2023 Breeders' Cup Classic Contenders & Odds

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Every sport has a definitive year-ending event to crown its champions. In Thoroughbred racing, the Breeders' Cup World Championships is the culmination of the horse racing season worldwide and the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic is the defining event of the international racing season.

The Breeders' Cup Classic, run at 1 1/4 miles, draws the top international Thoroughbreds year after year. It is open to horses 3-years-old and older and is limited to 14 starters.

With every major prep and every "Win and You're In" Breeders' Cup Challenge Series race in the rearview mirror, the 40th Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita Park is in full focus as racing's World Championships beckon November 3-4.

Although there are 14 races and more than $28 million in purses and awards at stake, the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) will garner the most attention. This year's Classic figures to not only decide Horse of the Year, but is shaping up as one of the very best in the race's long and storied history.

Arcangelo (Scratched)

UPDATE: OCT 31 - Arcangelo scratches from Breeders' Cup Classic, retired from racing

Arcangelo, the Belmont Stakes and Travers winner, will scratch from Saturday's $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic due to an issue with his left hind foot, trainer Jena Antonucci said Tuesday.

Further, Arcangelo will be retired from racing and stand at stud at Lane's End Farm in 2024, owner Jon Ebbert said Tuesday. A deal to have him stand at Lane's End upon his retirement was announced about two weeks ago.

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Blue Rose Farm's Arcangelo, winner of the Belmont Stakes (G1) and the Travers Stakes (G1), has finished first in the final poll of the 2023 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings, a weekly rating of the top 10 horses in contention for the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.

The historic victory by Arcangelo in the June 10 Belmont Stakes (G1) earned the 3-year-old gray ridgling an untold number of fans and admirers worldwide. Ridden by Javier Castellano, Arcangelo took command after turning for home in the 1 1/2-mile "Test of Champions" and edged away to a 1 1/2-length score, making Jena Antonucci the first female trainer to win a Triple Crown event.

"You take it on the chin, you fight for that spot, and you feel you have to prove your worth," Antonucci said of the career struggles she has faced. "Horses don't care who you are. They know who you are."

Arcangelo lost his first two career starts before winning his next three - a Gulfstream Park maiden race in March, followed by a narrow triumph by a head in the Peter Pan (G3) at Belmont Park in May and the Belmont four weeks later. Arcangelo returned from his Belmont victory to vault to the top of the 3-year-old division with a 1-length victory in the Travers (G1) leaving Kentucky Derby winner Mage, Preakness winner National Treasure and champion Forte in his wake.

Antonucci trains Arcangelo for the Blue Rose Farm of Jon Ebbert, who spent a mere $35,000 on acquiring him at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sales. Arcangelo, by 2016 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Arrogate out of Modeling, by Tapit, was bred in Kentucky by the Don Alberto Corporation.

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Zandon

Winless since the 2022 Blue Grass Stakes (G1), Zandon snapped the dry spell in style on Oct. 1 in the Woodward (G2) at Aqueduct as he romped to a 4 1/4-length victory as the even-money favorite in the 1 1/8-mile race.

Eight straight defeats followed Zandon since the dark bay colt became one of the favorites for the 2022 Kentucky Derby (G1) by winning the Blue Grass Stakes. Still, all of those losses came in respectable fashion, as he was second on five occasions and third twice, starting with his solid effort behind Rich Strike and Epicenter in the Derby.

Four-time Eclipse Award champion Chad Brown is the trainer of Zandon, a $170,000 purchase by owner Jeff Drown at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sales. At 2, Zandon was beaten a nose in the Remsen (G2) in just his second start, after which Brown sent him out to a third-place finish in the Risen Star (G2) in the colt's only interim start leading to the Blue Grass.

Three of his five runner-up finishes since the Derby have been in Grade 1 company, including the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) and Whitney (G1) in his two most recent starts.

Zandon, by Upstart out of Memories Prevail, by Creative Cause, was bred in Kentucky by former Kentucky Gov. Brereton C. Jones.

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White Abarrio

As good as White Abarrio was as a 3-year-old - he won the Holy Bull (G3) and Florida Derby (G1) in the opening months of 2022 - the fleet gray colt has taken his game to an even higher level this year at 4.

A resounding triumph in the Aug. 5 Whitney (G1) at Saratoga has made White Abarrio one of the early favorites for the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., White Abarrio drew away to win the 1 1/8-mile Whitney by 6 1/4 lengths in a snappy 1:48.45, earning career-high speed figures when trouncing the highly regarded likes of Zandon, Cody's Wish and Charge It in the process.

