St Leger Winner Mastery Tops Marathon Field

Godolphin Racing’s Mastery has been installed as the 9-5 morning line favorite in the $500,000 Breeders’ Cup Marathon, which kicks off the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup races at Santa Anita.

The 1 3/4-mile Marathon will be contested by 10 horses, including 2008 Irish-bred winner Muhannak.

A Darley-bred son of Sulamani trained by Saeed bin Suroor, Mastery has won or placed in seven of eight career starts while earning $1,183,249. The 3-year-old colt won the Italian Derby (Ity-II) earlier in the season and took the Ladbrokes St. Leger (Eng-I) on Sept. 12, his most recent start. Mastery will have the services of Frankie Dettori.

Father Time, a Juddmonte Farms homebred who finished fourth in the St Leger for trainer Henry Cecil, is the 3-1 second favorite. He will be ridden by Eddie Ahern.

Although he won the Marathon last year, Muhannak is listed at 12-1 morning line odds. The son of Chester House has been unplaced in eight starts since his victory at Santa Anita last year.