Goldencents to defend Dirt Mile crown

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Arcadia, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Goldencents will defend his crown in this year's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita on Friday, Oct. 31.

"That's the plan," said Steve Rothblum, assistant to suspended trainer Doug O'Neill. "He's going to run huge. I still think it's probably a coin toss, but with all the horses coming to the Sprint, I think the (Dirt) Mile probably looks like the place he's going to end up. The worst that can happen is he wins the Mile and is a repeat winner. If it were up to me, I'd go to the Classic. If we're going to try something for his last hurrah, let's do that."

Owned by W C Racing and Glenn Sorgenstein, Goldencents was being considered for $1.5 million Breeders' Cup Sprint at six furlongs until last Saturday's nose defeat to Rich Tapestry in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship.

"It was the same race he ran last year right before he won the Breeders' Cup (Dirt) Mile, so he's ready. He's definitely going on to the Breeders' Cup," jockey Rafael Bejarano said after the second straight runner-up finish in the race.

Goldencents won the Pat O'Brien Stakes at Del Mar this summer with a new record of 1:20.99 for seven furlongs. He began his 2014 campaign with a second-place result to Palace Malice in the $1.25 million Met Mile on the Belmont Stakes program June 7. The colt followed with a runner-up finish to Big Macher at Del Mar in the Bing Crosby Stakes.

The 4-year-old, who will retire after the Breeders' Cup, has six wins and seven seconds from 17 lifetime starts for $2,494,000.

Leandro Mora said Friday morning that Goldencents will run in the Dirt Mile in his name as the trainer while O'Neill serves his suspension.