Turf

POST: 1:55 P.M.. Seventh of eight-race Breeders’ Cup card at Santa Anita.

CONDITIONS: For 3-year-olds and up.

DISTANCE: 1 1/2 MILES.

PURSE: $2 MILLION. First place: $1,040,000. Second place: $400,000. Third place: $240,000. Fourth place: $114,000. Fifth place: $60,000.

THE FIELD

*--* PP Jockey Wgt Trainer Owner Odds Hor se 1 Russell Baze 121 John Scanlon Daniel Borislow 30-1 TOC CET 2 Dominque Boeuf 123 Elie Lellouche Wildenstein Stable 15-1 BRI GHT SKY 3 Mick Kinane 126 Aidan O’Brien Tabor & Magnier 7-2 HIG H CHA PAR RAL 4 Frankie Dettori 126 Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin Racing 7-2 SUL AMA NI 5 Gary Stevens 126 Neil Drysdale Sheikh Maktoum 5-2 STO RMI NG HOM E 6 John Velasquez 126 Todd Pletcher Anstu Stables 20-1 BAL TO STA R 7 Mike Smith 126 Richard Mandella Ralph & Aury Todd 15-1 THE TIN MAN 8 Darryll Holland 126 Luca Cumani Rencati & Yoshida 3-1 FAL BRA V 9 Alex Solis 126 Richard Mandella Thoroughbred Corp. 8-1 JOH AR Not e: PP (po st pos iti on) num ber in fir st col umn wil l als o be the hor se’ s sad dle clo th num ber

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HOW TIMES HANDICAPPER BOB MIESZERSKI SEES THE TURF UNFOLDING

START

Longshot BALTO STAR has done his best work from the lead, so there’s no secret about his strategy. THE TIN MAN, who set the pace in last year’s Turf at Arlington Park, will also be close early and speed is also expected from TOCCET, who has picked an odd spot to make his grass debut after finishing last in the Goodwood Breeders’ Cup Handicap on dirt three weeks ago. The more serious contenders, STORMING HOME, SULAMANI, FALBRAV and defending champion HIGH CHAPARRAL figure to drop back and look for good position.

AT THE HALF-MILE POLE

Entering the final four furlongs, BALTO STAR could be showing the way with THE TIN MAN chasing. TOCCET could be close, but he won’t be for long. The big four will be waiting to pounce and JOHAR, who will get the waiting ride he prefers this time, could also be heard from late over a course on which he has won four times for trainer Richard Mandella.

AT THE QUARTER POLE

The pacesetters should be tiring, setting the stage for what should be an exciting stretch run featuring STORMING HOME, SULAMANI, FALBRAV and HIGH CHAPARRAL. Johar also may run on for a share. A winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes last month at Ascot in England, FALBRAV is only one for five in his career at 1 1/2 miles, and SULAMANI is facing much better opposition today than he did when he won the Turf Classic Invitational at Belmont Park on Sept. 27

FINISH

STORMING HOME, who should be unbeaten in four races in the U.S., can wrap up the Eclipse as the top male turf performer with a victory and he gets the call in what should be a thriller. He proved himself over the Santa Anita turf by winning the Clement Hirsch three weeks ago. FALBRAV, HIGH CHAPPARAL and SULAMANI are certainly capable. JOHAR is the only longshot who seems capable. This will be his first try at 1 1/2 miles, but he’s out of a long-winded mare, WINDSHARP, and the distance shouldn’t pose a problem.

PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH

The First Four

1. STORMING HOME 2. FALBRAV 3. HIGH CHAPARRAL 4. SULAMANI

The Rest

5. Johar 6. Bright Sky 7. The Tin Man 8.Balto Star 9. Toccet

TURF WINNERS

*--* Year Track Horse Jockey Win Margin $2 Payoff 1984 Hollywood LASHKARI Yves Neck $108.40 Park Saint-Martin 1985 Aqueduct PEBBLES Pat Eddery Neck $6.40* 1986 Santa MANILA Jose Santos Neck $19.60 Anita 1987 Hollywood THEATRICAL Pat Day 1/2 length $5.60* Park 1988 Churchill GREAT Ray Sibille 1/2 length $26.80 Downs COMMUNICATOR 1989 Gulfstrea PRIZED Eddie Head $19.60 m Park Delahoussaye 1990 Belmont IN THE WINGS Gary Stevens 1/2 length $5.80* Park 1991 Churchill MISS ALLEGED Eric Legrix 1/2 length $86.20 Downs 1992 Gulfstrea FRAISE Patrick Nose $30.00 m Park Valenzuela 1993 Santa KOTASHAAN Kent 1/2 length $5.00* Anita Desormeaux 1994 Churchill TIKKANEN Mike Smith 1 1/2 lengths $35.20 Downs 1995 Belmont NORTHERN SPUR Chris Neck $9.90 Park McCarron 1996 Woodbine PILSUDSKI Walter 1 1/4 lengths $29.40 Swinburn 1997 Hollywood CHIEF Jose Santos 3/4 length $5.80* Park BEARHART 1998 Churchill BUCK’S BOY Shane Sellers 1 1/4 lengths $9.20 Downs 1999 Gulfstrea DAYLAMI Frankie 2 1/2 lengths $5.20* m Park Dettori 2000 Churchill KALANISI Johnny 1/2 length $11.20 Downs Murtagh 2001 Belmont FANTASTIC Frankie 3/4 length $4.80* Park LIGHT Dettori 2002 Arlington HIGH Michael 1 1/4 length $3.80* Park CHAPARRAL Kinane

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* As favorite

THROUGH THE YEARS

HIGHLIGHTS FROM EACH BREEDERS’ CUP

* 1999 at Gulfstream Park: Cat Thief, who had lost 10 of his first 11 starts as a 3-year-old, was the improbable winner of the Classic at 19-1, but he wasn’t the most surprising winner Wayne Lukas sent out that day. Earlier, Cash Run and Jerry Bailey teamed for a 32-1 upset in the Juvenile Fillies, a race that was supposed to have been dominated by Lukas’ Surfside and the Bob Baffert-trained Chilukki. In the inaugural Filly and Mare Turf, Soaring Softly and Bailey ($9.20) prevailed over 16-1 longshot Coretta and 12 others.

* 2000 at Churchill Downs: Spain keyed a one-two finish by Wayne Lukas in the Distaff, and her 55-1 shocker was followed by a 47-1 stunner by Caressing in the Juvenile Fillies. Jerry Bailey, trainer Joe Orseno and owner Frank Stronach teamed to win the Filly and Mare Turf with Perfect Sting and the Juvenile with Macho Uno. Tiznow, who was supplemented for $360,000, won a thrilling Classic over Giant’s Causeway