Breeders' Cup Turf 2013 Contenders & Odds

Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf is on tap for this Saturday, November 2 from a very busy Santa Anita Park in Arcadia California- home of 14 BC races over the weekend. Horses three years old and upward will take part in the BC Turf - a 1 1/2 mile test for some of the best turfers in the world. A terrific purse of $3 million will be on the line.

A strong field of 12 has been confirmed for the Breeders' Cup Turf - race 9 on Santa Anita's ridiculously stacked Saturday card. Post time is 3:22 PM. Here is a look into the past performances of all 12 entries for this lucrative and intriguing Grade 1 Breeders' Cup stakes.

2013 Breeders' Cup Turf Race Favorite Entries

The Fugue - Has 12 career starts with five wins, two seconds and three third place finishes and enters this week on a two race win streak including the Group 1 Red Mills Irish Championship Stakes in early September at Leopardstown in Ireland. The Fugue finished third in this raced last year and enters this year in better form than last. She is the 3-1 favorite against the boys on the morning line and leaves from post 7 with William Buick aboard.

Point of Entry - Shug McGaughey trainee is one of the premier grass horses in the nation and had won five straight races with relative ease heading into last year's Breeders' Cup Turf where he finished second to Little Mike. The wins include the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic in September, the Grade 1 Sword Dancer in August, the Grade 1 Man o`War Stakes on July 14 and the Grade 2 Elkhorn on April 27. He only has two starts this year - a win in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap February 9 over Animal Kingdom and last time out in the Grade 1 Manhattan Handicap way back on June 8. He will be out to avenge his only loss in eight starts Saturday and goes off from post 8 at 4-1 odds with the John Velazquez in the saddle.

Breeders' Cup Turf 2013 | Remaining Contenders

Indy Point - Richard Mandella trained Argentinean colt had five wins (two thirds of the Argentinean Triple Crown), four seconds and three third place finishes at home before shipping to North America. He has three starts on American soil with two wins - in the minor Wickerr Stakes at Del Mar July 24 and last time out in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship here September 29. Sandwiched in there is an ugly thirteenth however in the Grade 1 Arlington Millions August 17. He had been in the money in every career start before the Millions and showed good moxy in bouncing back the next start. The legendary Gary Stevens gets the call from post 9 at 9-2 odds.

Little Mike - won the Breeders' Cup Turf in November to end his 2012 season and spent the first part of 2013 in Dubai with disappointing results - two races there resulted in an eleventh March 30 in the Dubai Duty Free and an eighth in a Group 1 race - both result at Meydan Racecourse. He returned to North America July 6 and produced another somewhat disappointing result - a fourth in the Grade 1 United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park July 6 and followed that with a sketchy sixth in the Grade 1 Arlington Millions August 17. Last time out was a terrific win in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic here September 28. He wasn't looking great this year but his tune-up for a repeat performance went exactly as planned with his win last time out. Little Mike is 6-1 on the morning line and leaves from post 4 with Mike Smith in the reins.

Big Blue Kitten - had a decent third in his 2013 debut in the Grade 2 Ft. Lauderdale Stakes at Gulfstream January 12 and followed that with two straight Allowance Optional Claiming scores. He had a nice second in the Grade 2 Monmouth Stakes behind Boisterous June 9 before his best career result - a win in the Grade 1 United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park July 6. Last time out was a good second behind Little Mike in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic after a win in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga August 17. He has 10 wins, three seconds and four third place finishes in 18 career starts, has placed in all seven 2013 races and has to be on the radar for the BC Turf. He is 6-1 on the morning line just like Little Mike and will have Joe Bravo aboard from the 10-hole Saturday.

Breeders' Cup Turf betting at Santa Anita Park with OffTrackBetting.com

Magician - ships in from Ireland having won two of three starts this year and three of seven career starts with a second place finish. He is coming off a ninth in the Gr 1 St. James's Palace Stakes at Ascot June 18 after nice wins in the Gr 1 Tattersalls Irish Two Thousand Guineas at Curragh in May and the Gr 3 Betvictor.com Dee Stakes at Chester May 10. The Aidan O'Brian pupil leaves from post 11 with Ryan Moore in the saddle at 8-1 odds.

