The Breeders' Cup will once again be run on the synthetic Pro-Ride surface of Santa Anita, the same surface that arguably caused the defeat of Horse of the Year Curlin last year.
"Artificial surfaces are just too unpredictable," said Hall of Fame trainer Wayne Lukas, who will pass on the event for only the second time in its history. "You'll see some real reversals of form.
"It's not a good race track," said Lukas, who tops the Breeders' Cup in winners and purses won. "It makes good horses average and average horses good."
Lukas isn't the only trainer or jockey who has publicly come out against synthetics; even John Shirreffs, who trains Zenyatta, doesn't like it. Zenyatta has won all 13 of her career starts, with 12 coming over synthetics.
Zenyatta breezed six furlongs in 1:12.40 yesterday at Hollywood Park, her final work before the Cup.
"She's a nice mare and they want to show her credentials," said Tim Ice, trainer of Belmont and Travers winner Summer Bird. "This is the race she can do it in. Whether she is good enough remains to be seen. When you're talking $5 million and you're good enough to compete that's what you do. You want to try and win the money."
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