2011 Breeders' Cup Classic Taking Shape
- By A.J. Ryder on September 29, 2011 15:44 GMT
Super Saturday at Belmont is but one major fixture on the American racing calendar this weekend with a number of excellent Breeders' Cup preps kicking off within a few hours of each other. Because we're talking about American racing, doubtlessly some of them will be running at the exact same time as the other.
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The Breeders' Cup Classic is really the big question at the moment with a genuinely fascinating portrait beginning to emerge as the three-year-old division looks to be making a genuine claim for this one as they take on the older Americans and the European imports – many of whom are still yet to be confirmed.
As it currently stands, Stay Thirsty is the betting favourite for the 2011 Classic with a price hovering around the 9/2 margin in the forecast market. He'll be one of the closely-watched participants in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup this Saturday and now has to prove himself against older colts and geldings if he is going to keep that position as the betting favourite.
Havre De Grace represents the female contingent as Blind Luck will likely run in the Ladies Classic. She made a huge statement by winning the Woodward and is definitely in the mix for horse of the year. Tizway will miss the Jockey Club Gold Cup with a fever but he remains the best older horse in America and, if fully fit, should flourish at the 1m2f he'll be tackling over the Churchill Downs surface. His scores in the Whitney and the Met Mile set him up nicely as a versatile horse with lots to prove still at the age of six.
Twirling Candy is the leading horse on the west coast despite taking a few tough beats this year. The sometimes-erratic and always exciting son of Candy Ride is trading at an 8/1 ante post price for this contest and will also be skipping his prep race due to a slight setback.
To Honor And Serve is setting up as a very interesting story as he had flashed some real quality in the winter racing season at Aqueduct before coming up short on the Triple Crown trail. He burst back onto the scene in the August meet at Saratoga and he'll be coming into the Classic loaded for bear off the extreme quality he flashed in the Pennsylvania Derby – which was a very competitive race this year.
Game On Dude will line up for Bob Baffert and Shackleford is also expected to make his usual front-running appearance.
