Twice Over may go in Classic

Saturday's Champion Stakes winner, Twice Over, could be headed to the Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita. Ecstatic after the colt had landed his first Group 1 tally in the 1 1/4-mile test at Newmarket, Juddmonte Farm's racing manager, Teddy Grimthorpe said, "We hadn't been looking at the Breeders' Cup before today, but he has come back and won this race very well, so the Classic would be under consideration. The question mark is that the race is on a surface that he's never raced on."

But in making his first start on a synthetic surface, the 4-year-old Twice Over, trained by Henry Cecil, would be facing the same challenge as European Classic hopefuls Rip Van Winkle and Mastercraftsman, as well as the East Coast's leading Classic candidate, Summer Bird.

Twice Over would be part of a very strong Breeders' Cup team for Juddmonte. In addition to the Bobby Frankel-trained Ventura, who will be seeking a repeat of her victory in the Filly and Mare Sprint, Juddmonte could have as many as seven European-trained runners in the Cup. They include Spanish Moon in the Turf, Proviso in the Ladies Classic, Zacinto in the Mile, Midday in the Filly and Mare Turf, Father Time in the Marathon, and Famous Name in the Dirt Mile.

Champions Day at Newmarket could produce two other Breeders' Cup runners. Beethoven, winner of the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at 7 furlongs, is being considered for both the Juvenile and the Juvenile Turf by Aidan O'Brien, while the Godolphin-owned Buzzword, who ran fifth, has been confirmed by trainer Saeed bin Suroor as definite for one of those races.