Frosted Confirmed for Breeders' Cup Classic

Godolphin Racing confirmed Oct. 20 that its homebred and multiple grade I winner Frosted will be entered in the Nov. 5 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park.

The Godolphin team along with trainer Kiaran McLaughlin had been mulling whether to send the 4-year-old son of Tapit   to the Classic to face the likes of 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome   or start him in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Nov. 4.  

McLaughlin had previously expressed concern over the fact this year's Dirt Mile is a two-turn mile and stated Oct. 20 that Frosted would be pre-entered in the Classic only.

"There is only a short run to the first turn in the Mile, and if you draw wide, you are at a severe disadvantage," McLaughlin said. "It is also a speed race and you can get a lot of traffic.

"The team have chosen the Classic, which will suit Frosted. As long as he breaks decently, he will run well."

Frosted will be seeking his first win at the 10-furlong distance, having previously finished fourth in the 2015 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), third in last year's Travers Stakes (gr. I), seventh in last year's Breeders' Classic, and fifth in the Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (UAE-I) behind California Chrome this March.

He bounced out of his Dubai effort and posted a 14 1/4-length victory in the Mohegan Sun Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I) at Belmont Park June 11  followed by a two-length score in the Aug. 6 Whitney Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course. In his most recent outing, Frosted finished third in the Sept. 3 Woodward Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga.

Art Sherman, trainer of California Chrome, said Oct. 20 that he was not surprised - nor unnerved - by news that Frosted was officially joining the Classic fray.

"I figured that Frosted would go in that race, I thought that would be a logical choice for him rather than the (Dirt) Mile," Sherman said. The Mile is going to be a tough race you know, and you might as well take a shot and go for the $6 million.

"It's going to be a real serious race. That's what you need in this game is to have stars coming up at the same time. That's a good horse, Frosted. Sometimes he fires big, sometimes he doesn't. I myself don't think he's a real strong mile and a quarter horse having run against him before."

Out of the graded stakes winning Deputy Minister mare  Fast Cookie, Frosted has won six of 18 career starts with $3,912,800 in earnings.