MO BETTER: Breeders’ Cup Classic favorite Uncle Mo (above, winning The Kelso at Belmont Park last month), trained by Todd Pletcher has been the subject of much conjecture and criticism this week as he prepares for the 12-horse race, the final of 15 at this year’s Cup at Churchill Downs. (
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Today’s $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (ESPN, 7 p.m. post time) is the climax of the 15-race Breeders’ Cup World Championships, run over two days at Churchill Downs. The 1 1/4-mile extravaganza brings together a field of 12, each with his own story line:
* Uncle Mo and To Honor and Serve were ranked 1-2 for this year’s Kentucky Derby before health issues forced them to miss the Triple Crown. They are coming off bounce-back victories in the Kelso and Pennsylvania Derby, respectively.
* Havre de Grace can become the third straight female, following Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta, to earn Horse of the Year.
* Flat Out, a 5-year-old, is trained by 70-year-old Charles “Scooter” Dickey and ridden by 47-year-old Alex Solis. Six months ago, all three were washed up; five weeks ago, they won the Jockey Club Gold Cup by 2 1/4 lengths.
* So You Think is an international superstar making his first start on dirt. He has eight Group 1 wins in Australia and Europe; the rest of the field, combined, has 12.
* Game On Dude won Santa Anita Handicap. His jockey, Chantal Sutherland, could become the first female rider to win the Classic.
* Stay Thirsty, the Travers winner, has played second-fiddle to his stablemate, Uncle Mo, since day one.
* Drosselmeyer and Ruler On Ice, the last two winners of the Belmont Stakes, are a combined 1-for-9 since.
* Ice Box, Rattlesnake Bridge and Headache are three improbable longshots. Remember Arcangues, who won the 1993 Classic at 133-1?
TRAINING DAY
Here’s what some of the trainers have been saying about their Classic contenders:
* Todd Pletcher (Uncle Mo, Stay Thirsty): “[He] is an exceptionally talented horse and does things very easily. I thought it was a good, progressive work. He picked it up down the lane [and] galloped out well. He gives every indication he’s ready to run a big race. To me, he gets 1 1/4 miles without a problem.”
This sounds like Pletcher is talking about Uncle Mo. But actually, it’s Pletcher before last year’s Classic, talking about Quality Road — who finished last.
* Scooter Dickey (Flat Out): “They’re just going to have to outrun us, because my horse is as good as I think he can be. Come Sunday, all you reporters better still be coming around the barn.”
* Aidan O’Brien (So You Think): “Putting the blinkers on [for the Classic] makes him a lot more attentive. He was over-relaxed in his other runs [losses in the Arc and Champion Stakes].”
* Larry Jones (Havre de Grace): “She brought us to this spot instead of us bringing her. To be Horse of the Year, she has to earn it. This puts her in a position where she could.”
* Bob Baffert (Game On Dude): “He’s going to have a lot of company up front. They can’t hold [Uncle Mo]. He’ll be out there winging it. If they go too fast, that’s going to hurt my horse.”
* Bill Mott (To Honor and Serve, Drosselmeyer): “To Honor and Serve has a higher cruising speed. Drosselmeyer is going to drop back. If we have a wicked pace, he could get a piece of it.”
