Breeders' Cup 2011: Drosselmeyer Wins The Classic

2011 Breeders Cup Classic Video: Watch Drosselmeyer Surge To The Win

Game On Dude looked to be headed for a wire-to-wire win at the Breeders Cup Classic, pulling away from the field and holding off challenges as they neared the finish line. But out of nowhere, Drosselmeyer surged from the back, flying down the outside as the Breeders Cup field headed for home under the lights. It was as if Game On Dude never saw his challenger.

Dosselmeyer's move was so late, yet worked to perfection as he cruised past the pack and into the lead. And just before the wire, he pulled away, passing Game On Dude and hanging on for the win.

Here's video of Drosselmeyer's run to victory in the $5 million Breeders Cup Classic. Notice where he starts as they enter the home stretch and, of course, where he finishes. Not a bad run at all.

Be sure to stay tuned to our storystream for updates throughout the final day of racing. The SB Nation blog, And Down The Stretch They Come, has the field covered from top to bottom. If you're new to the Breeders' Cup and want to know more about the event, check out A Beginner's Guide to the Breeders' Cup.

2011 Breeders Cup Classic Payouts: Drosselmeyer Pays Handsomely With Win

The long shots came home at the 2011 Breeders Cup Classic, with Drosselmeyer nipping Game On Dude for the win. Both horses held long odds, going off at 14-1 in the Classic. Third-place horse Ruler On Ice was just as long a shot, holding 17-1 odds.

Here's the payouts for Saturday's Breeders Cup Classic.

Drosselmeyer paid $31.60 to win, $13.20 to place and $8.80 to show. Game On Dude paid just as well, as did Ruler on Ice. The exacta, trifecta and superfecta were all lucrative, for those lucky enough to nail the finishing order.

Be sure to stay tuned to our storystream for updates throughout the final day of racing. The SB Nation blog, And Down The Stretch They Come, has the field covered from top to bottom. If you're new to the Breeders' Cup and want to know more about the event, check out A Beginner's Guide to the Breeders' Cup.

2011 Breeders Cup Results: Drosselmeyer Wins At Churchill Downs

After two days of racing at Churchill Downs, the main event arrived as 12 of the top three-year-olds were called to the post for the 2011 Breeders Cup Classic. The race pit a few familiar names against each other again, with Stay Thirsty, Uncle Mo and Ruler on Ice -- all competitors in at least on Triple Crown race this year -- were in the field.

Flat Out entered the gates as the favorite, going off at 7-2 odds. Havre de Grace was bet down to 4-1 at the time of post. The filly was followed closely by Uncle Mo and So You Think, who each headed to the post with the second-best odds at 5-1.

The field made it into the gates without incident and the $5 million Breeders Cup Classic got underway at Churchill Downs. Uncle Mo bust from the outside and Game On Dude took the lead from the inside, leading the field down the front stretch. As they hit the first turn, it was Game on Dude, Uncle Mo, So You Think and Stay Thirsty leading the way into the back-stretch.

Game On Dude held the rail as they came to the final turn, with Uncle Mo breaking from the outside along with To Honor and Serve. As they came down the stretch, So You Think got a run down the inside, with Game On Dude surging. But out of nowhere, Drosselmeyer came on in a shocker, coming out of nowhere down the stretch to take it at the wire.

Game on Dude was second and Ruler on Ice finished in third.

Be sure to stay tuned to our storystream for updates throughout the final day of racing. The SB Nation blog, And Down The Stretch They Come, has the field covered from top to bottom. If you're new to the Breeders' Cup and want to know more about the event, check out A Beginner's Guide to the Breeders' Cup.

Breeders' Cup 2011 Results: Court Vision Wins The Mile; Goldikova (IRE) 3rd

Court Vision held off Turallure in the final strides to spring a huge upset in the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Mile and deny Goldikova (IRE) a fourth consecutive win in the race. Turallure, the winner of the 2011 Woodbine Mile, made a big run from the back of the pack but could not get his nose ahead of Court Vision at the wire. Three-time Mile winner Goldikova (IRE) ran her heart out but couldn’t hold off the late charging horses in the final furlongs.

An objection was lodged against Goldikova at the end of the race for coming off the hedge and interfering with Courageous Cat. The stewards denied the objection and made no change to the running order.

American champion turf horse Gio Ponti finished 4th.

Court Vision is a six-year-old son of Gulch out of a Storm Bird mare (Weekend Storm). He is trained by Dale Romans and ridden by Robby Albarado. His last win came in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile on Sept. 19, 2010.

The win by a 65/1 Court Vision, the highest priced winner of the weekend and the second highest win payout in the history of the Breeders’ Cup, set off box car returns.

Payouts:
9-Court Vision: $131.60, $49.60, $21.40
13-Turallure: $10.00, $7.00
1-Goldikova (IRE): $2.40

$2 Exacta: $1,979.60
$0.50 Trifecta: $2,488.80
$0.10 Superfecta: $1,346.34
$1 Daily Double: $591.00
$0.50 Pick 3: $2,671.20

Fractions:
1/4: 24.17
1/2: 48.18
3/4: 1:12.44
Finish: 1:37.05

Breeders' Cup 2011 Results: Hansen Goes Gate-To-Wire In The Juvenile

Hansen, doing all the dirty work in the early stages, held off the previously undefeated Union Rags to win the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Hansen came into the Juvenile off of a couple of blowout wins at Turfway Park but stepped up his game on the big stage to win his third race in three starts.

Union Rags had a tough trip throughout the race but still mounted a spirited late charge in the final furlongs. He bore out slightly in the lane, continued to gain on Hansen, but couldn’t get past the winner at the wire.

Creative Cause, winner of the Grade 1 Norfolk last time out, finished in third. Dullahan closed from well back to finish fourth.

Hansen is a two-year-old son of Tapit out of a Sir Cat mare (Stormy Sunday). He is trained by Kentucky native Michale Maker and ridden by Ramon Dominguez.

Payouts:
5-Hansen: $16.20, $6.60, $4..60
10-Union Rags: $3.20, $2.20
7-Creative Cause: $3.60

$2 Exacta: $46.20
$0.50 Trifecta: $55.90
$0.10 Superfecta: $95.36
$1 Daily Double: $82.80
$0.50: Pick 3: $230.80

Fractions:
1/4: 23.26
1/2: 47.39
3/4: 1:12.24
Mile: 1:37.61
Finish: 1:44.44

2011 Breeders Cup Odds: Flat Out Still Favored, Uncle Mo Close Behind

The 2011 Breeders Cup odds are still shifting with post time just about an hour and a half away at Churchill Downs. Uncle Mo opened as the morning line favorite, but has been overtaken and now holds the second-best odds for the Breeders Cup Classic. The new favorite, after being bet down Saturday morning, is Flat Out, who will be running out of the inside post position.

Uncle Mo has the second-best odds, followed by So You Think and Havre de Grace. Stay Thirsty is at 10-1, followed by To Honor and Serve, running out of the outside post position, at 11-1. Game On Dude is also lumped in with the second-tier at 12-1 odds.

Here is what the odds look like as it stands now.

Flat Out 3-1
Drosselmeyer 14-1
Ruler On Ice 15-1
So You Think (NZ) 6-1
Ice Box 20-1
Rattlesnake Bridge 18-1
Game On Dude 12-1
Stay Thirsty 10-1
Havre de Grace 6-1
Headache 25-1
Uncle Mo 5-1
To Honor and Serve 11-1

For more on the entire weekend, check out our 2011 Breeders Cup StoryStream and visit And Down The Stretch They Come.

