McLean’s Selections for Breeders’ Cup Championships at Del Mar on Saturday, Nov. 1

(Stats to be updated)

On Saturday, the first day of November, we will have the Breeders’ Cup Championships concluded at the Del Mar Turf Club. What a day of racing and rejoicing, it will be.

The races are full of contenders and full of potential drama. If not for the untimely and unfortunate fever that caused the scratch of Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes winner Sovereignty, we were all set to pay attention to and lay witness to, perhaps, the greatest Breeders’ Cup Classic field ever assembled. Ever. And, with that being written, it may have become one of the most legendary and best races ever run in the storied history of this entire industry. Ever.

But don’t be dismayed. Not yet.

There are superstars to watch.

There riders to critique.

There are races to commence.

And, there are champions to be declared the only place where they should be decided — on the track and in the race. And, after the result.

Let the games begin…

Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (7 furlongs on dirt):

4th: 6-8/3-4-10-1/5-7-9…Sweet Azteca (6) gets the nod here for me. This is a 5YO mare. Trained by Richard Baltas, this mare has never gone 7 furlongs. Never. But over a fast dirt surface, this gal has 7 wins in 9 starts, with a third. At Del Mar, she is a perfect 2-for-2. And, on several occasions, six to be honest, she has reached 61/2 furlongs. At one time, she even ran in a race contested at 1 mile. She won that one, too.This mare is all speed and it will be a tough go to last that extra furlong. It will test every fiber in her heart and soul. But the record is enough to warrant a look. Worth a strong look. Hope Road (8) is 4YO filly by Quality Road. Trained by Bob Baffert, who could have a really good two days, this gal has run this distance 5 times, with a win and 2 seconds. On fast dirt, though, she is 5-3-1 in 11 career starts and, more importantly, at Del Mar? She has 3 wins and 2 seconds in 6 career starts. Got Jose Ortiz up for the first time last out. Won the G1 Ballerina by 2 easy lengths. Rematched here. The thing that I love most about Hope Road? She is earning 60-point higher this year in “earnings per start” than her career average. Big handicapping tool for me. Big threat. Vahva (3) could be the shocker of the group. This one is listed at 12-1 in the ML by our great friends at Brisnet.com. This gal has raced this special 7 furlong distance and has gone 6-3-1 in 12 races. Raced here once. That was in this same race a year ago, when she was too far back from the get-go and never materialized a serious run. Look for more effort early here and a better outcome, too. She is a “minus 32” in her “earnings per start vs career” in 2025. Concern. I bet the 6 & 8 — take note — to win/place/show and then box the top 2 in the exactas. I will key the 6-8-3 over/under the 4-10-1 in two smaller units.

Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (5 furlongs):

5th: 8-10-3/1/6-4-11-7-(15)…Can an American-based, Kentucky-bred horse defeat the Europeans in a major, G1, Breeders’ Cup grass race ever again? Ever? Seriously? Maybe. This may be the best chance. Ag Bullet (8) is another from the barn of Baltas, and she rates a shot here, although she will be facing both the Euros and the boys at the same time. Tough times are a-calling. But just two starts ago, when John Velazquez got the chance to ride this mare for the first time, the two teamed up to defeat the boys in the G1 Jaipur Stakes at Saratoga. She won that one by 2 demonstrative lengths. The East Coast horses have a history of not running well late in the year when they ship to the West Coast. But this mare is based in California and has run at Del Mar 3 previous times. She has a win and two thirds. Love the 4-1 odds. Especially when this gal is reunited with Velazquez; comes in off two impressive wins in a row; and has a 300-point improvement on the “earnings per start” this year compared to the career. Love it. Shisospicy (10) won easily at Kentucky Downs in the last start and that was the first outing since a debacle at Royal Ascot in June. In 3 career starts at this 5-furlong distance, this gal has won 3 times. Hard to improve on that. She is all speed and will face a torrid pace battle. Must be able to survive that pressure. Arizona Blaze (3) is a Brit-bred who ships in from Ireland. Has raced this distance 7 times in Europe and 1 previous time right here. Has won 4 times in Europe; run second 1 time in Europe and run third 1 time in Europe. In the US? Has a 2nd in this race a year ago. Gets a huge rider upgrade from the jockey a year ago. Must use for me. Must. She is a +184 on “earnings per start” this year. I bet the 8-3 across the board and then box the top 3 numbers in the exactas. I will box the 8-3 in another set. And, I will key the top 8-3 over/under the 10-1-6-4-11-7 in two smaller units. If the 15 draws in from the AE List? I include in my exacta plays.

