Pleasantly Perfect to face 12 in Breeders' Cup Classic

By: Sports Network

Grand Prairie, TX (Sports Network) - Pleasantly Perfect is the odds-on favorite to defend his Breeders" Cup Classic crown, installed as the 5-2 choice Wednesday after post positions were drawn for Saturday"s World Thoroughbred Championships at Lone Star Park.

Pleasantly Perfect will start from post 12 in the 13-horse field for the $4 million Classic with Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey in the saddle. The six- year-old horse will attempt to join Tiznow as the only two-time winners of the Classic.

Trained by Richard Mandella, Pleasantly Perfect is coming off a win in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar in August. This year alone he has won three of four starts for $4.4 million.

Woodward Handicap winner Ghostzapper is the 3-1 second choice for the 1 1/4 mile race. Ghostzapper has the inside post position with Javier Castellano in the irons. The four-year-old, trained by Bobby Frankel, has won all three starts this year with earnings of $510,000 for owner Frank Stronach.

The third choice for the Breeders" Cup Classic at 5-1 is Whitney Handicap victor Roses in May. Roses in May will be ridden by John Velazquez and break from post six.

Former Horse of the year Azeri is also entered in the Classic. Azeri will be facing males for the second time this year. The six-year-old mare won the 2002 Breeders" Cup Distaff and has earned almost $4 million in her career. For this year"s Classic, Azeri is 15-1 in the morning-line and will start from post three with Pat Day riding.

The strong field also includes 2004 Belmont Stakes winner Birdstone and 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Funny Cide. Both were given odds of 6-1.

The entire field for the Breeders" Cup Classic from the rail out is Ghostzapper, Freefourinternet, Azeri, Perfect Drift, Fantastica, Roses in May, Birdstone, Personal Rush, Funny Cide, Newfoundland, Bowman"s Band, Pleasantly Perfect and Dynever.

With Azeri going in the Classic, three-year-old Ashado is the 7-2 morning-line favorite in the Breeders" Cup Distaff. Ashado will break from the inside post against 10 opponents in the $2 million race over a distance of 1 1/8 miles. Another three-year-old filly, Society Selection, is the 4-1 second choice. At 9-2 is Storm Flag Flying with Island Fashion at 5-1 and Stellar Jayne 6-1 in the morning-line.

The $1 million Breeders" Cup Juvenile Fillies race features 13 starters, including

 5-2 morning-line favorite Sweet Catomine. Sweet Catomine will be ridden by

Corey Nakatani and start from post 10. The second choice is Sense of style at

 7-2 and Balletto is the third choice at 5-1 and will start from the inside post.

The Breeders" Cup Mile is the only World Thoroughbred Championship race to

attract a full field of 14. Nothing to Lose, trained by Bobby Frankel, is the 7-2

morning-line favorite. Nothing to Lose will ridden by John Velazquez and start

from post 12. The 9-2 second choice is Special Ring and last year"s winner,

Six Perfections, is the 5-1 third choice.

In the Breeders" Cup Sprint, Speightstown is the 3-1 morning-line favorite.

Speightstown will start from post two in the 13-horse field and will be ridden by

 John Velazquez. The 7-2 second choice is Midas Eyes, who will break from the

 outside post with Edgar Prado aboard. Clock Stopper is the 9-2 third choice with

Pat Day in the saddle.

A dozen ladies have been entered for the $1 million Breeders" Cup Filly & Mare

 Turf. Coming in from Europe is the 8-5 morning-line favorite Ouija Board.

Ouija Board will start from post five with Kiaran Fallon riding. Bobby Frankel"s

Light Jig is the 7-2 second choice with Rene Douglas in the saddle from post

 seven. The 6-1 third choice is Yesterday and jockey Jamie Spencer.

The Breeders" Cup Juvenile has attracted just eight two-year-olds for the 1 1/16

 mile race. Norfolk Stakes winner Roman Ruler is the 8-5 morning-line favorite

 and will be ridden by Corey Nakatani from post two. Proud Accolade is the 5-2

 second choice. The Champagne Stakes winner will break from post six with

John Velazquez riding. The 7-2 third choice is Afleet Alex. The winner of the

Hopeful Stakes will be ridden by Jeremy Rose and start from post three.

Turf Classic winner Kitten"s Joy is the even-money favorite for the $2 million

 Breeders" Cup Turf at 1 1/2 miles. Kitten"s Joy will start from post four in the

 eight-horse field. Trained by Dale Romans, Kitten"s Joy will be ridden by John

 Velazquez. Velazquez has the riding assignment for three of the eight

morning-line favorites in the 21st running of the Breeders" Cup.

Powerscourt, the disqualified winner of the Arlington Million, is the second

choice in the Turf at 3-1. Powerscourt will be ridden by Jamie Spencer and

break from the inside post. Magistretti is the 4-1 third choice with Edgar Prado

 in the saddle from post six.

First post for the Breeders" Cup World Thoroughbred Championships is 1:20 p.m.

 (et) on Saturday. The weather forecast for Grand Prairie, Texas is partly cloudy

 with a 30-percent chance of rain. Post-time temperature is expected to be near

 75 and winds will be out of the southwest at nine m.p.h.