DEL MAR, Calif. – The surprise withdrawal of Ulysses on Friday evening from Saturday’s $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar has left the nation’s richest turf race as a showdown between Beach Patrol of New York and Highland Reel of Ireland, with a strong supporting cast. Ulysses, who was scratched on veterinarian’s advice, was the 7-2 favorite on the morning-line. The role of favorite may go to Beach Patrol on the strength of consecutive Grade 1 wins in his last two starts – the Arlington Million in August and the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park on Sept. 30. Highland Reel, who won the 2016 BC Turf at Santa Anita, will not be much higher in odds for the race at 1 1/2 miles on turf. Highland Reel is trained by Aidan O’Brien, who has won the BC Turf a record six times. Beach Patrol is trained by Chad Brown, who won the Eclipse Award as the nation’s outstanding trainer in 2016. Both stables are in excellent form, having won Breeders’ Cup races at Del Mar on Friday. Highland Reel has won 2 of 5 starts this year. He won the Coronation Cup at 1 1/2 miles at Epsom in early June, but has lost his last two starts, finishing fourth in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and third in the Group 1 Champion Stakes behind Cracksman at Ascot on Oct. 21. :: BREEDERS’ CUP 2017: Fields, odds, comments, and more There was not supposed to be a three-month gap between starts, O’Brien said earlier this week. “We were hoping to get a good race before Ascot,” he said. In the Champion Stakes at 1 1/4 miles, Highland Reel finished 7 1/4 lengths behind Cracksman on soft turf. “It wasn’t ideal ground,” O’Brien said. The turf will be firm at Santa Anita on Saturday, and conditions should suit Highland Reel and Beach Patrol. In the Joe Hirsch at 1 1/2 miles, Beach Patrol took command in the final three furlongs and won by five lengths over Fanciful Angel and Oscar Performance, two other runners in the BC Turf. Beach Patrol was an accomplished 3-year-old in 2016, winning the Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes at Arlington Park, and is in better form this year for Brown.  :: Breeders' Cup PPs, Clocker Reports, and more Brown respects the Europeans, but says Beach Patrol’s tactics of racing near the pace can be effective. “The biggest obstacle is the competition,” Brown said. “He’ll face much tougher horses than in the Joe Hirsch. He’s got good positional speed to get a jump on the competition behind him. All this adds up to a chance to do well.” The race has a field of 13, with six shippers from Europe and seven American-based runners. O’Brien also starts Cliffs of Moher, who was seventh in the Champion Stakes, and Seventh Heaven, a filly who was 14th in the Arc. The seven American-based runners have won Grade 1 or Grade 2 races in North America this year. Bullards Alley won the Grade 1 Canadian International at Woodbine on Oct. 15, while Sadler’s Joy won the Grade 1 Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga in August before finishing fourth in the Joe Hirsch. Bigger Picture was third in the Sword Dancer and won the Grade 1 United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park in July, a race in which Beach Patrol was third. Itsinthepost, fifth in the United Nations after setting the pace, won California’s most recent prep, the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita on Oct. 1. Itsinthepost closed from fourth to win by a head. Earlier this year, Itsinthepost won two Grade 2 races at 1 1/2 miles on turf, leaving trainer Jeff Mullins confident the 5-year-old gelding is a live longshot on Saturday. Said Mullins, “If he runs his race and doesn’t have any trouble, I have a feeling they’ll have their hands full.”