The stars are abound! - Breeder's Cup 2013

This past Wednesday the pre-entries for this year's Breeder's Cup World Championships were drawn. A total of 172 horses were pre-entered, slightly down from 2012 and one less race carded (Breeder's Cup Juvenile Sprint). But, this year there is an upswing of pervious champions from the year before returning. Wise Dan (Mile), Fort Larned (Classic), Royal Delta (Distaff), Little Mike (Turf), Beholder (Juvenile Fillies), Groupie Doll (Filly & Mare Sprint), Trinniberg (Sprint), Mizdirection (Turf Sprint) and Flotilla (Juvenile Fillies Turf) are the nine 2012 winners pre-entered this year. It can be said that the "star power" will showcased this year at Santa Anita and the two day event looks better than ever!
Friday afternoon at 4:45pm eastern standard time, things get kicked off with the only non-million races of the 14 cup races, the Marathon at a mile and three quarters distance. I'd done very well in this race during it's short history and is a good money making way to kick off the championship races. The Breeder's Cup Juvenile Turf races are also carded with the Breeder's Cup Dirt Mile in between them. In this race, we have horses who didn't quite make the cut going the "classic" distance of a mile and a quarter. Graded stakes horses like; Alpha and Verrazano meet solid miler types like; Goldenecents, Fed Biz and Easter Gift. The highlight race on Friday evening is the Breeder's Cup Distaff with a short select field of just six runners. Five of these talented filly & mares can win this race. It's the second showdown between defending champion; Royal Delta and top three year old filly; Princess of Sylmar. This races begins a special Distaff / Classic double wager.
Saturday's races start with three filly and mare races. Some of the highlighted runners here are; Sweet Reason (Filly Juvenile) , The Fugue (Filly and Mare Turf) and Groupie Doll (F&M Sprint). The toughest race of the 14 over the two days, starts the Pick 6 with the Breeder's Cup Turf Sprint. The racing sequence this year is a bit juggled from previous years starting in the 8th race. The Juvenile and Turf have been moved backward earlier and the Sprint and Mile moved forward closer to the Classic. All the Juvenile runners from both days will be racing without lasix per Breeder's Cup anti-medication rules. The year's Turf edition has improved over the past few years and the Sprint is as wide open than ever. But, the final two races will showcase the big named marquee stars.
The defending Horse of the Year - Wise Dan seeks to defend his championship in the Turf Mile. With him in this race, it's opening act for the Breeder's Cup Classic that will be shown on NBC at 8pm. All the pervious 13 races will be on the NBC Sports Network. Here, 10 grade I or group I winners are assembled here with the defending champion; Fort Larned and runner-up; Mucho Macho Man, two Jockey Club Gold winners (Flat Out & Ron the Greek), a horse with a six race graded stake win streak (Game on Dude), a Belmont Stakes winner (Palace Malice) & Travers Stakes winner (Will Take Charge) entered. It will be interesting if Wise Dan wins the Mile again and Game on Dude wins the Classic, which runner has the inside track at this year's Horse of the Year honors. Next week, we look at the contenders and longshots with selections for both days races.