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5.02 - Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (Grade 1, 7f, dirt)
Gamine (third) had Speech (fourth) just behind in the Kentucky Oaks on their most recent starts. Bob Baffert's impressive filly was tasting defeat for the first time in that race and could easily bounce back now. The stable are in stunning form and, of course, Baffert's Breeders' Cup record is strong. Gamine is top-rated and has her three-year-old allowance to boot.
BELL'S THE ONE held off Serengeti Empress and Sally's Curlin to win the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff Stakes at Churchill Downs over 7f on her last outing and perhaps she's an each-way contender in this contest. She has won at Keeneland before and, at four, the Majesticperfection offspring looks to be still progressing.
5.39 - Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (Grade 1, 5½f, turf)
As wide-open as a Grade 1 sprint ought to be, there are a host with chances and some winning streaks are going to flounder. Got Stormy has proven class in Grade 1 company over further and has adapted to sprinting in fine style lately. With trainer Mark Casse in scintillating form, they'll have big hopes but this is a deep field.
Imprimis, Leinster and Oleksandra are shortlisted for the home team while Kevin Ryan carries the torch for Europe with Glass Slippers. She has twice run well behind Battaash this season and scored a Group 1 win on Irish Champions Weekend. She was thwarted agonisingly on heavy going at Longchamp since and is a big player on form.
Peter Miller has won the previous three renewals of the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint and while TEXAS WEDGE is an outsider in the betting, he has some useful form in the book and might threaten a place at a big price if the first-time blinkers have the desired effect.
6.18 - Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (Grade 1, 1m, dirt)
Likely favourite Complexity arrives here on the back of an impressive success at Belmont Park last month, defeating Code Of Honor. The Chad Brown inmate needs strong consideration and shouldn't be far away when it all unfolds. The same goes for Knicks Go, with the Brad Cox colt having dished out a hiding to his rivals over C&D last month. He goes up in class now but fully deserves this elevated stage.
This race has gone the way of a three-year-old in two of the last three years and may do so again as ART COLLECTOR drops in distance. His winning run ended in the Grade 1 Preakness last month at Pimlico (fourth) but that extended trip didn't allow him to utilise his main asset of speed. It can be much more so in this line-up and he's got fine claims down to the bare mile at a track where he has won before.
6.57 - Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (Grade 1, 1m1½f, turf)
Three of the previous four winners were European-trained three-year-olds and CAYENNE PEPPER might well add to the strong track record of the Atlantic-crossing raiders in this contest.
The Australia filly was smart as a two-year-old and thrice finished second-best in Irish group-races this summer on her return, chasing home the likes of Magical, Even So and Tarnawa. The drop to a mile and two-furlongs paid dividends on Champions Weekend at the Curragh in September as she decisively won the Group 2 Blandford Stakes. The trip here looks just right and if Shane Foley can get a good tactical position from the wide berth, he's got a willing filly underneath him to make his challenge.
US-trained horses have won this race four times in the last eight years and Chad Brown has been responsible for each of those scorers (Zagora, Dayatthespa, Stephanie's Kitten and Sistercharlie). The 2018 winner goes again here but stablemate Rushing Fall appears better placed now.
Javier Castellano's mount comes here seeking to complete a four-timer and Brown has been eyeing this race for some time. It would also be foolish to write off Ireland's 1,000 Guineas winner Peaceful for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore, though she must rebound from a flop at Newmarket last month.
7.36 - Breeders' Cup Sprint (Grade 1, 6f, dirt)
The unbeaten Yaupon is 4-4 for Steve Asmussen and is proving popular in the market but the Uncle Mo colt is about to tread in deeper waters than ever before and has been drawn out in stall ten, which is hardly a help.
The form pick would be C Z Rocket for trainer Peter Miller, who saddles the 2017 and 2018 Breeders' Cup Sprint hero Roy H. The latest contender is in winning form and should go well from his berth in gate two.
Kelly Breen will have been thrilled to see Firenze Fire back on the mark at Belmont Park in September and, after winning a Grade 2 there, he comes into what has likely been a target race for some time with a realistic chance.
FRANK'S ROCKETTE gave weight and a thumping defeat to some older and useful rivals at Belmont Park last month, lengthening clear after the home turn for a really stylish win. Bill Mott's filly is on the upgrade all the time and is a very dangerous opponent, getting weight from the boys in this. Junior Alvarado has a good draw and makes solid appeal in a wide-open contest.
