Awesome Gem 7-2 Choice in Marathon

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Photo: Benoitphoto.com

2010 Hollywood Gold Cup winner Awesome Gem is the favorite for the BC Marathon.
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West Point Thoroughbred's Awesome Gem was made the 7-2 morning line favorite for the Nov. 5 Breeders' Cup Marathon. The 7-year-old son of Awesome Again will break from post 7 and face 11 rivals in the 1 3/4-miles Marathon at Churchill Downs.

Awesome Gem, a 7-year-old Awesome Again gelding, has raced 38 times with seven wins, 13 seconds, and four thirds for earnings of $2.27 million. He earned his first grade I win this year when he took the Hollywood Gold Cup in July.

Awesome Gem never has raced beyond 1 1/4 miles, but West Point president Terry Finley Nov. 2 said the Marathon is a "better spot" for him. Awesome Gem, trained by Craig Dollase, has three previous Breeders' Cup appearances: the 2007 Classic (gr. I), 2008 Mile (gr. IT), and 2009 Classic.

"We'd love to see him win a Breeders' Cup race after four tries," Finley said. "I think it's a testament to him that he's the favorite as a 7-year-old. We need more 6- and 7-year-olds to stay around."

Awesome Gem made his career debut in July 2006. Being based in California he has trained on the synthetic surface at Hollywood Park for four years, but he has turned in strong efforts on dirt, including a win in the Hawthorne Gold Cup (gr. II) in 2009.

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