";
spt_classic_07[i++] = new Array("","The contestants","","","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
spt_classic_07[i++] = new Array("","Any Given Saturday","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
spt_classic_07[i-1].body = "
Morning-line odds: 4-1
Post position: 3
Lifetime starts: 10
Record: 6 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third
Earnings: $1,083,533
Jockey: Garrett Gomez
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Owner: Winstar Farm and Padua Stables
Pedigree: Distorted Humor/Weekend in Indy (A.P. Indy)
Key facts: Colt has always been considered one of the most talented members of this year’s 3-year-old crop and has only finished off the board once – when he broke from the 18 hole in the Kentucky Derby and was wide throughout. Enters this off three straight victories, including a convincing win in the 1 1/8-mile Haskell Invitational (G1) at Monmouth. Looks like a solid contender.";
spt_classic_07[i++] = new Array("","Awesome Gem","","","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "", "", "174", "115", "", "", "", "", "");
spt_classic_07[i-1].body = "
Morning-line odds: 30-1
Post position: 6
Lifetime starts: 14
Record: 4 wins, 7 seconds, 0 thirds
Earnings: $631,360
Jockey: David Flores
Trainer: Craig Dollase
Owner: West Point Thoroughbreds, P. Arudel and P. Blavin
Pedigree: Awesome Again/Piano (Pentelicus)
Key facts: Seasoned 4-year-old will be making his first start outside of California. His biggest win came in the San Fernando Breeders Cup (G2) at Santa Anita in January, but he finished only a nose behind Tiago in the Goodwood Handicap (G1) last month at Santa Anita and a half-length behind absent Student Council in the Pacific Classic (G1) in August at Del Mar. Likely to be overlooked in the betting.";
spt_classic_07[i++] = new Array("","Curlin","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/z_Projects_in_progress/Kentucky_Derby/d_curlin.vmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Danny Johnston", "AP", "245", "198", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_classic_07[i-1].body = "
Morning-line odds: 3-1
Post position: 4
Lifetime starts: 8
Record: 5 wins, 1 second, 2 thirds
Earnings: $2,402,800
Jockey: Robby Albarado
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Owner: Stonestreet Stables, Padua Stables, George Bolton and Midnight Cry Stables
Pedigree: Smart Strike/Deputy’s Delight (Deputy Minister)
Key facts: Powerfully built colt showed how much talent he possesses by finishing third in the Kentucky Derby (G1), behind Street Sense and Hard Spun. He came back to beat Street Sense in the Preakness (G1) before losing by a head to Rags to Riches in the Belmont (G1). Is 2-for-3 at the distance, including a win over leading older horse Lawyer Ron in his last start, the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Belmont.";
spt_classic_07[i++] = new Array("","Diamond Stripes","","","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Ed Reinke", "AP", "134", "198", "", "", "", "", "");
spt_classic_07[i-1].body = "
Morning-line odds: 15-1
Post position: 7
Lifetime starts: 8
Record: 5 wins, 0 seconds, 3 thirds
Earnings: $742,461
Jockey: Mike Luzzi
Trainer: Richard Dutrow
Owner: Four Roses Thoroughbreds
Pedigree: Notebook/Romantic Summer (On to Glory)
Key facts: 4-year-old gelding punched his Classic ticket with a victory in the Meadowlands Cup Handicap (G2) early this month; he is untested at the 1 ¼ mile distance and has yet to break through in three tries against Grade 1 competition – including two losses to Lawyer Ron, but his Beyer Speed Figures aren’t too far beneath those of the big guns. ";
spt_classic_07[i++] = new Array("","George Washington","","","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "", "AP", "273", "244", "", "", "", "", "");
spt_classic_07[i-1].body = "
Morning-line odds: 20-1
Post position: 5
Lifetime starts: 13
Record: 6 wins, 1 second, 4 thirds
Earnings: $1,480,050
Jockey: James Heffernan
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien
Owner: Mrs. John Magnier, Derek Smith and Michael Tabor
Pedigree: Danehill/Bordighera (Alysheba)
Key facts: European turf champion at 2 and 3 makes his second trip across the Atlantic for a tilt against America’s best older horses on the dirt. Last year’s venture resulted in a sixth-place finish behind Invasor, but connections believe he would have been much closer if he hadn’t been bumped at the 3/16ths pole. Classic runners making their previous start in Europe are just 1 from 29, though three have run second.";
spt_classic_07[i++] = new Array("","Hard Spun","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/apmegasports/200705081557574207757-pf.hsmall.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Pat Crowe Ii", "AP", "273", "179", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_classic_07[i-1].body = "
Morning-line odds: 8-1
Post position: 8
Lifetime starts: 12
Record: 7 wins, 2 seconds, 1 thirds
Earnings: $1,673,470
Jockey: Mario Pino
Trainer: J. Larry Jones
Owner: Fox Hill Farms Inc.