Breeders' Cup 2011 Results: St Nicholas Abbey (IRE) Wins The Turf

St. Nicholas Abbey (IRE), trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by his 18-year-old son, Joseph O’Brien, settled behind the early pace early, found racing room in the middle of the stretch, and put away his rivals with a strong late run to win the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Turf by open lengths. In the process, Joseph O’Brien becomes the youngest jockey to win a Breeders’ Cup race.

Sea Moon (GB) ran on for second, while Brilliant Speed runs a huge race to finish third. Race favorite Sarafina (FR) could only muster a fourth place finish.

St Nicholas Abbey is a four-year-old son of Montjeu (IRE) out of a Sure Blade mare (Leaping Wager (GB)). He is a multiple Group winner in Europe, including a win in the Group 1 Coronation Cup and Group 1 Racing Post Trophy. St Nicholas Abbey owned by Irish racing giant Ballydoyle.

Payouts:
1-St Nicholas Abbey: $15.60, $7.20, $5.40
7-Sea Moon (GB): $5.00, $4.20
8-Brilliant Speed: $7.00

$2 Exacta: $76.20
$0.50 Trifecta: $305.45
$0.10 Superfecta: $226.94
$1 Daily Double: $54.60
$0.50 Pick 3: $132.15

Fractions:
1/4: 24.92
1/2: 50.09
3/4: 1:14.67
Mile: 1:39.93
Finish: 2:28.85

Breeders' Cup 2011 Results: Caleb's Posse Dominates The Dirt Mile

Caleb’s Posse sat well back of the early leaders, made a big move on the turn, and unleashed a tremendous late kick in the lane to easily win the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. Preakness winner Shackleford led briefly but couldn’t hold off the winner. He finished in second. Long-shot Tres Borrachos finished third to round out the trifecta.

The Factor set the early pace but faded badly at the top of the stretch.

Trained by Donnie Von Hemmel and ridden by Rajiv Marach, Caleb’s Posse is a three-year-old son of Posse.

The win by Caleb's Posse was the third by a horse breaking from the post eight on the day. Afleet Again (Marathon) and Regally Ready (Turf Sprint) also won from post eight, but on different surfaces.

key off a nice $0.50 Pick 4 of $1,785.25.

Payouts:
8-Caleb’s Posse: $15.60, $7.00, $4.80
2-Shackleford: $6.40, $4.40
4-Tres Borrachos: $10.80

$2 Exacta: $112.80
$0.50 Trifecta: 555.20
$0.10 Superfecta: 508.51
$1 Daily Double: 32.70
$0.50 Pick 3: 157.50
$0.50 Pick 4: 1,785.25

Fractions:
1/4: 22.49
1/2: 45.36
3/4: 1:09.52
Finish: 1:34.59

Breeders' Cup 2011 Results: Big Prices In Saturday's Early Races

The first four races are in the book for Breeders’ Cup Saturday, and there’s been plenty of big prices to go around. Afleet Again got things started by winning the Marathon at odds of 41/1. European Wrote (IRE) followed by dominating the Juvenile Turf, paying $25.20 for a $2 win bet. Things settled down over the last two races with Amazombie and Regally Ready winning the Sprint and Turf Sprint, respectively.

Marathon: Afleet Again ($85.20)
Juvenile Turf: Wrote (IRE) ($25.20)
Sprint: Amazombie ($17.80)
Turf Sprint: Regally Ready ($6.60)

The big prices helped to key an early $0.50 Pick 5 that returned $71,510.80. Additionally, the Pick 3 for the Marathon - Juvenile Turf - Sprint returned $6,816.60 for a $0.50 play. That is the highest return on a Pick 3 during this year's Breeders' Cup (next highest: $1,960.40 and $1,426.40).

You can find the results for all of this weekend’s Breeders’ Cup races at the link below.

2011 Breeders’ Cup Results

Watch Breeders' Cup 2011 Online

The second day of the 2011 Breeders' Cup continues Saturday afternoon, with nine races on the schedule including the 2011 Breeder's Cup Classic at 7:00 pm Eastern time. Races will be televised on ABC beginning at 2:00 pm before jumping to ESPN at 3:30. Coverage for the Classic will begin at 6:15 on ESPN.

For those without access to a television, or who simply don't want to deal with constant college football interruptions, you can watch coverage online beginning at 11:45 am ET at the official site of the Breeder's Cup. The full racing schedule can be found here.

Be sure to stay tuned to our storystream for updates throughout the final day of racing. The SB Nation blog, And Down The Stretch They Come, has the field covered from top to bottom. If you're new to the Breeders' Cup and want to know more about the event, check out A Beginner's Guide to the Breeders' Cup.

Breeders' Cup Classic 2011: Post Times, Entries And TV Schedule

The second day of the 2011 Breeders Cup Classic gets underway on Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs. There are 11 races on the docket for Saturday, with the Breeders Cup Classic set to go off in the evening as the second-to-last race of the day. It's all all day affair, with television coverage throughout the day.

Coverage of the races gets underway at 2 p.m. EDT on ABC. At 3:30 p.m., ESPN picks up the coverage of Saturday's races, then jumps back into the mix at 6:15 p.m. for Race 11: The Grade 1 Breeders Cup Classic.

Here are the post times for Saturday's races.

And here's the post positions and morning line odds for the Breeders' Cup Classic, the main event of the weekend.

For more on the entire weekend, check out our 2011 Breeders Cup StoryStream and visit And Down The Stretch They Come.

Breeders' Cup 2011: Friday's Results

The first day of the 2011 Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs is in the books with Royal Delta capping off the day by cruising to victory in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic.

Below are the winners of Friday's Breeders' Cup races, and you can find a complete list off all results, payouts, running fractions for Friday, along with the entries, post positions and morning line odds for Saturday at the file below.

2011 Breeders' Cup Entries and Results

Juvenile Sprint: Secret Circle ($2,80)
Juvenile Fillies Turf: Stephanie's Kitten ($14.20)
Filly & Mare Sprint: Musical Romance ($42.20)
Juvenile Fillies: My Miss Aurelia ($6.20)
Filly & Mare Turf: Perfect Shirl ($57.60)
Ladies' Classic: Royal Delta ($6.40)

Breeders' Cup 2011 Results: Royal Delta Wins The Ladies' Classic

Royal Delta sat off a slow pace set by Kentucky Oaks winner Plum Pretty and powered to the lead inside the final quarter mile on her way to a relatively easy win in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic. It’s Tricky got up to finish second. Pachattack was third.

Royal Delta is a three-year-old daughter of Empire Maker, trained by William Mott and ridden by Jose Lezcano. In her last race, Royal Delta lost to Havre de Grace, one of the contenders for tomorrow’s Breeders’ Cup Classic.

The $2 Pick Six returned $444,571.20.

Official Chart

Payouts:
6-Royal Delta: $6.40, $4.00, $3.20
3-It’s Tricky: $5.00, $3.80
2-Pachattack: $6.00

$2 Exacta: $32.00
$0.50 Trifecta: $58.25
$.0.10 Superfecta: $58.86
$1 HI-5: $1,217.90
$1 Daily Double: $89.70
$0.50 Pick 3: $201.15
$0.50 Pick 4: $587.20
$2 Pick 6: $444,571.20

Fractions:
1/4: 24.18
1/2: 49.00
3/4: 1:13.72
Mile: 1:38.12
Finish: 1:50.78

Breeders' Cup 2011 Results: Perfect Shirl Wins The Filly & Mare Turf

Perfect Shirl produced a strong late run inside the final furlong to pass Nahrain (GB) and win the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at odds of 27/1. Nahrain held for second, while Misty For Me (IRE) got up for third.