Rick Dutrow assumed the training of White Abarrio this spring for owners C Two Racing Stable and Antonio Pagnano after the colt had won 5 of 12 starts for Saffie Joseph Jr. The first start for Dutrow resulted in a third-place finish at 20-1 in the June 10 Metropolitan Mile (G1), after which White Abarrio dominated the Whitney at 10-1.

Dutrow, best known for his success with 2008 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness (G1) winner Big Brown, returned this year from a 10-year suspension for a slew of medication violations and a general disregard for authority. "I don't look back at that, I just look forward," he told Daily Racing Form after the Whitney. "We're heading to the Breeders' Cup with this horse the right way and that is a thrill."

Bred in Kentucky by Spendthrift Farm, White Abarrio was purchased for $40,000 as a 2-year-old at the Ocala Breeders' Sales in March 2021. He is by Race Day out of Catching Diamonds, by Into Mischief. White Abarrio won his first two starts as a 2-year-old before concluding his 2021 campaign with a third-place finish in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2).

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Missed The Cut

** coming soon **

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Derma Sotogake

Unseen by American racing fans since finishing a respectable sixth in the Kentucky Derby (G1), Derma Sotogake (JPN) has gone unraced since that May 6 race while being geared up for a second trip to the U.S. from his native Japan.

Trained by Hidetaka Onotashi for Hiroyuki Asanuma, Derma Sotogake brought an 8-4-0-2 record into the Derby, with three consecutive victories in his homeland being followed by a third-place finish in the Saudi Derby (G3), then a front-running, 5 1/2-length romp in the UAE Derby (G2). Alas, his effort as a 7-1 shot in the Kentucky Derby was compromised by a sluggish start, leaving him and jockey Christophe Lemaire with too much work to do.

"The start was everything," Onotashi said afterward. "The plan was to race toward the front, but he never even got the chance. It was just impossible to come back from where we were positioned."

Still, Derma Sotogake persevered to equal the best Derby finish by a Japan-based horse set by Master Fencer (JPN), sixth in the 2019 running. Bred in Japan by Shadai Farm, he was sired by the former American standout Mind Your Biscuits and produced by Amour Poesie (JPN), by Neo Universe (JPN).

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Saudi Crown

Early speed has been a key in the success of Saudi Crown, an up-and-coming 3-year-old who is just two noses shy of being unbeaten in five starts. A front-running victory at Parx Racing in the Sept. 23 Pennsylvania Derby (G1) was the latest forward step for a gray 3-year-old colt who only began his career in mid-April with an easy 4 3/4-length victory in a 6-furlong maiden sprint at Keeneland.

Trainer Brad Cox, who won the 2021 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) with the speedy Knicks Go, said shortly after the Pennsylvania Derby he will consider the Classic or the Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile (G1) for Saudi Crown, with the ultimate goal being the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) in Riyadh in February. Saudi Crown is owned by the FMQ Stables, a Saudi-based group.

Saudi Crown has done little wrong to date. He won a 6 1/2-furlong Churchill Downs allowance sprint in May in his second start before being edged by a nose by Fort Bragg in the July 1 Dwyer (G3) at Belmont Park, a game effort that was followed by another nose defeat to the highly regarded Forte in the July 29 Jim Dandy (G2) at Saratoga, then his breakthrough Parx triumph as a solid betting favorite on a sealed sloppy track.

Saudi Crown, by Always Dreaming out of New Narration, by Tapit, was bred in Kentucky by the China Horse Club. He has twice been through auction, most recently at the 2022 Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training where he was purchased for $240,000.

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Clapton

Improvement throughout a 24-race career has been slow but steady for Clapton, whose ascendant speed figures and off-the-pace running style have combined to help make him a two-time graded stakes winner. His latest performance resulted in an 8-1 upset of the Sept. 30 Lukas Classic (G2) at Churchill Downs, where the 4-year-old colt was making just his second start since being privately purchased in August on behalf of the RRR Racing of Sheikh Rashin bin Humaid Al Nuaimi.

