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There's plenty of talent on tap for the Breeders' Cup World Championship races at Santa Anita this coming weekend and most of the races are truly up for grabs.

Because the European contingent did so well last year over Santa Anita's all-weather surface, one of the key handicapping challenges will be weighing their value this year. And, as always, East Coast horses who have run exclusively or mostly on natural dirt come to California with a question mark behind their Beyer numbers.

One major question left to be answered: Which race will Zenyatta enter. The undefeated 5-year-old could challenge Rachel Alexandra for "Horse of the Year" honors if she wins the $5 million Classic against some top Europeans and the best U.S. males and all indications are that's where she will run. But she is cross-entered in the $2 million Ladies Classic, which she won last year and where she would be the prohibitive favorite to wind up her career with an unblemished record.

Final entries are due Tuesday morning But after Zenyatta worked 6 furlongs Saturday in 1:12.4, trainer John Shirreffs made it clear he is ready to give Zenyatta her first chance against males.

"She's done very well," the trainer said after the workout, which was second-fastest of the day at the distance and listed as "breezing."

"I was deliberate about it," Shirreffs said, "because you want to make sure everything is right when you're doing something like this. You want her to be peaking. Horses give you telltale signs. Their coat turns, things like that. There was no reason to be premature about it. You might as well wait and see how the horse is."

Now, he said, "The horse is doing well."

Rachel Alexandra is taking the rest of the year off. The other potential draw, Sea the Stars, was retired after winning the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe last month. Still, the Classic pre-entries include Europeans Mastercraftsman, Rip Van Winkle and Twice Over, Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, Belmont and Travers winner Summer Bird, locally based Colonel John and Richard's Kid, Florida Derby winner Quality Road, Super Derby winner Regal Ransom, Arlington Million winner Gio Ponti and Hawthorne Gold Cup victor Awesome Gem.

The Classic will cap two days of racing, with $25.5 million in purses. Among them, the 14 Championship races will settle most year-end championships.

In weekend racing results:

The youngsters:

While the Breeders' Cup races usually determine championships, they haven't been the best predictor of the following year's Kentucky Derby or Kentucky Oaks winners. So it pays to keep track of the later-developing 2-year-olds who aren't going to be competing in this weekend's big races.

To no one's surprise, a couple of those are in Bob Baffert's barn.

One of those, Macias, pressed the pace set by Our Minesweeper in Saturday's $60,000 Jack Goodman Stakes for 2-year-olds at Santa Anita, rallied to the lead in the stretch and held off Hurricane Ike at the end to win by a neck. Privilaged was third and Our Minesweeper finished fourth and last. Macias, a Kentucky-bred Purge colt, ran the 6 furlongs on the all-weather track in 1:08.98. Garrett Gomez had the mount. It was his second win in three starts. Baffert said he plans to stretch Macias to a longer distance in his next start. "He's a very smart horse and very tractable," the trainer said.

In Sunday's $60,000 Anoakia Stakes for juvenile fillies, Baffert saddled Crisis of Spirit, who rallied from behind the pace to win by 3/4 length over Well Deserved. Camille C and Sandy Cheeks completed the order of finish. Crisis of Spirit, a Kentucky-bred Vindication filly, ran the 6 furlongs in 1:09.39 for Mike Smith. "I'm liking the way she's relaxing now … It looks like she ought to be able to stretch out," Smith said.

At Churchill Downs, Thiskyhasnolimit upset Sunday's $100,000 Iroquois Stakes, moving four-wide into the stretch and leading from the furlong marker. Uh Oh Bango was 1 length in arrears in second with Soaring Empire third. The favorite, Brassy Boy, got home eighth of 10. Thiskyhasnolimit, a Sky Mesa colt ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan and trained by Steve Asmussen, ran the 1 mile on a fast track in 1:37.36. It was his second win in five starts and followed a third-place finish in the Futurity at Belmont. "He looks to appreciate the added distance," Asmussen said. "His next target will be the Kentucky Jockey Club on closing day (Nov. 28)."

Sassy Image rallied from far back to win Sunday's $100,000 Pocahontas for 2-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs, scoring by 2 lengths over Decerator. All Due Respect was third. Sassy Image, a Broken Vow filly, ran the 1 mile in 1:38.63 with Robby Albarado up for trainer Dale Romans. She now has two wins from six starts. "She outlasted 'em and had the most stamina today and I just think she'll run even further," Romans said. "We'll be here on closing day" for the $150,000 Golden Rod.

At Woodbine, Roan Inish survived an awkward start, then rallied along the inside in the stretch run to win Saturday's $250,000 (Canadian) Princess Elizabeth Stakes for juvenile fillies by 1 length over Resentless. Ernfold, the favorite, got home third. Roan Inish, a bay filly by Elusive Quality, ran the 1 1/16 miles on the all-weather track in 1:46.23 for jockey David Morgan. It was the filly's first career win. Her first three races were contested in Ireland.

In other racing:

Woodbine

Points of Grace stalked the pace in Saturday's $100,000 (Canadian) River Memories Stakes for fillies and mares, took the lead at mid-stretch and went on to win by 1/2 length over late-running Lomaki. Sheraton Park led early and held third. Points of Grace, a 4-year-old, Kentucky-bred Point Given filly, ran the 1 mile on soft turf in 1:38.50 with Luis Contreras in the irons.

