DEL MAR, Calif. – There is a tradition in the Bregman family of grandfathers shepherding grandsons for afternoons at local racetracks. Sam Bregman, the district attorney in Bernalillo County in New Mexico, used to attend the races in Maryland with his grandfather. Sam’s son, Alex, the star third baseman for the Houston Astros, recalls trips to the Downs at Albuquerque with his grandfather. “Those are my earliest memories” of the racetrack, Alex Bregman said recently. In 2021, in a twist on the custom, Sam and Alex Bregman attended the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar, a weekend that spurred Alex Bregman to rapidly become involved in the sport as an owner. “I said, I want to own a horse,” Alex Bregman said. On Friday, Bregman Family Racing has two runners in Breeders’ Cup races – Governor Sam in the Juvenile Turf Sprint and Totally Justified in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. Both will start with leading chances, having won stakes in recent months. Alex Bregman is not a Breeders’ Cup rookie. Last year, No Nay Mets, co-owned by the Bregmans, finished fourth by 1 1/2 lengths in the BC Juvenile Turf Sprint at Santa Anita. :: Get Breeders' Cup Betting Strategies from Brad Free and David Aragona for exclusive wager recommendations and play the races with confidence! “It was a good race and a lot of fun,” Bregman said. “We said, ‘We’ll get back here.’ “We got very lucky and we have two amazing horses.” Governor Sam, co-owned by Swinbank Stables, has won 4 of 5 starts, including a maiden race at Saratoga and three consecutive sprint stakes on turf at Monmouth Park, Colonial Downs, and Keeneland from early August to early October. Trained by George Weaver, Governor Sam is fast enough to set the pace, but also effective as a stalker. The five-furlong Turf Sprint figures to be a hectic race. “He doesn’t need the lead and he can get the lead if he wants it,” Bregman said. The colt’s name stems from a family wish regarding Sam Bregman’s political career, Alex said. “Me and a few family members hope,” he said. “We want him to run for governor.” In June, Sam Bregman won a four-year term as district attorney of the county that includes Albuquerque. He is a former chairman of the New Mexico State Racing Commission. Totally Justified, trained by Rusty Arnold, won the $150,000 P.G. Johnson Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on turf in her stakes debut at Saratoga in her third start Aug. 28 and was beaten a nose after leading in the stretch of the Grade 2 Jessamine Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on turf Oct. 4 at Keeneland. The narrow loss was the difference between a fees-paid berth to the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf and needing to pay $30,000 in pre-entry and entry fees to start in Friday’s race. The performance has given the Bregmans high hopes for Friday. “We switched her bit and hopefully it will make a difference,” Alex Bregman said. Bregman, 30, said the stable has “about 10 horses,” all trained by Arnold and Weaver. Ciaran Dunne, who operates Wavertree Stable in Ocala, Fla., and bloodstock agent Mike Akers have guided Bregman. “They have helped me out so much,” Bregman said. “They have good relationships with Rusty and George. They’ve taught me a lot about racing.” No Nay Mets finished seventh of 12 in the Grade 3 Quick Call Stakes for turf sprinters at Saratoga in his last start in July and recently resumed training. “He’s coming back at the beginning of the year,” Bregman said. Earlier this year, Bregman’s Kodiac Wintergreen finished third in the Limestone Stakes at Keeneland. During the baseball season, Bregman says he finds free time to study races. “I stay up to date in the mornings when I’m not game planning or practicing,” he said. “I love it. The animals are majestic.” This year, Bregman hit .260 and had 26 home runs for an Astros team that won the American League West with 88 wins, but was knocked out of the playoffs in the wild-card round by Detroit. Bregman, who played college baseball at LSU, joined the team in 2016 and was an All-Star in 2018. Ideally, Bregman would not be able to attend the Breeders’ Cup and would be occupied playing in this week’s World Series. Even though the Astros were eliminated, Bregman is closely following the playoffs. “I love baseball,” he said. “I could watch it all day long. I’m pissed I’m not playing myself.” :: ON SALE NOW: DRF Breeders' Cup Packages! Get everything you need to win and save 41% off the retail price. Bregman will be accompanied to Del Mar by his family, including his wife, Reagan. The couple have a 1-year-old, with another child expected in 2025. A trip to Del Mar will be his autumn sporting consolation. The journey could end with Bregman’s first Breeders’ Cup win by either Governor Sam or Totally Justified. “They have been so amazing to watch and so much fun,” Bregman said. “Hopefully, we can get these two across the lines first. We love ’em. We think we have a good chance.” :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.