Race favorite Stacelita (FR) was boxed in badly down on the hedge as they came into the stretch and was unable to mount a late charge.

Prior to the start of the Filly and Mare Turf the French trained Announce (GB) acted up on the backstretch, almost ran into the equine ambulance, did run into the rail, and was scratched due to a minor laceration over her right hock.

Perfect Shirl is a four-year-old filly trained by Roger Attfield and ridden by John Velazquez. This was her first win since July of 2010 when she won the Grade 2 Lake George at Saratoga.

Official Chart

Payouts:
8-Perfect Shirl: $57.60, $18.60, $11.60
5-Nahrain (GB): $5.00, $3.80
12-Misty For Me (IRE): $5.20

$2 Exacta: $324.00
$0.50 Trifecta: $750.60
$0.10 Superfecta: $2,171.45
$1 Daily Double: $100.50
$0.50 Pick 3: $1,426.40

Fractions:
1/4: 25.44
1/2: 51.07
3/4: 1:16.90
Mile: 1:41.72
1 1/4: 2:06.44
Finish: 2:18.62

Breeders' Cup 2011 Results: My Miss Aurelia Wins The Juvenile Filllies

My Miss Aurelia stalked the early pacesetter, moved to the front of the field at the top of the stretch, and pulled away from her rivals to remain undefeated and win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Grace Hall attempted to run down the winner late but had to settle for 2nd, while Weemissfrankie rounded out the trifecta.

My Miss Aurelia, trained by Steve Asumessen and ridden by Corey Nakatani, is now a perfect four-for-four in her young racing career.

Official Chart

Payouts:
9-My Miss Aurelia: $6.20, $4.00, $3.00
5-Grace Hall: $4.60, $3.20
11-Weemissfrankie: $3.60

$2 Exacta: $24.80
$0.50 Trifecta: $25.30
$0.50 Superfecta: $112.77
$1 Daily Double: $103.60
$0.50 Pick 3: $379.15

Fractions:
1/4: 23.20
1/2: 47.19
3/4: 1:13.08
Mile: 1:39.20
Final: 1:46.00

Breeders' Cup 2011 Results: Musical Romance Wins The Filly & Mare Sprint

The first bomb of the 2011 Breeders’ Cup comes home in the Filly & Mare Sprint after Musical Romance skimmed the rail in the final furlongs to win at odds of 20/1. Switch nosed out Her Smile in a photo for 2nd place.

Heavy favorite Turbulent Descent had a troubled trip, briefly contended for the lead at the top of the stretch, but tired badly in the final furlong.

Musical Romance is a four-year-old filly trained by William Kaplan and ridden by Juan Leyva.

Official Chart

Payouts:
5-Musical Romance: $42.20, $15.60, $8.60
6-Switch: $4.80, $3.40
11-Her Smile: $12.40

$2 Exacta: $177.00
$0.50 Trifecta: $1,216.45
$0.10 Superfecta: $1,540.48
$1 Daily Double: $126.80
$0.50 Pick 3: $135.20

Fractions:
1/4: 22.40
1/2: 45.71
3/4: 1:10.59
Final: 1:23.47

Breeders' Cup 2011 Results: Stephanie's Kittten Wins The Juvenile Fillies Turf

Stephanie’s Kitten unleashed a power late kick to overtake early pacesetter Stopshoppingmaria to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Stephanie’s Kitten came into the Breeders’ Cup off a win in the Grade 1 Alcibiades at Keeneland on Oct. 7th.

The turf course at Churchill Downs was upgraded to 'Good' prior to the running of the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Official Chart

Payouts:
5-Stephanie’s Kitten: $14.20, $6.60, $5.20
4-Stopshoppingmaria: $9.20, $7.60
6-Sweet Cat: $9.40

$2 Exacta: $106.20
$0.50 Trifecta: $229.15
$0.10 Superfecta: $833.44
$1 Daily Double: $12.50
$0.50 Pick 3: $53.00
$0.50 Pick 4: $390.30

Fractions:
1/4: 24.57
1/2: 50.55
3/4: 1:15.71
Final: 1:38.80

Breeders' Cup 2011 Results: Secret Circle Wins The Juvenile Sprint

Bob Baffert’s Secret Circle, sent off as the 2/5 favorite in the inaugural running of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, held off a late charge by European raider Shumoos to win the first race of the 2011 Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs.

The early speed set an absolutely blistering pace, clocking the first quarter mile in a 20.96 seconds.  The final quarter mile was predictably slower at 25.97 seconds.

Official Chart

Payouts:
6-Secret Circle: $2.80, $2.40, $2.10
5-Shumoos: $8.20, $5.60
7-Holdin Bullets: $6.20

$2 Exacta: $28.00
$0.50 Trifecta: $76.55
$0.10 Superfecta: $86.35
$1 Daily Double: $11.10
$0.50 Pick 3: $36.60
$0.50 Pick 5: $814.60

Fractions:
1/4: 20.96
1/2: 44.55
Final: 1:10.52

Breeders' Cup 2011: Main Track Upgraded To 'Good'

The under-card is done and it’s time for the start of the 2011 Breeders’ Cup at historic Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The early races didn’t give a whole lot of clues as to how the main track, listed as ‘Muddy’ earlier today, is playing. The two sprint races finished in quick times that resembled more a “Fast” track. The other two races, however, were on the slow and tiring side.

Following the fourth race,, Churchill Downs upgraded the main track to Good. The turf course is still listed as Yielding.

Breeders' Cup 2011: Main Track 'Muddy'

The Breeders’ Cup Friday races don’t begin until 4:10pm Eastern, but Churchill Downs is running four minor races prior to the start of the championship program. The first race of the day was an optional claiming race at six furlongs on the main track. The dirt may be listed as “muddy”, but the track looked to be playing fairly quick after the first race clocked fractions of 21.61, 45.35, 56.93 and 1:09.52.  The second race, however, proved to be much different than the first.  Running a one-turn mile, a group of N1X Allowance horses ran the first half-mile in 46.68, and the last in a pedestrian 51.32.

8-Rothko, the 7/5 favorite, won the first race and paid $5.00, $3.80, $2.80. The second race was won by 4-Congo but was disqualified and placed 2nd after an objection due to the jockey of Congo accidentally striking 6-Chilled with his whip. That is an automatic disqualification.  6-Chilled was moved up from 2nd, declared the official winner, and paid $7.00, $4.00, $2.80.

Breeders' Cup 2011: Friday Scratches and Changes

Rain has moved into the Louisville area, creating the possibility for a wet and muddy 2011 Breeders' Cup. Below are the track conditions, scratches, and changes for Breeders' Cup Friday, as of 12:00pm Eastern.

Main Track: Muddy
Turf Course: Yielding; Lane 1, on the hedge

Juvenile Sprint: No Changes
Juvenile Fillies Turf: Scratch AE15-Bourbonstreetgirl, AE16-Karlovy Vary
Filly & Mare Sprint: No Changes
Juvenile Fillies: No Changes
Filly & Mare Turf: No Changes
Ladies' Classic: Scratch 9-Medaglia d'Amour; 5-Ask the Moon will not race on adjunct medication

Current scratches/changes can be found at the Churchill Downs website.

