'Rock on Santa Anita - we'll lay it down to them' - Adam West's Breeders' Cup confidence undented by Live In The Dream's Keeneland defeat

Adam West was encouraged by Live In The Dream's fourth-place finish on his first start in the US on Saturday as he moved closer to a shot at the Breeders Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita next month.

The four-year-old broke well under regular rider Sean Kirrane and set a strong pace in the 5½f Woodford Stakes at Keeneland, leading up until 150 yards out before fading out of the placings late on. Arzak won the race for trainer Michael Trombetta.

West took the positives from the performance of his star sprinter, who was having his first start since causing a 28-1 upset in the Nunthorpe at York in August. The front-runner was able to hold his place and should be better suited to his Breeders' Cup test over five furlongs and at a sharper track.

West, quoted by Bloodhorse, said: "I'm delighted with everything that's happened, he showed everything we wanted to see. The first two sectionals were very important to us and he's gone hard to hold the position but he was still laying it down to them until the last furlong. On a sharper track we'll really lay it down to them.

"I'm not so concerned about the draw [we could get] now, we had some good horses come around our outside but by half a furlong he was up to top speed and able to get into his position. I'm absolutely delighted so let's rock on Santa Anita."

Kirrane said: "The five and a half furlongs, the headwind and the deep track all were against him. On a sharper track over five [furlongs], he will do well."

Live In The Dream will remain in Keeneland, before West and owners Steve and Jolene De'Lemos fly out again to watch him in his $1 million target.

Later on the card, the Charlie Appleby-trained Master Of The Seas went down by a nose in the Coolmore Turf Mile.

The Godolphin globetrotter was edged out under James Doyle by the Todd Pletcher-trained Up To The Mark and denied a second top-level victory having struck in the Woodbine Mile in Canada last month. 

It was the second time he has lost a Group 1 in a photo-finish, having also been narrowly denied in the 2,000 Guineas by Poetic Flare in 2021.

The four-year-old could return to the US for the Breeders' Cup Mile on November 4, for which he was cut to 7-1 (from 8) by Paddy Power, but Appleby said he would be taken home and assessed before a final decision was made. 

"He was beaten by a good horse," he said. "We thought [Up To The Mark's] lack of fitness would give us the edge there, but he nosed us on the line."

Earlier, the Joseph O'Brien-trained Jumbly finished sixth of eight runners in the Grade 1 First Lady Stakes.

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