Breeders’ Cup Sprint (6 furlongs on dirt): 

6th: 10-1-12/7/2-8-11-6/4…Despite drowning an outside post — like so many outstanding horses have done this year — I love Bentornato (10). For so many reasons, I love this 4YO Florida-bred. He just won the Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes at Churchill Downs. Now, I know this race was not Graded this year. If the TOBA Grading Committee has any sense at all, it will be highly considered next year. This year’s field was outstanding. Should have been Graded. In 10 career starts now, this one has a stellar record of 6-2-2. At this distance, he has raced 5 times with 4 wins and a 2nd. Can stalk. Can rate. Can finish. Has a +20 points increase this year. Gets Irad back up and he has won the last 2 times on this one. Big shot here. Kopion (1) has improved by +80 this year, and this 4YO will rate a chance. But she is a filly up against the boys and that is never easy. Ever. And, the Breeders’ Cup is not supposed to be easy. She has never gone this short before and is coming off a route race. But she has run here twice before and has both a win and a runner-up. Chances are compromised, but a chance. Back outside for my third pick — Straight No Chaser (12). This one won this race a year ago and then went to the Middle East to begin the year. Won a Stake there before crapping the bed in Dubai. After a long layoff, this 6YO son of Speighster came back to ruin in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship. Faded to third, but sorely needed that race coming back. Should be better here. Chance. Legit chance. Has upped the ante to a +214 this year. If you can get 6-1 or higher odds on Imagination (7), I may consider a modest wager here, too. Although no wins in three starts here, he has two 2nds and a third. At this distance? A win and a 2nd in two tries. I bet the 10-12 across the board — take note — and then box the 10-12 in the exactas. I will key the 10-12 over/under the 1-7-2-8-11-6 in two smaller units. 

Breeders’ Cup Distaff (11/8 miles on dirt): 

7th: 1-8/7/12-3-4/5-10-11…All year long, one of the best 3YO fillies in the entire world has been Nitrogen (1). The surface did not matter. She could run. And, she could win. She started the year on the grass. She reeled off 4 straight wins. She had to run on the slop after torrential rans in Saratoga. She won by 17. She returned to the sod and lost the Belmont Oaks (G1) by a dirty nose. So, the connections — who must have been bored with just winning tons of money and tons of Graded Stakes — switched to the dirt on purpose. She won the G1 Alabama Stakes — one of the great races for 3YO fillies — on the dirt. And, in her first try against older fillies and mares, she just got beat a head in the G1 Spinster Stakes at Keeneland. Not a bad year. I don’t get a vote, but she is the best 3YO filly in the country. And, if she wins this race on this day? She should be a contender for Horse of the Year. Seriously. And, in my view, she wins on this day. Convincingly. Seismic Beauty (8) is a 4YO filly trained by Baffert. She is the 9-5 favorite. She has gone 2-1-0 in 3 starts here — including a win n the G1 Clement Hirsch in her last start. She is all speed. Total speed. In the stretch, though, she will get encountered by our top pick. It will be the first time in a long time that this daughter of Uncle Mo faces a challenge like this. It will be interesting to watch. Gin Gin (7) is the filly who defeated our top pick in the Spinister. She is the most improved horse in this division. She is a +68 for me this year over her career earnings per start. And, she is simply gotten much better. I don’t know if she can match strides with Baffert’s filly, but she will push the button. Not without a shot here. I bet the 1 across the board and double (triple) down on the win wager. Bring it on Bobby B. & Seismic. I go hard on Nitrogen. I key the 1 over/under the 8-7-12-3-4-5-10-11. More with the 8-7-12-3-4-5 than the rest. Bring it on.

Breeders’ Cup Turf (11/2-miles)

