Breeders' Cup Draw 2014: Post Positions Draw, Start Time and Lineup Info

The 2014 Breeders' Cup from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1 will feature the best racehorses in the world competing in a variety of age groups, surfaces and distances.  With familiar names from the Triple Crown season as well as most of the sport's premier fillies, racing fans should have their fill over the 13 races.

The post positions, crucial to the complexion of any race, will be drawn on Monday, Oct. 27.  While the Breeders' Cup does not specify the specific draw times for most of the 13 races, the Distaff and Classic fields will receive featured coverage:

Race	Time (PT)
Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile	12:30-2:30 p.m.
DraftKings Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint	12:30-2:30 p.m.
Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf	12:30-2:30 p.m.
Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile	12:30-2:30 p.m.
The 14 Hands Winery Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies	12:30-2:30 p.m.
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf	12:30-2:30 p.m.
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf	12:30-2:30 p.m.
Breeders' Cup Mile	12:30-2:30 p.m.
Xpressbet Breeders' Cup Sprint	12:30-2:30 p.m.
Longines Breeders' Cup Turf	12:30-2:30 p.m.
Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint	12:30-2:30 p.m.
Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff	4:00 p.m.
Breeders' Cup Classic	4:10 p.m.

For those looking to see the draws live, tune in to HRTV at the above times or stream the event at the Breeders' Cup website.  Let's take a deeper dive into the Classic lineup field, in particular, which will feature some of the biggest names in the sport.

Classic Lineup Analysis

The Classic was overbooked, as there were 15 pre-entries for a maximum of 14 horses.  The field will change between now and the Nov. 1 race, but for now, here are the horses in the pre-entry:

A few names should jump off that list, most notably California Chrome.  The Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner has mostly shied away from the spotlight since his fourth-place finish at the Belmont Stakes, as his only other appearance was a sixth-place finish at the Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 20.

Given his rustiness, there are legitimate questions surrounding Chrome.  As The Sacramento Bee's Debbie Arrington illuminates, a poor showing could mark the end of a brief but exciting career for the racehorse:

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But with a poor performance, the $5 million race could be the 3-year-old colt’s last.

'(It’s) race by race now,' said co-owner Perry Martin, confirming for the first time what many observers suspected. 'A good BC Classic and we’ll keep going. (Run a) clunker and he’s off to the breeding shed.'

"

However, while Chrome may be the public headliner, he will likely not even emerge as the top betting favorite for the weekend's richest race.  Shared Belief, who is undefeated in seven career starts, will likely be the overwhelming favorite in the race.  In fact, if the early lines hold up, Shared Belief would be one of the few three-year-olds to be favored in the history of the Classic:

Chrome is not Shared Belief's only top challenger, however, as Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist and Bob Baffert-trained horse Bayern also stand out as top contenders. The latter horse may not be as familiar to those who have not followed the sport since the end of the Triple Crown season, but Bayern did win his last race, the Pennsylvania Derby that Chrome faltered in.

With other high-quality horses like Cigar Street, Majestic Harbor and Moreno in the field, there is no shortage of sleepers who could usurp the more heralded horses next Saturday.  Given the unparalleled pedigrees in this field, the Classic should provide the best conglomeration of the world's top horses in a single race.