The 35th running of the US$6m Breeders Cup this weekend. Secretariat's World looks at the field and analyses the field.
Post positions were drawn Monday, and some jockeys are still sorting themselves out and the morning line odds are my own estimate. Fourteen will run in the Classic, and two are eligible.
Accelerate: eThe best horse in America has won 4 Gr.1 this year and has every chance of winning.
Axlerod: May not be good enough to compete against these stalwarts but he ran a decent second in the Pennsylvania Derby.
Catholic Boy: He was amazing in the Travers Stakes. He's good on turf but he may just beat the dirt specialists in their own game.
Discreet Lover: Owner, trainer Uriah St. Lewis has done a tremendous job with this US$10,000 purchase. He looked good winning The Jockey Gold Cup but all that won't help him here.
Gunnevera: He ran a decent second in The Woodward Stakes in his last outing and the trip and distance suit his running style. A good run is possible but not probable.
McKinzie: The Baffert stable star has been out of training and racing for most of the year due to injury, but came back with a vengeance to win The Pennsylvania Derby. He might be the best 3-year-old in this race and can make his presence felt.
Mendelssohn: The Ballydoyle star hasn't done well this year and may not be able to deliver in his present form.
Mind Your Biscuits: Chad Summers trained colt has a unique style of running which leaves him with too much work close to the wire. But is fine and fit coming into this challenge.
Pavel: With US$1,375,000 in prize money, he ran second to Accelerate in The Pacific Classic but may not be the idea fit for this field.
Thunder Snow: Gr.1 Dubai World Cup winner has earned over $8.5 million and is looking good coming into this race.
*AE Toast of New York: Brought back from stud duty to race again and ran a good second in The Lukas Classic but he has no shot here and shouldn't even be in this race.
West Coast: Another Baffert charge, is more than capable of holding off Thunder Snow and Accelerate in The Awesome Again if he brings his best.
Yoshida: He had a nice win in The Woodward Stakes against a big and decent field but may feature in the superfecta and not win in this august company.
*AE Collected: He was fourth in the Pennsylvania Derby but that won't help him here.
Roaring Lion: The boy has an unbeaten record of Gr.1 wins but this is his firsts race on dirt. It will be interesting.
Lone Sailor: He's won the Gr.3 Remington Park but he may not win here with this field.
Click here to watch Breeders Cup Classic Race 2017
1st Gun Runner (S. Asmussen,F. Geroux), 2nd Collected (B. Baffert,M. Garcia), 3rd West Coast (B. Baffert,J. Castellano), 4th War Story (J. Navarro,J. Ortiz), 5th Arrogate (B. Baffert,M. Smith), 6th Gunnevera (A. Sano,E. Zayas), 7th Churchill (A. O'Brien,R. Moore), 8th Mubtaahij (B. Baffert,D. Van Dyke), 9th War Decree (A. O'Brien,S. Heffernan), 10th Pavel (D. O'Neill,M. Gutierrez), 11th Win The Space (G. Papaprodromou,J. Talamo)
Distance: 1 1⁄4 miles, Surface: Dirt, Track: Left-handed, Qualification: 3-year-olds and up, Weight: 4-year-olds and up: 126 lb (57.2 kg),3-year-olds: Northern Hemisphere 122 lb (55 kg), Southern Hemisphere 117 lb (53 kg),Fillies and mares allowed 3 pounds., Purse:US$6 million (for 2016)