Led by four winners from a year ago and a large international contingent, 205 horses were pre-entered for this year’s Breeders’ Cup, a two-day event consisting of 14 races to be held Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita in Southern California. The 205 figure matches that of last year and represents the second-most pre-entries for the Breeders’ Cup behind only the 221 that were pre-entered in 2018. International representation is strong, with 43 European-based runners pre-entered along with nine Japanese-based horses and one from Argentina. After pre-entries, five horses were withdrawn, including the Argentine mare Belleza de Arteaga, Europeans Toca Madera, Sauterne, and Piz Badile, and the American horse Anarchist. This will be the 40th running of the Breeders’ Cup, which began in 1984 with seven races run on one day at Hollywood Park. Santa Anita will be hosting the Breeders’ Cup for a record-extending 11th time. Those seeking a repeat victory in the same Breeders’ Cup races they won last year are Cody’s Wish [Dirt Mile], Elite Power [Sprint], Goodnight Olive [Filly and Mare Sprint], and Caravel [Turf Sprint]. Trainer Aidan O’Brien, who ranks third all-time in Breeders’ Cup wins with 16, pre-entered 13 runners, the most by any trainer. Todd Pletcher was next with 12, followed by Chad Brown (10). :: DRF Breeders' Cup Packages on sale now! Get everything you need to win and save up to 32% off the retail price.  Last year, the main storyline going into the Breeders’ Cup was Flightline, the freakishly fast colt who would go on to win the $6 million Classic by 8 1/4 lengths in what proved to be the final race of his brief but brilliant, six-race career. Flightline was sent off the 2-5 favorite, the shortest price in the 39-year history of the Classic. This year, the Classic is viewed as wide open, with the 3-year-old Arcangelo, the Belmont Stakes and Travers winner, the 7-2 early favorite on the line of Brad Free of Daily Racing Form. The longest-priced post time favorite in the previous 39 Breeders’ Cup Classics was Flat Out, who finished fifth at $3.60-to-1 in 2011. Arcangelo was one of 18 horses pre-entered for the Classic, which, as is this case with 11 of the 14 Breeders’ Cup races, is limited to 14 starters. The Dirt Mile, Turf Sprint, and Juvenile Turf Sprint are limited to 12 starters. The last four 3-year-olds to win the Classic – Authentic [2020], Arrogate [2016], American Pharoah [2015], and Bayern [2014] – were all trained by Bob Baffert, who is second among Breeders’ Cup trainers with 18 victories. This year, in the Classic, Baffert will send out Arabian Knight, who beat fellow 3-year-old and Classic pre-entrant Geaux Rocket Ride in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar. Arabian Knight is 3 for 4 in his career. Kentucky Derby winner Mage; Pennsylvania Derby one-two finishers Saudi Crown and Dreamlike; and the Japanese-based Derma Sotogake, sixth in the Kentucky Derby, are the other 3-year-olds pre-entered. On Wednesday, at Santa Anita, Arcangelo completed his major preparations for the Classic by working a half-mile in 47.52 seconds under exercise rider Robert Mallari. Daily Racing Form’s Mike Welsch had Arcangelo’s first quarter in 23.70 seconds, second quarter in 23.82, and had him galloping out five furlongs in 1:00.65. It was Arcangelo’s third and final breeze since arriving at Santa Anita in late September. “Super pleased, just smooth, pretty, little bit of goosebumps on that one,” trainer Jena Antonucci said about Wednesday’s move. :: BREEDERS’ CUP 2023: See DRF’s special section with top contenders, odds, comments, news, and more for each division Antonucci said Wednesday’s work was designed “to put some speed back in him, he’s going to need it.” The older male lineup for the Classic is led by White Abarrio, the dominant winner of the Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga on Aug. 6. White Abarrio has been at Santa Anita since Sept. 12, but earlier this week was not permitted to work by track veterinarians. On Wednesday, he jogged a mile and galloped about 1 1/4 miles, according to Welsch. Other older horses pre-entered in the Classic include Jockey Club Gold Cup one-two finishers Bright Future and Proxy, Woodward winner Zandon, and Suburban one-two finishers Charge It and Clapton. Clapton is one deep on the preference list, meaning he will need one defection to get into the Classic field. King of Steel, winner of Saturday’s Grade 1 Champion Stakes on turf at Ascot, has the $4 million Turf listed as his first preference while also being pre-entered in the Classic. Bright Future, Charge It, and Dreamlike (three-deep on the Classic preference list) are each pre-entered in the Dirt Mile as well. Skippylongstocking, who has the Dirt Mile listed as his first preference, is two-deep on the Classic preference list. Missed the Cut, winner of the four-horse Tokyo City, is four deep on the preference list and would need four defections to get in. Missed the Cut is trained by John Sadler, who trained Flightline. Missed the Cut is also eligible for the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes on Saturday, should his connections choose to enter that spot. Aidan O’Brien, who won three Breeders’ Cup races last year, has Auguste Rodin, the early 5-2 favorite on Free’s line for the $4 million Turf, and Paddington, the 3-1 favorite on Free’s line for the $2 million Mile. O’Brien trainees River Timber (4-1) and Unquestionable (5-1) are David Aragona’s top two favorites for Friday’s Juvenile Turf. All five of the Breeders’ Cup races for 2-year-olds will be conducted on Nov. 3, while the remaining nine Breeders’ Cup races for 3-year-olds and up will be conducted on Nov. 4. Aragona, who did the line for the Friday races for DRF, has Tamara, the undefeated daughter of three-time Breeders’ Cup winner Beholder, as the 4-5 favorite in Juvenile Fillies, which would make her the strongest favorite among the 14 races. :: Get Breeders' Cup Clocker Reports from Mike Welsch and the DRF Clocker Team when you purchase a BC VIP Package! Among trainer Bill Mott’s seven pre-entrants are last year’s Dirt Mile winner Cody’s Wish and Sprint winner Elite Power, both of whom will be making the final starts of their career. The announcement of Wednesday’s pre-entries was the first of a two-phase process for determining the fields for the 14 races. The second step comes Monday when final entries are made and post positions assigned. In races limited to 14 starters, up to four also-eligibles may be carded. In races limited to 12 starters, up to six-also eligibles may be carded. Horses were able to be pre-entered in two races but come Monday may only be entered in one. All horses are undergoing detailed, daily checks by veterinarians so final fields could be altered by scratches even after entries are finalized on Monday. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.