Breeders’ Cup Classic not shaping up as one

Not too long ago, Santa Anita looked as if it could play host to a dream matchup in the $5-million Breeders’ Cup Classic.

There was the possibility of a Triple Crown winner taking on the reigning horse of the year, along with a hometown hero who had earned his biggest victory at the Arcadia track.

Now, the Classic, which will be run on Oct. 25, shapes up as probably the worst since the event began in 1984.

The luster is off because Big Brown, poised to become the first Triple Crown winner in 30 years after authoritative victories in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, failed miserably in the Belmont Stakes.

Big Brown, who had an extremely slow workout of five furlongs Wednesday morning at Aqueduct, is scheduled to race in the $1-million Haskell Invitational on Aug. 3 at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.

Nobody can say for certain which version of the colt will show up, so to count on him for the Classic is premature.

Also, Curlin, the horse of the year in 2007 and the defending Breeders’ Cup Classic winner, isn’t really being considered for a start at Santa Anita.

His majority owner Jess Jackson and trainer Steve Asmussen have designs on a turf campaign. The ultimate grass goal for Curlin is the Prix de’l Arc de Triomphe on Oct. 5 at Longchamp in Paris. The Arc is less than three weeks before the Breeders’ Cup, so the chances of Curlin running in both races are slim.

Heatseeker, widely perceived as the top local hope after wins in the Santa Anita Handicap and Californian and being a synthetic track specialist, has been retired because of a ligament injury.

So, what does that leave for the Classic? Not a whole lot.

There were two races for older handicap horses last weekend -- the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup at Hollywood Park and the $400,000 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park -- and neither was particularly inspiring.

Mast Track, who had never won a graded stakes before, controlled the pace through moderate fractions to win the Gold Cup.

The stretch run of the Suburban was ugly. Frost Giant looked defeated in the late stretch, but Solar Flare, who looked on his way to victory, drifted out and demonstrated he probably wants no part of 1 1/4 miles, the distance of the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Perhaps, a 3-year-old not named Big Brown will blossom in the second half of the year.

Casino Drive, scratched from the Belmont because of a foot problem, could return to the U.S. and shine. Or Colonel John may take advantage of his home track, the way he did when winning the Santa Anita Derby in April.

Another possibility that would definitely add spice to the Classic is Zenyatta, far and away the best older female in the country.

Owned by Jerry and Ann Moss and trained by John Shirreffs, Zenyatta figures to stay undefeated when she takes on a small field in the $300,000 Vanity on Saturday at Hollywood Park.

What better way to conclude the first Breeders’ Cup run in California since 2003 than have Zenyatta attempt to become the first filly or mare to win the Classic.

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bob.mieszerski@latimes.com