Breeders' Cup eve

Friday begins the two-day Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, being held for the second straight fall over the artificial Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.

This, of course, cracks me up. The Breeders' Cup created a Dirt Mile race three years ago at Monmouth Park, but the configuration of the track forced it to be run at a mile and 70 yards. This year and last, it was run on a fake track. It won't be until next year at Churchill Downs that the race will actually be contested on dirt, at one mile.

Friday's races:

1. 1 1/16 miles, $75,000 allowance optional claiming
2. 6 1/2 furlongs, $75,000 allowance optional claiming
3. 1 3/4 miles, $500,000 Breeders' Cup Marathon
4. 1 mile, $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf
5. 1 1/16 miles, Grade 1 $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
6. 1 1/4 miles, Grade 1 $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf
(race includes Maram, last year's BC JFTurf winner, trained by Mechanicville native Chad Brown)
7. 7 furlongs, Grade 1 $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint
8. 1 1/8 miles, Grade 1 $2 million Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic
9. 1 mile, Grade 2 $200,000 Las Palmas Handicap (turf)


Saturday's races:

1. 7 furlongs, $100,000 Damascus
2. 1 mile, Grade 2 $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf
3. About 6 1/2 furlongs, $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint
(race includes Silver Timber, trained by Brown)
4. 6 furlongs, Grade 1 $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint
5. 1 1/16 miles, Grade 1 $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile
6. 1 mile, Grade 1 $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile (turf)
7. 1 mile, Grade 1 $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (see above)
8. 1 1/2 miles, Grade 1 $3 million Breeders' Cup Turf
9. 1 1/4 miles, Grade 1 $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic
10. 1 1/8 miles, Grade 2 $150,000 Oak Tree Derby (turf)

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Though superfilly Rachel Alexandra will be absent on the weekend, it should be a tremendous show, highlighted by the Classic, which should more than live up to its name.

The race features 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird; 2008 Travers winner Colonel John; 2009 Jockey Club Gold Cup, Travers and Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird (the first horse to sweep all three in 20 years); undefeated 5-year-old mare Zenyatta, who is 13-0 lifetime and taking on the boys for the first time; Group 1 winner Twice Over; Grade 1 winner Richard's Kid; Gio Ponti, a multiple Grade 1 winner on turf; Einstein, a Grade 1 winner on turf and synthetics; Girolamo, a winner of three straight including the Grade 2 Jerome; multiple Group 1-winning English import Rip Van Winkle; Grade 2 Super Derby and UAE Derby winner Regal Ransom; record-setting Florida Derby (G1) and Amsterdam (G2) winner Quality Road; and California-based stakes winner Awesome Gem, making his 31st career start.

Mine That Bird will be seeking to become the fifth Kentucky Derby winner and first since Unbridled in 1990 to win the Classic. The other three were Ferdinand, Alysheba and Sunday Silence, although Ferdinand and Alysheba were both 4 when they won.

Zenyatta is attempting to become the first female to win the Classic. She is the fourth to try it, and the first to be installed as the program favorite (she's 5-2).
The best finish for a Classic filly came courtesy of Jolypha, who was third in 1992.