One of the possibly overlooked contenders in the very deep Oct. 27 Breeders' Cup Classic field is Awesome Gem, who has finished second in three straight races.
On Saturday at Hollywood Park, the 4-year-old gelding covered six furlongs in 1:12.80 on the all-weather Cushion Track surface, tying for the second-fastest of eight workouts at that distance.
"He did everything right," trainer Craig Dollase said.
"Finished up nicely, galloped out well."
Awesome Gem has two wins and four runner-up finishes in eight starts this season. He won the San Fernando Breeders' Cup Stakes (Grade 2) at Santa Anita Park on Jan. 13 and later finished second at Del Mar in both the San Diego Handicap (Grade 2) and Pacific Classic Stakes (Grade 1).
His last race, Awesome Gem finished runner-up by a nose to Tiago, another Classic horse, in last month's Goodwood Stakes (Grade 1) at Santa Anita.
"We're just flying under the radar," Dollase said. "I like it that way."
Awesome Gem will be making his first start outside of California for the Breeders' Cup, but "he shows up every time," Dollase said.
Awesome Gem has four wins in 14 career starts with purse earnings of $631,360.
Awesome Gem has shown the ability to run from behind in big fields and unleash a potent stretch kick, as he did in the Goodwood. His bio states he is the "consistent closer is 11-for-13 in the exacta lifetime in races around two turns, showing versatility on dirt, turf and synthetic surfaces."
However, in his only career Grade 1 start on a dirt track at the Classic's 1-1/4 miles, he finished last of eight at the Santa Anita Handicap in March.
But he does have good genes: Awesome Gem is the son of 1998 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Awesome Again, who at stud also produced 2004 Classic champ Ghostzapper.
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