HORSE RACING BREEDERS’ CUP : A Record 116 Horses Are Entered

A record 116 horses, among them every prominent American thoroughbred in training, have been entered for the seven Breeders’ Cup races that will be run Nov. 2 at Churchill Downs in Louisville.

The Cup’s centerpiece, the $3-million Classic, drew what may be the deepest field in the race’s history. “They’re all here; nobody’s missing,� said trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who will be represented by Farma Way, early-season hero of the American Championship Racing Series, as well as Meadowlands Cup winner Twilight Agenda. “It doesn’t have the built-in rivalry of a Sunday Silence and Easy Goer as it has in the past. But it has depth of quality; as much quality as you could hope for,� Lukas said.

It is possible, however, that the Classic may be without the leading candidate to be voted Horse of the Year. In Excess, undefeated since May and atop the weekly polls since mid-September, is pre-entered in the Sprint and Mile as well as the Classic. “I’m just watching the (Churchill Downs) racetrack right now,� trainer Bruce Jackson said. “It seems a bit tiring, and I’m not sure that’s to my advantage. I do think he would be very tough at a mile on grass.�

If Jackson and owner Jack Munari opt for the 10-furlong Classic, they will confront a group that includes the winners of the last two Kentucky Derbys, the 1990 Classic and Preakness, this season’s Santa Anita Handicap, Pimlico Special, Jockey Club Gold Cup, Hollywood Gold Cup, Blue Grass Stakes, Iselin Handicap, Washington Park Handicap, Cornhusker Handicap, Michigan Mile and Florida Derby. In Excess’ season includes victories in the San Fernando, Metropolitan, Suburban and Whitney handicaps and the Woodward Stakes.

Six of the Breeders’ Cup races -- the Sprint being the exception -- have drawn more than the 14-horse maximum, leaving several horses, including a newly emerged 2-year-old filly sensation, Easy Now, on the bubble. The half-sister to Easy Goer ran as well as any 2-year-old filly this season in her career debut two weeks ago at Belmont Park and is to make her second start in today’s Astarita Stakes at Aqueduct. Unless two of the 14 fillies selected by a panel of six racing directors and secretaries are declared out of the race on or before the close of entries on Oct. 30, Easy Now will be excluded from the Juvenile Fillies. Fields are determined partially on the basis of points earned in graded stakes races during the year and partially by the panel.

The lack of a standout 2-year-old of either sex this season resulted in the oversubscription of both Juvenile divisions. Four colts were excluded from the Juvenile, which includes five that have earned no points in stakes. Included, however, is Arazi, champion 2-year-old in France, and Bertrando, the division leader in California after victories in the Del Mar Futurity and Norfolk Stakes.

Entries for the Mile and the 12-furlong, $2-million Turf are dominated by Europeans. Seven horses based in Europe are among the first 14 selected for the Turf, and three are listed also eligible. Arlington Million winner Tight Spot, the leader among American grass horses, will be opposed by several Europeans in the Turf. Six are now in the main body of the race, three more await defections.

The Distaff will provide a stage for the long-awaited American debut of the Canadian Triple Crown-winning filly Dance Smartly, who is undefeated in seven races this year, most over male competition. She had been considered a possibility for the Classic, but trainer Jim Day has opted for what may be the least contentious of the Breeders’ Cup races. “Dance Smartly is a 3-year-old, and considering the strength of the Classic,� Day said, “I thought it better to run the best horse I can in the easiest race.