The Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf is one of the “original seven” World Championship races dating back to the inaugural event in 1984 and is thus celebrating its 40^th anniversary Nov. 4 at Santa Anita Park.

From the beginning, the Grade 1 stakes been the premier Breeders’ Cup race in terms of bringing an international flavor to the proceedings. Horses traveling from Europe have won 24 of the first 39 runnings, including 2003, when Irish-bred High Chaparral shared top honors with U.S.-based Johar in a dead-heat victory. The Euro influence has been even more apparent in recent years, as shippers from the old continent have won seven of the last eight BC Turfs. Another strong international group will be present Saturday afternoon in a stellar renewal that will be televised nationwide on NBC.

1. Shahryar (15-1 morning-line odds): Double-digit odds are about right for this Japanese invader, who has disappointed in two starts this year at age 5. He has considerable back class, however, having won the Japan Cup back in late 2021 and the Dubai Sheema Classic against an international cast in spring 2022, and then finishing a close second in the Japan Cup last November. He runs better on firm ground as well, which he’ll get Saturday.

JOCKEY: Cristian Demuro  TRAINER: Hideaki Fujiwara

2. Onesto (8-1): Has proven his mettle against the best Europe has to offer over the past couple of years, and comes in off of a third-place finish in the Oct. 1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe where he was only 1 ¾ lengths behind unbeaten Ace Impact (who would probably go off at even-money odds in this race) and only a nose out of second. A main win threat, and very appealing if his final odds are anywhere near the morning line.

JOCKEY: Maxime Guyon TRAINER: Fabrice Chappet

3. Gold Phoenix (30-1): He’s one of the best West Coast turf horses in training and rarely fails to fire, but this assignment is in another galaxy from what he’s been facing (he finished 10^th of 13 in last year’s 2022 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf). A mile and a half appears too far for him as well.

JOCKEY: Juan Hernandez TRAINER: Phil D’Amato

4. Bolshoi Ballet (15-1): SCRATCHED

5. Auguste Rodin (3-1): A leading contender for champion 3-year-old honors in England and Ireland based on his two Derby wins in those respective countries earlier this year, both held at a mile and a half. He ships in off of a half-length win in the Sept. 9 1 ¼-mile Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes where he was just getting into top gear late. Also prefers firm turf, which should make him very tough to beat Saturday.

JOCKEY: Ryan Moore TRAINER: Aidan O’Brien

6. Get Smokin (30-1): SCRATCHED

7. Broome (30-1): The last of three Aidan O’Brien trainees, he ran a bang-up second in the 2021 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf but finished an even sixth in last year’s edition. Has more than enough stamina to be a factor in his third try, but his recent form is well below that of stablemate Auguste Rodin and several others entered.

JOCKEY: Dylan McMonagle TRAINER: Aidan O’Brien

8. Up to the Mark (5-1): The leading hope among U.S.-based horses keeps hammering every curveball thrown to him, as he’s won three consecutive Grade 1 stakes this year at distances of a mile and an eighth, a mile and a quarter, and most recently a mile back on Oct. 7 at Keeneland. Now the question is, of course, can he win at a mile and a half… against some of the very best Europe has to offer? If he pulls it off, a Horse of the Year award should be in his immediate future.

JOCKEY: Irad Ortiz Jr. TRAINER: Todd Pletcher

Mostahdaf. (Carlos Calo/Eclipse Sportswire)

9. Mostahdaf (5-2): Another leading win candidate from Europe, he comes in off of a one-length win over elite competition in the Juddmonte International Stakes back in August, which was held at 1 5/16 miles. He doesn’t have the proven form over a mile and a half as some of the other top Euro shippers, but he’s been very good this year with a 3-for-4 record, his only loss coming last spring when fourth in the Dubai Sheema Classic won by Japanese sensation Equinox (who, like Ace Impact, would be the favorite against this field). His versatile running style should help him Saturday.

JOCKEY: Jim Crowley TRAINER: John Gosden

10. Adhamo (30-1): Appeared on his way to becoming one of the best long-distance U.S.-based grass horses back in summer 2022 when he won the United Nations Stakes, but has disappointed in four starts since then, his best effort a third-place finish by 2 ½ lengths two starts back in the mile-and-a-quarter Grade 1 Arlington Million Stakes. Hard to see him making noise against this group.

JOCKEY: Flavien Prat TRAINER: Chad Brown

11. King of Steel (4-1): Wheels right back and ships in from Europe to try another top-level race after winning the 1 ¼-mile Champion Stakes in England on Oct. 21 by three-quarters of a length. He closed from last to get up in time in his first start with legend Frankie Dettori riding, and Dettori, who has won the Longines Turf five times, stays aboard Saturday. Will be flying late and is a must-use in exacta and trifecta bets.

JOCKEY: Frankie Dettori TRAINER: Roger Varian

12. Balladeer (30-1): Should be alone on the lead early Saturday afternoon after the scratch of Get Smokin, and he exits arguably his career-best race, a wire-to-wire win in the 1 ¼-mile John Henry Turf Championship on this course Oct. 1. That was his first stakes appearance in career start no. 18, so it’s safe to say he’ll be testing much, much deeper waters Saturday.

JOCKEY: Victor Espinoza TRAINER: George Papaprodromou

13. War Like Goddess (12-1): This superb racemare finished third by a half-length in the 2021 Maker’s Mark Filly and Mare Turf two years ago and third by three lengths in the Longines Turf last year… and she’s 12-1 on the morning line. Truthfully, those odds are about right, even considering her sharp comeback effort last out in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes Oct. 7 on yielding turf, where she paired up well with Junior Alvarado in his first race riding. A record of 7-for-9 at this distance means she cannot be dismissed as an exacta and/or trifecta option.

JOCKEY: Junior Alvarado TRAINER: Bill Mott

THE PICK: Auguste Rodin

LIVE LONGSHOT: War Like Goddess

SUPERFECTA: 5-9-11-2