2013 Breeders' Cup: Saturday Open Thread

It's time for Day Two of the 2013 Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita Park, featuring the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic on NBC at 8:35pm Eastern. Classic Game On Dude looks for redemption after a hugely disappointing performance last year, while defending Horse of the Year Wise Dan seeks a repeat in the Breeders' Cup Mile.

A couple of changes for Saturday: Ron the Greek is out of the Classic (we already knew that), Cleburne is out of the Juvenile, and Caracortado is out of the Turf Sprint.

Breeders' Cup Saturday Scratches & Changes (via Equibase)

While horse racing is truly a year-round sport (just ask anyone at Aqueduct or Hawthorne in the dead of winter), the end of the Breeders' Cup signals a completion of another season of racing for many. At around 8:40 pm Eastern time tonight we'll know the identity of the 2013 Breeders' Cup Classic winner and then we'll start looking at the future book odds for the 2014 Kentucky Derby. Early Derby lists will be out in full force by January even though 75% of the horses on those lists (including my own) won't be anywhere near Churchill next May. Thus is the cycle of life for a horse racing fan.

So, let's enjoy the final major day of racing for 2013 and then look forward to a the possibilities of spring. (Yes, I want winter to go by quickly.)

Good luck everyone and thanks for reading the site!

More from And Down The Stretch They Come:

• 2013 Breeders' Cup: Saturday Staff Picks
• 2013 Breeders' Cup Saturday: Entries, Post Positions & Odds
• 2013 Breeders' Cup Results
• 2013 Breeders' Cup Distaff Results: Beholder and Stevens come up big at Santa Anita
• Breeders' Cup 2013: Why I love horse racing