How getting hooked young prepared me for assessing these badly drawn favourites

Has there ever been a better-named horse in training than 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus? As a five-year-old who cheered him on in the company of my racing-mad father every time he ran thinking he was the best thing since sliced bread, I would argue that there hasn't.

Despite his phenomenal three-year-old campaign, it sadly didn't work out in the Breeders' Cup Classic for 'The Fu', but just the mere mention of his name got me hooked on US racing. From that moment on, I would race a bunch of cars around the living room after devising a racecard. Eight to ten 'horses' were involved, but Fusaichi Pegasus won every time.

Even commentator Tom Durkin, a stalwart on the big stage, got extremely excited when mentioning him in the Classic call at Churchill Downs despite the fact he was toiling and had no chance of winning turning for home.

Although his name isn't as left field, this year's Belmont Stakes winner and Classic hope Tiz The Law fits much the same brief. Every race caller seems desperate to quote The Clash when Barclay Tagg's super star wins a race – 'they fought the Law and the Law won' – and I don't blame them. I would be, too.

Tiz The Law: won the Belmont Stakes back in June, which this year was the first leg of the US Triple CrownCredit: Al Bello (Getty Images)

The white-faced three-year-old has made a huge impression on and off the track and has quickly become my favourite horse in training. That decision wasn't because of his name this time – I'd like to think I can read the formbook slightly better than my five-year-old self – but because of his incredibly fluent racing style, the heartwarming connection he has developed with regular rider Manny Franco and his will to win.

He will look to do what Fusaichi Pegasus couldn't and win the $6 million showpiece event at the picturesque Keeneland on Saturday night, and the confidence of punters was blindly boosted when he was drawn in stall two earlier this week.

An inside post is clearly a huge positive in American racing – it is like the Holy Grail – as virtually every track is an oval and therefore the shortest way round is on the inside. Covering more ground is a huge disadvantage.

However, if there's one horse at this year's Breeders' Cup who wouldn't have wanted stall two, it is probably Tiz The Law. Lead owner Jack Knowlton told TVG's Breakfast at the Breeders' Cup show that "anywhere from five to eight would be fine," which is understandable given he won't want to get boxed in behind Bob Baffert's battalion, all three of whom have been drawn wide and will cut across.

Improbable draws away from Maximum Security (pink and black silks)Credit: Benoit Photo

The plus side for Tiz The Law is the only horse inside him is the late-running Tacitus, while his ability to get into stride quickly should enable Franco to move off the rail once riders on Authentic and Maximum Security play their hand early.

It's not the positive draw most would make out but it shouldn't be a negative either, merely a complication and one that the underrated Franco and wily Tagg will hopefully overcome. Baffert described the draw as crazy; it certainly was that.

In truth, the draw played havoc in a number of events. Anyone who backed a selection of the well-fancied horses prior to Monday would have been in disarray as favourite after favourite was drawn in the car park.

British racing fans who may not keep a keen eye on the Stateside action year-round would have glanced at the Breeders' Cup ante-post betting and recognised Golden Pal. The Wesley Ward-trained runner finished second in the Norfolk at Royal Ascot in June and has long been thought of as the banker of the meeting in the Juvenile Turf Sprint. Until he was drawn in 14 of 14.

Golden Pal: second in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal AscotCredit: Edward Whitaker

As well as Golden Pal, Princess Noor (stall seven of seven in the Juvenile Fillies), Got Stormy (12 of 14 in the Turf Sprint), Complexity (ten of 12 in the Dirt Mile), Yaupon (ten of 14 in the Sprint) and Monomoy Girl (ten of ten in the Distaff) all suffered.

It couldn't have gone much worse for the majority of short-priced favourites, which leads me to believe this could be a Breeders' Cup for shocks.

Looking back at the history of the Breeders' Cup, market leaders have won 107 of 346 races since the inaugural meeting in 1984, a slightly higher-than-average 31 per cent strike-rate. For that percentage to be upheld in the 14 races this year, there would need to be five winning favourites. The draw hasn't helped their cause. Give me an over/unders market and I know what way I'd be inclined to bet.

As much as wide gates spark worry, it would be folly to dismiss all of the aforementioned runners and there is at least some hope derived from the last time the Breeders' Cup was held at Keeneland in 2015.

Hit It A Bomb (Juvenile Turf) and Mongolian Saturday (Sprint) won from stall 14, upsetting the applecart in doing so. Luck was certainly on the last-named's side as he drew outside deep closers and was able to sit on the shoulder of the leader, thus neutralising the draw, while Ryan Moore was brilliant on Hit It A Bomb, who weaved through traffic from an unpromising position.

Considerable ingenuity must be employed by the riders from the outset, no matter whether they have an inside or outside draw. I just hope that I'm singing a bit of The Clash come 10.30pm on Saturday night.

Join Members' Club Ultimate and read tipping from the likes of Pricewise and Paul Kealy, all the big interviews and features, daily comment and news analysis - plus our Ultimate Daily newsletter. Click here to sign up.