Now trained by Chad Summers, best known for his work in 2017-18 with Mind Your Biscuits, Clapton was bred in Florida by Alan Cohen's Arindel, for whom the colt competed in his first 22 starts when based at Gulfstream Park with trainer Juan Alvarado. Success was mostly elusive until the chestnut son of Brethren began turning up his game in the fall of his 3-year-old season, winning a restricted Gulfstream stakes in October 2022 before ultimately notching a career breakthrough by capturing the Ghostzapper (G3) on the Florida Derby undercard on April 1, 2023.

After running third in the Pimlico Special (G3) and second in the Suburban (G2) in July, RRR Racing bought him, with a respectable fourth-place finish in the Sept. 2 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Saratoga preceding his Lukas Classic triumph.

Clapton was produced by stakes winner Alexandra Rylee, by Afleet Alex, making him a full brother to the stakes-placed Knox. Summers said he intends to breeze Clapton once at his Belmont Park base before shipping Oct. 20 or 21 to Santa Anita, where the colt will have his final prerace workout.

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Ushba Tesoro

Ushba Tesoro (JPN) has developed into one of the most accomplished active runners on the planet, having amassed more than $9.2 million in earnings in 30 starts. A transformational switch from turf to dirt for trainer Noboru Tagaki has helped the now 6-year-old horse put a 3-for-22 start to his career in the rearview mirror, and on the strength of his 2 3/4-length victory in the Dubai World Cup (G1) in late March, he must be considered a major player for the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) on Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.

After competing exclusively on grass in his homeland, Ushba Tesoro has won six times from seven tries since moving over to the dirt in April 2022, when he won the Yokohama Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse. Subsequent races included stakes wins in October and November, and then came a breakthrough in the Dec. 29 Tokyo Daishoten (G1) as he prevailed by 1 3/4 lengths in his group-stakes debut. He then won once more before taking Tagaki and his owner, Ryotokuji Kenji Holdings, to the United Arab Emriates, where he rallied from last in a field of 15 in powering to his Dubai World Cup score at 13-1 on the international tote. It was the first race outside Japan for the connections.

"My greatest honor," Tagaki said afterward. Tagaki said Ushba Tesoro tends to struggle in hot weather, which explains why the horse has gone unraced since Dubai while aiming for a fall and winter campaign.

Ushba Tesoro returned to the races Sept. 27 at Funabashi and scored an easy 2 1/2-length victory in the Nippon TV Hai going 1 1/8 miles on the dirt.

Ushba Tesoro, by Orfevre (JPN) out of Millefeui Attach (JPN), by King Kamehameha (JPN), was bred in Japan by Chiyoda Farm Shizunai.

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Senor Buscador

Senor Buscador was on the Kentucky Derby trail for trainer Todd Fincher after two eye-catching last-to-first victories at Remington Park, including the $200,000 Springboard Mile for 2-year-olds in December 2020. But physical setbacks, including a suspensory injury, limited Senor Buscador to just one start over the next 18 ½ months.

He resurfaced to win a July 2022 allowance sprint at Lone Star Park before securing his first career graded stakes victory in the $300,000 Ack Ack Stakes (G3) at 1 mile Oct. 1 at Churchill Downs. The Ack Ack propelled Senor Buscador into the $1 million Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) on Nov. 5 at Keeneland, where the son of 2003 Horse of the Year Mineshaft finished eighth.

After opening 2023 with an easy victory in the $75,000 Curribot Handicap at 1 1/16 miles March 5 at Sunland Park, Senor Buscador recorded his biggest career victory to date in the $300,000 San Diego Handicap (G2) on July 29 at Del Mar. Senor Buscador rallied from last to win the 1 1/16-mile San Diego Handicap by 1 ¼ lengths at 13-1. Remaining at Del Mar, Senor Buscador next raced in the Pacific Classic (G1) going 1 1/4 miles and finishing fourth beaten 2 1/2 lengths.

In his next start, Senor Buscador again rallied from the back of the pack to finish third beaten 3 1/4 lengths in the Awesome Again (G1) at Santa Anita on Sept. 30.

Fincher, a dominant figure in New Mexico, trains Senor Buscador for Texas owner Joe Peacock Jr., who bred the horse with his late father, Joe Peacock Sr. Senor Buscador is out of New Mexico-bred standout Rose's Desert, a multiple stakes winner of $626,035 for Fincher and Joe Peacock Sr., in 2010-2013. Rose's Desert, who compiled a 15-10-5-0 race record, also produced Runaway Ghost, who captured the $800,000 Sunland Park Derby (G3) in 2018 at Sunland Park for Fincher and Joe Peacock Sr.