Pedigree: Danzig/Turkish Tryst (Turkoman)
Key facts: Tough-as-nails 3-year-old has danced the most dances this year, with nine starts, including a runner-up effort in the Kentucky Derby (G1), a third-place finish in the Preakness (G1) and a fourth in the Belmont (G1). Muscular chestnut has sprinter’s speed, but will have to contend with top older horse Lawyer Ron on the front end, so post position will be crucial. ";
spt_classic_07[i++] = new Array("","Lawyer Ron","","","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
spt_classic_07[i-1].body = "
Morning-line odds: 5-2
Post position: 1
Lifetime starts:25
Record: 12 wins, 4 seconds, 4 thirds
Earnings: $2,790,008
Jockey: John Velazquez
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Owner: J.T. Hines Jr. Estate and Stonewall St
Pedigree: Langfuhr/Donation (Lord Avie)
Key facts: Top older U.S. dirt horse and six-time graded stakes winner captured the Whitney Handicap (G1) and Woodward Handicap (G1) before winding up a neck behind winner Curlin in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Colt has tender mouth, but jockey knows him well and figures to let him run freely on the front end. Distance may be the biggest concern, as he is 0-for-3 at 1 ¼ miles.";
spt_classic_07[i++] = new Array("","Street Sense","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070511/preakness_Streetsense.vmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Amy Sancetta", "AP", "192", "198", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_classic_07[i-1].body = "
Morning-line odds: 3-1
Post position: 2
Lifetime starts: 12
Record: 6 wins, 4 seconds, 2 thirds
Earnings: $4,128,200
Jockey: Calvin Borel
Trainer: Carl Nafzger
Owner: Jim Tafel LLC
Pedigree: Street Cry (IRE)/Bedazzle (Dixieland Band)
Key facts: Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), Kentucky Derby (G1) and Travers Stakes (G1) winner is 2-for-2 at the 1 ¼-mile distance. He prepped for this with a second place finish behind Hard Spun in the Kentucky Cup Classic (G2) at Turfway Park over an artificial Polytrack surface. Trainer has used the switch from artificial racing surface to dirt twice to good effect, improving colt’s Beyer figure by an average of 19 points. ";
spt_classic_07[i++] = new Array("","Tiago","","","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "David Quinn", "AP", "273", "147", "", "", "", "", "");
spt_classic_07[i-1].body = "
Morning-line odds: 12-1
Post position: 9
Lifetime starts: 8
Record: 4 wins, 0 seconds, 2 thirds
Earnings: $1,115,270
Jockey: Mike Smith
Trainer: John Shirreffs
Owner: Mr. and Mrs. Jerome S. Moss
Pedigree: Pleasant Tap/Set Them Free (Stop the Music)
Key facts: Long-striding colt got a nice break after running in two of three Triple Crown races and winning the Swaps Breeders’ Cup (G2) at Hollywood. He returned to the races with a hard-fought victory in the Goodwood (G1) at Santa Anita last month. He has shown steady if unspectacular improvement for the same connections who sprang huge upset in 2005 Kentucky Derby with Giacomo";
spt_classic_07[i++] = new Array("","The track","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/ap/b7aa0056-d467-4e32-b9ca-a4d0ceb2b914.standard.jpg","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "Bill Denver", "AP", "234", "298", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_classic_07[i-1].body = "
New Jersey’s Monmouth Park’s dirt track is a one-mile oval with a 4-inch cushion of sand and topsoil -- 83 percent silt and 17 percent. The length of the stretch is 985 feet, which is somewhat shorter than some other similarly configured racetracks. Monmouth, which is hosting the Breeders’ Cup for the first time, has a reputation as a speed-favoring racing surface. ";
spt_classic_07[i++] = new Array("","The factors","","","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
spt_classic_07[i-1].body = "
There is no limit on the factors that can be considered in handicapping a race — some experts even try to compensate for the wind when evaluating a previous performance by a horse. But for today, let's confine ourselves to six of the most important considerations.
