A. U. Miner Tepid Choice in BC Marathon

A. U. Miner, 5th in the G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup, is the tepid 3-1 morning line favorite in Saturday's Breeders' Cup Marathon.

The 6-year-old son of Mineshaft is stabled at Churchill Downs and rallied to finish a troubled 4th (placed 3rd via DQ) in last year's Marathon. Calvin Borel is in the irons once again. 

Birdrun is the 7-2 second choice and figures to attempt a wire job from the inside post. The Bill Mott trainee also exits an unplaced effort in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

Cease is an interesting entrant for Al Stall Jr. The lightly raced gelding was last seen finishing a close-up 3rd in the G2 Hawthorne Gold Cup. Garrett Gomez rides.

Pleasant Prince, 9th in the 2010 BC Classic, will give the Marathon a whirl this time around. The Wesley Ward trainee exits a sharp tally in a minor stakes race at Belmont.

The Marathon field is completed by Baryshnikov, Meeznah, Giant Oak, Brigantin, Harrison's Cave, Afleet Again, and defending champ Eldaafer.