2017 Breeders' Cup Turf Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California will be the scene of the G1 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf on Saturday, November 4. Horses three years old and upward will take to Del Mar's turf track and race 1 1/4 miles for the winner's share of the very nice $4 million purse.

A full field of 14 will give it a go in the BC Turf - race 11 on Del Mar's stacked Saturday schedule. Post time is 7:37 PM. Here is a peek into the past performances of all 14 combatants for this competitive and intriguing G1 stakes.

2017 Breeders' Cup Turf Field & Odds at Del Mar

Ulysses 7-2

Defending fourth-place finisher in this race - Irish bred Sir Michael Stoute trained colt has placed in 10 of 13 career starts - six wins, three seconds and two third-place finishes. He arrives off a third in the Group 1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in France October 1 which followed a good win in the Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes at York August 23, a second in the Group 1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Royal Ascot July 29 and a win in the G1 Coral Eclipse Stakes July 8. He has placed in six straight races since last year's BC Turf and is expected to challenge Saturday from post 5.

Beach Patrol 4-1

Chad Brown trained colt has placed 13 of 16 career starts - five wins, five seconds and three third-place finishes. He enters off a nice win in the G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park September 30, a win in the G1 Arlington Millions August 12, an OK third in the G1 United Nations Stakes at Monmouth July 1 and a slightly disappointing fourth in the G1 Manhattan Stakes at Belmont Park June 10. Before that was a decent second in the G1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs May 6, a fourth in the G1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap February 11 and another pair of respectable runner-up finishes - the G1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar December 3 and in the G3 Hill Prince Stakes at Belmont Park October 8. He also had a win in the G1 Secretariat Stakes at Arlington August 13. Beach Patrol has been competitive every time except for a couple of uncharacteristic results, has triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures in his last six starts and will chase a third straight G1 score Saturday from gate 12.

Highland Reel 5-1

Defending champion in this race - Aidan O'Brien trainee has 25 career starts with nine wins, six seconds and two third-place finishes. He enters off an OK third in the Group 1 QIPCO Champion Stakes October 21 which followed a fourth in the Group 1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes July 29 and a win in the Group 1 Prince Of Wales' Stakes June 21 - all three at Royal Ascot. Before that was a win in the Group 1 Investec Coronation Cup June 2 and a seventh in the Group 1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan March 25. Highland Reel hasn't been scared of top company and has fared well so far. He shoots for the repeat performance Saturday from post 3.

Oscar Performance 10-1

Impressive Brian Lynch trained Ringling finished sixth in his debut and went on to reel off three impressive wins - a maiden score by an eye opening 10 1/4 lengths at Saratoga last August 20, a terrific six length victory in the G3 Pilgrim Stakes at Belmont Park October 1, 2016 and a career-defining win by 1 1/4 lengths in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf back in November. He has been mostly good in six starts since - an OK third last time out in the G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes September 30 followed a good 2 1/4 length win in the G1 Secretariat Stakes at Arlington August 12, another win in the G1 Belmont Derby Invitational July 8 and a nice 1 1/2 length wire-to-wire win in the G3 Pennine Ridge Stakes at Belmont Park June 3. He failed to place in his previous two. Oscar Performance searches for a third G1 score in four starts and fourth graded stakes win in his five starts from the outside gate 14.

Itsinthepost 12-1

French bred Jeff Mullins trained gelding has 29 career starts with six wins, seven seconds and five third place finishes. He enters off a good win in the G2 John Henry Turf Championship Stakes at Santa Anita October 1, a second in the G2 Del Mar Handicap here August 19 and pair of fifths - the G1 United Nations Stakes July 1 and as favorite in the G2 Charles Whittingham Stakes at Santa Anita May 28. Before that was a two-race win streak - by 1 1/2 lengths in the G2 Dixiana Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland April 22 and in the G2 San Luis Rey Stakes at Santa Anita March 25. He also had three straight very close runner-up finishes - the G2 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita February 4, the G3 San Gabriel Stakes on that track January 7 and an Allowance Optional Claiming at Del Mar November 19. Itsinthepost has three wins and a second-place finish in his last four starts and shoots for a second straight graded stakes score from post 7.

Fanciful Angel 12-1

Irish bred Marco Botti trained gelding has 25 career starts with five wins, three seconds and three third-place finishes. He made his North American debut two starts back and finished a respectable second behind Beach Patrol with a 100 Beyer Speed Figure in the G1 Arlington Million August 12 and followed that with another second last time out in the G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park August 12. He failed to place in four of his last five starts in Europe but did have a Handicap score May 25. Fanciful Angel has been knocking on the door of his first North American score and hopes to get it Saturday from gate 10.

Sadler's Joy 12-1

Thomas Albertrani trained colt failed to place in his first three career starts but has been good since. Last time out was a disappointing fourth in the G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park September 30 after a nice last-to-first win in the G1 Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga August 26, an OK third in the G2 Bowling Green Stakes on that track July 29, another third in the G1 Manhattan Stakes at Belmont Park June 10 and yet another third in the G1 Man o' War Stakes on this track May 13. Before that was a good win in the G2 Pan American Stakes at Gulfstream April 1 and a successful stakes debut - a runner-up finish in the G3 WL McKnight Handicap at Gulfstream January 20. Sadler's Joy now has five wins, a second and three third-place finishes in 13 career starts and will be out to avenge his worst result in 15 months Saturday from post 13.

