Breeders' Cup Classic 2017: Projected Prize-Money Earnings, Order of Finish

The drama of sports often unfolds in the memorable rivalries that develop. Baseball has the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Football has several, including the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins. NHL fans understand the hatred and angst that is the Boston Bruins vs. the Montreal Canadiens.

The sport of kings has had its wonderful rivalries as well. Hollywood chronicled the David-vs.-Goliath matchup of Sea Biscuit vs. War Admiral. Damascus, Dr. Fager and Buckpasser dueled in an eye-catching three-way battle in the Woodward in 1967.

Secretariat may have been the greatest horse in the history of the sport, but he had a wonderful rival in Sham. Affirmed and Alydar had a marvelous rivalry, as did Easy Goer and Sunday Silence.

The rivalry that will play out Saturday in the Breeders' Cup Classic should be among the best, as Arrogate and Gun Runner will do battle for a third time.

Arrogate, who will retire after this year's Classic, has beaten Gun Runner twice. However, Arrogate has not won a race since March when he was victorious in come-from-behind fashion in the Dubai World Cup. Arrogate had a rough start in that race in which he fell behind every horse including Gun Runner and figured out a way to win.

Since then, he has lost two races. 

While Arrogate has not been in top form, Gun Runner has never been better. He has won three consecutive Grade 1 races, and all were by wide margins. The problem for Gun Runner is that he has never won at the 1 ¼-mile distance, and the 10 furlongs will be a challenge.

There are nine other strong runners in the Classic, including stars like Collected and West Coast, but Arrogate and Gun Runner have a chance to write the story of this year's $6 million Classic if neither one is the victim of bad racing luck.

The top eight finishers will receive a payoff for their work in the Classic, and here's how the money breaks down:

Position, Prize Money

First place, $3.3 million

Second place, $1.02 million

Third place, $540,000

Fourth place, $300,000

Fifth place, $180,000

Sixth place, $60,000

Seventh place, $60,000

Eighth place, $60,000

Bob Baffert is Arrogate's trainer, and he knows that he has a tough battle on his hands in this year's race. “It’s gonna be a tough [freaking] Classic,” Baffert said, per Jay Privman of the Daily Racing Form. “You’ve got to show up with your ‘A’ game.”

Arrogate won last year's Classic and is seeking to join Tiznow as the only other two-time winner of the event. Bayern, American Pharoah and Arrogate have won the last three Classics, and all were trained by Baffert.

Steve Asmussen, Gun Runner's well-respected trainer, is not about to concede anything in the competition. “He’s stronger, recovers quicker from his races, recovers quicker from his works,” Asmussen said. “He trains like a machine. He’s stronger. He’s a better horse at 4 than he was at 3. This is the stage to prove where Gun Runner is at.”

It should be a dramatic event when the horses go to the post at 8:35 p.m. ET. The race will be televised by NBC.

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Prediction

Here's how we see the race playing out (odds according to the event's official site):

1. Arrogate (2-1)—Trust Baffert to have champion in top form for finale.

2. Gun Runner (9-5)—Distance not ideal for Asmussen's charge.

3. Collected (6-1)—Brilliant talent will hit the board.

4. Churchill (15-1)—Irish invader will run strong run on unfamiliar dirt surface.

5. West Coast (6-1)—Strong three-year-old in tough against stellar older horses.

6. Mubtaahij (12-1)—Needs to get better before he can beat this field.

7. War Decree (30-1)—Churchill's stablemate is a game runner.

8. Win The Space (30-1)—Improving horse could jump up and get a share.

9. War Story (30-1)—Talented horse but hard to see him competing with the best.

10. Gunnevera (30-1)—Plenty of heart but just does not have the ability to win the Classic.

11. Pavel (20-1)—Plenty of talent but little experience. His time will come in 2018.