Road to the Breeders' Cup Classic starts in the Met Mile for Thunder Snow

9.46 Belmont ParkRunhappy Metropolitan Handicap (Grade 1) | 1m | 3yo+ | dirt | SSR

Thunder Snow earned himself a place in the history books when becoming the only horse to win two runnings of the Dubai World Cup in March, a performance his trainer Saeed Bin Suroor said he would treasure alongside that of Godolphin legend Dubai Millennium in the same race.

What Thunder Snow would mean to Bin Suroor, and Sheikh Mohammed, if he was to be their first winner of the Breeders’ Cup Classic cannot be overstated and the five-year-old starts on his journey to Santa Anita in the Met Mile in New York on Saturday.

Christophe Soumillon will ride Thunder Snow, who drops to a mile for the first time since January last year, and Bin Suroor said: "Thunder Snow worked nicely last week in Newmarket and I've been happy with his preparation. He had a good journey over to New York and has settled in well.

"A mile is the shortest distance he has run over for a while, but this race looks a good starting point for his American campaign. He's a happy horse at the moment and we're looking forward to another big effort from him."

Among those trying to stop Thunder Snow are McKinzie, beaten favourite in last year's Classic, and Mitole, who steps up in trip after winning the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes over 7f.

Also on Saturday

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Ogden Phipps Stakes (Grade 1) | 1m½f | 4yo+ | f&m | dirt

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Midnight Bisou has bounced back from her defeat in the Breeders' Cup Distaff by winning three times, including the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap, while Come Dancing, who receives 6lb from Midnight Bisou, recorded a career-best effort when winning last time.

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Capla Temptress, a Grade 1 winner for Marco Botti now in the care of Bill Mott, is in opposition but the outsider of the field.

Woody Stephens Stakes (Grade 1) | 7f | 3yo | dirt

Grade 1 winner Complexity is back in action for the first time since blowing out when fancied for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last year.

He takes on Mind Control, who has been revitalised since dropping back to sprinting this year.

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