Top 3-Year-Olds Abound in BC Classic

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There are two burning questions regarding this year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I): Who is going to win and what horse is going to be excluded from the field?

With 15 entered, the selection committee will have to decide which unfortunate horse and his connections will be forced to watch from the sidelines.

There are several horses, all 3-year-olds, that have Horse of the Year honors potentially, and would all but assure themselves the honor with a victory. They are Shared Belief, California Chrome, Tonalist, and likely Bayern as well.

V. E. Day, Toast of New York, and Candy Boy round out the powerful 3-year-old contingent, which has captured the grade I Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands, Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes, Travers Stakes, Jockey Club Gold Cup, Pacific Classic, Awesome Again Stakes, William Hill Haskell Invitational, and Santa Anita Derby, and the grade II Pennsylvania Derby and U.A.E. Derby.

The depleted older horse division will be headed by Whitney (gr. I) winner Moreno, Gold Cup at Santa Anita (gr. I) winner Majestic Harbor, Suburban Handicap (gr. II) winner and Jockey Club Gold Cup runner-up Zivo, and Charles Town Classic (gr. II) winner Imperative, as well as Homecoming Classic winner Cigar Street.

The main key to the race will be the pace, and it is expected to be a hot one with Bayern, Moreno, and the Argentine-bred Big Cazanova all loaded with early speed, and all appearing to be horses who need the lead. Big Cazanova is not currently part of the field and would need a defection to make it.

On the trainers’ front, Bob Baffert, trainer of Bayern, will be attempting to win his first Classic after 12 attempts. He has finished second twice, with Game On Dude and Silver Charm, and third once, with Captain Steve.

2014 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) Pre-Entries
Horse Owner Trainer
Bayern Kaleem Shah Bob Baffert
California Chrome Steven Coburn, Perry L. Martin Art Sherman
Candy Boy CRK Stable, LLC John W. Sadler
Cigar Street Jake Ballis , Rashard Lewis William I. Mott
Footbridge Godolphin Racing LLC Eoin G. Harty
Imperative KM Racing Enterprise Inc. George Papaprodromou
Majestic Harbor Gallant Stable Sean McCarthy
Moreno Southern Equine Stable LLC Eric J. Guillot
Prayer for Relief Zayat Stables, LLC Dale L. Romans
Shared Belief Jungle Racing LLC, KMN Racing, LLC, Hollendorfer, Litt, Solis II,Todaro Jerry Hollendorfer
Toast of New York Michael Buckley Jamie Osborne
Tonalist Robert S. Evans Christophe Clement
V. E. Day Magalen O. Bryant James A. Jerkens
Zivo Thomas J Coleman Chad C. Brown
Not selected into the field and listed in order of preference.
Big Cazanova Adam Wachtel, Pena , Janet Belltaylor, Gary Barber, Brous Stable Peter Miller