Wide draw will test Arizona as Pinatubo form comes under inspection

8.52 Santa Anita
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf presented by Coolmore (Grade 1) | 1m | 2yo colts and geldings | Sky

Pinatubo's formline will get a thorough airing as the Dewhurst runner-up Arizona leads a two-pronged Ballydoyle quest to deliver a fifth win in the race for Aidan O'Brien.

The Coventry Stakes winner has not quite cut it when pitched into Group 1 company closer to home, finishing fourth behind Earthlight in the Prix Morny and third to Pinatubo in the National Stakes.

His two-length defeat in the Dewhurst earned him a career-best Racing Post Rating of 116, and this will be the first time he encounters going with firm in the description since he bolted up in a maiden at the Curragh in May.

Arizona: Coventry winner steps up to a mile for the first timeCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Arizona is trying a mile for the first time, as is stablemate Fort Myers, who got back to winning ways when dropping in class at Dundalk last time. Before that, he posted arguably a career-best effort when denied a length-and-a-half by Threat in the Champagne Stakes.

The luck of the draw has not been kind to O'Brien with Arizona in stall 12 of 14 and Fort Myers one gate wider in 13.

"He's drawn out a bit so things have to fall a little bit in your favour when you are out there," O'Brien said of Arizona. "He's in good form and we always thought good fast ground would suit so that will help. He ran a serious race at Ascot and in the Dewhurst.

"We always thought a mile and fast ground would suit Fort Myers. He's in good form and won nicely at Dundalk. As a hardy War Front colt, we thought this test would suit him."

Force could be with Invader

The Christophe Clement-trained Decorated Invader, racing on Lasix for the first time, will lead the home defence.

A son of Declaration Of War, he made a successful step up to Grade 1 company when coming from behind to take the Summer Stakes at Woodbine in September under Irad Ortiz.

Vitalogy, third in the Summer Stakes when still trained by Joseph O'Brien, has joined Brendan Walsh's emerging outfit. He was just denied on his first start for Walsh when beaten a neck by Peace Achieved in a Keeneland Group 3.

"If he had any kind of better draw at all, I think he could have won,” Walsh said of that effort. “Five is a good draw for him here. He's a lovely horse and the thing going for him is he’s had two runs in this country. I think all that should set him up well."

Chad Brown's Structor won a Group 3 at Belmont Park over a mile and is unbeaten in two starts. His trainer said: "He’s straightforward and on the numbers needs to get a little faster. Watching him train, I think that’s possible."

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