Click on factors at left to learn more.
";
spt_classic_07[i++] = new Array("","Speed and pace","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
spt_classic_07[i-1].body = "
A handicapper who can correctly predict how a race will be run has a much better chance of winning than the horseplayer with no idea which horses will go to the front, which will challenge the leaders turning for home and which will attempt to run down the leaders in the final strides.
The reason, as handicapping pioneer Huey Mahl put it, is that pace makes the race.
The basic theory of pace handicapping is this: The faster a horse runs at the beginning of a race, the less energy it will have for the stretch run. As a general rule, a race in which three or more horses battle for the lead will result in a faster-than-average early pace and set the stage for a come-from-behind horse to win. Conversely, a race in which a lone horse is allowed to set a comfortable pace tends to favor the front-runner or horses that can stay within a length or two of the lead.
Two horses in this year’s nine-horse field like to race on or near the lead: Hard Spun and Lawyer Ron. Hard Spun appears to have the sharper speed of the two, but he’s also more tractable. That makes the pace scenario hard to predict, as the colt’s connections may decide to “send” him to the front or stalk Lawyer Ron.
Despite that, top level 1 ¼-mile races are tough to win wire-to-wire. Give a slight advantage to stalkers Any Given Saturday, Diamond Stripes and Street Sense.
Neutral ratings to the two speed horses and the deep closers: Awesome Gem, Curlin, George Washington and Tiago.";
spt_classic_07[i++] = new Array("","Class","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
spt_classic_07[i-1].body = "
When racetrackers talk about a horse’s class, they are talking about a combination of natural ability, consistency and heart. Handicappers have tried different approaches to try to quantify it, such as average earnings per start or the number of victories in Grade I stakes races, which draw the very best horses.
No matter how you define it, the Classic has proven a stern class test for horses who have not shown proven ability to race 1 1/4 miles against top competition.
Give a strong push in this category to multiple Grade 1 or Group 1 races: Curlin, George Washington, Lawyer Ron, Street Sense and Tiago.
Getting a less enthusiastic push in this category to winners of at least one Grade 1 or Group 1 race: Any Given Saturday, Hard Spun.
Negatives for the remainder of the field.";
spt_classic_07[i++] = new Array("","Age","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
spt_classic_07[i-1].body = "
Older horses have a slight edge over their 3-year-old counterparts, but too many flips of the calendar is not a good thing either: No horse older than 5 has won the Classic.
Three-year-olds are at a slight disadvantage, winning seven times from the previous 23 runnings -- or about 30 percent of the races – compared with 10 (43 percent for 4-year-olds) and six (26 percent) for 5-year-olds.
But history says 3-year-olds with Triple Crown experience deserve respect, particularly if they took some time off after that grueling series. Conversely, late-blooming 3-year-olds should be viewed with skepticism.
All five 3-year-olds in the race – Any Given Saturday, Curlin, Hard Spun, Street Sense and Tiago – ran in at least one Triple Crown race, and were given breaks afterward. So this category isn’t much help in separating the youngsters from their elders.
