2012 Breeders Cup Classic Ante Post Part 2

Ron The Greek asserted himself early in the season this year when he captured the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby over the same course and distance we'll see contested in the Classic though against a bit lesser competition like Gladding, Twice The Appeal and Thirtyfirststreet. He then shipped cross-country to Oaklawn and finished a game second to Alternation at Grade 2 level. Then he headed out Wise Dan to bring down the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs.

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE WILLIAM HILL FUTURE BET ON THE CLASSIC!

Ron The Greek deserves respect over the surface and will certainly go into the game lower than 8/1 – you may want to wait to lock in a substantial wager on him though.

The aforementioned Wise Dan is sitting at a competitive 10/1 price tag and he's really been a there-or-thereabouts type of horse over much of the year. He's able to win on a wide variety of tracks and ships well, while hitting nicely off a freshening. His loss to Ron The Greek in the Stephen Foster was the only real blemish on his 2012 campaign and it was only by a head. He bounced back in the Fourstardave Handicap, which is a Grade 2 race on turf.

Dullahan remains one of the most fascinating entries in this ante post market and you'll find him trading alongside established older handicap horses like Wise Dan at a competitive 10/1 listing. Dullahan proved that he was for real when he captured the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar last weekend, having just been the first amongst his crop to defeat older horses.

Many wonder whether he is able to replicate these types of wins off of his preferred synthetic surface (polytrack) as he has won all three efforts over these types of strips and they were all at Grade 1 level – this includes his maiden breaking race.

He was able to muster a third place finish, beaten by less than three lengths after going something like nine wide at the quarter pole in the Kentucky Derby, which was run over a dirt surface. He will likely be in the neighbourhood of 10/1 if he chooses to line up in the Classic but it's true that he certainly has other options and may seek out the potentially weaker Breeders' Cup Turf.

Rounding out the list of high-quality contenders for the Breeders' Cup Classic includes Mucho Macho Man, who has been ripping it up at Saratoga and could be set to make a big declaration if he wins in the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes this weekend. Expect his price to cut in half if he pulls it off.