The first part of this preview appeared in these columns a couple of days ago. The second part looks at Saturday’s nine races, including the piece de resistance, the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

14 Hands Winery Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (Gr.1, 8.5 fur.)        4th Race     Post Time 12:00 noon PDT (12:30 am IST)

This $2 million event has proven to be a great identifier of classic talent – it has showcased such stars as Beholder and Songbird in past years. Jointly owned by Bridlewood Farm and the Coolmore partners, Moonshine Memories is the shortest-priced runner here. Trained in California by Simon Callaghan, the daughter of Malibu Moon is unbeaten from 3 starts, two of which were at Del Mar. However, she has not displayed overwhelming authority in any of her efforts and so is open to danger at the hands of an improving rival.

Just such a runner may well be Heavenly Love (also by Malibu Moon), who has been progressing nicely and emerges from a romp in the Darley Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland on October 6 – she could be anything. A homebred for Debby Oxley, she is trained by Mark Casse. Also likely to figure in the mix is Klaravich Stable's Separationofpowers (by Candy Ride), whose handler Chad Brown has yet to savour the sweet smell of victory in this event and whose chances were done no favours by the no. 13 draw.

Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (Gr.1; 5 fur.)       5th Race              Post Time  12:37 pm PDT (1:07 am IST)

Depending on the configuration of the track at which it is held, the $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint has been run at trips ranging from 5 fur. to 6-1/2 fur. At Del Mar, the five furlongs starting post is where the dozen runners, which include the shock winner of 2015, Mongolian Saturday (by Any Given Saturday), will line up.

Easily the most accomplished of the Americans is Lady Aurelia (by Scat Daddy), who was flown to Europe in the Summer to annex the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot under John Velazquez, before being nosed out by the English-trained Marsha (by Acclamation) in the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York. The finish of the second-named race was memorable for the premature celebration by Frankie Dettori on Lady Aurelia, who turned out to have been beaten. Both runners renew rivalry with Johnny V back on Wesley Ward’s speedy filly, who is amongst the hottest favourites of the day.

Trying to make it more than a two-horse contest is expat Frenchman, Christophe Clement, based in the USA since 1991, who has a two-card trick up his sleeve in the shape of the New York-bred Disco Partner (by Disco Rico) and the Florida-foaled Pure Sensation (by Zensational out of a Disco Rico mare). The former has lost only once from 5 starts this year but like his stablemate has yet to win a Grade 1 event. The latter did finish third in this event last year so is not without a shot.

Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (Gr.1; 7 fur.)       6th Race              Post Time  1:14 pm PDT (1:44 am IST)

Interestingly, this is the only Breeders Cup race run at 7 furlongs and the $1 million contest has drawn a full field of 14. Rider Mike Smith has over 100 wins at Del Mar as well as 25 Breeders' Cup victories, the most of all jockeys to have participated in that series since inception. Allied to that, he is associated here with the very talented Unique Bella (by Tapit), unbeaten in 4 starts this term. Hence it is no surprise that Don Alberto Stable’s three-year-old is a warm order. Incidentally, Smith is slated to be wearing a “Jockey Cam” in his helmet which will facilitate a view of the races not seen before at a Breeders’ Cup.

The older runners will not go down without a fight. Back to defend her title is last year’s heroine,  Finest City (by City Zip), whose dam Be Envied is in India, where she contentedly grazes in the paddocks of Sans Craintes Stud, near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. Also in with a chance is Skye Diamonds (by First Dude), whose half-length defeat at the hands of Vale Dori was her only loss from half a dozen public appearances in 2017. Taking turns at defeating each other this year, Paulassilverlining (by Ghostzapper), By The Moon (by Indian Charlie), Finley'sluckycharm (by Twirling Candy) and Highway Star (by Girolamo) are back renewing their rivalry and could surprise.

Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (Gr.1; 9 fur.)           7th Race              Post Time  2:00 pm PDT (2:30 am IST)

In the 18 years during which this race has been run, the United States of America recorded 11 victories, while Europe was the source of 7 heroines. Just five favourites have obliged and that raises a question mark around the current public choice, Lady Eli (by Divine Park). She does have the advantage of being enrolled in the Chad Brown academy, home to previous winners Zagora, Dayatthespa and Stephanie’s Kitten, and was herself beaten a mere nose last year. At the Post Position draw ceremony, her schooler felt that his ward, who has overcome laminitis, was in fine fettle: “To see her at the top of her game is amazing”, he offered. Brown also saddles Dacita (by Scat Daddy) and Grand Jete (by Dansili).

Another schooler with three names on the scroll of honour for this race is Sir Michael Stoute whose trio consisted of Islington, Dank and Queen’s Trust (by Dansili), the last-named being back for another crack at the rich prize – although yet to trouble the scorer in 2017. Aidan O'Brien’s obligatory representative is Rhododendron (by Galileo), who unfortunately drew 14 (of 14) – but who is so tough, she could still manage to get up. Ryan Moore will have to be at his best to get her into a challenging position.

An interesting runner is the American-bred, but Peru-campaigned Birdie Gold (by Birdstone), who has entered the winner’s enclosure four times in a five-race career. She has been relocated to the care of Gary Mandella, who has secured the services of Mike Smith. English bookmakers have ignored that fact and go 66 to 1.

