Breeders’ Cup Classic field a silver lining to Justify retirement

Heading into the Breeders’ Cup Classic, murmurs about lack of star power persist following a slew of recent retirements. While the event lacks a standout like Triple Crown winner Justify, the amount of diversity present in prospective fields is making up for it.

In fact, one could argue that the premature retirement of Justify helped the Breeders’ Cup Classic. So I think I will.

Just think back to 2015 when American Pharoah ran for a final time. Even while he entered off a loss in the Travers Stakes, several top horses within the division chose lesser Breeders’ Cup races to avoid going up against him, in particular Liam’s Map, who wound up a dominant winner of the Dirt Mile. Only seven were entered to face off against American Pharoah. 

In 2018, contenders numbering more than a full field are under consideration with no single big horse to beat. However, that does not mean the race is lacking in talent.

First, this is shaping up to be a truly international field. Dubai World Cup hero Thunder Snow is based overseas, as are Mendelssohn and Toast of New York. Roaring Lion stands a chance to come from Europe, while Yoshida was bred in Japan and recently made the switch to dirt while winning the Woodward Stakes (G1).

In addition to the international diversity, you have several other unique competitors that are based right here in America. One that immediately comes to mind is Mind Your Biscuits (who has factored internationally, too, with two wins in the Dubai Sheema Classic).

The 5-year-old horse spent the majority of his career in sprints, but this summer trainer Chad Summers decided to try the son of Posse around two turns. In his two attempts, Mind Your Biscuits finished second in the Whitney Stakes (G1) before winning the Lukas Classic (G3) going 1 1/8 miles. The Classic, if run, would represent Mind Your Biscuits’ longest race in 25 career starts.

Then there’s Catholic Boy, who has quickly risen to up the ranks of the 3-year-old division, and not by conventional means. After looking only decent to open the year, he went back to the turf and won a pair of stakes, namely the Belmont Derby Invitational (G1). After those two victories he was switched to the main track again, where he dominated the Travers Stakes (G1).

There are also several comeback stories shaping up for the Classic in the form of the McKinzie, Collected and West Coast — all Bob Baffert trainees — looking for returns to form after spending most of the year on the sidelines. McKinzie’s win in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) served as the top prep among the trio.

As great as it would have been to have another Triple Crown winner going for racing’s version of the grand slam, it is clear that had Justify still been in training, some of those currently pointing to the Classic would have found softer spots.

Would connections have been as motivated to bring Catholic Boy back to the main track? Would Summers have even dreamed of trying Mind Your Biscuits on a route of ground? And would Baffert bother to run his other contenders against the former barn star.

You hate to see a horse like Justify sent to stud after six starts, but where racing lost this summer, it will win with a diverse renewal of the Breeders’ Cup Classic.