14 to Contest Marathon on Breeders' Cup Card

At 1 3/4 miles on the main track, the Marathon (gr. II) is the longest race that will be run over Breeders' Cup World Championships weekend at Keeneland. The race is headed by Greenwood Cup (gr. III) winner Neck 'n Neck.

The final race on the Oct. 30 Keeneland card highlighted by the Longines Distaff (gr. I), the Marathon was previously the Breeders' Cup Marathon. Breeders' Cup was dropped from the name effective last year, though the race is still run in conjunction with the World Championships.

The Marathon attracted a full field of 14, headed by 124-pound highweight Neck 'n Neck, who captured the Greenwood Cup at Parx Racing in September. The 6-year-old son of Flower Alley trained by Ian Wilkes for Ted Mitzlaff has won or placed in 21 of 29 career starts, with earnings of $978,762.

The 2012 Indiana Derby (gr. II) winner who now excels going long and racing on off tracks, Neck 'n Neck is coming off a second in allowance/optional claiming company at Keeneland Oct. 9. The 3-1 morning-line favorite, Neck 'n Neck will again have the services of jockey Paco Lopez and will break from post 4.

Neck 'n Neck, who is at his best running from just off the pace, this year placed in four stakes, including a second in Keeneland's Ben Ali (gr. III) and a third in the Alysheba Stakes (gr. II) at Churchill Downs.

Grade I winner Majestic Harbor, trained by Paul McGee Jr. for Gallant Stable, held the lead before losing a duel to Neck 'n Neck in the Greenwood Cup in his most recent start. The 7-year-old son of Rockport Harbor bred in Kentucky by Rob Whiteley's Liberation Farm and Brandywine Farm has won eight of 35 starts, including the grade I Gold Cup at Santa Anita Park in 2014. He has earned $839,754 and been installed the 7-2 second morning-line choice.

West Coast-based Doug O'Neill is represented by two Marathon entrants.Lideris, a Kentucky-bred son of Mizzen Mast   who was a group I winner in Peru, has not finished in the top three in seven starts since returning to the U.S. in spring 2014. Previously trained by Peter Miller, Lideris was seventh in the Del Mar Handicap (gr. IIT) in his first start for O'Neill.

Another son of Mizzen Mast, 6-year-old gelding Bailoutbobby, usually saves ground and is far back before unleashing a late kick. He finished second in two grade III stakes this year.

An intriguing outsider at 20-1 on the morning line is Desvelo, the only Marathon participant with previous experience at the distance. Trained by Kelley Rubley, he finished third in the Birdstone Stakes at 1 3/4 miles at Saratoga Race Course and was a game fourth, beaten three lengths, in the 1 3/4-mile Valedictory Stakes (Can-III) at Woodbine.