Breeders' Cup 2011: Post Times And TV Schedule

The 2011 Breeders' Cup will kick off on Friday, Nov. 4th with six races on "Filly Friday". On Saturday, the final nine races will take place, including the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic at 7:00pm Eastern time.  Below is a summary of the post times, tv coverage, and wagering options for all of the races at Churchill Downs this weekend.

ALL POST-TIMES ARE EASTERN TIME

• Friday’s Pick 6 and Super Hi 5 may carryover to Saturday
• Saturday’s Ultra Pick 6 and Super Hi 5 have a mandatory payout
• The Pick 5 is a mandatory payout each day
• Superfectas are a $0.10 minimum wagers
• Trifectas, Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5 are $0.50 minimum wagers
• Win, Place, Show, Exacta and Pick 6 are $2 minimum wagers
• Daily Double and Super Hi 5 are $1 minimum bets

Breeders' Cup 2011 Entries: Uncle Mo

Horse: Uncle Mo

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Morning Line Odds: 5/2

Career Record (Str-1^st-2^nd-3^rd): 7-5-1-1

Career Earnings: $1,606,000

Pedigree: Sired by Indian Charlie out of a Arch mare (Playa Maya)

Sire Indian Charlie won the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby and finished 3^rd in the 1998 Kentucky Derby. He sired 2007 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Indian Blessing.

Key Stakes Wins: Grade 2 Kelso (Belmont Park), 2010 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (Churchill Downs), 2010 Grade 1 Champagne Stakes (Belmont Park)

Overview: Uncle Mo burst onto the racing scene over a year ago when he easily won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs.  After spending much of the winter as the ante-post favorite for the 2011 Kentucky Derby, Uncle Mo ran into a series of problems that ultimately led to him unable to run in the Derby and taking several months off from racing. He returned to the track a couple of months ago and ran well in stakes races leading up to the Breeders' Cup.  When the post positions were drawn on Monday, Uncle Mo was tabbed as the 5/2 morning line favorite for the 2011 Breeders' Cup Classic.

The key questions surrounding Uncle Mo as he heads into the 2011 Breeders' Cup center on fitness and stamina.  Can a horse that's only had two races since April be ready to win the Breeders' Cup Classic? And does Uncle Mo have the stamina to win going the Classic distance of a mile and a quarter?

In terms of his fitness, Uncle Mo appears to be coming into the Breeders' Cup in as good a shape as he can be.  He's gained weight since last spring and he appears to be full of energy on the track during his morning gallops.  The liver disorder that sidelined him this spring appears to be a thing of the past

In terms of Uncle Mo's stamina... well, we'll find out when the gates open.  As a son of Indian Charlie, his pedigree doesn't exactly scream "10 furlongs".  And given how dominating he's been when running at distances right around a mile, there are a legitimate concern as to whether Uncle Mo fit at the Classic distance.  Not only has Uncle Mo never run at ten furlongs, but he's never won a race longer than a mile than an eighth. (His only try at nine furlongs was the disastrous Wood Memorial, where he finished 3^rd at heavy, heavy odds.)

At the end of the day, we can guess and speculate as to whether Uncle Mo will be at his best when racing at the Classic distance, but nobody knows how he'll do until he actually does it.  That's a lot of uncertainty about a horse that is the morning line favorite.

Uncle Mo is trying to become the first horses to win a Breeders' Cup juvenile race and then come back to win another Breeders' Cup race in subsequent years.  Overall, winners of a juvenile race are 22-0-2-4 when running in another Breeders' Cup race in later years.

Breeders' Cup 2011 Entries: Stay Thirsty

Horse: Stay Thirsty

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Morning Line Odds: 12/1

Career Record (Str-1^st-2^nd-3^rd): 11-4-3-1

Career Earnings: $1,475,000

Pedigree: Sired by Bernardini out of a Storm Bird mare (Marozola)

Bernardini was named Champion Three-Year-Old Colt in 2006 following wins in the Grade 1 Preakness, Grade 1 Travers Stakes, Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup, Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes, and Grade 3 Withers Stakes. He was 2^nd to 2006 Horse of the Year Invasor (ARG) in the 2006 Breeders' Cup Classic.

Stay Thirsty is a half-brother to Andromeda's Hero, winner of the of Sam F. Davis Stakes, and 2^nd in the 2005 Belmont Stakes.

Key Stakes Wins: Grade 1 Travers Stakes (Saratoga), Grade 2 Jim Dandy (Saratoga), Grade 3 Gotham Stakes (Aqueduct)

Overview: Stay Thirsty was the dominant three-year-old at Saratoga this summer, winning both the Grade 2 Jim Dandy and the Grade 1 Travers Stakes. But despite his strong performances at the Spa and his good performance in the Belmont Stakes, there is a huge, looming question surrounding this colt as he heads into the Breeders' Cup Classic: can he win outside of New York.

Stay Thirsty has raced outside of New York only three times in his career, and all three times he finished over ten lengths behind the winner.  Last November, Stay Thristy finished 5^th, over 14 lengths back of Uncle Mo in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.  In April, he finished 7^th in the Florida Derby, over 16 lengths behind Dialed In.  And at this year's Kentucky Derby, Stay Thirsy was 12^th and 11 lengths behind Animal Kingdom.  Three races outside New York with three loses by over 42 combined lengths.  That's not encouraging.

Whatever else we thing of this colt, it's impossible to overlook those races.  While those three blowout loses outside of New York could be flukes, it also could be a sign that the horse simply doesn't ship that well.  Or perhaps he simply prefers the surfaces at Belmont, Saratoga and Aqueduct.  Who knows.? What we do know is that he hasn't come within sniffing distance of the winner any time he's raced outside of New York... and Saturday's 2011 Breeders' Cup Classic will be a run long way from New York.

2011 Travers Stakes

Breeders' Cup 2011 Entries: So You Think (NZ)

Horse: So You Think (NZ)

Trainer: Aidan O'Brien

Morning Line Odds: 5/1

Career Record (Str-1^st-2^nd-3^rd): 19-12-4-1

Career Earnings: $7,587,459

Pedigree: Sired by High Chaparral (IRE) out of a Tights mare (Triassic (NZ))

High Chaparral (IRE) won the 2002 Epsom (English) Derby and Irish Derby, was a back-to-back winner of the Breeders' Cup Turf (2002 and 2003), and was named Champion Male Turf Horse in America in 2002 and 2003, and Co-Champion Three-Year-Old of Europe in 2002.

Key Stakes Wins: Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes (Leopardstown, Ireland), Group 1 Coral-Eclipse Stakes (Sandown Park, England), Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup (Curragh, Ireland), Group 3 Mooresbridge Stakes (Curragh, Ireland), Group 1 W S Cox Plate (Moonee Valley, Australia)

Overview: No horse in the 2011 Breeders' Cup Classic has won more money than the New Zealand-bred, Irish-trained So You Think. A winner of eight Group 1 races in Australia and Europe, So You Think has banked over $7.5 million dollars in his career, including $2.1 million in 2011.

