Every sport has a definitive year-ending event to crown its champions. In horse racing, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships is the culmination of the horse racing season worldwide and the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic is the defining event of the international racing season. The Breeders’ Cup Classic, run over 1 1/4 miles, draws a star-studded list of international runners year upon year. It is open to 3-year-old horses and older and this year has attracted thirteen runners.
This year the Championships are being held at Del Mar Racetrack.
Let’s take a look at the contenders this year:
Collected (current odds 5/1)
Collected beat his stablemate Arrogate to land the Pacific Classic at Del Mar which gave their trainer Bob Baffert the 1-2.
Collected is a perfect four-for-four this season, and a winner of eight of his eleven career starts. After his Santa Anita run every start has been in Stakes company. The Pacific Classic victory secured the colt a spot in the starting gate for the Breeders' Cup Classic as a part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.
Diversify (current odds 25/1)
New York-bred Diversify won the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes at Belmont on October 7th in front-running fashion thus automatically qualifying for this race.
After a workout at Belmont on Saturday, trainer Rick Violette said he would first have to speak with owner Ralph Evans and to expect a decision Sunday as to whether they would be travelling or not.
Gun Runner (current odds 2/1)
Gun Runner has never won at the distance over which he will be tested over in the Classic, but trainer Steve Asmussen has no concerns his stable star will get every bit of the 1 1/4 miles.
Gun Runner’s four Grade 1 wins have come at 1 1/8 miles. He comes into this race off a three-race win streak, taking the Clark Handicap, the Whitney Stakes, and the Woodward Stakes.
Mubtaahij (current odds 16/1)
Mubtaahij won the Grade 1, $300,690 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita to qualify for the Classic and gave Bob Baffert yet another runner in the race.
Mubtaahij was making his first start since finishing fourth in the Dubai World Cup in March, and his Santa Anita run was his first start since joining Baffert's stable.
Arrogate (current odds 9/4)
Arrogate is a four-time winner at the top-level for trainer Bob Baffert with those wins including last year's Breeders' Cup Classic and the Dubai World Cup.
He has failed to show his best in his two most recent starts and will be retired to stud whatever the outcome of Saturday’s feature race.
Despite his recent disappointments, Arrogate remains the highest-rated horse in the world.
Churchill (current odds 12/1)
Dual 2000 Guineas winner Churchill will be representing “Group One world record” holder Aidan O’Brien in the Classic.
Aidan O'Brien's colt, who has not tasted victory since following up his Newmarket Classic win at the Curragh, finished third in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes to Persuasive at Ascot’s Champions Day meeting.
Cupid (current odds 33/1)
*Note* Cupid will make his next start in the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar, Coolmore confirmed Thursday after the colt was also pre-entered into the Classic.
Gunnevera (current odds 50/1)
Gunnevera confirmed he can still mix it with the best with a runner-up effort in the Travers Stakes on August 26th.
The Kentucky-bred colt won the 2016 Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) and closed out his 2-year-old campaign with victory in the $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes (G3).
Pavel (current odds 33/1)
Pavel made the winner’s circle when scoring by five lengths in the Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx in Philadelphia. He then took on the big hitters in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont and finished third behind Diversify and Keen Ice.
Trainer Doug O’Neill believes a rematch in the Classic is just up his street.
War Decree (current odds 25/1)
War Decree is certainly not an Aidan O’Brien afterthought for the Classic.
The lightly-raced 3-year-old War Front colt rewarded his connections with the form they knew he possessed, scoring easily in the Koffy Diamond Stakes at Dundalk last time out.
Prior to that, he returned back in April with a sixth in the Craven Stakes at Newmarket and a fifth in the Qipco Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly.
War Story (current odds 100/1)
In his three Grade 1 starts this year he’s finished a combined 40 ½ lengths out of first place. Unsurprisingly those three races were won by Arrogate (Pegasus World Cup Invitational) and Gun Runner (Whitney Stakes and Woodward Stakes).
The best position fans of this runner can really hope for is a possible superfecta spot should he run on through beaten horses.
West Coast (current odds 5/1)
A son of Flatter, West Coast has won five straight races in tough company with victories in the Grade 1 Travers and Pennsylvania Derby leading into the Classic.
West Coast also has history on his side as Bob Baffert has won this race in three straight runnings, all with 3-year-old horses.
Win The Space (current odds 100/1)
Win the Space returns to the Classic after finishing unplaced in 2016. For the second straight year, he prepped for the race by finishing third in the Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita a month ago.
It would however come as a major shock if this horse troubles the judge on Saturday.
Summary
Essentially it’s a game of “which Bob Baffert horse wins?” isn’t it? But the likes of Aidan O’Brien and Steve Asmussen will be hoping to have something to say about that.
Baffert does however look to hold all the aces in the pack and his three-year-old West Coast completely fits the mould of previous Classic winners.
Selection: West Coast.