8th: 8-1/2-3-10/6-9-4…Back to the sod here and back to the Europeans. The big favorite is my choice here — Minnie Hauk (8). This is a 3YO filly who is facing older horses and facing the boys, too. Those are huge obstacles in any race, by any horse. But this filly nearly beat the best boys in the world in the GR1 Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on Oct 5. In 7 career races now, she has 5 wins and 2 seconds. She easily won the GR1 Yorkshire Oaks at York in August, when facing older fillies for the first time. Comes in for Aiden O’Brien and gets a top rider back up here. Big chance. Despite the obstacles. Rebel’s Romance (1) won this race just a year ago, and has done nothing to disappoint this year. Has raced 7 times in 2025. Won 5 and third in another. Gets a +119 rating over the career earnings. So, in essence, is a better horse now at 7 than he was a year ago. Goes for top connections here, too. Gets William Buick back up. he was the rider a year ago. Watch out. Goliath (2) could add some betting value to the ticket, if he can hit the board at 8-1 odds. Has been out 5 times this year with a record of 2-1-0. But the numbers tumble compared to the career average. Toss for me. If you are looking for a longshot possibility? Mine is Wimbledon Hawkeye (6). This 3YO colt has challenged the distance on 3 occasions and has 2 runner-ups to show. Has faced older before and ran 2nd in a GR2 at Newmarket. Gets Frankie Dettori up for the 2nd time. Chance here. I bet the 1 — take note — to win/place/show and then box the 1-8 sternly in the exactas. I will key those two numbers over/under the rest of the numbers included. I may throw a dollar or two across the board on the 6, as well. Like the odds.

Breeders’ Cup Classic (11/4-miles on the dirt):

9th: 7-2-9/5-1/3/8-10…The departure of Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty earlier this week has really cast a “downer” feeling on this race. And, that’s to be expected. Sovereignty — who has added impressive wins in the Belmont Stakes and the Travers Stakes this year, as well — is one of the best horses in training today. A win in this race may have cast his lot as one of the best in the history of the game. Here’s hoping the connections keep this talented son of Into Mischief in training for a full year of action in 2026. He could eclipse a lot of records and be so much fun for this sport to watch. Here’s hoping. But despite the loss of Sovereignty — who spiked a fever after being transported to the West Coast — this race still may be one of the best fields in the history of this Classic. Seriously. My top number goes now, by default, to Sierra Leone (7). But don’t be dismayed. This 4YO son of Gun Runner won this race a year ago in impressive closing fashion and now comes in looking like a horse who is even better than he was as a 3YO. He has raced 4 times this year with a record of 1-2-1. His win in the G1 Whitney was spot on. Looks to be training better than ever. Big shot. Baeza (2) will make his first start at Del Mar here and that’s not easy. In two previous tries at this distance, he has only 2 thirds to show. And, he has never been able to finish ahead of Journalism (9). Ever. But? There’s always a but. Baeza seems like a different horse than the “hot,” “revved up” and “moody blues” version that we saw earlier this year. It now looks like the son of McKinzie has finally figured out to use the majority of his energy in the race and not before it. If so? He could make the biggest jump. I love this horse in this spot. For some damn reason, I just love him here. Journalism (9) is finally free from Sovereignty. Does he now assume the throne? He will have to earn it, and I don’t know if it will come that easily. His last race, in the G1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar, Journalism looked flat, and he fell flat as the even-money favorite. He was thumped by Fierceness (1). Thumped. He gets a new rider here and that certainly will help immensely. Immensely. But the first try against older horses was not impressive. He has raced 7 times this year with 4 wins and 3 seconds. Impressive. But this field is much bigger, better and tougher. Has this one already fired his best shots this year? Forever Young (5) seems like he has been around forever. But he is just 4 years old. And, he is still and always has been very good. He was third last year to Sierra Leon in this race. He was third to Mystik Dan in the 2024 Kentucky Derby. He will be around at the wire. He will look like a threat. Is this the time — finally — he rushes to the front of the game? Maybe. Maybe? I bet the 7-2 across the board and then double (triple) down on the 2 across the board again and again. I will box the 7-2-5 in the exactas. I will key those 3 over/under the 9 in another set. And…I will key the 7-2 over/under the 5-1-3-8 in a smaller combo, as well. I love Baeza, for some damn reason.

Breeders’ Cup Mile (1 mile on turf):

