By Steve Sherack
LEXINGTON, KY — With University of Kentucky men's basketball head coach John Calipari pulling the pills, unbeaten superstar Flightline (Tapit) drew post four for Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Classic to a round of applause during Monday's Rood & Riddle Post Position Draw held at the home of the Wildcats at Rupp Arena in downtown Lexington.
The 3-5 morning-line favorite will meet seven rivals in the $6-million centerpiece at Keeneland, including the talented Life Is Good (Into Mischief) (post two) and top 3-year-olds Epicenter (Not This Time) (post six), Taiba (Gun Runner) (post one) and Rich Strike (Keen Ice) (post eight).
“Good draw,” trainer John Sadler said of the runaway GI Pacific Classic winner. “We would've been happy with any draw. We think at 1 1/4 miles you have a good run into the turn to get your position. So, for him, it's just fine.”
Seven returning or former Breeders' Cup winners were entered for the two-day Championships: Aloha West (Hard Spun) (Sprint), Ce Ce (Elusive Quality) (F/M Sprint), Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) (F/M Sprint), Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) (Turf Sprint), Life Is Good (Classic), Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) (Mile); and Order of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}) (Mile).
The GI Breeders' Cup Distaff will be one of the more highly anticipated races of the weekend, led by the Todd Pletcher-trained duo of champion Malathaat (Curlin) and leading 3-year-old filly Nest (Curlin). The latter was tabbed as the 9-5 morning-line favorite.
“We're blessed to have both of them,” Pletcher said. “It's a contentious field. There are some other really good fillies in there. It's certainly not a match race between the stablemates.”
Champion sprinter Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music), a disappointing sixth as the favorite in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, is the clear cut one to beat in Saturday's renewal. The Sprint lost one of its major players with the defection of star 3-year-old Jack Christopher (Munnings). Expected to go off as the favorite in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, he was scratched by the track veterinarians the day prior to the race.
“It was a difficult decision, but it's my understanding that the veterinary teams in charge of clearing horses to participate are likely to scratch the horse on or before race day primarily based on the way he moves,” trainer Chad Brown told Daily Racing Form.
Morning-line favorites for Championship Saturday's races: Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper) (F/M Sprint) (3-1); Golden Pal (Turf Sprint) (2-1); Cody's Wish (Curlin) (Dirt Mile) (5-2); Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) (F/M Turf) (5-2); Jackie's Warrior (Sprint) (4-5); Modern Games (Ire) (Mile) (7-2); Nest (Distaff) (9-5); Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) (Turf) (3-1); and Flightline (Classic) (3-5).
Morning-line favorites on the 'Future Stars Friday' program: The Platinum Queen (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) (Juvenile Turf Sprint) (7-2); Chocolate Gelato (Practical Joke) (Juvenile Fillies) (7-2); Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never) (Juvenile Fillies Turf) (4-1); Cave Rock (Arrogate) (Juvenile) (4-5); and Silver Knott (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) (Juvenile Turf) (3-1).
The Breeders' Cup will be televised live domestically on NBC, Peacock, USA Network, and FanDuel TV.
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