Real Solution - highly regarded Chad Brown trained Italian import had five starts in at home with three wins to start his career, a sixth and a second in his last race overseas. He made his North American debut with an OK fourth in the Grade 3 Fort Marcy Stakes May 4 after being out of action since September and followed that with a respectable third in the Grade 1 Manhattan Handicap June 8 at Belmont Park. Last time out was an OK third behind Little Mike and Big Blue Kitten in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch September 28 after his best career result - a win in the Grade 1 Arlington Million Stakes August 17. Real Solution has a win ad two third place finishes in his last three starts (all Grade 1 stakes) and leaves from the far outside at 8-1 odds. Javier Castellano gets the call.

Vagabond Shoes - Irish bred gelding raced in North America for the first time in the Grade 2 Arcadia February 2 and finished ninth for trainer John Sadler and followed that with an equally disappointing eighth in the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile March 3 at Santa Anita. He has been better of late - a second in the Grade 1 Eddie Read Stakes behind Jeranimo at 23-1 odds here July 20 was followed by a nice win August 24 in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap and another good second in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf here September 29. He has a win and two seconds in his last three graded stakes starts and is looking very good ahead of this weekend. Vagabond Shoes departs from the rail with Victor Espinoza in the saddle at an intriguing 15-1 odds.

Twilight Eclipse - is the world record holder at 1 1/2 miles on turf who recorded his first graded stakes win by 1 3/4 lengths in the 2012 Grade 2 W.L. McKnight Handicap at Calder November 24. He won in the Grade 2 Pan American Stakes at Gulfstream in that world record time March 23 and followed that with a fifth in the Grade 1 Manhattan Handicap at Belmont Park June 8. He then raced to a pair of seconds in the Grade 1 Man o' War Stakes behind Boisterous at Belmont Park July 13 and in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer behind Big Blue Kitten. Last time out was a fifth in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf at Belmont Park September 28. Twilight Eclipse has two seconds and two fifths in his last four starts overall - pretty inconsistent ahead of the biggest race of the year. He will have Julien Leparoux in the saddle at 20-1 odds from post 3 Saturday.

Teaks North - won the Sunshine Millions Turf Stakes at Gulfstream in wire-to-wire fashion January 19 and followed that with another good result - a second in the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida February 16. He had a win in the minor Good Reward Stakes at Belmont Park May 15 but has otherwise been disappointing this year - a sixth in the Grade 2 Pan American Stakes at Gulfstream in March, a sixth in an Allowance Optional Claiming in August and a fifth last time out in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf here September 29. He lines up in post 2 at 30-1 odds Saturday and will have Victor Espinoza aboard.

Skyring - D. Wayne Lukas trained colt had a terrific win in the Grade 2 Dixie Stakes at Pimlico May 18 after a fourth in the Grade 1 Maker's 46 Mile at Keeneland April 12 behind Wise Dan. Last time out was a disappointing sixth in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile after a sixth in the Grade 2 Fourstardave and another sixth in the Grade 1 United Nations in July. Other results this year include a second in the minor Fifth Season Stakes in January at Oaklawn Park and a fifth in the minor Essex Handicap on that same track in February. He has just four wins in 22 career starts but has struggled in his last two starts overall. He has three sixths in a row ahead of this weekend and is 30-1 on the morning line because of that. Luis Saez gets the call from post 5.

Tale of a Champion - has 15 career starts with six wins that finished eighth in this race last year. He has had some good results this year - a two race win streak including the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham in June but is coming off a tenth in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf September 29 here. He is 30-1 on the morning line and leaves from post 6 with Joe Talamo in the reins.

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2013 Breeders' Cup Turf Entries & Odds

Race 9 on Santa Anita Park's Saturday card with a Post Time of 3:22 PM.

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