Breeders' Cup 2013 Post Positions: Starting Spot for Classic's Top Contenders

Two days jam-packed with races at Santa Anita Park will culminate Saturday with the Breeders' Cup Classic, a competition with plenty of bragging rights but much more money at stake.

The 1.25-mile race separates the pretenders from the contenders, creating an atmosphere where only the truest thoroughbreds can shine (or sustain a fast-paced run at a human's demand).  

The Classic's $5 million purse also makes the Triple Crown's winnings look like chump change, so there's that to add even more intrigue to the weekend's prestigious series finale.   

Eleven horses will line up to emerge victorious in the main event. Here is how they will approach the starting gates in terms of their predetermined post positions, courtesy of BreedersCup.com, along with the top participants to watch.

Post	Horse	Jockey	Trainer
1	Last Gunfighter	Javier Castellano	Chad Brown
2	Paynter	Martin Garcia	Bob Baffert
3	Planteur	Ryan Moore	Marco Botti
4	Moreno	Joseph Talamo	Eric Guillot
5	Declaration Of War	Joseph O'Brien	Aidan O'Brien
6	Mucho Macho Man	Gary Stevens	Kathy Ritvo
7	Fort Larned	Brian Hernandez Jr.	Ian Wilkes
8	Palace Malice	John Velazquez	Todd Pletcher
9	Game On Dude	Mike Smith	Bob Baffert
10	Will Take Charge	Luis Saez	D. Wayne Lukas
11	Ron the Greek (SCRATCHED)	Jose Lezcano	William Mott
12	Flat Out	Joel Rosario	William Mott

Mucho Macho Man (Post Position No. 6)

Fueled by a legendary trainer and an even more awesome name, Mucho Macho Man is generating steam as a big-time player in this year's Classic.

A year removed from finishing the event in second, Gary Stevens is seeking vengeance for Mucho Macho Man, who won the Awesome Again Stakes in September at Santa Anita Park. In 11 races dating back to November 2011, the thoroughbred has earned a top-three finish in all but one bout.

While this creature cannot claim a victory with a flying elbow off the top rope, this Macho Man can endure the track's long terrain. Stevens' illustrious track record as a jockey also solidifies Mucho Macho Man's status as a legitimate threat to the crown. 

He'll also be galloping right alongside the horse that topped him last time, setting up perhaps another enticing photo finish.

Oh yeah. 

Fort Larned (Post Position No. 7)

Can Fort Larned secure a repeat that'd make owner Janis R. Whitham even richer?

He has won two of five races since the Classic, but the latest victory at Churchill Downs served largely as a tune-up that did not provide much of a true test for the defending champion. The other events saw Fort Larned gaining two fifth-place endings, and one did not finish, so consistency has not been a prevalent trait for the him.

Fort Larned's breakaway speed has guided him to many victories, but that route might prove difficult with Mucho Macho Man riding beside him and Palace Malice occupying the eighth slot. This race is stacked with the best, and Larned has not proven regularly sharp since reeling home last year's Classic.

Game On Dude (Post Position No. 9)

Game on indeed.

Last year's seventh-place finisher enters the Breeders' Cup Classic as the favorite. Before arguing, consider the scorching tear Game On Dude has embarked on since falling short last year.

Game On Dude has won all six of his races since falling short at Santa Anita, and he still holds seven career victories at the venue. He has not competed in two months, a tactical move by Bob Baffert to keep his prized horse fresh for this Saturday's big show.

Such downtime has not hampered Game On Dude during his six-race winning streak, so don't count him out his chances of extending the streak to seven to secure the elusive Classic win.