West looks forward to the prospect of returning to the Breeders’ Cup
Adam West Sets Sights on Breeders’ Cup for Live In The Dream
As the curtains closed on a remarkable campaign at Santa Anita, Adam West is already envisioning an exciting trip to next year’s Breeders’ Cup with his stable star, Live In The Dream. After a narrow victory in Lingfield earlier this year, the rise of Live In The Dream has been nothing short of meteoric.
The unexpected triumph in the prestigious Nunthorpe at York left trainer Adam West and owners Steve and Jolene De’Lemos hungry for further success across the pond. With an impressive performance in his first start Stateside at Keeneland last month, Live In The Dream arrived on the west coast as a formidable contender for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.
Live In The Dream’s jaw-dropping speed left even the American speedballs struggling to keep up during the early stages of the five-furlong contest. However, his early exuberance caught up with him towards the end, resulting in a fourth-place finish just over a length behind.
Both Adam West and his prized horse returned home safely following their journey from California. Despite feeling weary from travel himself, West reported that Live In The Dream seemed unfazed by it all: “I got home late last night and so did my horse… He almost ran away with me this morning, so he’s obviously feeling good.”
In reflecting upon Live In The Dream’s defeat at Santa Anita, West believes that perhaps it was due to being overwhelmed by the magnitude of competing in California: “We put our best plan forward to give him every chance… but he just got a bit buzzy and ran a tiny bit free and that’s ultimately cost him.”
The atmosphere at Keeneland and the Breeders’ Cup proved even more intense than that of the Nunthorpe victory, which may have contributed to Live In The Dream’s missteps on the track. However, West remains optimistic about his star horse’s future performances in big events as he continues to mature.
Looking ahead, Adam West plans to give Live In The Dream a well-deserved break before preparing for major European races in 2024. Ultimately, the aim is to defend their title at the Nunthorpe and explore other international options: “We’ve got this lovely horse and we want to take in as much as we can…and that he can provide us.”
While a winter trip to Dubai has been ruled out for now, both trainer and owner are eager for further experiences with their talented racehorse. With ambition driving them forward, they anticipate another thrilling season culminating in an autumn return stateside for the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar next year.