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ZENYATTA 

The stage is set for the richest two days in racing history after 159 horses received entry on Tuesday for the expanded Breeders’ Cup World Championships program on Friday and Saturday at Santa Anita Park.

Fittingly, the all-time North American-raced earner, Curlin, will be at the center of the fray as the 7-to-5 favorite on the morning line for the $5-million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), which will cap 14 races worth a total of $25.5-million.

Curlin’s presence exemplifies the ‘X’ factor for Santa Anita’s new synthetic Pro-Ride surface, which will be showcased in the eight Breeders’ Cup races on the main track.

The Smart Strike colt has trained at Santa Anita for nearly a month, but trainer Steve Asmussen still considers the surface a huge question mark as Curlin seeks to join Tiznow as the only two-time Classic winner.

“The percentage of horses that do their best on synthetic I think is questionable, and that’s what we’re waiting to see,” Asmussen said on Tuesday.

Asmussen said he had a similar question in his mind prior to Curlin’s turf trial in the Man o’ War Stakes (G1) on July 12, which resulted in his lone defeat since last August.

“[It is] a similar feeling,” Asmussen said. “Identical, no; similar, yes. … We’re talking about Curlin because of his accomplishments on the dirt, so of course that is where all the questions come from.”

Curlin drew post position nine in a field of 12 for the Classic, which has an even more confounding makeup with five-time Group 1 winner Duke of Marmalade (Ire), English and Irish classic winner Henrythenavigator, and Group 1 winner Raven’s Pass all switching from the turf for their North American debuts.

The pace scenario also is a potential hurdle for Curlin following the defections of two of the speedier candidates, Grade 1 winners Mast Track and Well Armed, to the TVG Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

“Absolutely,” Asmussen said of a concern over a lack of pace. “You start concerning yourself with everything from this point on. Like we say, we worry about what we can control. Curlin is in capable hands with [jockey Robby Albarado]. He knows him best from that position.”

Undefeated Grade 1 winner Zenyatta is the shortest-priced on the morning line for any of the Breeders’ Cup races at 3-to-5 for the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (G1), the marquee event of the first Ladies’ Day card on Friday.

Zenyatta will bid for her eighth straight victory in a deep field of eight that includes Ginger Punch and Hystericalady, who finished first and second in a tight finish last year when the race was called the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

“This is a very high-quality field and it’s going to be a great race,” said John Shirreffs, the trainer of Zenyatta for owners Jerry and Ann Moss. “All these races against Grade 1 horses are never easy.

“I’ve had a lot of nice horses and some really nice fillies,” Shirreffs continued. “Usually a horse has something of an Achilles heel, something that may bother them. With Zenyatta, she never has those kind of things. She does everything so well. … How could you not be excited? This filly is 3-to-5, undefeated, all the media wants to know about her, talk about her. It’s just so exciting to be around a horse going into a race like this.”

Courtesy: www.thoroughbredtimes.com

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