George Washington May Point for BC Classic

In the wake of Dylan Thomas' disappointing effort in Saturday's Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I), it now possible that Coolmore and trainer Aidan O'Brien will shift gears and point for the Breeders' Cup Classic Presented by Dodge (gr. I) with their star miler George Washington.

"There will be a meeting later in the week with the boss (John Magnier), Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, when everything will be discussed, but I wouldn't be ruling out the possibility of George Washington running in the Classic," O'Brien told the Racing Post Sunday.

It didn't take William Hill long to list George Washington at 5-1 for the Classic, while adding Dylan Thomas to the John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) list at 10-1.

George Washington, whose victories include the English Two Thousand Guineas and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (both group I), remains as the 6-4 favorite for the NetJets Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT).

"It would be a massive gamble to swerve the Breeders Cup Mile and go for the Classic," William Hill's Irish spokesman Tony Kenny. "Team Coolmore obviously want a Classic winner on their stallion books, so I'd imagine he wouldn't be a big price to take his chance. George Washington has been very well backed for the Mile, and was seen by many as the 'European banker' for the Breeders Cup meeting."

It would be ironic if George Washington does run in the Classic, having been bred by Roy and Gretchen Jackson, who own and bred Barbaro, the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) who is recovering from injuries sustained in the Preakness (gr. I). The Jacksons could be represented in the BC Turf or BC Mile by Showing Up, third in the Man o'War Stakes (gr. IT) in his last start.

Although George Washington, like Dylan Thomas, is a son of Danehill, and has a tail-female line that is all European, his dam is by Kentucky Derby and Preakness (both gr. I) winner Alysheba.

George Washington was purchased by Coolmore for $2,050,335 at the Tattersalls October yearling sale.