Interesting matchups for Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup

One of the best things about the Breeders’ Cup is that it brings together horses who, because of differences in age or racing circuit, have yet to face each other. Here are six intriguing matchups on Saturday’s card.

Code of Honor vs. McKinzie (Classic) – With so many 3-year-olds missing the Classic for one reason or another, Code of Honor is viewed by some as the division leader by default. The grandson of Galileo, however, has won big races from March to September, including a pair of Grade 1s at 1¼ miles in the Travers and Jockey Club Gold Cup. McKinzie has finished in the exacta in all six 2019 starts but won only two of them. The Street Sense colt is 0-for-2 at 1¼ miles and exits a loss to unheralded Mongolian Groom in the Awesome Again Stakes. Edge – Code of Honor.

Bricks and Mortar vs. Old Persian (Turf) – Victories in all five outings this year have landed Bricks and Mortar at the top of the NTRA thoroughbred poll. It

is worth noting, though, that all five were contested at distances shorter than the Turf’s 1½ miles. Old Persian, on the other hand, has raced at that distance in eight of his last nine starts, winning five of them. Competing on an unfamiliar track shouldn’t faze the 4-year-old son of Dubawi, who has won Group 1s in Canada and Dubai and finished a close third in another in Germany. Edge – Old Persian.

Midnight Bisou vs. Dunbar Road (Distaff) – Even though Midnight Bisou defeated Elate in all three meetings this year – most recently by a nose in the Personal Ensign – a fourth match-up would still have been one of the most anticipated events at the Breeders’ Cup. With the cross-entered Elate more likely to run in the Classic, and given that Midnight Bisou is unbeaten in seven 2019 starts within her division, the latter’s biggest challenge Saturday could come from 3-year-old Dunbar Road. The Quality Road filly won 4-of-5 against her fellow sophomores before running a good third behind Blue Prize and Elate in the Spinster. Edge – Midnight Bisou.

Uni vs. Circus Maximus (Mile) – Brought along slowly by trainer Chad Brown, Uni has won 6-of-7 starts over the past two years, all at a mile. Her only non-win came in a close-up third behind Got Stormy and Raging Bull in the Fourstardave, a race in which the first three finishers all broke the course record. In Circus Maximus, Uni will face another horse who will be competing at his best distance. The Aidan O’Brien trainee has two firsts and a second in three Group 1s at a mile in 2019. Edge – Circus Maximus.

Mitole vs. Shancelot (Sprint) – Mitole has been dominating in his five wins this year, prevailing by nearly 15 lengths and posting triple-digit Beyers in each. His lone defeat came in the A. G. Vanderbilt, where he finished third behind Imperial Hint’s track-record performance. Shancelot’s sensational 12½-length victory in the Amsterdam Stakes was one of the highlights of this summer’s Saratoga meet. In two subsequent starts, the 3-yearold Shanghai Bobby filly was beaten just a head in a pair of Grade 1s. Edge – Mitole.

Sistercharlie vs. Vasilika (Filly & Mare Turf) – Sistercharlie rarely wins by much, but the 5-year-old mare has won seven consecutive Grade 1s and appears on her way to repeating as divisional champion. Vasilika’s record isn’t as impressive – eight graded wins, including two Grade 1s, in the past 13 months – but the granddaughter of Skip Away has won 11 of 12 at Santa Anita and can be counted on to put in a big late run. Edge – Sistercharlie.