The Challenge: Talented Closers Target Breeders’ Cup

The closing-type running style typically faces plenty of hurdles in North American dirt racing, which seems to favor horses that track the pace or race near the lead. But there figures to be an abundance of horses capable of delivering a sustained run in this year’s Breeders’ Cup dirt races.

With the larger fields of the Breeders’ Cup often ensuring a faster pace than many other graded stakes run on dirt throughout the year, late runners figure to have a better set-up than typical. Let’s take a look at some of the prominent North American-based dirt horses that figure to bring a late kick.

Chancer McPatrick 

Breeders’ Cup race: Juvenile

Chancer McPatrick has rallied from last to win each of the first three starts of his career. The son of McKinzie   already has passed more horses, 24, than some horses pass their entire career. In the process, Flanagan Racing’s Chancer McPatrick has landed grade 1 victories in the Hopeful (G1) and Champagne (G1) stakes.

Juvenile: The most recent horse to rally to victory from the back half of the field to win the Juvenile is Essential Quality  , who improved from eighth early in a field of 14 to win the 2020 edition at Keeneland at 7-2 odds.

In winning four of her past five starts, Zeitlos has rallied from sixth three times and from seventh once. Particularly impressive was the the most recent start by the 4-year-old daughter of Curlin   as she used a sustained run from sixth and closed near the rail under Jose Ortiz to win the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (G2) Oct. 5 at Keeneland. Zeitlos delivered that winning move on a day that front-running horses dominated on the Keeneland dirt.

Filly & Mare Sprint: The most recent horse to rally to victory from the back half of the field to win the Filly & Mare Sprint is Ce Ce , who improved from fourth early—eight lengths back—in a field of five to win the 2021 edition at Del Mar at 6-1 odds.

In two starts since a trip to the Middle East, Senor Buscador has not shown his top form, most recently finishing fifth in the California Crown Stakes (G1). But winning the world’s richest race will make an impression and in February the 6-year-old son of Mineshaft   did just that, seizing victory in the final stride to complete a rally from well back in a field of 14 to win the Saudi Cup (G1). That one-turn race was contested at about 1 1/8 miles. This year’s Dirt Mile will be contested at two turns.

Dirt Mile: One doesn’t need to look long to find the most recent horse to rally to victory from the back half of the field to win the Dirt Mile as it’s 2023 Horse of the Year Cody’s Wish  , who last year improved from sixth early in a field of seven to just edge front-running classic winner National Treasure   at the wire. Cody’s Wish was favored at 4-5.

Raging Sea 

Race: Distaff

Raging Sea enters the Distaff off of three straight wins, including a rally from 11 lengths back to edge 2023 champion older dirt female Idiomatic  to win the Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) in August at Saratoga Race Course and most recently used a sustained run from fifth to take the Beldame Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack. The daughter of Curlin has won six of her past seven starts.

Distaff: The most recent horse to rally to victory from the back half of the Distaff field is Malathaat , who improved from seventh early in a field of eight to win the 2022 edition at Keeneland at 5-2 odds.

Sierra Leone 

Race: Classic

Chad Brown trains Sierra Leone, as well as two other horses on this list in Raging Sea and Chancer McPatrick. In April Sierra Leone rallied from ninth to win the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland. Since then he has placed in all of his races but has come up just short of victory, boasting placings in a pair of classics as well as a third-place finish in the Travers Stakes (G1) in his most recent start. Could he put it all together in the Classic?

Classic: The most recent horse to rally to victory from the back half of the field to win the Classic is Drosselmeyer , who in 2011 at Churchill Downs closed from 10th in the final quarter-mile to finish atop the field of 12. He was off at 14-1 odds.