from a favourable draw in stall five, he could prove very hard to peg back from the front.

Live In The Dream warmed up for this race with a fourth at Keeneland, when he again showed tremendous early pace, and his conqueror Arzak is back to renew rivalry.

Arzak finished two lengths ahead of Beer Can Man. His form ties in with Motorious, who has made a huge amount of improvement since switching from Britain to California’s warmer climes.

Motorious won an above-average Grade 3 at Del Mar last time and this isn’t the strongest renewal of the race, so it might be there for the taking for an improver like him.
Analysis by Jonny Pearson

'The pressure is on now' – Live In The Dream primed for glory

Live In The Dream has taken his connections to dizzying heights and the explosive sprinter could yet deliver one last hurrah this year when he lines up as favourite for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

The four-year-old burst on to the stage with a 28-1 victory in the Nunthorpe and now heads the market for this 5f contest, which serves as the penultimate race of the Breeders' Cup meeting due to a rescheduled card to avoid a clash with college football.

The final two sprint races may be relegated to NBC's support channel but it doesn't take the shine off a competitive running, and after a prep run in Keeneland last month, trainer Adam West admitted to feeling the weight of expectation for his stable star's biggest test yet.

"The pressure's on now," he said. "I would rather we were 28-1 again, but I'm really glad things went the way they did over in Keeneland and he's come down here at the right time to pick up the best of the atmosphere. He's thriving, so I'm really happy."

Live In The Dream was given a further boost with a draw in stall five, just two down from leading US rival and last year's winner Caravel.

"I said, anything but one or 12, just don't be on the wings," West said of the draw. "We've got Caravel two down from us, so it could take us in nicely if she jumps like she did last year.

"He's got a lot of credentials that suit the track, he's really taken to it so far. If we have any chance, it'll be here."

What they say

Brad Cox, trainer of Caravel
Her last two runs were over courses I don't think she was comfortable with, but I like how she's doing. She's still aggressive in her training and her races have been good. As long as we get a firm turf course and she breaks well, I think she can get back in the win column.

Rusty Arnold, trainer of Gear Jockey
Five-eighths is not his preferred distance. We're hoping he can keep up and I'm hoping he'll win. If he's second or third, that's what he gets.

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Aesop's Fables
Ryan [Moore] felt in the Abbaye if he had challenged the winner a little bit earlier, he might have been even closer but it was a huge run. He's drawn out a little bit but there's speed on his inside, so he'll slot in and we'll see what happens.

Hideyuki Mori, trainer of Jasper Krone
He's been very good here and I've been happy with him. The post position [stall 11] is no problem for him. He has one way to go.

Read more of Saturday's previews:

Can Frankie Dettori keep a lid on Inspiral as she steps up in trip for the Filly & Mare Turf?

Godolphin have a huge chance of a Mile hat-trick as Guineas winner leads their pair 

'This is what we've been looking forward to all year' - Auguste Rodin, King Of Steel and Mostahdaf square up in Breeders' Cup Turf 

'If he brings his A-game I don't care who's against us' - is the Breeders' Cup Classic Arabian Knight's to lose? 

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