No standout, but chances aplenty in Breeders’ Cup Classic XXXVI

Cover image | Breeders' Cup Eclipse Sportswire

America’s original multi-million dollar dirt race, the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Classic has been won down the years by some of the greatest horses to run over the surface, including the likes of Sunday Silence (USA), Unbridled (USA), A.P. Indy (USA), the recently pensioned Awesome Again (USA), his son Ghostzapper (USA), Curlin (USA), Triple Crown hero American Pharoah (USA) and fellow US Horse of the Year Gun Runner (USA).

The legendary Cigar (USA) splashed to victory in 1995, while exactly 10 years ago at Santa Anita, which is hosting its 10th Breeders’ Cup meeting this weekend, Zenyatta (USA) made history by becoming the lone female to beat the boys in the meeting’s centrepiece.

Table: recent Breeders' Cup winners

Whether any of the 11 horses entered for the 2019 renewal (11:44 am AEST Sunday) rises to some of the heights achieved by those aforementioned gallopers remains to be seen and while there is no true superstar signed on, the 10-furlong test figures a wide-open affair. Here are brief capsules on each of the entrants listed in post position order:

#1 MATH WIZARD (USA) (3c Algorithms {USA}), 30-1

The first Breeders’ Cup starter for Barbadian Saffie Joseph, Jnr., Math Wizard (USA) famously finished third in the same maiden seller won by GI Kentucky Derby first-past-the-post Maximum Security (USA) (New Year’s Day {USA}) and since being claimed for US$25,000 in January, has become a reliable graded stakes horse.

Placed in graded derbies in Ohio and Indiana, he most recently caused a $32 upset in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby, defeating War of Will (USA) (War Front {USA}) into third with the Bob Baffert-trained Improbable (USA) (City Zip {USA}) fourth.

#2 SEEKING THE SOUL (USA) (6h Perfect Soul {Ire}), 20-1

The runner-up in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile last year, this homebred for geologist and diamond miner Charles Fipke was second in the US$12-million Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup and won the Grade 2 Stephen Foster S. in June in Kentucky, but was no factor in a pair of later-season appearances in California.

He will need to improve off his latest fourth behind Mongolian Groom (USA) (Hightail {USA}) in the Grade 1 Awesome Again S. at Santa Anita September 28.

#3 OWENDALE (USA) (3c Goldencents {USA}), 15-1

Winner of four from seven this term, Owendale (USA) annexed the Grade 3 Lexington S. and Grade 3 Ohio Derby either side of a very respectable third-place effort to War of Will in the second leg of the Triple Crown, the Grade 1 Preakness S.

Fifth with an excuse behind Code of Honor (USA) (Noble Mission {GB}) in the Grade 1 Travers S. at historic Saratoga, he most recently overcame a torrid trip to add the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby to his resume September 29. Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano takes over in the saddle from the injured Florent Geroux on a horse who has place claims.

#4 WAR OF WILL (USA) (3c War Front {USA}), 20-1

War of Will (USA) emerged as one of this year’s top 3-year-olds over the winter, but was most harmed by the rough-and-tumble interference in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and faded to eighth before being promoted one spot.

The comfortable winner of the Preakness, he has failed to rediscover that form in three subsequent runs, including a somewhat disappointing third with every conceivable chance in the Pennsylvania Derby. Trainer Mark Casse is adding blinkers for the Classic and the colt has turned in a pair of eye-catching hit-outs at Santa Anita.

#5 YOSHIDA (JPN) (5h Hearts Cry {Jpn}), 8-1

A Grade 1 winner on turf and on dirt, Yoshida (Jpn) was no better than sixth to Seeking the Soul in the Stephen Foster, but showed renewed signs of life at Saratoga this summer, where he was second to McKinzie (USA) (Street Sense {USA}) in the Grade 1 Whitney S. and third in defence of his crown in the Grade 1 Woodward S.

With jockey Joel Rosario recruited to ride ante-post favourite McKinzie, Mike Smith--who had partnered with McKinzie in each of his 13 career starts--will sit on Yoshida for the first time. A similar move saw Smith take out the 2011 Classic aboard Drosselmeyer (USA) (Distorted Humor {USA}) for trainer Bill Mott and WinStar Farm, a part-owner of Yoshida.

#6 ELATE (USA) (5m Medaglia d’Oro {USA}), 6-1

Outside the top three just twice in her career, Elate (USA) gets a final crack at the boys over a distance she seems to prefer over any other. Fourth as the favourite in the 2017 Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff, the homebred was forced to miss last year’s meeting with what trainer Bill Mott calls ‘soundness issues.’