Still, we’ll give a slight plus to the 4-year-olds in the field: Awesome Gem, Diamond Stripes, George Washington and Lawyer Ron.";
spt_classic_07[i++] = new Array("","Form","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
spt_classic_07[i-1].body = "
Form -- shorthand for the way a horse has run in its most recent races -- looks deceptively simple to evaluate, but this factor contains numerous traps for the handicapper.
Although it's better to enter a big race off several strong efforts, horses are not machines and there is no guarantee that a contestant's last race will be repeated on race day. Likewise, horses that have run poorly in their recent races can suddenly rediscover that winning formula (Remember 1993 Classic winner Arcangues, a horse with a history of back trouble who shocked the field at 133-1?). And there's always the dangerous improving horse, who can turn in the race of a lifetime when you least suspect it.
Nonetheless, horses who enter the Classic off two or more strong efforts (finishing within 2 lengths of the winner) in recent races receive high marks in this category: Any Given Saturday, Awesome Gem, Hard Spun, Lawyer Ron, Street Sense and Tiago.
Give slight deductions to Curlin and George Washington, both of whom just miss qualifying in this category.
Negatives go to the others.";
spt_classic_07[i++] = new Array("","Jockey","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
spt_classic_07[i-1].body = "
The Breeders' Cup points a white-hot spotlight on riders, and it can be dazzling to those who never have stood in its glare before. Being tongue-tied in interviews is one thing, but if a rider's nervousness and excitement makes even the slightest impact on his or her judgment, the results on the racetrack are likely to be disappointing.
Which is why trainers with legitimate Classic contenders line up each year at the door of the cream of the jockey colony, aiming to land a rider who has shown the right stuff on in the Breeders’ Cup and other top races.
Give a strong positive to the only horse whose rider has won the Classic: Tiago (Mike Smith, who won the race in 1997 with Skip Away.
Hand out slight deductions to horses whose riders have won other Breeders’ Cup or Triple Crown races: Any Given Saturday (Garrett Gomez), Awesome Gem (David Flores), Curlin (Robby Albarado); Lawyer Ron (John Velazquez) and Street Sense (Calvin Borel).
Negatives go to Diamond Stripes (Mike Luzzi); George Washington (James Heffernan), Hard Spun (Mario Pino).";
spt_classic_07[i++] = new Array("","Trainer","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
spt_classic_07[i-1].body = "
Trainers who have survived previous immersions in the pressure-cooker of Breeders’ Cup or Triple Crown racing and kept their snap deserve added consideration in their return engagements.
That’s because the contrast between the trainer’s usual quiet routine and the Breeders’ Cup is more pronounced than the difference between the NBA regular season and the playoffs, for instance. Suddenly, instead of the quiet thudding of hoofbeats, the trainer is facing a phalanx of microphones and fielding endless questions.
The bottom line is that some trainers will be thrown off their game, becoming overly cautious in their preparations, overlooking an important detail or forgetting to pass a key piece of information to an exercise rider. The result may not be disastrous, but even the slightest misstep can be enough to get your horse beat.
Even better than having survived previous Breeders’ Cups, is having won one or more races. That marks that rare trainer who will have his runner tuned up like a Maseratti come race time.
Give strong positive marks in this category to horses whose trainers who have conditioned previous Classic winners: Diamond Stripes (Richard Dutrow Jr., trainer of 2005 winner Saint Liam) and Street Sense (Carl Nafzger, trainer of 1990 winner Unbridled).
The slightest of deductions go to horses whose trainers have won other Breeders’ Cup or Triple Crown races: Any Given Saturday (Todd Pletcher), Awesome Gem (Craig Dollase), Curlin (Steve Asmussen), George Washington (Aidan O’Brien), Lawyer Ron (Pletcher) and Tiago (John Shirreffs).
Give a negative in this category to Hard Spun, whose trainer, Larry Jones, is 0-for-1 with Breeders’ Cup starters. "; spt_classic_07[i++] = new Array("http://msnbc.msn.com/id/21381173","Picks","","","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); // END editorial data