Handicapping: Stakes to Build a Breeders' Cup Bankroll

Horseplayers are up to their eyeballs in Breeders' Cup World Championships pre-entries right about now, and those who are looking to build their bankrolls for racing's biggest event can pick and choose from graded stakes across the nation Oct. 30.

Rainy weather will likely be a factor for Empire Showcase Day at Belmont Park. After Long Island was deluged with four inches of rain Tuesday, and with more on the way, the state-bred Ticonderoga and Mohawk turf races were rescheduled to next week, leaving six New York-bred stakes Saturday climaxed by the $300,000 Empire Classic Handicap.

Wet weather is also in the mix for the closing-day card at Keeneland, which concludes its classy meet with the $150,000 Bowman Mill Stakes for 2-year-olds, the $150,000 Bryan Station Stakes for 3-year-olds and the $200,000 Hagyard Fayette Stakes (G2) for older males.

It's the final weekend at Santa Anita Park as well, and Saturday's program is highlighted by the Autumn Miss Stakes (G3T) for 3-year-old grass fillies.

Hudson Handicap (Bel, race 5, 2:43 ET): Our Last Buck  (7) and Ny Traffic  (8) will take the bulk of the action, and rightfully so.

Our Last Buck is third back from a layoff after finishing a clear second in open company at Saratoga Race Course against Aloha West , who was subsequently beaten a neck in the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes (G2). Our Last Buck won or placed in all three of his outings at Belmont last year, and two of those races were on the kind of sealed wet track he may catch again here.

After three straight tries in graded stakes, Ny Traffic is back with state-bred competition for the first time since winning his seasonal debut over this surface.

Amundson  (4) has been idle since late August and looms an intriguing price play because he has run well repeatedly when fresh. The latest example came early at Saratoga when he scored in the mud off an 85-day break. Look for the homebred son of Curlin   to be forwardly placed early.

A - 7, 8

B - 4

Empire Classic (Bel, race 9, 4:52 ET): Americanrevolution  (5) began his 3-year-old campaign with three straight wins for Todd Pletcher including the New York Derby and the Albany Stakes. The Constitution   colt is going to be a short-priced favorite coming off a respectable third in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1).

This will be his first attempt against older rivals, though, and standing in his way is the venerable Mr. Buff  (3), who has won this race each of the past two years. The 7-year-old gelding was a distant fifth in his two most recent races, but that was also the case last year when he rebounded off a similar freshening for a front-running triumph. Moreover, he won the 2019 edition of the Classic seven weeks after finishing off the board in the Woodward Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1). Cooler weather certainly appears to perk up this 17-time winner of $1.4 million.

A - 3

B - 5

Hagyard Fayette (Kee, race 9, 5:16 ET): We're focusing on Sleepy Eyes Todd  (1), Night Ops  (4), and Code of Honor   (7), who gave futile chase to the streaking Art Collector  in the Charles Town Classic (G2), Alydar Stakes, and Woodward, respectively.

Sleepy Eyes Todd rode a strong inside bias to a second-place finish in the Charles Town Classic (a race he won last year), and it's conceivable the barnstorming world traveler can control the pace from the rail.

Night Ops is down in class and distance after a fourth in the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1). He should appreciate the cutback to 1 1/8 miles, where he ran second in four straight stakes from April through August beginning with the Ben Ali Stakes (G3) in the slop at Keeneland.

Code of Honor is using this as a bridge to the Clark Stakes Presented By Norton Healthcare (G1). The multiple graded stakes winner of over $2.9 million exhibits a potential bounce-rebound pattern, after returning from a layoff to win the Philip H. Iselin Stakes (G3) with a peak figure, followed by a flat fourth in the Woodward.

King Fury got a great pace setup winning a sloppy renewal of the Stonestreet Lexington Stakes (G3) here in April. He meets older for the first time after an eye-catching win in the inaugural running of the Bourbon Trail Stakes at Churchill Downs.

A - 4, 7

B - 1, 6

Autumn Miss (SA, race 8, 7:08 ET): The four-time stakes winner Madone  (6) is clearly the most accomplished member of the field, but it's not like she has busted any stopwatches along the way, and the stretch runner's most recent win in the San Clemente Stakes (G2T) was set up by a very fast early pace.

Ego Trip  (5) and Spanish Loveaffair  (7) were less than a length apart when third and fourth in the Lake Placid Stakes (G2T) at the Spa, and also look logical enough here.

However, the longshot that caught our eye is Eddie's New Dream  (1), who steps up after back-to-back wins from just off the pace and "absolutely cruised," according to track announcer Frank Mirahmadi when switched to turf for the first time. Horses that improve their figures first time on grass often come right back with another forward move, which makes her well worth a look at 12-1 on the morning line.

A - 1

B - 5, 6, 7