Grace vs. Mo Will be Classic, While Goldikova, Gio Ponti Have Final Dance in Mile

While the hype for this year’s Breeders’ Cup pales in comparison to last year, when Zenyatta headed to the Classic undefeated in 19 starts, this year’s championship two-day event has plenty to offer.

The general public may not recognize many of the major players for this year’s races, but casual racing fans and horseplayers of every level will have plenty to get excited about, including a showdown between Havre de Grace and Uncle Mo in the Classic, as well as Goldikova and Gio Ponti each making their final career starts in this year’s Mile.

With the addition of the Juvenile Sprint, horseplayers have an extra race to handicap, and we now have 15 very tough puzzles to solve over the next few days, and a nearly unlimited amount of ways to wager on the races.

The marathon post position draw was conducted on Monday, with Uncle Mo drawing the 12 post in the field of 13 for the Classic.

The Bob Baffert trainee was installed as the 5/2 morning line favorite by track handicapper Mike Battaglia.

The champion two-year-old of 2010 comes into the race with a pair of one turn efforts since coming back from a liver ailment that knocked him out of the Triple Crown races this spring.

He returned at Saratoga in August in the King’s Bishop (G1) at seven panels, beaten just a nose by Caleb’s Posse in a game effort.

The son of Indian Charlie stretched out to a mile for his second start in the Kelso Handicap (G2) and ran huge, taking the field gate to wire to win by three lengths and earn a career top Beyer Speed Figure of 118.

That figure was the second highest produced on the main track in 2011, topped only by Big Drama’s 120 earned back in January in the Mr. Prospector (G3).

The question is whether those two starts are enough of a bottom for the colt to get 1 ¼ miles and two turns.

Havre de Grace is the second choice in the Classic at 3/1 drawing the 10 post, and will be taking on the boys for the second time in her career.

She won the Woodward (G1) in September at Saratoga, edging Flat Out by 1 ¼ lengths in that outing.

Flat Out returned to win the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) in his next outing on Oct. 1 and drew the 2 post and is 6/1 on the morning line.

The wild card in the race is the European shipper So You Think (5/1), who has won three Group 1 races, but will be making his first start on conventional dirt.

The marquee name in this year’s Breeders’ Cup is the brilliant mare Goldikova, who is seeking an unprecedented fourth consecutive victory in the Mile.

The six-year-old mare has only won two of her five starts this year, last out beaten a head by Dream Ahead in the Qatar Prix de la Foret (G1) at Longchamp, a prep race she won in 2010.

Some are saying this mare may have lost a step, but her legendary trainer Freddy Head insists she is coming into this year’s Mile in fine fettle and is confident she can win her fourth Mile.

Olivier Peslier has the return call on Goldikova, who is the 7/5 morning line favorite.

She is accompanied by three shippers from overseas, Zoffany (20/1), Byword (12/1), and Strong Suit (10/1).

Last year’s Mile runner up Gio Ponti is back looking to turn the tables on the mare. The Christophe Clement trainee prepped for the Mile with a strong effort winning the Shadwell Turf Mile on Oct. 8 at Keeneland.

Breeders’ Cup Television Coverage

November 4
Breeders' Cup World Championships, Churchill Downs, 4:00PM-8:00PM, ESPN2 November 5
Breeders' Cup World Championships, Churchill Downs, 2:00-3:30PM, ABC
Breeders' Cup World Championships, Churchill Downs, 3:30-7:30PM, ESPN
Note: Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Marathon (1:20 ET) will be televised live on TVG.

Breeders’ Cup Classic Saturday Nov. 5 at Churchill Downs Post time 7:00 ET

• 1 Prayer for Relief Rafael Bejarano 30/1
• 2 Flat Out Alex Solis 6/1
• 3 Drosselmeyer Mike Smith 15/1
• 4 Ruler On Ice Garrett Gomez 30/1
• 5 So You Think Ryan Moore 5/1
• 6 Ice Box Corey Nakatani 30/1
• 7 Rattlesnake Bridge Calvin Borel 30/1
• 8 Game On Dude Chantal Sutherland 10/1
• 9 Stay Thirsty Javier Castellano 12/1
• 10 Havre De Grace Ramon Dominguez 3/1
• 11 Headache Paco Lopez 30/1
• 12 Uncle Mo John Velazquez 5/2
• 13 To Honor and Serve Jose Lezcano 12/1