She has amassed a record of 2-3-1 from six runs this season, including a defence of her title in the Grade 2 Delaware Hcp. that took her record at 10 furlongs to a perfect three-from-three. Exiting a pair of runner-up efforts against her peers at the top level, she will need to find a few lengths to trouble the best of this bunch, but that is not beyond the scope of possibility in what is to be the final start of her career.

#7 HIGHER POWER (USA) (4c Medaglia d’Oro {USA}), 6-1

The second entrant in the race for his successful dual-hemisphere stallion, Higher Power (USA) is one of the trickier reads in this year’s Classic. Purchased for US$250,000 as a horse-in-training at this year’s Keeneland April Sale, he was a well-beaten fourth behind Vino Rosso (USA) (Curlin {USA}) in the course-and-distance Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita ahead of a pair of strong efforts on the turf.

Back to the dirt for his last two, he posted a $10.60 upset in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar at this trip and was most recently third in the Awesome Again after a stumble out of the stalls. A repeat of the Pacific Classic could give owners Hronis Racing and trainer John Sadler a second straight Classic following Accelerate (USA) (Lookin At Lucky {USA}) last year.

#8 MCKINZIE (USA) (4c Street Sense {USA}), 8-5

McKinzie should jump the favourite at post time to give trainer Bob Baffert a fourth victory in the Classic (Bayern {USA}, 2014; American Pharoah {USA}, 2015; and Arrogate {USA}), 2016).

Only 12th in last year’s race when second-up for better than six months, McKinzie has but two wins from six starts this season, with a victory in the Grade 2 Alysheba S. to go along with the Whitney. That fact notwithstanding, he is clearly the fastest and has been consistently fast in his races, having posted gaudy speed figures in defeat in the Grade 1 Met Mile (behind GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint favourite Mitole {USA}) and in the Awesome Again. Some will argue the 10-furlong trip is not his best, but he was just beaten in the Grade 1 Santa Anita H. Joel Rosario looks for a second consecutive Classic.

#9 MONGOLIAN GROOM (USA) (4g Hightail {USA}), 12-1

Mongolian Groom (USA) entered the Classic discussion with his stunning and clear-cut US$26 upset of McKinzie in the Awesome Again and connections have paid US$200,000 to supplement him into the race (they would need to finish in the top five to recover the supplement).

A longshot though he is to duplicate his last-out success, the gelding has danced all the dances this year and has picked up over a half-million dollars along the way. Third in the Santa Anita Hcp., he was fourth in the Gold Cup at Santa Anita, third in the Pacific Classic and fifth in the Woodward prior to his breakthrough. He’s earned his shot at glory.

#10 VINO ROSSO (USA) (4c Curlin {USA}), 4-1

Vino Rosso (USA) will have his fair share of supporters Saturday as he looks to give his trainer Todd Pletcher a landmark first win in the Classic.

A Grade 2 winner at three, but on the fringes for most of the season, the chestnut colt did it tough when winning the Gold Cup at Santa Anita in May, racing wide and on a strong pace before outfinishing Santa Anita H. winner Gift Box (USA) (Twirling Candy {USA}).

A wide-trip third behind McKinzie in the Whitney, he made every yard in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup September 28 in New York, but was controversially disqualified to second. With speed signed on to his immediate inside, it figures another wide trip, but he’s overcome the adversity before and can do so again.

Vino Rosso’s sire won the 2007 Classic in abysmal conditions and has since emerged as a leading American stallion.

#11 CODE OF HONOR (USA) (3c Noble Mission {GB}), 4-1

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey is the winner of eight races at the Breeders’ Cup, but never the Classic. Code of Honor (USA) has legitimate claims to snap that streak this weekend.

A homebred for Lane’s End Farm’s William S. Farish and by Frankel (GB)’s full-brother Noble Mission, Code of Honor crossed the line third in the Kentucky Derby, but was wisely kept in the mothballs the rest of the Triple Crown season. He has not ‘lost’ in three starts since, having won the Grade 3 Dwyer S. over a mile and the Grade 1 Travers S. ahead of his effort in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, where he was put up to the win.

McGaughey first expressed hesitation about making the trip to California for the Classic, but the colt has done the talking and convinced his conditioner to send him across. The race seems to map well for him and all things equal, he should be finishing in the final two furlongs. A victory would sew up champion 3-year-old honours.