The Breeders' Cup Classic will be So You Think's first race over a dirt surface after 19 races on grass.  We've seen European grass horses come over and run well on dirt in previous years (Sakhee in 2001, Giant's Causeway in 2000), but we've never seen a horse make that transition and win the Classic.  European Raven's Pass won the 2008 Classic, but that race was at Santa Anita over a synthetic main track, not a conventional dirt surface.

Despite the new racing surface, there are a lot of reasons to like So You Think in this year's Classic.  First, he loves to run the Classic distance of a mile and a quarter.  He's won seven of nine career starts at ten furlongs, with two second place finishes.  And while all nine of those races came on grass, there should be no reservations about his stamina given the testing nature of European courses. Second, So You Think has run well over harder and firmer courses. While that doesn't ensure that So You Think will love running on dirt, it suggests that, at a minimum, he's not going to hate it.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien will run So You Think in blinkers for the Breeders' Cup Classic, suggesting that the trainer is seeking more early speed from this colt and/or better concentration in the stretch.  In Europe, So You Think preferred to run just off the early leaders in a prime stalking position, a running style that will likely require more pace when racing on dirt in the U.S. 

2011 Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes

Breeders' Cup 2011 Entries: Ruler On Ice

Horse: Ruler On Ice

Trainer: Kelly Breen

Morning Line Odds: 30/1

Career Record (Str-1^st-2^nd-3^rd): 10-3-3-2

Career Earnings: $1,108,500

Pedigree: Sired by Roman Ruler out of a Saratoga Six mare (Champagne Glow)

Roman Ruler won the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational, the Grade 2 Norfolk, Grade 2 Best Pall Stakes, and and Grade 2 Dwyer Stakes

Ruler on Ice is a half-brother to Champagne d'Oro, winner of the Grade 1 Acorn and Grade 1 Test takes, and an entry in this year's Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.

Key Stakes Wins: Grade 1 Belmont Stakes

Overview: Ruler On Ice struggled to maintain consistency early in the year when running races at shorter distances but uncorked the best race of his career to beat Stay Thirsty by ¾ of a length in the Belmont Stakes last June. The Belmont has become something of an abnormality in U.S. racing; it's the only Grade 1 race at a mile and a half on dirt and one of only a handful of graded stakes at that distance and surface. As a result, it's sometimes difficult to assess how a Belmont winner will do in other races and other distances, especially if the Belmont is the only major win for a specific horse, as it is for Ruler On Ice.

In his most recent start, Ruler On Ice finished 2^nd to To Honor and Serve in the Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby, a race where he found himself almost ten lengths back of the leaders after the first quarter of a mile.  He made a nice closing move in the late stages, something that should earn him extra bonus points given the speed favoring nature of the Parx main track on that day.  While he wasn't able to win the Pa. Derby, the way he ran the race should give his connections some optimism heading into the Breeders' Cup.

Ruler On Ice has a very even, grinding running style, somewhat similar to 2010 Belmont winner Drosselmeyer. This colt doesn't normally showcase a powerful turn of foot at a specific stage of the race, but instead attempts to churn out 12.5 second splits all the way around the track.  He'll probably need some help in the Classic in the form of a quick pace to wear down some of his rivals, allowing him to grind out a victory in the final furlongs. And if the Churchill Downs main track comes up wet, all the better; Ruler On Ice won the Belmont Stakes over a muddy surface and he's 3-2-1-0 all-time on wet tracks.

2011 Belmont Stakes

Breeders' Cup 2011 Entries: Rattlesnake Bridge

Horse: Rattlesnake Bridge

Trainer: Kiran McLaughlin

Morning Line Odds: 30/1

Career Record (Str-1^st-2^nd-3^rd): 7-2-3-1

Career Earnings: $463,300

Pedigree: Sired by Tapit out of a Cherokee Run mare (Prall Street)

Tapit won the Grade 1 Wood Memorial and the Grade 3 Laurel Futurity, and has sired two other Breeders' Cup winners: Stardom Bound (2008 Juvenile Fillies) and Tapitsfly (2009 Juvenile Fillies Turf).

Key Stakes Wins: Long Branch Stakes (Monmouth Park)

Overview: Rattlesnake Bridge has just seven lifetime starts to his name and a lone win against stakes competition in the ungraded Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth Park this summer.  While his resume isn't lined with the glittery Grade 1 accomplishments of his rivals, he did run well to finish 2^nd in the Travers Stakes to fellow Classic contender Stay Thirsty.  In his final Breeders' Cup tune-up, he finished 3^rd behind To Honor and Serve and Ruler On Ice in the Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby.

Earlier this year, Rattlesnake Bridge finished 2^nd to Uncle Mo in the ungraded Timely Writer takes at Gulfstream Park, although he never seriously threatened the juvenile champion at any time during the race.

Rattlesnake Bridge has one factor in his corner that is sure to attract the interest in at least a few of the gamblers at the Breeders' Cup: jockey Calvin Borel.  The three-time Kentucky Derby winning Borel is known for his rail-skimming rides at his home track of Churchill Downs, and can single-handedly move the odds on a horse that would be a long shot in any other circumstance, as he did with Twice the Appeal (when he went off at a ridiculous 11/1) in this year's Kentucky Derby.

Breeders' Cup 2011 Entries: Ice Box

Every horse race has its long shots, and the 2011 Breeders' Cup Classic is no different.  One of this year's long shots is a horse that won the 2010 Florida Derby and was 2nd in that year's Kentucky Derby.  Since then, however, he's struggled to find his way to the winner's circle.

Horse: Ice Box

Trainer: Nick Zito

Morning Line Odds: 30/1

Career Record (Str-1^st-2^nd-3^rd): 15-3-1-1

Career Earnings: $948,068

Pedigree: Sired by Pulpit out of a Tabasco Cat mare (Spice Island)

Pulpit won the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes and the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth during his three-year-old campaign, and he sired 2007 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Corinthian.

Dam Spice Island excelled on grass, winning the Grade 2 Long Island Handicap, and Grade 2 Glens Falls Handicap during her career.

Key Stakes Wins: 2010 Grade 1 Florida Derby

Overview: Oh Ice Box, where have you been?

Ice Box burst onto the racing scene when he was a shock winner of the 2010 Florida Derby at odds of 20/1.  He followed that race up with a 2^nd place finish to Super Saver in the Kentucky Derby and, for a moment, the horse racing world was his oyster.  But the good times didn't last long.  Ice Box finished 9^th in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes, 6^th in the Grade 1 Haskell, and 8^th in the Grade 1 Travers. In his last race of 2010, he finished 5^th in the G2-Monmouth Cup, completing a run of four stakes races where Ice Box finished no better than 5^th and no closer than 7 ¼ lengths behind the winner.

The start of the new year hasn't brought Ice Box any more success than the end of 2010.  He finished 3^rd in an optional claiming event at Saratgoa and was nowhere to be found in the G1-Woodward, losing by more than 16 lengths at the wire.  In his last race, the G1-Jockey Club Gold Cup, he finished 11^th, beaten over 11 lengths.

So to quickly re-cap, since the 2010 Kentucky Derby, Ice Box is 0-for-7, with one 3^rd place finish in an optional claiming race, and he has lost by more than 68 lengths. Realistically, Ice Box should be 50/1, at best, to win the Classic, and probably deserves to go off at higher odds than that.

Anything  is possible in horse racing, but Ice Box hasn't displayed any ability to beat horses of any caliber in a long, long time.

