Breeders' Cup Turf: Top contenders Flintshire, Postponed run this weekend

This weekend is expected to result in the greatest shake-up on the list of contenders for the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 5.

Flintshire, the dominant runner in New York, and Postponed, the star in Europe this year, run on Saturday and Sunday. Flintshire will be a heavy favorite in Saturday’s Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park. Postponed will have as many as 17 rivals in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Chantilly on Sunday.

They are expected to win, but if one of them is beaten or faces a stern challenge, there could be additions to the list of probable starters for the BC Turf, the richest grass race in the United States.

Postponed was the 7-4 favorite on Wednesday in future-book betting for the Arc, a much shorter price than contenders such as Makahiki, at 5-1, or Found, at 6-1. Found won the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland last October and could appear in the race at Santa Anita this fall.

As of Wednesday, Flintshire was the 2-1 favorite to win the BC Turf with the British bookmaker Ladbrokes, a slight choice over Postponed, at 5-2, and Found, at 5-1.

The California-based runners are notably absent from the list of the top BC Turf candidates, largely because of the lack of a dominant runner. Sunday’s $200,000 John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita may not give any of the locally based hopefuls a significant boost but could produce a few runners for the BC Turf.

Ashleyluvssugar earned a berth in the BC Turf with his win in the Del Mar Handicap on Aug. 20 and can solidify his status as leader of the California division on Sunday. He faces runners such as Flamboyant, who won the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf in February, and Twentytwentyvision, who won the Rolling Green Handicap at Golden Gate Fields on Sept. 5.

Twentytwentyvision may have the most potential of the John Henry candidates. He has yet to win a graded stakes but has given performances suggesting that such improvement is possible. Distance remains a question, though. The 1 1/4-mile John Henry Turf Championship will be the longest race in Twentytwentyvision’s career and would lead to an even longer start in the BC Turf at 1 1/2 miles.

“I’ve always wanted to try him in a longer trip,” trainer Richard Mandella said. “I took him up north because I wanted to get a race into him, and that worked. I think that could set him up for this race.”

Mandella has won the BC Turf twice – with Kotashaan (1993) and Johar (2003).

:: BREEDERS’ CUP 2016: See DRF’s top contenders