2011 BREEDERS' CUP MILE PRE-ENTRIES ANALYSIS

Here are the pre-entries for the $2,000,000 Breeders' Cup Mile:

Byword (GB)

Compliance Officer

Courageous Cat

Court Vision

Get Stormy

Gio Ponti (First preference in the Classic)

Goldikova (IRE)

Jeranimo

Mr. Commons

Sidney's Candy (Second preference in the Dirt Mile)

Strong Suit

Turallure

Zoffany (IRE)

First off, I should mention that Gio Ponti has been confirmed as a starter for this race and he will not contest the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I).

The biggest story here, and perhaps even of the Breeders' Cup itself, will be the magnificent Goldikova's quest to win her fourth Breeders' Cup Mile. Prior to Goldikova, no horse had won a Breeders' Cup race more than twice, so she is actually looking to double the standard. Many have questioned whether the six-year-old mare has lost a step this year, and perhaps she has, but I, for one, am of the opinion that she is still quite capable of winning this race yet again. For one thing, her losses this year have come against some extremely talented Europeans, including the likes of top miler Canford Cliffs and champion two-year-old male of 2010 Dream Ahead.

Her main competition this year will likely come from horses that she has beaten in previous editions of this race -- Gio Ponti and Courageous Cat. The runner-ups behind Goldikova in 2010 and 2009, respectively, both have held their form well and enter this year's cup with legitimate chances at pulling a mild upset. Gio Ponti is coming off of a strong victory in the Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (gr. I), a race he won in 2010 prior to taking on Goldikova. Courageous Cat won the Shoemaker Mile (gr. I) over the talented miler Caracortado before missing by a neck to Turralure in the Woodbine Mile (Can-I) after striking the front to soon in Woodbine's long homestretch.

Speaking of Turralure, he will also be running here in an attempt to add another grade I win to his resume. He seems to be improving with each and every start, but does he have the turn of foot to match Goldikova and Gio Ponti?

Get Stormy and Sidney's Candy, second and third behind Gio Ponti in the Shadwell Turf Mile, are back for another try, although both will be mild longshots. Jeranimo and Mr. Commons, who ran 1-2 in the Oak Tree Mile (gr. II) earlier this month, are both talented and warrant consideration here. Zoffany has been a top European miler for a while now, but has run dismally in his last two races. Strong Suit and Byword ship in from Europe. Compliance Officer is a former claimer who has improved dramatically enough to take a shot at glory. And Court Vision? He won his first stakes race in 2007 and this will be his third appearance in the Breeders' Cup Mile. But he hasn't cracked the trifecta since winning last year's Woodbine Mile. Can he re-find his best stride on racing's biggest stage?

You can't claim this isn't a competitive race!

-Keelerman