Litfin At Large for Breeders' Cup, Saturday, Nov. 2

Cutting right to the chase, here are my contender rankings and overall assessments for Saturday's nine Breeders' Cup events at Santa Anita Park.

Filly & Mare Sprint (race 4, 11:55 PT): The two speeds drew posts 1 and 2, and favored Covfefe (1) is under the gun as she steps back in with older and tries to avoid a "bounce" similar to the one that led to her defeat in the Roxelana Stakes at 2-5. Danuska's My Girl (2) was taken out of her best game when bumped at the start of the Thoroughbred Club Of America (G2) four weeks ago, but the speedster had a huge gallop-out, and she is perfect from three local starts in 2019; looms a potential overlay at 20-1 on the morning line. Come Dancing (4), whose only loss this year was a second to Midnight Bisou at a distance beyond her best, should have the garden spot. Dawn the Destroyer (8) and Spiced Perfection (9) may benefit from a hot pace.

A - 4

B - 1, 8, 9

C - 2

Turf Sprint (race 5, 12:33 PT): Clueless about this mad dash, which was shortened to five furlongs due to safety concerns with the hillside course. I'm basically buying the race with four from column A, four from column B and four from column C. Moving on...

A - 1, 3, 9, 10

B - 4, 5, 7, 12

C - 2, 6, 8, 11

Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile (race 6, 1:10 PT): Omaha Beach  (5) is supremely talented but has had well-documented setbacks and had a hard race first time out in almost six months. Meanwhile, Mr. Money (4) hasn't run a bad race in six months while reeling off four wins in graded stakes and getting nipped in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1). The enigmatic Improbable (2) has shipped around all year but gets to run out of his stall this time. Spun to Run (3) busted stopwatches winning big last out at Parx Racing; he must prove he doesn't need to carry his racetrack around with him. Giant Expectations (1) has gate woes but a clean break from the rail could put him in range saving ground. Diamond Oops (9) and Snapper Sinclair (10) are improved at age 4 but must overcome outside draws.

A - 4, 5

B - 2, 3

C - 1, 9, 10

Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf (race 7, 1:54 PT): Sistercharlie (2) defends her title in search of a seventh straight grade 1 triumph and clearly lays over the American-based runners. However, she had stablemate Thais to set the table in five of those wins (including all three this year), and the stretch-running mare is on her own after Thais was vet-scratched Thursday. Our supporting players are all Europeans, the most intriguing of which is Fanny Logan (12), who has won four in a row since John Gosden "popped a hood on her" back in July. Iridessa (1), Fleeting (3), Billesdon Brook (4) and Villa Marina (9) have run well in group 1 company and are okay with firm ground.

A - 2, 12

B - 1, 3, 4, 9

Sprint (race 8, 2:36 PT): Catalina Cruiser  (1) hasn't been this short since winning his first two starts, but has home-field advantage over Mitole  (4), who has won eight of nine dating back to March 2018. Shancelot (6) has been campaigned hard since June and couldn't hold clear stretch leads as a prohibitive 3-10 choice in both attempts following a supersonic win in the Amsterdam Stakes (G2); he could be over the top. And which Imperial Hint (9) do we get: the one who dazzled winning the last two editions of the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1), or the one who came up short in the Sprint the past two years? Whitmore (7) overtook Imperial Hint for second in the 2018 Sprint; the veteran gelding showed signs of recapturing his best form prepping for this last month.

A - 1, 4

B - 6, 9

C - 7

Mile (race 9, 3:20 PT): Trips, of course, mean everything in a two-turn mile with 14 runners. Circus Maximus (9) has run well all over Europe and projects to be close to a moderate pace likely to be set by longshot Bolo. Right behind as co-second choices are the fast-closing females Got Stormy (6) and Uni (11) with 13 combined wins at a mile. Looking for a Chad Brown-trained bomb? Consider Without Parole, who makes his United States debut and first start for the three-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer, after finishing on even terms with Bricks and Mortar in a workout Oct. 20; he showed good tactical speed overseas. Potential bust-outs include Space Traveller (3), True Valour (5), Lord Glitters (12), and Hey Gaman (13). The latter relishes firm going. 

A - 6, 9, 11

B - 3, 5, 10

C - 12, 13

Longines Distaff (race 10, 4:00 PT): Midnight Bisou (4) will be among the lowest-priced Cup favorites off a sparkling 7-for-7 record this year, but two of her last three figures were just okay and she probably peaked in a knock-down, drag-out brawl with Elate in the Personal Ensign Stakes (G1). Ollie's Candy (2) had a useful prep finishing third behind Paradise Woods (1) and Secret Spice (7) off a two-month freshening, has picked up the pace noticeably in three subsequent works, and gets a switch to Joel Rosario, who has won at a 43% clip for John Sadler the past two years. Dunbar Road (5) was out-kicked by Blue Prize (11) in the Juddmonte Spinster (G1) but still has plenty of upside making just her seventh start. And what happens if Serengeti Empress (9) gets clear early and rebounds from a subpar try in the Cotillion Stakes (G1), as the all-or-nothing type has done before?

A - 2, 4

B - 5, 7, 9, 11

Longines Turf (race 11, 4:40 PT): Bricks and Mortar (9) has won six straight since returned from an extended absence and has trained well enough to convince Chad Brown he can handle 12 furlongs. He is clearly best of the American-based horses, but world traveler Old Persian (10) is a  five-time winner at the distance in group 1/group 2 company and handles firm turf. Our only backup is Anthony Van Dyck (5), who kept on well in the QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes (G1T) behind Magical most recently, and was held out of the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) by six-time BC Turf winner Aidan O'Brien in order to run over quicker ground here.

A - 9, 10

B - 5

Longines Classic (race 12, 5:44 PT): Look at the stretch run of the Awesome Again Stakes (G1) and you'll see McKinzie (8) wasn't all out late when it became apparent he couldn't catch Mongolian Groom (9); it's important to emphasize that was merely a prep for the main objective. He is a bit suspect at 10 furlongs judging from a pratfall in this race a year ago and a loss at 2-5 in the Santa Anita Handicap Presented By San Manuel Indian Bingo And Casino (G1), but toyed with Yoshida (5) and Vino Rosso  (10) in the Whitney (G1) two back. Higher Power (7) also prepped for this in the Awesome Again and did well to get third after stumbling badly at the start. His only other dirt start in blinkers was a romping upset win in the 10-furlong $1 Million TVG Pacific Classic (G1) for John Sadler, who sent out Accelerate to win the 2018 Classic. Code of Honor (11) comes off paired peak figures at this distance in the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) and Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1); hard to knock after steady improvement through a long 3-year-old campaign.

A - 7, 8

B - 5, 10, 11

C - 9