American Pharoah Headlines Talented Classic Field

American Pharoah has been training well leading up to the Breeders' Cup Classic. (Photos by Eclipse Sportswire)
By Tom Pedulla, America’s Best Racing
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The $5-million Breeders' Cup Classic, one of the most highly-anticipated contests in the 32-year history of the event, took shape on Monday when Triple Crown champion American Pharoah was established as the 6-5 morning line favorite after drawing post four in a talent-laden field of 10.
American Pharoah can complete the first Grand Slam by adding the Classic to his stirring triumphs in the spring classics. He showed his readiness for the final start of his career by blistering four furlongs in 46 3/5 seconds at Santa Anita Park. The breathtaking work was considerably faster than what Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert intended.
Baffert said during a conference call after the draw that he was looking for Martin Garcia, his regular workout rider for American Pharoah, to put racing’s superstar through an easy half-mile in, say, 47 or 48 seconds before he ships here to Keeneland Race Course on Tuesday.
When Garcia returned to the barn, Baffert asked what happened to the notion of a rather leisurely half-mile. “It would have been impossible,” Garcia told him.
American Pharoah, looking to rebound from his only defeat of an otherwise brilliant season when he placed second in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course at the end of August, appears to be back in top form. He will have to be.
Baffert described the Classic lineup as “an incredible field. It’s what the Breeders’ Cup is supposed to be, the best horses on the big day.”
Keeneland oddsmaker Mike Battaglia established the brilliant mare Beholder as the second choice at 3-1 after she drew farthest outside in post 10. It would appear that her jockey, Gary Stevens, will have to summon some of her abundant speed early to ensure a good stalking position. American Pharoah is expected to assume his usual spot at the front of the pack and will benefit from the absence of burner Liam’s Map. That colt’s trainer, Todd Pletcher, opted to send him into the Dirt Mile.
Beholder appears to have put her shipping fever well behind her. She blazed five furlongs in 59 2/5 seconds on Monday morning at Keeneland. “We wanted to put a little stress on her to make sure everything is okay,” trainer Richard Mandella said.
BEHOLDER BEFORE HER WORK THIS MORNING

Mandella acknowledged that the showdown with Baffert’s American Pharoah on Saturday has been a long time coming, saying, “There were mornings at Santa Anita when I wanted to say, “Bob, do you want to spin them around once and see what happens?’”
The Classic is far from a match race, though. Whitney winner Honor Code and Tonalist, who repeated in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, merit consideration. Tonalist drew the rail with Honor Code, notorious for biding his time in the early going, will leave from post nine. Frosted, who dueled American Pharoah for much of the mile-and-a-quarter Travers, will start beside the Triple Crown champ in post three at 15-1.
Keen Ice, the only horse to defeat American Pharoah in the last 14 months when he charged home in the Travers, will start from post two at odds of 12-1.
“We’ll have a little of that 12-1, thank you very much,” said Jerry Crawford who heads Donegal Racing as the owner of Keen Ice.
Crawford added, “We know our horse, even though he’s 3, he’s getting better every day.”
Wedding Toast is a tepid 4-1 favorite in a full field of 14 in the $2-million Distaff, the centerpiece of a four-race Breeders’ Cup card on Friday at Keeneland.  Jimmy Bell, president of Darley America, was delighted when she drew post seven.
“It’s a very good spot for her to leave from,” he said. “She’s a very handy filly.”
Nyquist, off to a dazzling start as a 2-year-old as he rattled off victories in his first four starts, will have his work cut out for him. He and jockey Mario Gutierrez drew post 13 of 14 in Saturday’s $2-million Juvenile. Greepointcrusader, who will break from post three with Joe Bravo aboard, was made a slight favorite at 4-1.

$5-million Breeders' Cup ClassicOct. 31, Keeneland Race Course, Race 11, 5:35 p.m. ET1 1/4 miles, dirt, 3-year-olds and olderTV: NBC

PP

Horse

Jockey

Trainer

Owner

Odds

1

Tonalist

John Velazquez

Christophe Clement

Robert S. Evans

6-1

2

Keen Ice

Irad Ortiz Jr.

Dale Romans

Donegal Racing

12-1

3

Frosted

Joel Rosario

Kiaran McLaughlin

Godolphin Racing

15-1

4

American Pharoah

Victor Espinoza

Bob Baffert

Zayat Stables

6-5

5

Gleneagles

Ryan Moore

Aidan O'Brien

Michael Tabor , Mrs. John Magnier & Derrick Smith

20-1

6

Effinex

Mike Smith

James Jerkens

Tri-Bone Stables

30-1

7

Smooth Roller

Tyler Baze

Victor Garcia

Lucky Charm Stable

15-1

8

Hard Aces

Joe Talamo

John Sadler

Hronis Racing

50-1

9

Honor Code

Javier Castellano

Shug McGaughey

Lane's End Racing & Dell Ridge Farm

6-1

10

Beholder

SCRATCHED

SCRATCHED

SCRATCHED