Post positions drawn for 31st Breeders' Cup

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Arcadia, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Leading 3-year-olds Shared Belief and California Chrome headline this year's 14-horse field for Saturday's $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic which will conclude this year's 13-race, 31st World Championships at Santa Anita Park.

The Breeders' Cup, with purses totaling $24.5 million, will be conducted on Friday and Saturday.

The post positions for all 13 races were drawn Monday at Santa Anita, with the morning line also revealed. This is the eighth year the Breeders' Cup will be held over two days, with four championship races run Friday and the remaining nine conducted Saturday.

The Classic will be the first chance for 2013 champion 2-year-old Shared Belief and Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome to race each other.

Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, Shared Belief is undefeated in seven career starts including victories this year in the Pacific Classic and Awesome Again Stakes against older horses. The gelding, partly owned by Jim Rome, is the 9-5 morning line favorite and will start from post 6 with Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith.

California Chrome, trained by Art Sherman, collected wins earlier this year in the San Felipe and Santa Anita Derby before claiming the first two legs of the Triple Crown. The chestnut colt, owned by Steve Coburn and Perry Martin, was fourth in the Belmont Stakes and sixth in the Pennsylvania Derby. He will be ridden again by Victor Espinoza from post 13.

"I don't know what the future holds beyond this race," assistant trainer Alan Sherman said. "I read the other day on Facebook from (co-owner/breeder) Perry Martin that he was going to retire him if he doesn't run well. If it were up to me, I'd run him as a 4-year-old."

Here is the field for the Classic in post position order: Prayer for Relief, Irad Ortiz Jr., 30-1; Cigar Street, John Velazquez, 12-1; Imperative, Frankie Dettori, 30-1; Moreno, Javier Castellano, 20-1; V. E. Day, Joe Talamo, 20-1; Shared Belief, Mike Smith, 9-5; Bayern, Martin Garcia, 6-1; Zivo, Jose Lezcano, 15-1; Toast of New York, Jamie Spencer, 12-1; Footbridge, Rafael Bejarano, 30-1; Tonalist, Joel Rosario, 5-1; Candy Boy, Corey Nakatani, 20-1; California Chrome, Victor Espinoza; 4-1 and Majestic Harbor, Tyler Baze, 20-1.

Friday's day of racing will conclude with the $2 million, 1 1/8-mile Distaff. A field of 11 fillies and mares has been drawn into the race which last year was won by two-time Eclipse Award winner Beholder. The 4-year-old filly, however, will not defend her crown after recently spiking a fever.

The 5-2 morning line favorite is leading 3-year-old filly Untapable, trained by Steve Asmussen. The filly will leave from post 10 with Rosie Napravnik riding. Top 4-year-old filly Close Hatches is the 3-1 second choice. Trained by Bill Mott, Close Hatches will have Joel Rosario in the saddle and break from the far outside post.

Here is the field for the Distaff from the rail out: L'Amour de Ma Vie, Maxim Guyon, 15-1; Tiz Midnight, Victor Espinoza, 10-1; Iotapa, Joe Talamo, 6-1; Belle Gallantey, Jose Ortiz, 6-1; Unbridled Forever, John Velazquez, 20-1; Stanwyck, Corey Nakatani, 20-1; Don't Tell Sophia, Joe Rocco Jr., 5-1; Valiant Emilia, Rafael Bejarano, 20-1; Ria Antonia, Paco Lopez, 15-1; Untapable, Rosie Napravnik, 5-2 and Close Hatches, Joel Rosario, 3-1.

Horses returning to defend their 2013 crowns are Goldencents (Dirt Mile), Magician (Turf), Secret Circle (Sprint) and Dank (Filly & Mare Turf).

The four races on Friday will begin at 5:25 p.m.(ET) with the $1 million Juvenile Turf followed by the $1 million Dirt Mile, $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf and Distaff.

Saturday's nine championship races kickoff at 3:05 p.m.(ET) with the $2 million Juvenile Fillies followed by the $2 million Filly & Mare Turf, $1 million Filly & Mare Sprint, $1 million Turf Sprint, $2 million Juvenile, $3 million Turf, $1.5 million Sprint, $2 million Mile and Classic.

The 2015 Breeders' Cup World Championships will be held for the first time at Keeneland Race Course.