8.15 - FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile presented by PDJF (Grade 1, 1m, turf)
This is a race the Americans have dominated since French superstar Goldikova claimed her third successive win a decade ago. Eight of the nine winners since have been US-trained, with Sir Michael Stoute's Expert Eye the exception in 2018.
Uni scored last year and is back for another crack for trainer Chad Brown but, like Raging Bull and Factor This, the mare was behind Ivar last time out in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes at this track. All of that quartet command respect but none could be described as well-drawn and perhaps Europe will hold sway.
Aidan O'Brien's Circus Maximus has the form to be involved and should leave behind a soft-ground disappointment at Ascot last time, while Siskin likely does much better on a faster surface after a rare off day at Longchamp in September on soft ground.
Newmarket 2,000 Guineas hero KAMEKO got back on track last time at the same venue, winning the Group 2 Joel Stakes for Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy. He has at times flattered to deceive this season but the chances are a fast-run mile on decent ground here will suit him, especially from a low draw that should allow his jockey to sit handy. He stays further and could be a hard nut to crack if getting a taste of the lead in the run for home.
8.54 - Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (Fillies and Mares' Grade 1, 1m1f, dirt)
This is being billed as a duel between 2018 winner Monomoy Girl and Preakness scorer SWISS SKYDIVER. Brad Cox's mare missed all of 2019 but is playing catch-up this year with three wins in as many starts. She's a big presence in the race, giving 3lb to the younger rival and won't be aided having drawn widest of all in gate ten.
Kenny McPeek's filly is well-berthed in gate five and showed real determination in the home straight to see off Kentucky Derby winner Authentic in her Preakness score last month at Pimlico. She's still on the upgrade and connections felt this race might be the best option, swerving the Classic later in the card for a race with less depth. They can get the full reward.
Todd Pletcher's Valiance comes here on the hunt for a four-timer and is perhaps the each-way play for punters seeking to take on the front pair in the market.
9.33 - Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (Grade 1, 1m4f, turf)
Ireland's claims here are strong and Magical - second to Enable in this race two years ago - remains a beacon of reliability having finished third in the Champion Stakes at Ascot last month on soft ground that the winner clearly adored. There's a fear that she's had a long, old season now, having crossed swords twice with Ghaiyyath in early autumn and run that Ascot race just three weeks ago.
Stablemate Mogul landed the Grand Prix De Paris in September under Pierre-Charles Boudot and is a major player getting allowances as Aidan O'Brien seeks a record-extending seventh success in this race.
Tarnawa was all out to fend off Alpine Star in the Prix de L'Opera at Longchamp last month over 1m2f. She's equally at home over the longer distance but trainer Dermot Weld admits it a negative to have lost Christophe Soumillon after he tested positive for Covid-19 this week. Colin Keane is an able deputy.
Channel Maker and Arklow look best of the home contingent but this probably goes the way of the Europeans and LORD NORTH is given another chance to shine.
The ground can't be blamed for his Ascot reverse last month but it was a rare off day and his Royal Ascot win this summer on good going entitles him to plenty of respect. He's reunited with Frankie Dettori for this assignment and nobody does better on the biggest stage. His expert trainer wouldn't have sent him to Kentucky on a wing and a prayer and he's a fair shout as he features behind the market leaders.
10.18 - Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (Grade 1, 1m2f, dirt)
Bob Baffert has a very strong hand in the Classic with three contenders - Improbable, Authentic and Maximum Security.
Improbable gave a really solid beating to odds-on favourite Maximum Security in the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita over 1m1f, swooping around the field in coming from last-to-first and looks set to start favourite on that run.
Authentic, meanwhile, won the Kentucky Derby in September but couldn't overhaul the gallant filly Swiss Skydiver to add the Preakness last month. This makes it three big races in two months, a fair ask for a three-year-old.
He of course burst the Triple Crown bubble of TIZ THE LAW in the 'Run for the Roses', after which trainer Barclay Tagg recalibrated his plans and skipped the Preakness to focus on this race. The only defeats of Tiz The Law's career have both come at Churchill Downs, so it's easy enough to forgive her most recent loss in September.
His earlier Travers Stakes win at Saratoga was a thing of rare beauty and the Belmont Stakes winner is fancied to get right back on track by becoming the fourth three-year-old to win the Breeders' Cup Classic in seven years, while the excellent Maximum Security may rebound to be the big danger.
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