LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Handicappers analyzing tomorrow’s Breeders’ Cup must deal with a variable they’ve never faced before: Horses that have raced or trained over the all-weather, artificial surfaces commonly known as Polytrack, primarily at Keeneland, but also at Woodbine, Hollywood and Turfway Park.

Composed of plastic fibers, recycled rubber and sand coated with wax, Polytrack, designated in the past performances by a diamond with an “A” inside, is believed to be a safer surface for horses than traditional dirt tracks.

“It’s tremendous to train over,” Nick Zito said.

The question is, how will the form in major Breeders’ Cup preps at Keeneland, including the Spinster, Breeders’ Futurity, and Alcibiades, translate to Churchill Downs?

Churchill’s track handicapper, Mike Battaglia, was adamant that horses moving from Keeneland to Churchill will perform “much better than ever. There’s not any doubt.”

“In the past, horses that won at Keeneland were throw-outs, the track was so speed biased. They would run terrible at Churchill, which isn’t speed-favoring,” Battaglia said. “Now, the Polytrack is way more like (Churchill) than the old Keeneland. The form will hold up a lot better.”