Marion County well represented at Breeders' Cup

"ARCADIA, Calif. — About 160 horses will race in Friday and Saturday's 30th Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita Park. But before coming to Arcadia, Calif., more than a third once called Marion County home.

Five Breeders' Cup races will run Friday, with $5.5 million in guaranteed purses and nine races will run Saturday with $19.5 million in purse money. The two days will be the richest in horse racing.

The county's connections run the gamut, from morning-line favorites Game On Dude in Saturday's climactic Classic and Friday's Royal Delta favorite in the Distaff to 30-1 longshot All Cash in the Juvenile Turf race Friday afternoon.

Marion County's trainers also cover the spectrum.

Trainer Eddie Woods, born in County Meath, Ireland, now lives in Ocala and has connections to seven horses in the two days of racing.

Former jockey Juvenal Diaz, born in Aqua Caliente, Mexico, has a connection with lone entry Gentlemen's Bet in the Breeders' Cup Sprint Saturday. This is the first time Diaz's small Ocala breeding and training operation has produced a horse good enough to enter one of the wealthiest two days of racing."