Catalina Cruiser: Lean or fade? With or against? Love or hate? That's probably the central question regarding the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. Catalina Cruiser (to not coin a phrase) is unbeaten and untested. He has a lot of rep as a machine in the morning and has blown everyone away in the afternoon. He also is a very short price today. I don't have a problem with trainer John Sadler running here after a long break, but it's fair to wonder if CC's brilliance has been enhanced by whipping weak competition every step of the way. He's also on a new surface and facing a more challenging race flow than ever before. Can he win? Sure, but I have to be against him at the price.

I prefer another SoCal invader, City of Light, to win this race. He beat Accelerate at Oaklawn and has had a very ambitious and diverse campaign, and should relish the one-turn mile. I'll try to get either Seeking the Soul, Firenze Fire, or Giant Expectations into the second hole in the exacta and trifecta. And if Catalina Cruiser is that good, I'll tip my cap.