The BC Classic could potentially be one of the really great races of the decade after what was a lackluster 3yo crop this year, with of course the exception of Big Brown. None of these horses are definite yet, but this could potentially be the participants:

Big Brown
Casino Drive- the 'it' horse before the Belmont
Colonel John- takes to synthetics, won the Travers
Duke of Marmalade- the top European turf horse in the world right now (top horse in the world?)
Henrythenavigator
Curlin
Commentator- (ran biggest American race of 2008, IMO)
Zenyatta- top female in the world

None of these 8 are definite. The chances of the horses running roughly decrease as you go down the list. But man, what a race that would be!

Also- I don't think there's any plausible way to view the Curlin camp's ambivelance towards the BC Classic as anything other than an attempt to skirt facing top competition. Last year, Curlin was arguably the 3yo with the most to prove at this time. He won with a monster race on a horrible track. Since then, he's won some big races, but mostly against inferior competition. I think they're in full "avoid Big Brown, take the stud money and run" mode right now, which is really a shame.

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Fire Phil Emery

There are major concerns with Santa Anita's new surface and alot of owners (including Curlin and proud Spell's) are taking a wait and see approach about it. The pro-ride will be first tested in the upcoming weeks. I expect to see some declarations one way of the other soon.

By the way, nice to see Commentator ducking Curlin and running in the Mass Cap.

I know that's true, but the new surface is just as much of a question mark for BB, DofM, and all the rest as it is for Curlin. This wasn't my position a few months ago, but it is now: Big Brown is in the same class as Curlin, and if the two raced it would be a very evenly matched race. For all the talk of BB skipping Curlin, I just don't see it. So far, they've offered both 1.) the BC Classic, and 2.) the November Clark Handicap at Churchill. Curlin's camp offered a race that came obviously too soon off of BB's effort in the Haskell and the Gold Cup at a course (Belmont) they knew BB's connections would never accept. IMO, they're ducking him, not the other way around.

Also, true on the Commentator comment, but I think that's all part of why it's so important horses show up to the BC Classic. Maybe the purse needs to be bumped a few million. I don't know. But the incentive to race in the BC should be overwhelming.

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Fire Phil Emery

The thing about Curlin in my mind is that he has nothing to prove. Once he wins his next start, he'll pass Cigar on the all time money list. He's already won a BC Classic and four other grade 1's. Heck, if I was the owner, he be pumped ladied full of love by now.