Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman's multiple Grade I winner and 'TDN Rising Star' McKinzie (Street Sense) pulled post eight as a narrow morning-line favorite in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic at Monday's Breeders' Cup draw at Santa Anita. Victor of the GI Pennsylvania Derby and GI Malibu S. last year, the bay dominated the GII Alysheba S. this spring before running a troubled second in the GI Runhappy Metropolitan H. Back on track in the GI Whitney S., the first score in the event for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, McKinzie will try to bounce back from an upset loss in the GI Awesome Again S. last out in Arcadia.
Close behind McKinzie on the morning line are the duo of Vino Rosso (Curlin) and Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}), who drew the 10 and 11 posts, respectively. The two chestnuts threw down in an epic stretch duel in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup, with Vino Rosso winning a photo before being controversially disqualified to second. A victory for Code of Honor would lock up champion 3-year-old honors and give him a longshot chance at Horse of the Year.
The lone female in the field, Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider's Elate (Medaglia d'Oro), drew post six as a 6-1 chance. A dual Grade I victress, Elate was upset at odds-on in the GI Juddmonte Spinster S. last out and trainer Bill Mott elects to try her against males in the 10-furlong Classic rather than the 1 1/8-mile GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff. Also at 6-1 on the morning line is Hronis Racing's Higher Power (Medaglia d'Oro), upset victor of the GI TVG Pacific Classic.
The full field, with riding assignments and morning-line odds: 1. Math Wizard (Irad Ortiz, Jr., 30-1), 2. Seeking the Soul (Brian Hernandez, Jr., 20-1), 3. Owendale (Javier Castellano, 15-1), 4. War of Will (Tyler Gaffalione, 20-1), 5. Yoshida (Jpn) (Mike Smith, 8-1), 6. Elate (Jose Ortiz, 6-1), 7. Higher Power (Flavien Prat, 6-1), 8. McKinzie (Joel Rosario, 3-1), 9. Mongolian Groom (Abel Cedillo, 12-1), 10. Vino Rosso (Irad Ortiz, Jr. 4-1), 11 Code of Honor (John Velazquez, 4-1).
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