Breeders' Cup 2011 Entries: Headache

Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Headache is the "rags to riches" story of the 2011 Breeders' Cup Classic.  Claimed for just $25,000 in January of 2009, Headache has gone on to win over $750,000 dollars, along with a shot at the $5 million purse in this year's Classic on Nov. 5th.

Horse: Headache

Trainer: Michael Maker

Morning Line Odds: 30/1

Career Record (Str-1^st-2^nd-3^rd): 26-8-5-5

Career Earnings: $768,398

Pedigree: Sired by Tapit out of a Woodman mare (Pamric)

Tapit won the Grade 1 Wood Memorial and the Grade 3 Laurel Futurity, and has sired two other Breeders' Cup winners: Stardom Bound (2008 Juvenile Fillies) and Tapitsfly (2009 Juvenile Fillies Turf).

Key Stakes Wins: Grade 2 Hawthorne Gold Cup (Hawthorne), Grade 3 Cornhusker Handicap (Prairie Meadows)

Overview: It's always a bit of a challenge when handicapping a race like this year's Classic and looking at a horse like Headache. This colt has won a couple of good stakes races during the year (G2-Hawtorne Gold Cup, G3-Cornhusker Handicap), but the only time he faced a field that remotely resembled this year's Classic, he finished well back of the top contenders. 

After his win in the Cornhusker, Headache took on Tizway and Flat Out in the Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga where he finished 5th, beaten over seven lengths.  To his credit, Headache experienced some trouble in that race: the chart indicated that he lunged at the break and later on he had to take up slightly due to racing in tight quarters.  But at the same time, he never mounted a serious challenge to the top finishers, even if he was clearly one of the "best of the rest' with his 5th place finish.  If you compare his last three races (Cornhusker, Whitney, and Hawthorne Gold Cup) based only on the speed figures, it appears Headache ran at the same level of race in all three, but simply faced weaker fields in the two races he won. And that's Headache's greatest challenge in this year's Classic: elevating his performance to match that of the horses around him.

Headache has raced at Churchill Downs seven times in his career, winning three races and finishing 2nd and 3rd in two others; he should have no problem taking to the surface.  The mile and a quarter distance also shouldn't be a problem for this colt since he won a race at the Classic distance in his last start.

In most of his recent races, Headache has preferred to run as a closer and has found himself eight or nine lengths back of the pacesetters in the early going.  That's a difficult running style to use successfully in races with big, crowded fields because of the possibility of encountering traffic in the home stretch.  On the other hand, Churchill Downs has a very long stretch drive (1,234.5 feet) giving closers a lot of time to shake free of any trouble to mount a late charge (see Zenyatta in the 2010 Classic).

The current five-day forecast for Churchill Downs suggests that this year's Breeder's Cup might be able to sneak by without any rain.  That would certainly be good news for Headache as he's never won a race over a wet track in five lifetime starts.

Headache is owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey and was purchased for $25,000 in a claiming race at Belmont Park on Sept. 30th, 2009. [That claim was actually a re-claim; Headache was originally owned by the Ramsey's until he was claimed for $20k at Saratoga on Sept. 2nd, 2009.  They re-claimed the colt the very next time he raced.] It took Headache a while to find his best form, something that trainer Michael Maker attributes to simply understanding the game of horse racing. "He's always had talent," stated Maker, "he's just been a slow learner. He was a bit of a hanger earlier in his career, and would just have one excuse after another.  Now he seems to have gotten over that bad habit and figured it out."

2011 Hawthorne Gold Cup

Breeders' Cup 2011 Update: Prayer for Relief Scratched From Classic

The Bob Baffert trainer Prayer for Relief, on of the 13 horses entered in Saturday's $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs, will miss the race due to a fever.

Prayer for Relief has won four of five races in 2011, including the Super Derby, West Virginia Derby, and Iowa Derby.

Breeders' Cup 2011 Entries: Havre de Grace

This is a continuing series of previews examining the contenders for the 2011 Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs on Saturday, Nov. 5th (post time 7:00pm Easter; TV: ESPN). 

Filly Havre de Grace is seeking to become the second filly to win the Breeders' Cup Classic (Zenyatta - 2009) and the third straight filly to be named Horse of the Year (Rachel Alexandra - 2009, Zenyatta - 2010).

Horse: Havre de Grace

Trainer: Larry Jones

Morning Line Odds: 3/1 (2nd choice)

Larry Jones has started three horses at the Breeders' Cup in his career - Hard Spun (2007 Classic), Proud Spell (2007 Juvenile Fillies), and Ruby Reception (2002 Juvenile Fillies). He's yet to record a win.

Career Record (Str-1^st-2^nd-3^rd): 14-8-4-2

Career Earnings: $2,196,175

Pedigree: Sired by Saint Liam out of a Carson City mare (Easter Bunnette)

Saint Liam won the 2005 Breeders' Cup Classic, along with the Grade 1 Donn Handicap, Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap, and Grade 1 Woodward Stakes.  He was named Champion Older Horse and Horse of the Year in 2005.

Key Stakes Wins: Grade 1 Beldame Invitational (Belmont Park), Grade 1 Woodward Stakes (Saratoga), Grade 1 Apple Blossom (Oaklawn Park), Grade 3 Obeah Stakes (Delaware Park), Grade 3 Azeri (Oaklawn Park)

Havre de Grace finished 3^rd in the 2010 Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic under former trainer Anthony Dutrow.

Overview: The choice on the morning line for this year's Breeders' Cup Classic is filly Havre de Grace, one of the leading candidates for the title of 2011 Horse of the Year.  She's won three Grade 1 races in 2011, along with two Grade 3s, and is a nose defeat to rival Blind Luck away from a perfect record this year. 

The biggest asset that Havre de Grace possesses is the ability to sit near the early pace and settling in to a good stride as she races down the backstretch.  She doesn't possess an explosive turn of foot leaving the gate, but she has that "high cruising speed" that can be ever so devastating on the race track. She's also a tremendously game horse; Havre de Grace will battle hard all the way to the wire each and every time she sets foot on the track.

If you are looking for any weak spots in the armor, the only thing that stands out is the fact that Havre de Grace's worst race in the last two years came over the Churchill Downs main track.  She also found herself farther back in the early stages in that race than she normally does.  Havre de Grace was drawn widest of all 11 fillies and mares in that race, forcing her to race wide throughout much of the contest.  With a long run into the first turn in this year's Classic, she should be able to secure a better running position than she did last year.

Havre de Grace has never won at the Classic distance of a mile and a quarter, but in her two tries at that distance she's lost to Blind Luck by a nose and a neck in each of those races. Blink Luck won't be running at the Breeders' Cup this year, removing from the Classic equation the only horse to recently beat Havre de Grace.

The signature win for Havre de Grace in 2001 was her defeat of the boys in the Woodward Stakes, only the second time a filly has won the race in it's history (Rachel Alexandra - 2009). In that race, Havre de Grace sat close to an honest pace in the early stages, powered to the lead at the top of the stretch, and held off the closing Flat Out at the wire by a length and a quarter. She ran the final furlong in a solid 12.87 seconds over a Saratoga main track that was tiring during most of the meet. Flat Out was the only other horse in the Woodward field to run the final furlong in less than 13 seconds, clocking a race-best 12.75 over the final 1/8^th of a mile. 

Havre de Grace came out of the Woodward in good order and dominated an over-matched field in the Grade 1 Beldame in the mud at Belmont Park on Oct. 1^st.

