ARCADIA, Calif. - The highest echelon of the American jockey colony has undergone substantial change over the last decade with the retirements of numerous legendary riders. Although their spots were quickly taken by the next generation - 30-something stars such as Kent Desormeaux, Garrett Gomez, John Velazquez, and Robby Albarado - it has only been within the last year that another wave of jockeys has made strong bids to crash through the glass ceiling.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The Breeders' Cup was designed to showcase the sport's best runners and decide year-end championships, and even in its current 14-race format, it has been a great success over its 26-year run. Yet as good as this year's event is, and it is quite good, the sport's ultimate title might not be on the line, even with such accomplished horses as Summer Bird and the unbeaten, popular mare Zenyatta meeting on Saturday at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting in the premier event, the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The horses competing in the Breeders' Cup on Friday and Saturday at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting have been under constant watch this week by an international team of veterinarians led by Dr. George Mundy, representing the Breeders' Cup, and Dr. Rick Arthur, who is the equine medical director of the California Horse Racing Board.

Arthur said the horses are looked at at least three times the week of the Breeders' Cup, then have a thorough examination the morning they are to race, which includes palpating joints and jogging.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Jerry Moss's two passions are music and horse racing. He wants to rock 'n' roll all night, and parlay every day.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Michael Stoute was a man on the move Wednesday morning. Hardly fresh from an 11-hour London-to-Los Angeles flight that was two hours late in departing, Britain's most widely respected trainer was getting as much exercise as his horses at Santa Anita as he prepared Conduit and Spanish Moon for the Breeders' Cup Turf and Zacinto for the Mile.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Forever Together has lost more frequently than she has won this year, leaving a few rival trainers to question if she can defend her title in Friday's $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita.

"Her last three races have been nothing like last year," said Bob Holthus, who trains Pure Clan, the winner of the Grade 1 Flower Bowl Invitational at Belmont Park last month.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Watching horses train up to a big race or a big series of races such as the Breeders' Cup is far from an exact science and no two observers are likely to have the same opinion regarding the manner in which each runner appears to be training into the event. After spending the last week at Santa Anita, the following is one man's impressions about how many of the key and perhaps not-so-key contenders seem to be doing coming into the six races that make up the Friday portion of this year's Breeders' Cup program.

MARATHON

ARCADIA, Calif. - It's hard not to be enthralled by the majesty of Santa Anita. With its breathtaking backdrop of the looming San Gabriel Mountains, finely manicured grounds, and bronzes honoring the best human and equine athletes to have graced its presence since its opening on Christmas Day 1934, Santa Anita remains a crown jewel of American racing.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The first shall be longest. Newly positioned as the first of 14 Breeders' Cup races, the $500,000 BC Marathon will kick off the two-day series at Santa Anita with Mastery a solid favorite in the lead-off position for Godolphin Racing.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Aidan O'Brien can go one better than he did last year in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. The O'Brien-trained Heart Shaped failed to run down Maram by the narrowest of margins in last year's first running of this one-mile race. This year, Lillie Langtry, an Irish Group 2 winner, follows in the footsteps of Heart Shaped for O'Brien.

"She's better than Heart Shaped," O'Brien said of Lillie Langtry, and there is no reason to doubt that assessment.