Jimmy Simms made all the going in Sunday's $100,000 Labeeb Stakes, then held on in the final strides to beat Just Rushing by a head. River Heights was third and the favorite, Sterwins, settled for fifth. Jimmy Simms, a 4-year-old Lost Soldier colt, ran the 1 mile on good turf in 1:38.07 with Jono Jones aboard.

Tribal Belle shot quickly to the lead in Sunday's $150,000 Ontario Fashion Stakes for fillies and mares and won without challenge. Glitter Rox was second, 3 1/4 lengths back, with Porte Bonheur third. Tribal Belle, a 4-year-old, British Columbia-bred Tribunal filly, ran the 6 furlongs on the all-weather track in 1:08.83 under James McAleney.

Keeneland

Blame rallied five-wide to challenge for the lead in Saturday's $150,000 Fayette Stakes, got clear in the stretch and won by 1 1/4 lengths despite drifting late. The even-money favorite, Parading, held the lead briefly at the top of the stretch and saved the place. Wicked Style finished third. Blame, a 3-year-old, Kentucky-bred Arch colt, ran 9 furlongs on the all-weather track in 1:50.54 with Jamie Theriot in the irons for trainer Al Stall Jr.

Aqueduct

Unbridled Belle saved ground during the early furlongs of Saturday's $100,000 Turnback the Alarm Handicap for fillies and mares, came around the leaders entering the stretch and drew off to win by a comfortable 4 lengths. Weathered set the early pace and held second, 1 3/4 lengths better than Way With Words. Unbridled Belle, the odds-on favorite, ran the 9 furlongs on a fast track in 1:50.2 under Ramon Dominguez. She is a 6-year-old, Kentucky-bred Broken Vow mare.

Le Grand Cru stalked the pace in Saturday's $150,000 Bold Ruler Handicap, came to challenge for the lead in the upper stretch and had just enough to best Past the Point by 1/2 length. Sing Baby Sing finished third. Le Grand Cru, a 4-year-old, Kentucky-bred Dynaformer colt, ran the 7 furlongs on a fast track in 1:22.19 with Jose Lezcano up.

Criticism was quickly on the lead in Sunday's $150,000 Long Island Handicap for fillies and mares, galloped along over the yielding turf and quickened when asked by jockey Javier Castellano. At the end, she had enough to hold off Lemonette and win by 2 1/4 lengths. Bubbly Jane was third. Criticism, a 5-year-old, British-bred Machiavellian mare, ran the 1 1/2 miles in 2:34.98.

Meadowlands

Glitter City led all the way to a 3-length victory over Don'tgetsuspicious in Saturday's $60,000 Witches Brew Stakes for fillies and mares. Kosmo's Buddy and Twiceasbeautiful completed the order of finish. Seven of the original entrants scratched when the event came off the grass. Glitter City, a 3-year-old, Florida- bred City Place filly, ran the 5 furlongs on a muddy main track in 57.67 seconds under Joe Bravo.

Hawthorne

Saturday's Illinois Festival of Racing, with six $100,000 events for state-breds, featured the final career start of 8-year-old Fort Prado, winner of 18 of his 58 previous starts -- many in open stakes company -- and more than $1.2 million. Sadly, Fort Prado finished seventh in the Buck's Boy Handicap, beating only one rival when he was unable to muster one last stretch run.

Ripe Tomato rallied from last to capture the Powerless Handicap for fillies and mares, winning by 2 1/2 lengths over Nicks and traveling the 6 furlongs in 1:09.87 under Brandon Meier. Apple Martini stalked the pace in the 1 1/16-mile Illini Princess for distaffers, then had the most potent punch in the stretch, going by to win by 3/4 length over Lakeaway with Eusebio Razo Jr. in the irons. Thatswhathesaid caught pace-setting favorite Shake N Quake in the stretch run to win the Showtime Deb for 2-year-old fillies by 3/4 length for jockey Ariel Smith.

He's Bonafide rallied from a pace-stalking trip to upset odds-on favorite Stonehouse by 5 1/2 lengths in the Buck's Boy, finishing the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.57 with Eddie Perez riding. My Time to Star justified his name and his favorite's status in the Sun Power for 2-year-old colts and geldings, drawing off easily to win by 7 lengths under Israel Ocampo. And Mighty Rule led a parade of longshots across the wire in the Lightning Jet, beating High Expectations by 1 1/4 lengths while running the 6 furlongs in 1:10.03 for Jose Ferrer.

International

In Japan, Company upset a pair of highly regarded runners in Sunday's Tenno Sho Autumn at Tokyo Racecourse. Under Norihiro Yokoyama, the 8-year-old got home 1 3/4 lengths ahead of last year's Japan Cup winner, Screen Hero. The globetrotting mare Vodka, blocked at a crucial time in the stretch run, settled for third, a neck farther back. Company tied the course record for 2,000 meters -- a 1:57.2 clocking originally posted by Vodka. Company now is targeting the Mile Championship at Kyoto.

News and Notes

As we enjoy this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships in California, we might think about a future Breeders' Cup in the slightly different surroundings of County Tipperary, Ireland. Plans were announced this week for a Las Vegas-style entertainment complex to include a casino, two race tracks and a full-size replica of the White House. Trainer Aidan O'Brien, no stranger to the Breeders' Cup championship events, immediately saw the potential. "This could be a Breeders' Cup facility," he told the Irish Independent.