Bigger Picture 15-1

Made his stakes debut last July for trainer Michael Maker and finished eighth in the G1 United Nations Stakes. Before that were six wins, three seconds and a third-place finish including two straight Allowance Optional Claiming scores in 2016. He has been up and down since but has been decent in his last four starts particularly - an OK third last time out in the G1 Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga August 26 followed a second in the G2 Bowling Green Stakes there July 29, a terrific win in the G1 United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park July 1 and a third in the G2 Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland April 22. He also posted a good win in the G3 John B. Connally Turf Cup at Sam Houston January 29 and the G2 Red Smith Handicap at Aqueduct November 12. Bigger Picture has placed in seven of his last nine starts overall with three wins over that span and hopes to keep a decent run going Saturday from gate 8.

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Bullards Alley 15-1

Won the G3 Louisville Handicap in May, 2016 for trainer Tim Glyshaw but has placed in just four of 14 starts since. He enters off his best performance in quite some time however - a win in the G1 Pattison Canadian International Stakes at Woodbine October 15 which followed a sixth in the G3 Kentucky Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs September 9, a fifth in the G3 American St. Leger Stakes at Arlington April 12, an OK third in the G3 Louisville Handicap at Fair Grounds May 20 (he won that race in 2016), a sixth in the G2 Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland April 22 and consecutive fourth place finishes - the G3 Muniz Memorial Handicap April 1 and the G3 Fair Grounds Handicap February 25. Bullards Alley now has six wins, four seconds and six third place finishes in 35 career starts and will be out to build in his first win in 15 starts Saturday from gate 2.

Hunt 15-1

Irish bred Phil D'Amato trained gelding has 24 career starts with seven wins, five seconds and three third place finishes. Last time out was a disappointing seventh in the G2 John Henry Turf Championship Stakes at Santa Anita October 1 which followed consecutive wins - the G2 Del Mar Handicap here August 19 and the G2 Eddie Read Stakes on this track July 22. Before that was a fifth in the G3 American Stakes at Santa Anita July 4, a fourth in the G2 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar November 26, a disappointing eighth in the minor Damascus Stakes at Santa Anita November 4 and an OK third in the G3 Eddie D Stakes on that track last September 30. He also had a three-race win streak in 2016- the best of which coming in the minor Siren Lure Stakes at Santa Anita last June. Hunt has won two of his last three starts (both graded stakes) but will be in search of a strong bounce back Saturday from post 11.

Talismanic 15-1

British bred Andre Fabre trained colt has hit the board in 11 of 15 career starts - five wins, five seconds and a third-place finish. He makes his North American debut Saturday off a third in the Group 2 Qatar Prix Foy in France September 10, a good win in the Prix Maurice de Nieuil at Saint Cloud July 14 and consecutive runner-up finishes - the Group 2 Grand Prix de Chantilly June 4 and the Group 3 Prix d'Hedouville in May. He posted a stakes win in France before that in April. Talismanic has placed in six straight races ahead of this weekend - in decent form and will leave from the rail.

Decorated Knight 15-1

British bred Roger Carleton trainee has eight wins, four seconds and a third-place finish in 18 career starts. Last time out was a terrific win in the Group 1 QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes at Lepardstown September 9 after a fifth in the Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes at York August 23 and a sixth in the Group 1 Coral Eclipse Stales July 8. Before that was a second in the Group 1 Prince of Wales' Stakes at Royal Ascot in June and another good win in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at Curragh in May. He also has a win in the Group 1 Jebel Hatta at Meydan and two more stakes wins before that. Decorated Knight has been a tad inconsistent but when right is a serious force. He tries to make the most of his North American debut Saturday from gate 4.

Cliffs of Moher 20-1

Has just two wins and a second-place finish in eight career starts for trainer Aidan O'Brien He won his first start of the year - the Homeserve Dee Stakes in May and went on to a respectable runner-up finish in the Group 1 Investec Derby at Epsom June 3. He has failed to place in his last four starts however - a seventh last time out in the QIPCO Champion Stakes at Royal Ascot October 21 followed a sixth in the Group 1 QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes September 9 and consecutive fourths in Group 1 races - the Juddmonte International August 23 and the Coral Eclipse Stakes July 8. Cliffs of Moher searches for a breakthrough performance Saturday from gate 6.

Seventh Heaven 20-1

Defending fourth-place finisher in this race - Aidan O'Brien trained filly has five wins and a second-place finish in her 13 career starts. She won the Group 2 Dunedin Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket in May but has not looked good in two starts since. Last time out was a fourteenth in the Group 1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Chantilly October 1 after a ninth in the Jewels Blanford Stakes at Curragh September 10. She won two Group stakes races last summer including the Darley Yorkshire Oaks and the Darley Irish Oaks but hasn't been great since. Seventh Heaven tries to snap a two-race losing streak Saturday from post 9.

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