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Shared Belief is 9-5 favorite for BC Classic

By WTOP Staff

BETH HARRIS
AP Racing Writer

ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) — Shared Belief was made the early 9-5 favorite on Monday in a field of 14 for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, a race featuring a strong contingent of seven 3-year-olds taking on older foes. Shared Belief is 7-0 in his career, with all of his races coming in California.

Shared Belief’s most recent win was in the Awesome Again at Santa Anita last month for co-owner and sports talk host Jim Rome. The colt drew the No. 6 post for the 1 1/4-mile race on the same track.

“He’s got speed all around him and we’ll be able to follow them into the first turn,” said Hall of Famer Mike Smith, the winningest jockey in the Breeders’ Cup who will ride Shared Belief.

Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome will break from the No. 13 post as the 4-1 second choice. He has lost two straight races and one of his owners has said the colt will be retired if runs poorly on Saturday.

“I just hope he has a great race,” trainer Art Sherman said. “He loves Santa Anita. The horse is training great and I look for a big performance out of him. I love the post position. I don’t have to be down there (inside).”

Tonalist, who ended California Chrome’s Triple Crown bid with a victory in the Belmont, drew the No. 11 post and is the 6-1 third choice.

Untapable, the nation’s top 3-year-old filly, is the 5-2 favorite for the $2 million Distaff, one of four Breeders’ Cup races on Friday. She will break from the No. 10 post under Rosie Napravnik in the field of 11.

“I look for a huge race from her,” trainer Steve Asmussen said.

Close Hatches is the 3-1 second choice and drew the No. 11 post, while Don’t Tell Sophia is the third choice at 5-1 from the seventh hole.

Untapable won her first four starts this year, as did Close Hatches. Defending champion Beholder was sidelined by a fever.

American Pharoah drew post position five in a field of 13 for the $2 million Juvenile, where the 2-year-old will try to position himself as the early favorite for next year’s Kentucky Derby.

American Pharoah will be ridden by Victor Espinoza, who rides California Chrome in the Classic.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, American Pharoah is 2 for 3 in his young career. His sire, Pioneerofthe Nile, finished second to 50-1 shot Mine That Bird in the 2009 Kentucky Derby.

The Juvenile, to be run Saturday on the second of two days of racing during the 31st Breeders’ Cup, includes two entries each from Baffert, Todd Pletcher and Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien.

Daredevil, who is 2 for 2 for Pletcher, landed in the tough outside post of No. 12. His other horse, Carpe Diem, also is 2 for 2.

“Sometimes horses pull bad trips from good posts and vice versa,” Pletcher said. “Both horses are going into the Juvenile in great shape and they have been very good horses at the gate.”

The Juvenile features one of the deepest fields in Breeders’ Cup history. Besides Daredevil and Carpe Diem, Blue Dancer and Souper Colossal also are undefeated.

California Chrome is looking for a rebound in the Classic. After finishing fourth in the Belmont, he took an extended vacation and returned last month in the Pennsylvania Derby, where he ended up sixth.

“He keeps getting stronger and stronger,” said Alan Sherman, assistant to his 77-year-old father, Art. “I think he’s coming into the race just as good, if not better, than he was into the Derby and Preakness.”

The Classic field also includes Bayern, who will try to end Baffert’s 0-for-12 skid in North America’s richest race, which caps Saturday’s card of nine Breeders’ Cup races.

The $26 million world championships open Friday with four races, including the $2 million Distaff at 1 1/8 miles.

An ankle injury has kept two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan out of the $2 million Mile, and his defection triggered a flood of 25 pre-entered horses. The maximum field of 14 includes Obviously, who finished third and fifth in the last two runnings.

In the $1 million Juvenile Turf, Hootenanny drew post No. 5 as the 3-1 favorite under Frankie Dettori.

Defending champion Goldencents was made the 6-5 favorite for the $1 million Dirt Mile, where he drew the No. 1 post in the field of 10. He is being trained by Leandro Mora, subbing for his boss Doug O’Neill, who is suspended for a medication violation.

“Last year Goldencents drew post 12, and we got around it,” Mora said. “I think the rail is a positive because of the speed he has.”

In the $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf, Sunset Glow will break from the No. 3 post as the 7-2 favorite under Espinoza. Osaila and Qualify, a pair of Irish horses, were the 5-1 co-second choices.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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