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Dreamlike

** coming soon **

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Bright Future

The future is bright indeed for the rapidly improving colt named Bright Future, whose breakthrough victory in the Sept. 2 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) on closing weekend of the Saratoga meet has catapulted him into the top echelon of contenders for the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).

Based in New York with Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, Bright Future has suddenly put it all together at an opportune time. Following a debut victory in March 2022 at Gulfstream Park, the chestnut colt raced only once more as a 3-year-old, finishing third in an allowance before getting nearly 10 months off and returning as a 4-year-old with an emphatic allowance score on the 2023 Florida Derby undercard at Gulfstream.

Following two subsequent defeats, he then posted a July 21 allowance romp at Saratoga before punctuating his rapid ascent with his first stakes triumph, holding on gamely to turn back Proxy by a nose in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

Pletcher said after the Jockey Club Gold Cup that he intends to train Bright Future into the Breeders' Cup Classic without an interim prep. Pletcher, who won the 2019 Classic at Santa Anita with Vino Rosso, also has 3-year-olds Forte and Tapit Trice aiming for the Classic.

Bright Future, by 2007 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Curlin out of Sophia's Song, by Bellamy Road, is owned by the familiar partnership of the Repole Stable of Mike Repole and the St. Elias Stable of Vinnie Viola. Bred in Kentucky by the Clearsky Farms, he was purchased for $350,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sales.

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Arabian Knight

Arabian Knight is making up for lost time in quick fashion. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert declined to rush the 3-year-old colt into the Triple Crown fray this year, instead giving him nearly six months between races when pointing instead to the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).

A flashy 7 1/4-length maiden victory to kick off the Saturday Breeders' Cup program last November at Keeneland was the starting point for Arabian Knight, a bay colt by Uncle Mo. He then won his second start with similar ease when capturing the Jan. 28 Southwest Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park, but not long thereafter, Baffert decided to bypass the Triple Crown races, ultimately focusing instead on the July 22 Haskell (G1) at Monmouth Park as a comeback spot toward a late summer/fall campaign.

After finishing third as the 11-10 favorite in the Monmouth showcase, Arabian Knight downed older horses and fellow 3-year-old Geaux Rocket Ride in capturing the Sept. 2 Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar, which is being widely lauded as a remarkable feat in view of it coming in just his fourth career start. "I loved the way he dug down and fought," Baffert said afterward. "He's just going to keep getting better."

The Pacific Classic is a Breeders' Cup Challenge event, with Arabian Knight earning an automatic fees-paid entry into the Classic.

Arabian Knight was purchased by the Zedan Racing Stables of Amr Zedan for $2.3 million as the sales topper at the April 2022 sale of 2-year-olds at the Ocala Breeders' Sales. Bred in Kentucky by the Corser Thoroughbreds LLC of Mark Corser, he was produced by Borealis Night, by Astrology.

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Proxy

Proxy has been a good horse from the start. First or second in his first five starts, the 5-year-old Godolphin homebred has amassed more than $2 million earnings with consistent performances for nearly three years, including victories in the 2022 Clark (G1) and 2023 Oaklawn Handicap (G2).

Trained throughout his 18-race career by Mike Stidham, Proxy has been first or second 13 times. His latest appearance came Sept. 2 when he came up a nose short of catching Bright Future in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) going 1 1/4 miles in his Saratoga debut.

Prior to the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Proxy romped to a 2 1/2-length domination of the July 22 Monmouth Cup (G3) at Monmouth as the 2-5 favorite. Proxy typically uses a stalking style in delivering his best results, but jockey Joel Rosario had him on the lead from the opening strides of the Monmouth Cup, which reversed a puzzling last-place finish in his previous race, the July 1 Stephen Foster (G1) at Ellis Park. "It was a good call to come here and get the win and hopefully get some confidence going again," Michael Banahan, Godolphin USA's director of bloodstock, said following the Monmouth Cup.

In his lone start at Santa Anita, site of this year's Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), he finished second beaten only a neck in the 2023 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) on March 4 going 1 1/4 miles.

Proxy is a Kentucky-bred by Tapit out of the Grade 1-winning mare Panty Raid, by Include.

