Breeders' Cup Classic Sports Classic Field

Friday, October 28, 2016

Bernies Blog

We would be hard-pressed to find any previous running of the Breeders' Cup Classic with a cast of characters as accomplished as the one coming up at Santa Anita next week. The talented field has won everything racing has to offer, and the combined earnings of the 14 runners - $49,084,202 - has to dwarf anything from the past.

Here's a thumbnail sketch of the participants:

Arrogate: 5-4-0-1, $784,600. Won the Travers by 13 1/2 lengths, defeating Gun Runner, Destin, Creator and Exaggerator in a track record 1:59.36 for the mile and one-quarter and his return since that one has been highly anticipated.

California Chrome: 24-15-3-1, $13,432,650. Racing's all-time money leader is 6-for-6 this year, including the Dubai World Cup, and has been untouchable.

Effinex: 26-9-3-4, $3,247,950. Won the Suburban and Oaklawn Handicap this year, second to American Pharoah in this race in 2015.

Found: 20-6-11-2, $7,250,405. Galileo filly is 9-2-6-1 this year, has a penchant for seconds, won Breeders' Cup Turf last year.

Frosted: 18-6-6-2, $3,912,800. Won the Whitney and the Metropolitan Mile (by 14 1/4 lengths in a spectacular performance), second in 2015 Belmont Stakes to American Pharoah.

Gun Runner: 10-5-1-2, $1,573,300. Won the Louisiana Derby, third in the Travers.

Highland Reel: 18-6-5-1, $5,100,647. Second in Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Hoppertunity: 22-6-6-4, $3,562,675. Won Jockey Club Gold Cup.

Keen Ice: 17-2-1-4, $1,827,645. Won memorable 2015 Travers Stakes over Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, who went off at 35 cents to a dollar.

Melatonin: 13-5-3-3, $1,218,552. Won Santa Anita Handicap and Gold Cup at Santa Anita.

Nyquist: 11-8-0-1, $5,189,200. 2015 2-year-old champ won 8 in a row, including Kentucky Derby, but lost his luster in last three starts - third in the Preakness, fourth in the Haskell and sixth in the Pennsylvania Derby.

Shaman Ghost: 12-6-1-1, $1,291,811. Queen's Plate winner was Canadian 3-year-old champ last year, won Woodward and Brooklyn this year.

War Story: 14-3-3-2, $399,395. Multiple graded stakes-placed.

Win the Space: 14-3-1-4, $292,572. Multiple graded stakes-placed.

It's a formidable field, and a fitting conclusion to the BC festivities.