OCEANPORT, N.J. - A year ago, trainer Todd Pletcher entered three horses in the Breeders' Cup Distaff - including race favorite Fleet Indian - but he could do no better than finish eighth despite drawing relatively favorable post positions.

In Saturday's $2.26 million Distaff, Pletcher will again have three runners, and two of them drew extremely poorly. Indian Vale, the track's 3-1 morning-line favorite, drew post 10, while Unbridled Belle, the 9-2 third choice, is in post 11. Octave, Pletcher's third entrant, drew post 8.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - The Irish jockey Johnny Murtagh, a two-time Breeders' Cup winner, delivered the assessment with a smile, even if the assessment was a dour one.

"It's not good," Murtagh said. "Not good at all."

Murtagh's Breeders' Cup Mile mount, Excellent Art, had just been installed as the narrow track morning-line favorite for the race. He also had landed post 13.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - The usual nail biting and angst that accompanies the post-position draw for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint was virtually eliminated this year after only 11 of the 15 horses pre-entered for the six-furlong dash remained when entries were drawn for the race at Monmouth Park on Tuesday. The maximum field size for the Sprint is 14.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - The stage was set Tuesday for one of the better matchups of the newly expanded Breeders' Cup when division leaders Dream Rush and La Traviata were among the 10 horses drawn for Friday's $1 million Filly and Mare Sprint at Monmouth Park.

OCEANPORT N.J. - With 23 horses pre-entered in the inaugural Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, it would have seemed safe to guess that the connections of some wannabe grass whizzes would get left out in the cold. But the way things shook out, pretty much everyone who really wanted a spot in the Juvenile Turf field got one.

Case in point is Cannonball, who won the King Cugat Stakes this past Sunday on closing day at Belmont Park. He was buried nine deep on the also-eligible list when pre-entries were taken, but still wound up with a spot in Friday's race.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - The undefeated Nashoba's Key drew post 3 and was installed as the 3-1 morning-line favorite for Saturday's $2.13 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Monmouth Park.

Twelve of the 13 horses pre-entered for the Filly and Mare Turf entered the race, including Precious Kitten, whose connections had designated the $2 million Mile as their first preference. Panty Raid, also pre-entered in the Distaff, did not enter either race.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Peer into the starting-gate berth numbered 7 when the runners in the Breeders' Cup Turf take their spots late Saturday afternoon, and you will see a horse generally rated the best 1 1/2-mile performer in the world. He is Dylan Thomas, and he is all but certain to be the shortest-priced favorite in any of the 11 Breeders' Cup races contested over two days this weekend at Monmouth Park.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Indian Blessing drew an ideal post for her role as a lukewarm favorite in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in a race in which several other key contenders drew tough starting assignments.

Post positions were drawn this morning for all 11 Breeders' Cup races to be run Oct. 26 and 27 at Monmouth Park.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Any questions regarding Street Sense's ability to handle the Monmouth Park surface were answered Tuesday morning after the Kentucky Derby turned in a flawless five-furlong work under regular rider Calvin Borel in preparation for his career finale on Saturday in the Breeders' Cup Classic.