Breeders' Cup Classic seeks recognition without Justify

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (AP):

The reigning Triple Crown champion is not part of the field for this weekend's Breeders' Cup Classic. And none of the horses in any of the 14 races that make up the Breeders' Cup cards this weekend has ever won a Kentucky Derby, or a Preakness, or a Belmont Stakes.

So there's little argument that the races at Churchill Downs this weekend have lost a little lustre.

The same argument could be made that this Breeders' Cup might still end up as a betters' delight.

Justify, the Triple Crown champion who was forced into retirement by an ankle problem, would have given the US$6 million Classic an absolute superstar for betters to back. But his absence creates more of a wide-open race, one that has the Dubai World Cup winner in Thunder Snow, the last two Travers Stakes winners in West Coast and Catholic Boy, and 5-2 early favourite Accelerate - who has won his last four Grade 1 starts.

"Betters love a large, wide-open field that offers value in their selections," said trainer Tom Amoss, whose horse Lone Sailor is a 30-1 morning-line longshot in the Classic. "I don't have any question that that'll be the case."

There are plenty of reasons to like most of the horses in the Classic. Combined, the 14 entrants in the field have combined to hit the toteboard in 72 per cent of their lifetime starts.

Casual fans might not know all the names. But the sport's biggest followers are likely seeing some serious Classic value.

"Justify not being part of the Classic, a Triple Crown winner, tends to take a little bit away from the Classic itself as far as the viewer wanting to see the best of the best," Amoss said. "But don't sell this group short. These are really, really good, talented horses, and whoever emerges the victor is going to probably garner older-horse divisional championships."