Kentucky Derby winner Authentic heads a field of 11 horses, possibly including filly and Preakness winner Swiss Skydiver against males, for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, with trainer Bob Baffert entering three horses in the $6 million race that includes Belmont winner Tiz the Law.
Besides Authentic, second to Swiss Skydiver in the Preakness, Baffert has Improbable and Maximum Security in the 1 1/4-mile Classic at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky. The Hall of Fame trainer has won the race a record three times.
Baffert is the all-time leader among trainers in Breeders’ Cup earnings with over $30 million.
The Classic field was among a total of 201 horses pre-entered Wednesday for the $28 million, 14-race world championships on Nov. 6-7.
Swiss Skydiver is also pre-entered in the Distaff, for which she is first preference to run against her own gender. Trained by Ken McPeek, she has five graded stakes wins at as many different tracks. She defeated males in the Preakness on Oct. 3. If Swiss Skydiver runs in the Classic, she would try to become the first female to win the race since superstar Zenyatta did so 11 years ago.
Tiz the Law won the Belmont, which opened this year's reconfigured Triple Crown, and then finished second to Authentic in the Kentucky Derby for his lone defeat this year.
Others entered in the Classic are: By My Standards, Global Campaign, Higher Power, Tacitus, Title Ready, and Tom's d'Etat.
Keeneland is hosting the richest two days in North American racing for a second time. As it was with the Triple Crown races, no fans will be allowed on site because of the coronavirus.
A total of 39 foreign horses were pre-entered.
Final entries and the post-position draw will be Monday.
The world championships will open with five races for juveniles in what's billed as Future Stars Friday on Nov. 6, followed by nine races on Nov. 7.
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