Game On Dude Classic Favorite as Pre-entered Contestants Announced

In last year’s event at Churchill Downs, Game On Dude finished second to 14-1 longshot Drosselmeyer. Trained by Bob Baffert, the 5-year old gelding will be ridden by jockey Rafael Bejarano, who rode Game on Dude to victory in Santa Anita’s Awesome Again Stakes on 29 September.

Current second choice for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, with early odds at 6-1, is Flat Out trained by Bill Mott. Other Mott-trained horses competing in the events include Ron The Greek, Royal Delta and To Honor and Serve. Last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Drosselmeyer was also trained by Mott. Ron The Greek is a Santa Anita Handicap winner, while Flat Out has claimed Jockey Club Gold Cup victory and To Honor and Serve is a Woodward winner. Royal Delta is also entered in the $2 million Ladies’ Classic while Mott keeps his options open as to whether she would run in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, or defend her Ladies’ Classic title.

Among the defending champions pre-entered for the 2012 event are Royal Delta, winner of the Ladies’ Classic at Churchill Downs last year; St Nicholas Abbey, winner of the 2011 Turf; and Musical Romance, winner of the 2011 Filly and Mare Sprint. Award winning trainer Todd Pletcher has twelve horses pre-entered for the two-day event, with Bob Baffert coming in at ten contestants.

Each of the fifteen Breeders’ Cup World Championship events allows a maximum of fourteen starters, with the Dirt Mile limited to twelve starters. In the case of an event having more than the fourteen starters, horses are ranked in order of preference based on three criteria – Breeders’ Cup Challenge race winners; a point system; and judgment by a panel of racing experts. Entry for the Breeders’ Cup World Championship races will take place on 29 October where the final field will be selected.