‘This is the year to buy a ticket’: California Chrome heads stellar cast for Breeders’ Cup Classic

California Chrome flies down the stretch on the way to winning the Pacific Classic horse race at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, California on August 20, 2016. Lenny Ignelzi / AP Photo

Art Sherman was oozing confidence at the pre-entry stage for next Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Classic after California Chrome was listed alongside 13 others for the US$6million (Dh22m) contest at Santa Anita.

The Dubai World Cup winner is pencilled in to clash with rising star Arrogate, who blitzed his opponents by 13 and half lengths in the Travers Stakes in August.

Godolphin’s Frosted, who was fifth at Meydan behind California Chrome in March, is also in the mix for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, while Bob Baffert will attempt to become the first trainer to win three Classics in a row when he also saddles Arrogate’s stablemate Hoppertunity, who was third in the World Cup.

• Geoffrey Riddle: Godolphin to pit Frosted against California Chrome in November's Breeders' Cup Classic

Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist also has an entry and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Found, who won the Turf 12 months ago, is a fascinating addition to the 2,000-metre dirt contest for Aidan O’Brien.

California Chrome has not run since he led from gate to wire to win the Awesome Again Stakes at the California racecourse in August, and speaking before the five-year-old chestnut’s workout this morning at Los Alamitos Racecourse, Sherman effectively fired a broadside to all concerned.

“I heard from Santa Anita this morning they call him the Chromebuster over there,” Sherman said of Arrogate via teleconference.

“That sounds, pretty good. He’s a nice three year old but he’s never run against Chrome.

“I like the way Chrome is training. Performance-wise, if he keeps on the way he is I really think you are going to see Chrome at his tops coming in to this race. You are going to see a Chrome that everybody is going to admire.

“People keep asking me, ‘who you are afraid of?’ but ask the other trainers who they are afraid of. Until you beat him, he’s the No 1 in the world, so there you go.”

California Chrome heads a stellar cast of equine talent over the two-day meeting that starts next Friday and is one of 81 Grade 1 winners across the 13 top-flight races.

Overall there are 185 horses competing for a cut of the $28 million in prize-money for what has been labelled by American horsemen as the world championships of racing. This line-up makes that grandiose title have a ring of truth about it that is often lacking.

There are 38 horses from abroad, with Found leading O’Brien’s raiding party of 13 as he continues to try to overhaul Bobby Frankel’s record of 25 Grade 1 victories in a calendar year. It is the largest team out of any trainer.

In addition to Found, there are five other defending champions set to return in Beholder (Distaff), Mongolian Saturday (Turf Sprint), Tepin (Mile), Runhappy (Sprint) and Wavell Avenue (Filly & Mare Sprint).

There are also five horses who have already previously won at the meeting in Songbird (Juvenile Fillies), Catch A Glimpse (Juvenile Fillies’ Turf), Nyquist (Juvenile), Hit It A Bomb (Juvenile Turf), Lady Eli (Juvenile Fillies’ Turf).

“This is one of the strongest Breeders’ Cups I have ever seen,” Baffert, who has sent out 12 Breeders’ Cup winners, said.

“I’ve never seen so much talent. This is the year to buy a ticket.”

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