BREEDERS’ CUP RACE AT A GLANCE

* Race: Classic.

* Purse: $3 million.

* Distance: 1 1/4 miles.

* Track record: 1:57 4/5, by Spectacular Bid in 1980.

* Pre-entry field: Arcanques, Bertrando, Best Pal, Brunswick, Colonial Affair, Devil His Due, Ezzoud, Hernando, Kissin Kris, Marquetry, Miner’s Mark, Missionary Ridge, Peteski, Wallenda. (Also eligible: Diazo, Grand Jewel, Pleasant Tango.)

* Probable favorite: The entry of Bertrando, Marquetry and Missionary Ridge.

* Record of favorites: Three winners in nine runnings (Ferdinand, 1987; Alysheba, 1988; A.P. Indy, 1992).

* Average $2 win payoff: $18.

* Race analysis: If Bertrando is to win the Classic, he is going to have to do something only one of the first nine Classic winners has done.

Two years ago, Black Tie Affair led every step of the way and he is the only wire-to-wire winner in the history of the Breeders’ Cup’s richest race.

The victory earned the gray horse-of-the-year honors, and a victory Saturday would probably do the same for Bertrando.

Black Tie Affair was able to get away with very soft fractions when he won because eventual runner-up Twilight Agenda wasn’t allowed to utilize his speed.

In winning the Pacific Classic at Del Mar and the Woodward at Belmont, Bertrando has gone right to the front, taking advantage of a speed-biased track in the Pacific Classic and the sloppy going he relishes in the Woodward.

Even though he has won at 1 1/4 miles, the Classic distance, it still isn’t his best distance. He showed he could handle it at Del Mar, but he was beaten in the Strub Stakes and the Santa Anita Handicap earlier in the year. However, he was probably slowed down too much early in those races rather than being allowed to roll as he was by Gary Stevens in his last two victories.

Besides Bertrando, trainer Bobby Frankel will have two other weapons--Marquetry and Missionary Ridge--and the three horses will race as an entry, eliminating any value.

Frankel has promised Marquetry will be allowed to run his best race, which is to be up with the lead. Other times the 6-year-old and Bertrando have run against each other, Marquetry has been taken back, compromising his chances.

Missionary Ridge will come from behind and he finished well to be second in the Pacific Classic.

Best Pal proved nothing in the California Cup Classic except he was much better than his overmatched rivals, but the Pacific Classic, where he was third, wasn’t a true gauge, either. He had to run contrary to his style that day, challenging Bertrando earlier than he would have liked. A legitimate and contested pace could lead him into the winner’s circle.

As for the others, Devil His Due has tailed off, Diazo will improve with Lasix after racing without it when last in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, and Kissin Kris, a 3-year-old who hasn’t won since Feb. 7, has trained very well at Santa Anita and may wake up on this track.

Travers winner Brunswick wrenched an ankle during a workout Thursday at Aqueduct and will not run.