Pharaoh tipped to bow out on top at Breeders' Cup

The 31st Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday - one of 13 races across the weekend - will be a farewell for Triple Crown champion American Pharaoh, who is set to race for one final time in his career.

American Pharaoh is attempting to become the first horse to win a 'grand slam' - the three Triple Crown races and the Breeders' Cup Classic - the richest event in American horse racing, with $5million up for grabs out of a total of $24.5m in prize money over the two days in Keeneland.

The three-year-old horse will be retired to Coolmore Stud in Kentucky next year, and owner Ahmed Zayat is hoping to bow out on a high.

"It's sad but it's exciting," Zayat said. "He's a happy, healthy horse, look at him. He knows us. His unbelievable persona, it's grand.

"He is so kind; he's a beautiful horse. We're happy that he's healthy, and that he goes off in his grand finale."

Zayat added: "It's a Cinderella story. For us it's the horse of a lifetime, and the one thing I'm most proud of is that he excited all of us, he changed this sport, and he changed all our lives, hopefully for the better."

European top miler Gleneagles will be Pharaoh's main challenger, with Honor Code, Keen Ice and Tonalist also set to be competitive.

Golden Horn, the Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner, will be lining up in Saturday's Breeders' Cup Turf and is odds on to become the first horse to complete the double.

Five Arc winners have competed in the Turf a few weeks later but none have tasted victory with only one, Trempolino in 1987, finishing in the first three.

Rain has been forecast during the week but there is little or no rain expected on Saturday.