Video replay of Woodward Stakes

Breeders' Cup 2011: Entries, Post Positions and Odds

Uncle Mo, the 2010 Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner, drew post position 12 and was made the 5/2 morning line favorite for the 2011 Breeders' Cup Classic.  Leading Horse of the Year candidate Havre de Grace drew post 10 and is the 2nd choice on the morning line at odds of 3/1. Three-time Breeders' Cup Mile champion Goldikova (IRE) drew post position #1 in this year's Mile and was made the 7/5 morning line favorite.

The 2011 Breeders' Cup will take place at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4th and 5th.  Friday's card consists of the Juvenile Sprint, Juvenile Fillies Turf, Filly & Mare Sprint, Juvenile Fillies, and Ladies' Classic.  Saturday's care features the Marathon, Juvenile Turf, Sprint, Turf Sprint, Dirt Mile, Turf, Juvenile, Mile, and Classic.

The complete list of entries, post positions and morning line odds are below.

Juvenile Sprint

Juvenile Fillies Turf

Juvenile Fillies

Filly and Mare Turf

Ladies' Classic

Marathon

Juvenile Turf

Sprint

Turf Sprint

Dirt Mile

Turf

Juvenile

Mile

Classic

Breeders' Cup 2011: Post Position Draw Preview And Viewing Information

The post position draw for the 2011 Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs will take place on Monday, Oct. 31st at 1pm Eastern. The Breeders' Cup will be live streaming the draw on its website (www.breederscup.com).  If you subscribe to a "Sports Pack" from your local cable or satellite company, you can also follow the draw live on either of the two horse racing networks: TVG or HRTV. SB Nation's horse racing community, And Down The Stretch They Come, will also have coverage of the draw.

The draw will follow the race order for Friday and Saturday, with the Juvenile Sprint going first and the Classic last.

Below is the order of races for the 2011 Breeders' Cup on Nov 4th and 5th, along with post times (all Eastern):

Friday, Nov. 4th -
4:10pm - Juvenile Sprint
4:50pm - Juvenile Fillies Turf
5:30pm - Filly & Mare Sprint
6:10pm - Juvenile Fillies
6:50pm - Filly & Mare Turf
7:30pm - Ladies’ Classic

Saturday, Nov. 5th -
1:20pm - Marathon
2:02pm - Juvenile Turf
2:37pm - Sprint
3:21pm - Turf Sprint
4:01pm - Dirt Mile
4:45pm - Turf
5:25pm - Juvenile
6:07pm - Mile
7:00pm - Classic

Breeders' Cup 2011 Entries: Game On Dude

This is the 4th of a series of profiles of the contenders for the 2011 Breeders' Cup Classic.  Earlier, we took a look at Await the Dawn, Drosselmeyer, and Flat Out.  This profile examines the top West Coast contender, Game On Dude.

Horse: Game On Dude

Trainer: Bob Baffert

During his career, Bob Baffert has trained seven Breeders' Cup winners from 57 starters: Midnight Lute (2007 & 2008 Sprint), Midshipman (2008 Juvenile), Indian Blessing (2007 Juvenile Fillies), Vindication (2002 Classic), Silverbulletday (1998 Juvenile Fillies), and Thirty Slews (1992 Sprint).

Morning Line Odds: 10/1

Career Record (Str-1^st-2^nd-3^rd): 13-5-3-1

Career Earnings: $1,234,658

Pedigree: Sired by Awesome Again out of a Devil His Due mare (Worldly Pleasure)

Awesome Again won the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic in 1998, along with the Grade 1 Whitney Handicap, Grade 2 Stephen Foster Handicap, Grade 3 Hawthorne Gold Cup, and Grade 2 Saratoga Breeders' Cup.

Awesome Again has sired four Breeders' Cup winners, the most of any horse: Wilko (2004 Juvenile), Ghostzapper (2004 Classic), Round Pond (2006 Distaff), and Ginger Punch (2007 Distaff)

Key Stakes Wins: Grade 1 Goodwood Stakes (Santa Anita), Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap (Santa Anita)

Overview: One of the more consistent horses among the Classic contenders, Game On Dude has finished 3^rd or better in all but one start during 2011, including wins in the Grade 1 Goodwood Stakes and the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap. He was second by a nose to First Dude in the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup. His "worst" performance of the year came at Del Mar where he was fourth (beaten 4 ¼ lengths) in the Pacific Classic over the Polytrack.

The prime asset of Game On Dude is his high cruising speed; he is routinely able to sit on or near the early pace and still have enough left in the tank for a strong finish in the final furlongs.  He's tested at the Classic distance of a mile and a quarter, finishing 1^st, 2^nd and 4^th in his three starts at that distance.  The combination of early speed and stamina is a powerful asset for any Classic contender. His victory in the Goodwood was quite impressive when you consider that he didn't break well from the gate, had to hustle towards the leaders during the first quarter mile, and was caught about three wide as they raced into the first turn.  But after he settled in near the lead, Game On Dude posted a very quick opening six furlongs of 1:09 flat and then found plenty of extra stamina inside the final furlong to hold off Awesome Gem at the wire.

Game On Dude's only career start at Churchill Downs came in late-April of 2010 when he finished 5^th, beaten 19 ½ lengths in the Grade 3 Derby Trial.  That race came over a muddy and sealed main track and was at a distance (one-turn mile) that probably isn't his best.  He's never finished worse than 4^th in any start since that race.

Goodwood video (via BCWorldChampionships YouTube page)

The post position draw for the 2011 Breeders' Cup will take place on Monday, Oct. 31^st at 1pm Eastern.  You can follow the draw at SB Nation's horse racing community, And Down The Stretch They Come. If you're new to the Breeders' Cup and want to know more about the event, check out A Beginner's Guide to the Breeders' Cup.

Breeders' Cup 2011 Entries: Flat Out

This is the 3rd of a series of profiles of the contenders for the 2011 Breeders' Cup Classic.  Earlier, we took a look at Await the Dawn and Drosselmeyer.  This profile examines Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Flat Out.

Horse: Flat Out

Trainer: Charles Dickey

Morning Line Odds: 6/1

Career Record (Str-1^st-2^nd-3^rd): 12-5-3-0

Career Earnings: $1,109,713

Pedigree: Sired by Flatter out of a Cresta Rider mare (Cresta Lil)

Key Stakes Wins: Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup (Belmont Park), Grade 2 Suburban Handicap (Belmont Park)

Overview: Flat Out began his career in Nov. of 2008 but has only run twelve races in his career due to an assortment of injuries that have prevented him from staying 100% healthy.  He's a versatile colt that has won at distances ranging from six furlongs to a mile and a quarter, and he is in the best form of his entire career over the past four months.  He lost by a length and a half to Havre de Grace in the Grade 1 Woodward on Sept. 3^rd, but bounced back to easily win the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup just a month later.

One of the major obstacles that Flat Out will have to overcome in order to win this year's Classic (besides Havre de Grace) is the location, Churchill Downs.  Flat Out has struggled both times he's raced at Churchill Downs in his career.  The first race was his debut race in Nov. of 2008 where he finished 6^th, beaten 2 ¼ lengths.  More recently, Flat Out ran in this year's Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap where he finished 6^th, beaten 2 ¾ lengths.  While we can probably throw out the 2008 maiden race given how low ago it occurred, his performance in the Stephen Foster is concerning.  The quality of the field in that race was average, at best. None of the five horses that finished ahead of Flat Out in the Foster have won a race since that day in late June. In fact, if you tabulate the results of every horse other than Flat Out in races after the Stephen Foster you get an ugly 19-2-0-1 record. The horses to win since that day were Worldly in the Prairie Meadows Handicap, and Equestrio in an Optional Claiming race.

