Breeders’ Cup pre-entries announced on October 28 gives a hint to the quality of the event. There are nearly 200 of the best horses in the world that were named including 38 from overseas.
The Breeders’ Cup pre-entries started way back in 1984 and this is the 33rd time the Championships will be renewed. There will be 13 Grade I races with purses totaling $28 million and this is the ninth time the showcase will be run at Santa Anita.
With the money so huge, everybody is taking a shot and seven of the 13 races are oversubscribed with more than 14 horses. There are nearly 50 horses that qualified with the ‘win and you’re in’ Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series that are pre-entered.
The $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, whose purse was increased by $1 million from last year to match the Dubai World Cup, is a race that will in all likelihood clinch Horse of the Year honors. The winner of the mile and a quarter fixture will earn a whopping $3.3 million.
Even though California Chrome has been sensational this year, he didn’t scare anybody away. A field of 14 horses has been pre-entered for the Classic. California Chrome has become the leading money earner in North America with over $13.4 million in his bankroll. He will face stout competition from several honest runners.
One of those challengers is the late- developing 3-year-old Arrogate, the facile winner of the Travers Stakes. Bob Baffert, who else, will be represented in spades. He will be seeking an unprecedented third consecutive Breeders’ Cup Classic. In 2014 his charge Bayern won a controversial fight and last year Triple Crown winner American Pharoah got a break with the pace and controlled the outcome.
Of the Breeders’ Cup pre-entries Frosted carries the hopes of many on the East Coast. He earned a berth in the race winning the Grade 1 Whitney for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. Frosted could have taken a softer route to success by running in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile but his connections decided to swing for the fences.
Aidan O’Brien has been busy with Breeders’ Cup pre-entries. He has 13 entered, the most among trainers, and kind of surprisingly, he has pointed Found for the Classic. Found won the Breeders’ Cup Turf last year and this season won the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Found has run 20 times, all on the grass. Her sire was sprint only, so was the dam and so was the lone winning sibling. To add difficulty to her task is the fact she will likely have to come from far off the pace.
Effinex, a reference to a former spouse, Melatonin, Nyquist, Hoppertunity and Shaman Ghost are the other logical Breeders’ Cup pre-entries that must be considered in the Classic.
One of the most intriguing races of the first weekend in November will be Friday’s $2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff at 1 1/8 miles for 3-year-olds and up. This race shapes up as a 3-horse brawl similar to the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Stellar Wind will be looking for her third victory in a row but she will once again have to deal with champion Beholder. Add the unbeaten 3-year-old Songbird into the mix and the race takes on the shape of one that should not be missed. As far as Songbird is concerned, 3-year-olds have done well in the Distaff over the years. Ten sophomores have won this race including two in the last 3 years.
One eye-catching match-up to look forward to for this year’s Breeders’ Cup is Runhappy against Dortmund in the Dirt Mile. Combine that puzzler with Classic Empire, Gormley, Practical Joke, Not This Time and Syndergaard when they roll out in the Juvenile and excitement is already in the air.
Several Breeders’ Cup pre-entries will be hoping for that déjà vu feeling. Eleven runners, Songbird, Beholder, Found, Catch a Glimpse, Mongolian Saturday, Lady Eli, Tepin, Hit It a Bomb, Runhappy, Wavell Avenue and Nyquist will be hoping for that sensation.
It’s not too early to get out the popcorn, put on the midnight oil, pull out the Racing Form, and start studying for that diamond in the rough.
