Breeders' Cup Mile 2013 Contenders & Odds

Dave Bond | OTB Writer

Las Vegas, NV - The center of the horse racing universe - Santa Anita Park in Arcadia California will be the scene of the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile this Saturday, November 2. The best one mile runners on the planet three years old and upward have gathered to chase the winner's share of the $2 million purse.

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A field of 10 milers has been confirmed for the BC Mile - race 11 on Santa Anita's jam-packed Saturday schedule. Post time is 4:40 PM PT. Here is a look at the past performances of all 10 entries for this Grade 1 stakes - most of which will likely be chasing the great Wise Dan.

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2013 Breeders' Cup Mile Race Favorite Entries

Wise Dan - The terrific three-time Eclipse Award winning Wise Dan proved he was mortal last time out - he finished second! That's right - he lost the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile October 5 at Keeneland! He is the only horse since 1981 to win three Eclipse Awards in one night. He was the runaway winner in Horse of the Year, Four-year-old & up male and Male turf (3yo&up). He has won nine straight races ahead of the Shadwell and 14 of his last 16 races overall including last year's Breeders' Cup Mile. This year he looks to be on an Eclipse Award path once again - six starts and five impressive wins. They include the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile to follow the Grade 2 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga August 1, the Grade 3 Firecracker Handicap in June, and the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic in May and the Maker's 46 Mile Stakes in April. He is simply the most dominant horse on the planet right now and is the defending champion in this race - the unquestioned favorite Saturday. John Velazquez will be in the saddle from post 8 as he goes off at even odds.

Olympic Glory - Olympic Glory broke his maiden at Goodwood in his 2-year-old debut before finishing a close second to England's 2-year-old champion Dawn Approach 11 days later. The colt went on to win four straight group stakes races to finish out his 2-year-old season and to begin his 3-year-old season. He ran into hard luck this season, finishing second by a short head to Moonlight Cloud in France followed by another second at Longchamp a month later. The Choisir son finished his European season with a win in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. He is the 4-1 second choice on the morning line and departs from post 5 Saturday.

Breeders' Cup Mile 2013 | Remaining Contenders

Silver Max - is the one that beat Wise Dan last time out in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile. He won six straight between March and July of 2012 including the Grade 3 Transylvania Stakes, the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes in wire-to-wire fashion and the Grade 2 Virginia Derby - nobody could touch him! He struggled a tad after that but he appears to be back to that stellar form - a win in the minor Opening Verse Stakes June 1 in gate-to-wire fashion by 9 1/2 lengths at Churchill Downs, another win by 5 3/4 lengths in the Grade 3 Oceanport Stakes at Monmouth July 28, a terrific score in the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch August 31 at Saratoga and that Shadwell Turf shocker. Sandwiched in there is an OK third in the Grade 3 Cornhusker June 29. He has won four of his last five starts and his win over Wise Dan certainly has opened few eyes. He goes off at 5-1 odds with Robby Albarado in the saddle.

No Jet Lag - had seven starts in Europe with two wins and a second place finish but has been good on North American soil for trainer Simon Callahan. He debuted in the US with an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Del Mar August 11 and followed that with a nice win in the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile on this track October 5. He has looked terrific of late and has Mike Smith in the saddle from the rail at 8-1 odds.

Breeders' Cup Mile betting at Santa Anita Park with OffTrackBetting.com

Obviously - ended 2012 with three straight wins including the Grade 2 Arroyo Seco Mile October 6, the 2012 edition of the Del Mar Mile in record time and a decent third behind Wise Dan and Animal Kingdom in the 2012 Breeders' Cup Mile in November. He returned after 4 1/2 months away April 20 to a good second as 11-10 favorite in the Grade 3 San Simeon Stakes ahead of Drill at Santa Anita and followed that with three straight wins - the Grade 2 American Handicap at Hollywood Park May 25, the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Hollywood Park June 29 and a repeat win in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile. Last time out however was a disappointing fourth in the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile on this track October 5. He has won nine of 17 starts, will have regular rider Joe Talamo in the saddle and is 10-1 on the morning line.

