Mike Smith has picked up the mount on Yoshida for the Breeders' Cup Classic, essentially swapping mounts with Joel Rosario, who had ridden Yoshida in his last two starts but is replacing Smith on McKinzie for the $6 million race on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita.

Both Smith's agent, Brad Pegram, and Bill Mott, the trainer of Yoshida, confirmed the news.

Yoshida most recently was third in the Woodward at Saratoga and has remained at Saratoga to train. He is scheduled to fly to California on Sunday and will have his final Breeders' Cup work at Santa Anita, Mott said.

McKinzie was second most recently in the Awesome Again, after which his trainer, Bob Baffert, said a change would be made. Rosario was announced as McKinzie's rider last week.