Horse Wagering

2007 Breeders' Cup Classic

This year's Breeders' Cup Classic is shaping up as a strong group of three year olds ganging up on Lawyer Ron, the top older horse in training.

Three year olds have fared well in the Classic, winning seven times, the last being Tiznow in 2000.

At stake in this race is Horse of the Year honors, as well as division honors for three year olds and older horses.

The Classic has produced 12 Horse of the Year in 23 runnings of the race, including last year's winner Invasor.

Here is a look at the top contenders for this year's Classic:

Lawyer Ron: The Todd Pletcher trainee won the Grade 1 Whitney and Woodward like he was going to come into the Classic as invincible. Curlin saw to it that was not going to be the case by beating the colt by a neck in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup. The colt finished ninth in the Classic last year but has blossomed since entering the Pletcher barn, earning a 106 or higher Beyer in each of his last six starts. He may end up going off as the favorite in this year's Classic, but he will be surrounded by a talented group of three year olds.

Street Sense: The Kentucky Derby winner comes into the Classic off a loss, finishing in the runner up spot to Hard Spun in the Grade 2 Kentucky Cup Classic at Turfway. The Carl Nafzger trainee is 0 for 3 over the polytrack surface and has done his best running on dirt. Note this colt used the polytrack as his final prep for his two most important wins in his career, the Derby and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. The poly to dirt angle could work a third time at Monmouth Park.

Curlin: The Preakness winner could not have been more impressive beating older horses in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on September 30. The colt ran down the top older horse in training in Lawyer Ron. This colt has come a long way, from breaking his maiden in February of this year to a multiple Grade 1 winner, all in a span of eight months. The Steve Asmussen trainee is coming off a career top effort in the Gold Cup and its tough to find a reason why he might regress off that effort.

Any Given Saturday: This colt gave Street Sense all he could handle before coming up a nose short in the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby back in March, although it seems like that race took place a long time ago. After a third place finish in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial, he failed to fire on Derby Day, checking in eighth. However, since that race he has reeled off three straight wins including the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational, which was over the main track at Monmouth Park. In his last start he beat older horses in the Grade 2 Brooklyn Handicap. The colt is trained by Todd Pletcher, who has won the Eclipse Award for outstanding trainer three years running. The trainer is just 2 for 41 on Breeders' Cup Day.

Hard Spun: A veteran of all three Triple Crown races, the colt got the best of Street Sense last out in the Grade 2 Kentucky Cup Classic. The colt only had to face three foes in that race and has the tactical edge over the Derby winner as the lone and controlling speed. The Larry Jones trainee will not be afforded such a luxury in the Classic.