He Be Fire N Ice - John Sadler pupil has won four of eight starts this year (five of 14 career) and had a tidy three race win streak earlier this year - the minor California Dreamin' Handicap July 21 after a couple of Allowance scores at Hollywood Park. He since has a pair of seconds in his only graded stakes starts - the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile behind No Jet Lag last time out and the Del Mar Mile behind Obviously August 25. Victor Espinoza gets the call from post 7 at 15-1 odds.

Cristoforo Columbo - has nine career starts with two wins, a second and a third place finish. He has one win in 2013 - two back in the Crowne Plaza Race & Stay Race at Dundalk October 4 before a seventh last time out in the Johnny O'Sullivan Lifetime In Racing Achievement Waterford Testimonial Stakes at Curragh October 13.

Za Approval - raced in stakes company for the first time in the Grade 3 Canadian Turf Stakes February 23 and finished fourth but followed that with a very nice win in the Grade 3 Appleton Stakes at Gulfstream March 30 and another Grade 3 score - the Red Bank Stakes at Monmouth May 18. He raced to a second in the Woodbine Mile September 15 behind Wise Dan after a second in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile behind Obviously at Hollywood Park June 29 and recorded his best career result last time out - a win in the Grade 3 Knickerbocker Stakes at Belmont Park October 12. He has won four of his last seven starts with two seconds all this year for trainer Christophe Clement and enters the Breeders' Cup in good form. He departs from the outside post at 15-1 odds with Joel Rosario in the saddle.

Silentio - made his stakes debut with a terrific win in the Grade 2 Sir Beaufort Stakes at Santa Anita December 26 and followed that with an OK third in the Grade 2 Arcadia Stakes at Santa Anita February 2, a nice second in the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile also at Santa Anita March 3 and a disappointing fifth in the Grade 1 Maker's 46 Mile April 12. Last time out was a respectable third in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile August 25. He has placed in three of four starts this year but will be looking for his first win since December Saturday. Silentio is 20-1 on the morning line and will have Rafael Bejarano in the saddle from post 2 Saturday.

Bright Thought - has four wins in seven career starts - none bigger than in his graded stakes debut last time out - the Grade 2 San Luis Stakes here way back in March. Before that was two wins in February on this track. Julien Leparoux will be aboard from post 6 at 20-1 odds.


2013 Breeders' Cup Mile Entries & Odds

Race 11 on Santa Anita Park's Saturday card with a Post Time of 4:40 PM.

Entry Horse Jockey Trainer ML Odds
1 No Jet Lag M. Smith S. Callaghan
8-1
2 Silentio R. Bejarano G. Mandella
20-1
3 Silver Max R. Albarado D. Romans
5-1
4 Obviously (IRE) J. Talamo M. Mitchell
10-1
5 Olympic Glory (IRE) R. Hughes R. Hannon
4-1
6 Bright Thought J. Leparoux J. Gutierrez
20-1
7 He Be Fire N Ice V. Espinoza J. Sadler
15-1
8 Wise Dan J. Velazquez C. LoPresti
1-1
9 Cristoforo Colombo R. Moore A. O'Brien
15-1
10 Za Approval J. Rosario C. Clement
15-1

2024 BREEDERS' CUP RACE SCHEDULE

Breeders' Cup Race Grade Purse Date
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint I $1,000,000 November 1
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies I $2,000,000 November 1
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf I $1,000,000 November 1
Breeders' Cup Juvenile I $2,000,000 November 1
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf I $1,000,000 November 1
Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint I $1,000,000 November 2
Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint I $1,000,000 November 2
Breeders' Cup Distaff I $2,000,000 November 2
Breeders' Cup Turf I $5,000,000 November 2
Breeders' Cup Classic I $7,000,000 November 2
Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf I $2,000,000 November 2
Breeders' Cup Sprint I $2,000,000 November 2
Breeders' Cup Mile I $2,000,000 November 2
Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile I $1,000,000 November 2