A competitive international field of 12—nine of them Kentucky-bred, including 3-1 morning-line favorite Arabian Knight—are set to contest the 40th running of the $6,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on Saturday, Nov. 4 at Santa Anita. Kentucky-breds will seek to add to their 27 Breeders’ Cup Classic victories.

Arabian Knight, a front-running winner of the Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar in September, is owned by Zedan Racing Stables. Trained by Bob Baffert, Arabian Knight has made only four lifetime starts but has won three of them. In addition to a 7 ¼-length maiden victory on Breeders’ Cup day at Keeneland last year, the 3-year-old colt also won the Southwest S. (G3) at Oaklawn Park and finished third in the Haskell S. (G1) at Monmouth Park. All told, he has banked $1,244,275.

Bred in Kentucky by Corser Thoroughbreds, Arabian Knight is produced from the Astrology mare Borealis Night. Arabian Knight will be ridden by Flavien Prat and he drew post position No. 12.

Kentucky-bred White Abarrio is also a leading contender in the 1 ¼-mile fixture. The son of Race Day-Catching Diamonds, by Into Mischief, is campaigned by C2 racing Stable and La Milagrosa Stable and is trained by Richard Dutrow. An impressive 6 ¼-length winner of the Whitney S. (G1) at Saratoga in his most recent outing, White Abarrio has won six of 14 starts, amassing earnings of $1,826,350. Bred by Spendthrift Farm, White Abarrio finished third in the Metropolitan H. (G1) at Belmont Park, where he was defeated by Cody’s Wish and Zandon.

White Abarrio drew post position No. 3, and the 4-year-old gray colt will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr.

“It’s not the outside but I just feel like, that him and Irad are going to have to work that out,” said Chip Dutrow, Richard’s brother and assistant trainer. He’s so durable that wherever he’s at he’s fine. Wherever his early position is he’ll be able to work things out. He’s got such a turn of foot that I just don’t think that it’s going to be a problem. Some horses can’t regroup. He can regroup.”

Kentucky-bred Zandon will break from post position No. 2 and will be ridden by Lanfranco Dettori. Owned by Jeff Drown, Zandon won the Woodward S. (G2) at the Belmont at the Big A meet in his latest start. The 4-year-old son of Upstart has finished first or second in all four starts this year. The Woodward was his lone victory. Bred in Kentucky by Brereton C. Jones, Zandon is out of the Creative Cause mare Memories Prevail.

Saudi Crown, another 3-year-old taking on older horses, enters the Classic off a front-running score in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1). Owned by FMQ Stables and trained by Brad Cox, Saudi Crown will be ridden by Florent Geroux. The gray colt is by Always Dreaming out of the Tapit mare New Narration. Saudi Crown was bred in the Bluegrass by CHC Inc.

Rounding out the Kentucky-bred contingent in the Classic are Missed the Cut, Senor Buscador, Dreamlike, Bright Future, and Proxy.