10th: 2-3-4/5-11-7-8-10…Notable Speech (2) gets my checkmark here. This 4YO son of the great Dubawi is a Brit bred for the home team of Godolphin. Ran a huge, massive 3rd in this race a year ago. Nearly pulled the win as the favorite at Post Time. Back now with the same trainer/rider combo and looks awesome. In 5 starts this year, the colt has gone 1-1-0. But the 1-1 came in the last two outings. One in France, in a GR1. The win in the G1 Woodbine Mile, which included a field that had Gas Me Up (12). While that last horse is a severe longshot in this group, Notable Speech won in Canada in pure style and grace. Easily. This true closer is about the same in earnings per start this year compared to the career average. A win today puts him way ahead. Sahian (3) could be a nice surprise here. This one has raced this distance 5 times and has a record of 2-1-0. Won the last time out, a GR1 at Longchamp, and now has two wins in a row. Rider who booted home the last two is back here today. Threat as a closer. The Lion in Winter (4) could be another to add some value to a winning ticket. This one comes from the Aidan O’Brien contingency and has gone 2-1-2 in 8 turf starts to date. The 3YO has never won at this distance, though. Has a 2nd and a 3rd in 3 starts going the mile. Lost to Sahian just two starts back by a head and a neck. Right there. Lost to our top pick three starts back by plenty, though. Program Trading (5) may be America’s best hope. Has a win here in the 2023 Hollywood Derby, but is a -63 against career earnings average this year. Ugh. The best improvement this year has come from Rhetorical (11), the recent winner of the Turf Mile at KEE. Has improved +51 this year vs. career earnings average. But can a NY-bred gelding beat the world’s best? Hard to figure. I bet the 2-3 across the board and then box the top 3 numbers in the exactas. I will key the 2-3 over/under the 4-5-11-7-8-10 in two smaller units.

Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (1 mile on dirt)

11th: 3-6/4-2-7/10-9…Nysos (3) is the ML favorite for Team Baffert, and they are tough to beat on their home court — which now seems to be the permanent home of the Breeders’ Cup. Ugh. In 6 career starts, this one has gone 5-1-0. At this distance? A perfect 1-for-1. And, despite a win in only one start in 2024, the earnings this year are up comparative to the career numbers. That’s impressive. Has gone 2-for-2 here. Looks tough. Full Serrano (6) may be the only horse who can topple the king. In 19 career starts, this Agrentina-bred horse has gone 7-6-2. Here at Del Mar? In 4 starts, has 3 wins and a runner-up. Won this race a year ago, too. Credentials are there for an upset. First time these top 2 have ever met. Interesting. At the mile, this one has gone 6-3-0 in 9 starts. May be the better miler. Kentucky Derby winner of 2024 — Mystik Dan (4) — comes in off a win in the G2 Lukas Classic at CD. But that home court is really good for him. Will have to really tune up the early came to challenge these. Goal Oriented (2) has never raced a mile and looks to be knocking on a door with no handle. Citizen Bull (7) just won the Shared Belief Stakes here in a romp, but has never faced older. Yet? This may be the one to challenge here. Has 2 wins in only 2 starts at the mile. Has 3 wins and a third in 4 starts here. Gets Baffert’s go-to rider up. Hello. Hello. Are you looking for an upset? Temper that with a huge negative number in the 2025 average earnings per the career number. Ugh. I bet the 6 — take note — to win/place/show and double down on the win wager. I will bet the 7 a little across the board. I will then box the 3-6-7 in the exactas. I will key the 3-6 over/under the 4-2-7-10-9 in two smaller units.

Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (13/8ths miles on the turf)

12th: 14-13-9-5/6/12/11-2…The finale. Exhausted yet. How about the bank account? It exhausted or revived? Well, here we go again. The best of the rest are on the way, way, far, far outside. And, at this track? Those post positions are greatly compromised. But here’s the dilemma. These are the best horses in this field. So what do you do? I just grin and go. The numbers are what they are. The best horse, in my opinion, is See The Fire (14). This one has raced 16 times on the sod and the Brit-bred has gone 3-3-4. Nearly won a GR1 in France last time out. Looks solid right now. Has great connections. Adds up. She Feels Pretty (13) may have been able, and still may be able, to pull this upset. But she drew just one hole closer to the rail than the favorite. Still, in 12 turf starts, she has 8 wins and has never missed the board. Both of these horses have had incredible years and have improved off their career marks by huge margins. See The fire is a +20 and She Feels Pretty is a +70. Wow numbers considering their previous successes. Cinderella’s Dream (9) another highly-rated contender is outside, too, and is a -30 this year, for me. her last two races are not strong. I could toss this one, despite having run 2nd here a year ago. Nearly won that one. Gezora (5) may be the one to beat. This one is a huge +67 this year and despite the debacle in the last race, the 3YO French-bred filly ran in the money in the previous 7. The last race? The GR1 Arc — against the best boys in the world. I can give an excuse there. So? What to do? I go this way. I bet the 5 — take note — to win/place/show. I double-triple down on the win wagers. I then box the 5-14-13 in the exactas. I key the 5-14-13 over/under the 9-6-12 in two smaller versions. And…I will key the 5 over/under the “all button,” too.