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Geaux Rocket Ride

UPDATE ON GEAUX ROCKET RIDE

Geaux Rocket Ride sustained an open condylar fracture with intersesmoidian ligament damage to his right front leg during a workout under Mike Smith, who was uninjured, dismounted, and tended to the horse. Geaux Rocket Ride was taken via equine ambulance to the Southern California Equine Foundation (SCEF) equine hospital at Santa Anita Park and has since been transferred to his barn to undergo additional evaluation and diagnostics to determine the appropriate course of action. Our thoughts, along with those of the entire racing community, are with trainer Richard Mandella, the Pin Oak Stud LLC team, and all those who care for him during this difficult time.

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It took just four career starts for Geaux Rocket Ride to prove he belongs with the big boys. The bay colt showed himself a real pro in his latest appearance by pulling a 12-1 upset of the July 22 Haskell (G1), putting away Arabian Knight before turning back Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mage in capturing the Monmouth Park marquee event by 1 3/4 lengths under Mike Smith. The Haskell is a Breeders' Cup Challenge event, with Geaux Rocket Ride earning an automatic fees-paid entry into the Longines Classic (G1).

Geaux Rocket Ride is now 3 for 5, having easily won his career debut sprinting in January at his Santa Anita base before finishing second on the stretch out in the San Felipe (G2) in March. After being scratched from the Santa Anita Derby (G1) with a minor illness, he resurfaced June 4 with a victory in the Affirmed at Santa Anita as the 1-2 favorite before trainer Richard Mandella sent him cross-country for the Haskell.

Geaux Rocket Ride, by Candy Ride (ARG) out of the Uncle Mo mare Beyond Grace, was bred in Kentucky by the OXO Equine of Larry Best. He was bought for $350,000 in July 2021 at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky as the first Thoroughbred purchase of Jim and Dana Bernhard, the Baton Rouge, Louisiana, couple who now race in the name of Pin Oak Stud after purchasing the famed Kentucky farm last year.

Geaux Rocket Ride returned to the races September 2 at Del Mar in which he finished second beaten a neck in the Pacific Classic (G1).

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ARCANGELO LEADS WIDE-OPEN LONGINES BREEDERS' CUP CLASSIC

OCT 25 - The $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) will be run on the main track at 1 1/4 miles. A total of 16 horses that have won the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic have gone on to be named Horse of the Year. The 2022 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic was named the World's Best Horse Race, while the 2022 winner, Flightline, was named the World's Best Racehorse.

Eighteen horses have been pre-entered for the Classic, a truly international affair led by Blue Rose Farm's Arcangelo, who took command of the 3-year-old male division with four consecutive wins, highlighted by back-to-back scores in the Belmont Stakes (G1) and Travers Stakes (G1) for trainer Jena Antonucci. A son of the 2016 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Arrogate, Arcangelo was also voted No. 1 in the final poll of the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings.

Two California-based 3-year-olds also figure prominently in the Classic picture. Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.'s Arabian Knight defeated Pin Oak Stud LLC's Geaux Rocket Ride by a neck in the Sept. 2 FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic Stakes (G1). Arabian Knight earned an automatic berth into the Breeders' Cup Classic with that victory. Prior to the Pacific Classic, Geaux Rocket Ride earned a Breeders' Cup Challenge victory in the Classic division when he defeated Arabian Knight in the July 22 TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park. Geaux Rocket Ride is trained by Richard Mandella, who won the 2003 Breeders' Cup Classic with Pleasantly Perfect at Santa Anita, and completed an unprecedented day of four Breeders' Cup wins by a trainer on a single card.

The deep list of 3-year-olds continues with Mage, winner of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1); Saudi Crown, who captured the Pennsylvania Derby (G1); and Japanese contender Derma Sotogake (JPN), who won the UAE Derby Sponsored By Atlantis The Royal (G2) at Meydan.

The top performance by an older horse in the East this year was by C2Racing Stable, LLC and La Milagrosa Stable, LLC's 4-year-old White Abarrio, who scorched the Aug. 5 Whitney Stakes (G1) in Saratoga by 6 1/4 lengths and gained a Win and You're In berth for the Classic. Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's 4-year-old Bright Future was also a big winner at Saratoga this summer, capturing the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) and gaining a free berth into the Classic.

The pre-entries for the Classic are completed by Charge It, Clapton, Dreamlike, King of Steel, Missed the Cut, Proxy, Senor Buscador, Skippylongstocking, and Zandon. Dreamlike and Skippylongstocking are also pre-entered with a first preference in the Dirt Mile, while the first preference for King of Steel is the Turf.

2024 BREEDERS' CUP RACE SCHEDULE