Breeders’ Cup: What to know after post-position draws for every World Championship race

For just the third time ever, the Breeders’ Cup will be held in Lexington later this week at Keeneland Race Course.

But before horse racing’s World Championships begin on Friday, a highly anticipated procedural process took place at another iconic Lexington venue.

On Monday afternoon, the post-position draw for all 14 Breeders’ Cup races took place inside Rupp Arena, an event that was open to the public and free to attend.

The event saw all 168 horses entered in the Breeders’ Cup receive their starting gate positions, including those like Flightline who are primed for the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday evening.

Here’s what you need to know following Monday’s post-position draw, and what it means for the most prestigious weekend in horse racing.

Flightline gets gate No. 4 for Classic

Flightline has given John Sadler plenty to smile about this year, and his prospects look good for the trainer maintaining it.

The unbeaten horse is the 3-5 morning-line favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Classic and will start the $6 million season finale from the No. 4 post position.

The 4-year-old bay colt was the first entrant announced by Kentucky men’s basketball coach John Calipari in Monday’s draw at Rupp Arena, home floor of the fourth-ranked Wildcats. Flightline is coming off a 19 1/4-length domination of the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar in September and has won both stakes starts this year by more than 25 lengths combined.

Flightline, with Flavien Prat aboard, will look to improve to 6-0 lifetime against an eight-horse field that includes Kentucky Derby long-shot winner Rich Strike, starting the 1 1/4-mile race from the No. 8 at 20-1 odds — and horse of the year favorite Epicenter, the 5-1 second choice from the No. 6 post. Life Is Good is the 6-1 third choice from the No. 2 post.

However, Sadler hopes the line continues to form behind his horse.

“It was a good draw,” Sadler said, noting Saturday’s 1:00.60 workout over 5 furlongs at the picturesque track. “For him, it’s just fine.”

Taiba will start from the rail with Hall of Famer Mike Smith aboard at 8-1 odds for embattled Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who will make his return to Kentucky for the first time since being suspended for 90 days this year by Kentucky racing stewards after his colt Medina Spirit failed a postrace drug test after the 2021 Kentucky Derby. Medina Spirit, now deceased, was taken down as Derby winner with runner-up Mandaloun elevated to champion.

The colt has three wins and a second in five career starts this year, most recently winning the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby. Baffert, who was not present for Monday’s draw, won the previous two Breeders’ Cup Classics at Keeneland, with Authentic in 2020 and Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in 2015.

Then again, few would be shocked if Epicenter had the final word.

The Derby and Preakness runner-up enters with summer wins in the Travers and Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga to make a strong case as this year’s top 3-year-old. Epicenter has four wins and three seconds in seven starts, a record trainer Steve Asmussen believes boosts his Classic prospects.

“We’re all excited to see how we measure up,” the Hall of Famer said. “As fast as Epicenter has always been, he is a great representative and has a wonderful chance in the Classic. He’s proven at a mile and a quarter.”

Todd Pletcher’s colt Life Is Good also boasts strong credentials with four wins in five starts this year, including three consecutive victories.

Post time for the Classic is 5:40 p.m. (NBC-18, Peacock) at Keeneland, which is hosting the season-ending championships for the second time in three years after the 2020 Breeders’ Cup was run without spectators because of the coronavirus pandemic.

John Sadler, trainer of Breeders’ Cup Classic favorite Flightline, addresses the media during Monday’s post-position draw in Rupp Arena.

Saturday’s other favorites

Eight World Championship races in addition to the Breeders’ Cup Classic are set for Saturday at Keeneland.

The richest race outside the $6 million Classic is the $4 million Turf. Rebel’s Romance, bred in the United Kingdom and trained by Charles Appleby, was installed Monday as the 3-1 morning-line favorite in a field of 13 going 1 1/2 miles — the weekend’s longest race.

Another closely watched race Saturday will be the $1 million Turf Sprint, in which the Wesley Ward-trained Golden Pal will be attempting to become only the third horse ever to win three Breeders’ Cup races, joining Goldikova and Beholder. Golden Pal is the 2-1 morning-line favorite in a full field of 14 going 5 1/2 furlongs. Golden Pal has won eight of his 12 career races, including his most recent two.

The $2 million Distaff, the featured race for female horses on Saturday, sets up as a test of mettle for 9-5 morning-line favorite Nest. The 3-year-old Todd Pletcher trainee was runner-up in this year’s Kentucky Oaks and Belmont Stakes, then won the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, Grade 1 Alabama Stakes and Grade 2 Beldame Stakes.

Top challengers to Nest include fellow Pletcher trainee Malathaat (3-1), Clairiere (4-1) and Search Results (9-2).

The remaining five favorites Saturday are Goodnight Olive (Filly and Mare Sprint, 3-1), Cody’s Wish (Dirt Mile, 5-2), Jackie’s Warrior (Sprint, 4-5), Modern Games (Mile, 7-2) and Nashwa (Filly and Mare Turf, 5-2).

Friday’s favorites

Five Breeders’ Cup races for 2-year-olds highlight Friday’s card, with Baffert’s Cave Rock leading off the Juvenile as the 4-5 favorite.

In a race that typically drops some bread crumbs on the road to the next year’s Kentucky Derby, Baffert also entered 8-1 fourth choice National Treasure in the 10-horse Juvenile. Other top contenders in the 1 1/16-mile race for 2-year-olds include Todd Pletcher’s Forte (4-1) and Chad Brown’s Blazing Sevens (6-1).

Other favorites Friday include Chocolate Gelato (Juvenile Fillies, 7-2), Silver Knott (Juvenile Turf, 3-1), The Platinum Queen (Juvenile Turf Sprint, 7-2) and Meditate (Juvenile Fillies Turf, 4-1).

International challengers

A total of 41 international contenders were entered on Monday.

The foreign contingent hails from six different countries including Brazil (one), Canada (five), France (one), Ireland (10), Japan (one) and the United Kingdom (23).

Kentucky Coach John Calipari, right, drew the lineup for the Breeders’ Cup Classic in Rupp Arena on Monday. The $6 million Classic, featuring the undefeated Flightline as the 3-5 morning-line favorite, takes place Saturday at Keeneland.

Calipari assists with Breeders’ Cup draw

Less than 24 hours after overseeing an exhibition win for the Kentucky men’s basketball team inside Rupp Arena, UK head coach John Calipari was on hand to help the Breeders’ Cup post-position draw take place.

Calipari participated in the draw for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

In 2015, Calipari also assisted with the draw for the Classic, which was won by American Pharoah, which marked the first time a horse won the Grand Slam (Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes, Breeders’ Cup Classic).

“The weekend of racing is going to be unbelievable,” Calipari told the crowd assembled in Rupp. “Keeneland is ready for it, and so is the city of Lexington.”

Herald-Leader Staff Writer Cameron Drummond contributed to this article.