The field for the Oct. 27 Breeders' Cup Classic at Monmouth Park was announced Wednesday, and one horse missing off the list is Student Council.
Student Council, a 5-year-old who won the Grade 2 Hawthorne Gold Cup on Sept. 29 and Grade 1 Pacific Classic on Aug. 19, will instead prepare for a run in the Nov. 24 Japan Cup Dirt, owner Ro Parra announced.
Student Council's win in the Pacific Classic qualifies him for a bonus of $833,300 should he win the Japan Cup Dirt.
The base purse for the Japan Cup Dirt, which is run at Tokyo Racecourse, is about $2.3 million, while the Classic purse is $5 million.
"The Japan Cup Dirt is a prestigious international race, and we believe we can compete and win the race,"Parra said. "Student Council has an affinity for deeper tracks, and we have been informed that the track in Tokyo is similar to the tracks that he has already won over.
"We have a great deal of respect for the field assembling for the Breeders' Cup, but the bonus is a significant factor, and with his terrific pedigree and great sire potential, an international group I victory would add to his value as a stallion prospect."
Student Council is currently training at Keeneland with Steve Asmussen, who took over for Vladimir Cerin after the Pacific Classic. However, once he arrives in California on Oct. 19 to prepare for his trip to Japan, Cerin will take over and be the trainer.
Richard Migliore, who has ridden Student Council both times since Parra bought him, will have the mount again in Japan. Student Council would not have been one of the favorites (which undoubtedly played a big role in the decision to go to Japan instead) in one of the deepest Breeders' Cup Classic fields in years.
Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense and Preakness winner Curlin headline the nine horses pre-entered Wednesday.
The nine-horse field would be the smallest for the 1 1/4-mile Classic since 1997, when Skip Away defeated eight rivals at Hollywood Park. Trainer Todd Pletcher has two of the entrants: Whitney and Woodward winner Lawyer Ron and Haskell Invitational winner Any Given Saturday.
Also headed to the Classic are Derby runner-up and Kentucky Cup winner Hard Spun, Goodwood winner Tiago, Goodwood runner-up Awesome Gem, Meadowlands Cup winner Diamond Stripes and 4-year-old George Washington, brought out of retirement this year and recently third in the Eclipse Stakes in England in July.
Final entries and the post-position draw is Oct. 23.
The full race order and post times were announced for Breeders' Cup weekend, which is two days for the first time.
The three new races will be run Oct. 26: the Filly & Mare Sprint, the Juvenile Turf and the Dirt Mile, each with a $1 million purse. Post time for the Filly & Mare Sprint is 4:25 p.m.
The $2 million Juvenile Fillies will open the Oct. 27 racing with a post time of 12:30 p.m., followed by the $2 million Juvenile (1:10 p.m.); the $2 million Filly & Mare Turf (1:55 p.m.); the $2 million Sprint (2:35 p.m.); the $2 million Mile (3:20 p.m.); the $2 million Distaff (4:05 p.m.); the $3 million Turf (4:50 p.m.); and the Classic (5:35 p.m.). The Saturday schedule is unchanged from recent years except for minor post-time adjustments.
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