The suspense was killing them. They’d never felt anything like this before. Then again, they’d never been in a spot like this before, with a racehorse all dressed up and ready to run in a Breeders’ Cup race but no guarantee that he would make it into an oversubscribed field.

I know these truths to be self-evident: I am not as good a handicapper as I was 20 years ago because I don’t have the time to spend on all the details, and I don’t concentrate as well as I once did. I am, however, a much better player than I was 20 years ago, or 10 years ago, or five years ago, or ever.

It is the age-old question: better at handicapping or betting? Both would be nice, but I don’t know many people who are equally proficient.

Since Maram won the inaugural running of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in 2008, two European-based horses have won the one-mile race. Flotilla was the first in 2012, and Chriselliam won it in 2013.

Flotilla paid $24.80, and Chriselliam returned $15.80 on a $2 wager. Actually, the only favorite to win the Juvenile Fillies Turf was Lady Eli, who was nothing less than sensational last year. She paid $6.80.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The defections of defending champion Work All Week and Rock Fall paved the way for the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Sprint to oversubscribe, with 21 horses pre-entered for the event, all but guaranteeing a full field when the gates open for the always-frenetic, six-furlong dash on Saturday, Oct. 31, at Keeneland.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – There weren’t many surprises when pre-entries were released Wednesday for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, which shapes up as one of the more fascinating races on Breeders’ Cup weekend.

Cavorting, Stonetastic, La Verdad, Taris, and Judy the Beauty form a core of favorites in a deep cast that also includes such accomplished fillies as Artemis Agrotera, Dame Dorothy, and Merry Meadow. In all, 15 were pre-entered in a seven-furlong race limited to 14 starters.

The stage is set for a European-American throwdown Oct. 31 in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Keeneland. Of the 20 pre-entries, led by Win and You’re In challenge winners Stephanie’s Kitten, Watsdachances, Photo Call, and Legatissimo, there is a close split of European- and American-based runners, with the Americans outnumbering the Europeans 11-9.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Effinex will be a longshot in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, but on Wednesday, there were a couple of developments that might make one take a second glance at the New York-bred multiple graded stakes winner.

First, Effinex worked a solid five furlongs in 1:00.93 over a rather dull Belmont Park training track. He worked in company with 2014 Travers winner V. E. Day. Kelvin Pahal, Effinex’s exercise rider, had to wait on V. E. Day at one point in the stretch.

This won’t be your typical Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

For the first time since 2007, the $2 million race will be run without a horse from either the barn of Bob Baffert or Todd Pletcher, who have combined to win the Juvenile five times, including three of the last five runnings.

:: BREEDERS’ CUP 2015: Pre-entered horses, odds, comments, and videos

A staggering 27 horses – the most of any Breeders’ Cup race – were pre-entered for the Juvenile Turf, ensuring a full field when Breeders’ Cup Friday gets underway next week at Keeneland. Seven of those 27 made their most recent start outside North America, giving them extra credibility in a race that has been dominated by Europeans since its inception.

Despite the imposing presence of Liam’s Map, an oversubscribed field of 16 pre-entered the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, which will be run Friday, Oct. 30, at Keeneland.

Liam’s Map, the Woodward Stakes winner who has recorded Beyer Speed Figures of 112 or better in three of his last four starts, was pegged as the 6-5 favorite by Daily Racing Form linemaker Brad Free. Red Vine (5-1) and Wicked Strong (6-1) are the only others at single-digit odds.