Breeders' Cup Mile: The Top 5 Horses

The Breeders' Cup Classic may not be the headline this year as Mile Queen Goldikova steps on the Churchill turf to attempt her record fourth consecutive win in the Breeders' Cup Mile. But who are some others that we should watch in this stacked race? Let's take a look at some Mile returners and some new faces to the track this year.

No. 5: Byword

Byword is one of the many European invaders that shipped into Churchill over the weekend. The five-year-old is making his first start in the United States, but he has a record for the year that suggests he'll be a dark horse in this race.

The horse has won his last two stakes (G2 and G3 respectively) in addition to a place in a G2 earlier in the year. The horse has really stepped into a new form over the last few months so a win from him would not be surprising in the least.

No. 4: Courageous Cat

Courageous Cat finished second to Goldikova in this race in 2009 before skipping it last year.

The horse only raced three times in 2010 but returned in 2011 to a three-race, two-win schedule, including the Shoemaker Mile. Courageous Cat also finished second in his last start at Woodbine. He may be lightly raced but he's coming into this race in the best shape possible.

No. 3: Get Stormy

A crowd favorite, Get Stormy finished 11th in this race last year but his record wasn't nearly as good as this year.

The big horse finished second to Gio Ponti in his last start and has only been off the board once this year. He won a turf race at Churchill on Kentucky Derby weekend and proved he does like the track. The five year old could put in a not-so-surprising big run in the Mile and bring the Championship back to the U.S.

No. 2: Gio Ponti

Gio Ponti returns to this race off of his second place finish from last year. He only has one win in five starts this year (but has three other on the board finishes), but that win came in his last start at Keeneland in the G1 Shadwell Turf Mile.

Like Goldikova, he may have lost a step but he'll also be a hard one to beat in this race.

No. 1: Goldikova

While the mare hasn't had her usual season, she is still a big favorite here. Goldikova only has two wins this year but has finished second the other three times against horses that aren't slowpokes by any means.

The French invader is gunning for her fourth win in four years and even though this field is good, there isn't really anyone that sticks out as a horse that will ruin her run of Breeders' Cup greatness. The only downside I can see to this race for her is her No. 1 post position spot that may be a weakness depending on how the rail is running.