Twin Spires Breeders' Cup Sprint (Gr.1; 6 fur.)         8th Race             Post Time  2:37   pm PDT (3:07 am IST)

Amongst the easiest winners last year was Bob Baffert’s Drefong (by Gio Ponti) and the victor of 6 of his 8 starts is back for more in this $1,500,000 race. His last visit to Del Mar was traumatic in that he jocked off his pilot – Mike Smith – at the start, and what’s more, he is drawn 2 – not the most ideal of gate positions. Still, he will be hard to down.

Dubbed the “Philadelphia flyer”, Imperial Hint (by Imperialism) remains unconquered in 2017 and provides a severe threat here as does Mind Your Biscuits (by Posse), who has an affinity for rap music! Followers of international racing will find this name familiar and may recall that he won the Golden Shaheen at Meydan in Dubai earlier this year. The luck of the race could propel any of the following to score – they are probably talented enough: Takaful (by Bernardini), Whitmore (by Pleasantly Perfect), Roy H (by More Than Ready) and Ransom The Moon (by Malibu Moon).

Breeders' Cup Mile (Gr.1; 8 fur.)  9th Race    Post Time  3:19 pm PDT (3:49 am IST)

With half the 14 runners from Europe and with their ranks including the likes of Godolphin’s Ribchester (by Iffraaj), one may be lulled into thinking that this trophy will cross the Atlantic to adorn a mantelpiece somewhere in the first-named continent. Yet, American-based runners have proved a tough nut to crack in recent times in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile – ever since 2011 when Goldikova turned six and failed to cope with Court Vision and Turallure. Only Karakontie has popped up for Europe in the last half a dozen runnings.

So with the Americans possessing a worthy contender for extending that sequence, in the shape of the grey World Approval (by Northern Afleet), is it all over? Frankly, no! Excluding that much-improved gelding, the local challenge does not amount to much. In contrast Ribchester, the best miler in Europe in 2017, has a strong supporting cast. He himself has been jumping out of his skin and trainer Richard Fahey is quite sanguine. Then there are the 6-year-old grandson of Sohna Stud’s late Noverre, namely Suedois (by Le Havre), Aidan O’Brien’s pair of Roly Poly and Lancaster Bomber (both by War Front), Hugo Palmer’s Home Of The Brave (by Starspangledbanner), partnered by Mike Smith, and even Francis-Henri Graffard’s Karar (by Invincible Spirit) – because he has Frankie Dettori in the irons.

Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile  (Gr.1; 8.5 fur.)  10th Race Post Time  3:58 pm PDT (4:28 am IST)

Of the dozen runners in this field, if there is one that ticks a number of boxes, it is the unbeaten Bolt d'Oro (by Medaglia d'Oro). Bought for $630,000 as a yearling, he is owned by Ruis Racing LLC, whose principal is trainer Mick Ruis, who has sent out the winners of 14 races in 2017 (from 111 runners). The only reservation that one may have is that the big-made bay has been drawn 11, but that should not stop the favourite who has both experience at Del Mar as well as explosive talent.

One of two runners for Kentucky native Dale Romans, the Albaugh Family Stable's Free Drop Billy (by Union Rags) showed marked improvement when recording a four-length triumph in the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland last time out. He has been training extremely well in Southern California. However he has previously been beaten by Firenze Fire (by Poseidon's Warrior), who has the excellent record of 3 wins, including the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park, from 4 starts. Last year the up-and-coming sire Dialed In had a good juvenile in Gunnevera. This year his star has been The Tabulator, who has yet to taste defeat but whose best effort has been only at Grade 3 level, namely a win in the Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Fascinating is amongst the few words one can use to describe Aidan O’Brien’s decision to tackle dirt with his all-conquering turf star juvenile, U S Navy Flag (by War Front). Bookmakers have doubted the efficacy of this colt on the surface by pushing him out to 9 to 1. Should he act on the ground, a pulsating contest between the best of America and the best of Europe could well ensue in the $1 million contest.

Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (Gr.1; 12 fur.) 11th Race Post Time  4:37 pm PDT (5:07 am IST)

Offspring of Coolmore’s star stallion Galileo dominate the betting market in this $4 million race, headed by last year’s hero Highland Reel. The Aidan O’Brien-trained earner of nearly $9 million led them a merry dance in 2016 and of course none could catch him. He will get his favoured firm ground and is poised to raise the Europeans’ success rate in this race in the past decade to 80%.

Another that could accomplish the same feat is Sir Michael Stoute’s Ulysses. A victory for him could take his veteran schooler’s tally in this race to five. There is a change in the cockpit, though: the controls are in the hands of Frankie Dettori, replacing Jim Crowley. The Arc place-getter is superbly bred and should prove an asset to the breed when he retires to the Cheveley Park stud in 2018. Flying a bit under the radar is Roger Charlton’s Decorated Knight, who came up trumps in the QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes, which means he has as good a chance as any. There is no reason to suspect that the trip, longer than he has ever essayed, will hold any terrors for the son of Galileo.

The home defence is headed by Beach Patrol (by Lemon Drop Kid), winner of the Arlington Million, who races for Chad Brown but is drawn wide in the #12 gate. Also successful at the Arlington Park meeting in August was Oscar Performance (by Kitten’s Joy), whose moment in the sun came in the Secretariat Stakes. Though beaten by the former last time out, one feels he is the more likely of the pair to hold the statuette if the Europeans fail to fire.