Breeders' Cup Classic 2018 puzzle coming together
An over-subscribed Breeders' Cup Classic became a reality Wednesday when pre-entries for the $6 million race revealed five well-connected contenders are on the outside looking in at a 14-horse field.
Those currently in line to not make the Classic are, in order of preference: Bravazo, Gunnevera, Seeking the Soul, Collected and Toast of New York.
But there's more to it.
Inside the prospective field of 14, City of Light -- somewhat of a surprise consideration for the Classic, given he has excelled going shorter -- lists the $1 million Dirt Mile as a preference. Bravazo, the first horse out of the Classic, also lists the Dirt Mile as first preference.
Presumably, that makes way for Gunnevera, who was fifth in last year's race at Del Mar.
Also in the Top 14, Lone Sailor (Dirt Mile), Mind Your Biscuits (Sprint) and the European-based Roaring Lion (Turf) were cross entered. They each list the Classic as a first preference but could defect to another race.
That will be necessary for others on the outside to make their way in.
• Horses accumulate qualifying points on basis of placings in Grade 1 (10-6-4), Grade 2 (6-4-2) and Grade 3 (4-2-1) races in North America.
• Horses need to accumulate at least six points to automatically qualify for races aside from the juvenile events.
• A judgment panel of racing experts is used to officially rank oversubscribed fields at the time of pre-entries.
• Horses based outside of the U.S. and Canada who haven't won a Breeders' Cup Challenge race are also selected into the field by the panel at the pre-entry stage.
In addition to the 14 entered Monday who receive post positions, two horses can be put on the also-eligible list. Connections on the outside likely saw Wednesday's news coming, as Toast of New York is possible to run in the Marathon Stakes (G2) Breeders' Cup weekend and Seeking the Soul has second preference for the Dirt Mile. Trainer Bob Baffert says he's holding out hope Collected will make it in. The plane leaves Tuesday from California.
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