On the positive side of the ledger is the fact that Flat Out's last four races are the best of his career; he dominated the Suburban and the Jockey Club Gold Cup, and was a good 2^nd to Havre de Grace in the Woodward.  Given his run of success since the Foster the question becomes: was Flat Out's poor effort in Louisville the result of not taking to the track, or did he just run a clunker that day?  If it was just a bad day at the office (something that happens to every horse), then his recent form suggests that he's ready to run big at the Breeders' Cup.  However, if that race was the result of Flat Out not liking the surface at Churchill Downs... well, that's a much bigger issue.

Below is the video of Flat Out's win in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (via BCWorldChampionships YouTube channel)

Breeders' Cup 2011: The Europeans Arrive At Churchill Downs

The contingent of European Breeders' Cup contenders arrived in Kentucky last night, led by three-time Breeders' Cup Mile champion Goldikova (IRE). The fourteen-time Group/Grade 1 winner is seeking to extend her unprecedented Breeders' Cup dominance with a fourth consecutive win in the Mile on Saturday, Nov. 5th.  The Mile is most likely the last race in the brilliant career of one of the great milers of all-time. 

Overall, 29 foreign-trained horses were pre-entered for the 2011 Breeders' Cup, including Classic contender So You Think (NZ), winner of over $7.5 million in his career. Elusive Kate, a French trained two-year-old filly that won the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac on Oct. 2nd, is one of the logical favorites for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Additionally, Sarafina (FR), a three-time Group 1 winning filly and the pre-race favorite at this year's Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (one of the most prestigious races in the world), is expected to take on the colts in the Breeders' Cup Turf.

One of the more intriguing European pre-entries at this year's Breeders' Cup is Nahrain (GB), a three-year-old filly that won the Group 1 Prix de l'Oprea in France in her last start.  Nahrain is a perfect four-for-four in her young career and is considered a top contender for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf on Friday, Oct. 4th.

 Below is a video of the unloading process at Churchill Downs.

Breeders' Cup 2011: Saturday News and Notes

Less than a week to go before the 2011 Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs, which means it's time for final preparations and decisions as to which races some of the contenders will ultimately enter. Below is a summary of the news and notes for Saturday, Oct. 29th.

• The connections of Winchester, one of the contenders for the Turf, decided that the colt will not run at the Breeders' Cup. Trainer Christophe Clement stated that the colt didn't scope well following his work this morning at Belmont Park, and that neither him nor the owner were comfortable running in the Turf.  Winchester was 4^th in last year's Turf.
• Cozi Rosie, a contender for the Filly & Mare Turf, has sustained a minor injury and will not travel to Kentucky this week.
• Leading Horse of the Year candidate Havre de Grace will officially by-pass the Ladies' Classic to take on the boys in the Classic.  She was cross-entered in both races but was widely expected to run against the colts.  Today, trainer Larry Jones confirmed those plans.
• Defending Turf Sprint Champion Chamberlain Bridge worked a half-mile in 50.60 seconds over the Churchill Downs turf course on Saturday morning. 
• Aruna, the recent winner of the Spinster Stakes at Keeneland, is cross-entered in both the Ladies' Classic and the Filly & Mare Turf. The filly has never run over a dirt in her career (all of her starts have come over turf or synthetic surfaces), and trainer Graham Motion is leaning towards having her start in the Filly & Mare Turff following this morning's work over the Churchill Downs main track.  
• Dullahan, winner of the Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland over the Polytrack, will run in the Juvenile at the Breeders' Cup, not the Juvenile Turf.  Dullahan is a half-brother to 2009 Kentucky Derby champion Mine That Bird.

The post position draw for the 2011 Breeders' Cup will take place on Monday, Oct. 31^st at 1pm Eastern.  You can follow the draw at SB Nation's horse racing community, And Down The Stretch They Come. If you're new to the Breeders' Cup and want to know more about the event, check out A Beginner's Guide to the Breeders' Cup.

Breeders' Cup 2011 Entries: Drosselmeyer

Two horses in this year's Breeders' Cup Classic are former winners of the final leg of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes.  Ruler On Ice won this year's Belmont, while Drosselmeyer won the 2010 version.  That was the last time Drosselmeyer won a graded stakes race.

Horse: Drosselmeyer

Trainer: William Mott

Over the last five years, trainer Bill Mott is 16-for-138 in Grade 1 races (12% Win%, 39% In-The-Money); he trained last year's Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic winner Unrivaled Belle.

Morning Line Odds: 15/1

Career Record (Str-1^st-2^nd-3^rd): 15-4-2-0

Career Earnings: $1,028,170

Pedigree: Sired by Distorted Humor out of a Moscow Ballet mare (Golden Ballet)

Dam Golden Ballet was the 2011 California Champion Three-Year-Old Filly and a winner of the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks, the Grade 1 Las Virgenes, along with two additional Grade 2 races.

Key Stakes Wins: 2010 Grade 1 Belmont Stakes

Overview: It seems like a long, long time ago when we last saw Drosselmeyer win a major stakes race. Since his triumph in the 2010 Belmont Stakes, Drosselmeyer has just a minor stakes win last May to his credit.  His connections tried running him on the turf in mid-August but a 7th place finish in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga put an end to any thoughts of glory on the grass.  Switched back to dirt in his final Breeders' Cup prep race, Drosselmeyer finished a good 2^nd to Flat Out in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup, by far his best performance in a major stakes race since winning the Belmont.

The good news for Drosselmeyer is that this year's Breeders' Cup Classic appears to contain enough speed to ensure a good pace.  There may not be enough to create a meltdown in the final furlongs, but the pace should at least be fair. The bad news is that Drosselmeyer is typically a grinder, or a one-paced horse.  He won't blow other horses away with a tremendous turn of foot, but instead he tries to wear them down using a sustained gallop from start to finish. 

If you are looking for facts to hang your hat on with Drosselmeyer, consider the following two pieces of handicapping information: First, Drosselmeyer is 3-1-1-0 for his career at the mile and a quarter distance. There aren't a lot of horses in America today that relish running a mile and a quarter, but this colt has done quite well when asked to do that very thing. That's a good sign.  Second, Drosselmeyer won his only previous start at Churchill Downs, site of this year's Breeders' Cup Classic.  The race he won was just a maiden race almost two years ago (and it came over an "off" track), but it's still nice to see a prior win over the surface.

For Drosselmeyer to win the Breeders' Cup Classic he needs to improve off of that 2nd place finish in the Jockey Club Gold Cup last time out.  Simply running the same race, or perhaps running slightly worse, won't get it done.  In short, he needs to unleash the race of his life and hope that his rivals some up a little short.  If that were to happen, perhaps Drosselmeyer will finally find his way back to the winner's circle at the highest level. It's been a long time coming.

Breeders' Cup 2011 Entries: Await the Dawn

Winning a horse race on the grass in Europe is much different than winning a horse race on the dirt in America. Await the Dawn will attempt to overcome those obstacles in the 2011 Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5th.

Breeders' Cup 2011 Pre-Entries: Record 193 Contenders Enter Field

The Breeders' Cup announced the pre-entries for the 2011 Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4th and 5th.