Tiago faces a tough go in Breeders’ Cup Classic

OCEANPORT, N.J. -- Trainer John Shirreffs and jockey Mike Smith will be facing some very tough competition as well as some tough odds in the $5-million Breeders’ Cup Classic Saturday at Monmouth Park.

Their horse, Tiago, which drew the No. 9 post, was installed as a 12-1 longshot in the Classic during Tuesday’s post-position draw for the 11-race, two-day event Friday and Saturday that offers more than $23 million in prize money.

Lawyer Ron, after drawing the No. 1 post, was made the slight favorite at 5-2 in the Classic, followed by Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense and Preakness winner Curlin, both at 3-1.

Lawyer Ron got the nod even though he was beaten by Curlin in a classic race Sept. 30 in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont.

“It was very tough to separate the first three horses,” Monmouth Park oddsmaker Brad Thomas said.

Shirreffs, who said he had no problem with Tiago’s post position, was asked about the 12-1 odds.

“I don’t handicap horses,” he said with a shrug. “And Giacomo won the Derby at 50-1.”

Giacomo’s stunning victory in the 2005 Kentucky Derby is a reminder that almost anything can happen in horse racing.

And Giacomo’s trainer was Shirreffs, his jockey was Smith and his owners were Jerry and Ann Moss, who also own Tiago.

Tiago was named for the son of Brazilian pianist Sergio Mendes. Giacomo was named for the son of the singer Sting.

There’s a reason for the musical connections. Jerry Moss was the “M” in A&M; Records, which he co-founded with Herb Alpert. The company was sold to Polygram in 1990.

Moss is now concerned with different kinds of records, and Tiago’s lately has been good.

Tiago won the Santa Anita Derby at 29-1, then placed seventh in the Kentucky Derby but was coming on strong at the end, and followed that up with a solid third in the Belmont.

Since then, Tiago won the Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park by 2 1/2 lengths and edged Awesome Gem in the Goodwood Stakes at Oak Tree at San Anita.

“I think 12-1 is a fair price,” Moss said.

The Craig Dollase-trained Awesome Gem, who also finished second in his previous two starts, the San Diego Handicap and the Pacific Classic at Del Mar, is among the nine entrants in Saturday’s Classic. David Flores will be guiding the 30-1 shot.

Any Given Saturday, the winner of three straight, including the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park, was made the 4-1 fourth choice. Other entrants in the Classic are Hard Spun (8-1), Diamond Stripes (15-1), and George Washington (20-1).

As expected, the highly touted and undefeated Nashoba’s Key, who will be ridden by Joe Talamo, was made the favorite at 3-1 in the Filly & Mare Turf race. And she will start from post position No. 3.

The 2-1 favorite in the Sprint on Saturday is Midnight Lute, coming off an impressive win in the Forego Stakes at Saratoga.

Midnight Lute, who will be ridden by Garrett Gomez, is one of the two favorites Bob Baffert will saddle in the Breeders’ Cup. The other is Indian Blessing at 3-1 in the Juvenile Fillies. Baffert also has Cry And Catch Me, at 6-1, in that race.

And Baffert has Tough Tiz’s Sis, a 20-1 shot, in the Distaff.

Shirreffs also has After Market in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, a turf race. Alex Solis will try to win aboard After Market at 7-2 from the No. 3 post.

Just how important is the post position? Richard Mandella, who has 10-1 shot and Norfolk Stakes winner Dixie Chatter going in the No. 11 spot in the Juvenile, said: “The good thing about being out there is he can stay out of trouble. The bad thing is he could get hung out there real wide.

“There’s good and bad in all the posts. The big good is just being there.”

larry.stewart@latimes.com

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The field

Field for the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday at Monmouth Park at Oceanport, N.J., (3-year-olds and up, 1 1/4 miles; purse: $5 million; post time: 2:20 p.m. PDT):

*--* PP Horse Jockey Trainer Odds 1. Lawyer Ron John Velazquez Todd Pletcher 5-2 2. Street Sense Calvin Borel Carl Nafzger 3-1 3. Any Given Saturday Garrett Gomez Todd Pletcher 4-1 4. Curlin Robby Albarado Steven Asmussen 3-1 5. George Washington Michael Kinane Aidan O’Brien 20-1 6. Awesome Gem David Flores Craig Dollase 30-1 7. Diamond Stripes Cornelio Velasquez Richard Dutrow, Jr. 15-1 8. Hard Spun Mario Pino J. Larry Jones 8-1 9. Tiago Mike Smith John Shirreffs 12-1 *--*