ARCADIA, Calif. – Gantry was the first horse to be declared a definite starter for this year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint after capturing the Win and You’re In Smile Sprint Handicap at Calder in early July. He’s been pretty much out of sight and out of mind ever since, returning home to Louisiana and making only one start in the nearly four months since he earned his all-expenses-paid trip to the Breeders’ Cup.

It was several weeks ago that trainer Kiaran McLaughlin decided to ship his Breeders’ Cup horses from New York to Santa Anita the weekend before the event, and with a storm bearing down on the East Coast, he said Friday that he was glad he had planned to get out of Dodge.

“We’re lucky our flight is tomorrow,” McLaughlin said Friday, a few hours after he put his Breeders’ Cup runners, including Classic contender Alpha, through their final drills at the Greentree Training Center in Saratoga. “I’m glad it’s not Tuesday, with this storm coming.”

SANTA ANITA Track Fast Sunny Temp. 66

ARCADIA, Calif. – Friday was the calm before the storm as far as this year’s Breeders’ Cup is concerned. Not the “Frankenstorm” heading up the East Coast that could impact travel plans for dozens of potential Breeders’ Cup starters early next week, but the storm of workers expected to rain down on the Santa Anita main track and turf course over the next two mornings.

Patrick McGoey doesn’t consider himself a big bettor, but emboldened by playing with house money, he made an exception at last year’s Breeders’ Cup.

In last year’s Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge at Churchill Downs, McGoey bet $7,000 to win on Drosselmeyer in the final race of the tournament, the BC Classic. When the 14-1 shot circled the field to win the race at $31.60, McGoey not only cashed his ticket for $110,600 but also won the $160,000 first-place prize in the field of 115 high-end tournament players.

John Shirreffs will be largely ignored in the buildup to the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita next Friday and Saturday. He’s cool with that.

Nothing could replace the hoopla of the last Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita in 2009, when Shirreffs won the Ladies’ Classic with Life Is Sweet and the Classic with the wildly popular Zenyatta.

This time, his runners are longshots – Nereid and Star Billing, who both run in Friday’s $2 million Filly and Mare Turf, and Mr. Commons in Saturday’s $2 million Mile.

There is a very good chance some very memorable moments will emerge from the two days of Breeders’ Cup races at Santa Anita next Friday and Saturday. You can’t stuff so much money and talent into 15 races and expect otherwise. Having witnessed all but one Breeders’ Cup in person since its debut in 1984 (I passed on Monmouth in 2007 to deal with wildfire evacuation warnings back home), I can only hope that this year’s 29th running will add fresh tales to these vivid recollections:

Though his connections tabbed the $1.5 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint as his first preference, Emcee will run in the $1 million Dirt Mile on Saturday, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said Friday.

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After discussing the options with Simon Crisford, racing manager for Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Racing, McLaughlin said there were several factors that played in the decision to choose the Dirt Mile.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Animal Kingdom, the 2011 Kentucky Derby winner who is being trained up to a start in a tough Breeders’ Cup Mile on Nov. 3 off an eight-month layoff, worked five furlongs over the Keeneland turf on Friday morning in his final timed preparation for the race.

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ARCADIA, Calif. – Class Included carved a comfortable niche in the Pacific Northwest, where she might have continued her quiet reign while avoiding the bright lights of the Breeders’ Cup.

Or, the 4-year-old filly could dive into the deep end.

Apparently, it is time for a swim.

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ARCADIA, Calif. – Trainer Doug O’Neill planned to spend Thursday evening in San Francisco watching his beloved Detroit Tigers take on the Giants in the second game of the World Series. He spent Thursday morning at Santa Anita, where he worked six potential Breeders’ Cup starters, including Classic contenders Richard’s Kid and Handsome Mike.