Accelerate tops entries for Breeders' Cup Classic

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (AP):

The Breeders' Cup World Championships will have its biggest entry field along with a new race, which means plenty of storylines.

Especially in its main event.

Accelerate leads the 14-horse field for the Breeders' Cup Classic, which will offer the 5-year-old a rematch against West Coast in a marquee race that's missing unbeaten Triple Crown winner Justify.

Horse racing's 13th Triple Crown champion, who was trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, was retired with an ankle issue in July after winning all six career starts this year. Baffert's confirmed entries in the Classic are McKinzie and West Coast, whom Accelerate beat by 2 1/4 lengths last month at Santa Anita.

Monomoy Girl will seek another Grade 1 win at Louisville's Churchill Downs in the Breeders' Cup Distaff. The filly has won eight of 10 starts, including the Kentucky Oaks in May at Churchill.

A record 221 horses were announced on Wednesday for the 35th World Championships on November 2-3. The 14-race schedule totalling a record $30 million in purses includes the inaugural Juvenile Turf Sprint on Friday, November 2.

The Distaff and Dirt Mile have been moved to Saturday's nine-race Cup card culminating with the Classic.

The Breeders' Cup entries include a record 51 foreign horses aiming to race at Churchill Downs, which will host for the record-tying ninth time.