NEW YORK, Oct. 19 (UPI) -- A total of 117 horses were pre-entered Wednesday for the 22nd running of the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships at Belmont Park.
The card -- consisting of eight grade I races with purses and awards totaling a minimum of $14 million -- will be held on Saturday, Oct. 29.
The number of entries, including 22 foreign horses, is the largest for the event since a record 135 horses were pre-entered in 2000 at Churchill Downs.
The Thoroughbred Times said this year's pre-entries include four defending winners: Ashado in the Breeders' Cup Distaff; Better Talk Now in the Breeders' Cup Turf; Singletary in the Breeders' Cup Mile; and Ouija Board in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.
Saint Liam and Rock Hard Ten finished in a tie in the final voting in the Dodge Classic Division of the weekly World Thoroughbred Championships Poll released last week. Borrego finished in third place. All three were pre-entered in the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic -- Powered by Dodge -- at 1 1/4 miles.
A victory by one of these horses in the Classic could earn him the Horse of the Year title.
