After another stellar season, John Gosden is hoping to finish with a flourish through prolific winner Fanny Logan in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
The three-year-old has won her last four races, three at Listed level and a Group Three last time out.
She steps up markedly in grade at Santa Anita - but given her improvement of late, Gosden has been encouraged to roll the big dice.
"I think she's very much on an upward curve," he said.
"There's been a lot of improvement since we fitted her with a hood and dropped her back on the distance ladder and she deserves to take her chance."
.@FrankieDettori and Fanny Logan (@MakersMark Filly & Mare Turf contender) heading to the track.
— Breeders' Cup (@BreedersCup) October 30, 2019
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As ever in the turf races, the European challenge is strong, with Aidan O'Brien sending the consistent Fleeting, placed in a handful of Group Ones this season but without a win since the May Hill at Doncaster as a juvenile.
"Fleeting is a filly I have taken my time with and she's not quite enjoyed the rub of the green," said O'Brien.
"I thought she didn't get the best of runs behind Star Catcher at Ascot - it didn't work out for her that day, but she's very well and I think we can look forward to another good run from her."
His son Joseph fields Iridessa, a multiple Group One winner.
He said: "I've been delighted with Iridessa throughout the year, she's held her form really well, winning two good races in Ireland - the Pretty Polly and the Matron - and she again acquitted herself with credit when third in the Sun Chariot.
"She's travelled over well and I was pleased with the little spin she had on Thursday."
Richard Hannon has got last year's 1000 Guineas winner Billesdon Brook back to her best this season, although she needs to prove she can stay 10 furlongs.
Part-owner Janette McCreery said: "Sean (Levey) took the filly out to do some schooling through the gate, when she had to go through the procedure of the bell ringing and he said she was as cool as a cucumber, which is a very good sign."
Castle Lady is another strong European contender. The French Guineas winner was second in a Group One at Keeneland last time out.
Lisa-Jane Graffard told www.godolphin.com: "Castle Lady stayed out in Keeneland after her second in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup and travelled to Santa Anita last week. She has adapted really well to the surroundings and we couldn't be happier with her.
"There is a slight question mark over the distance, but it is an easy mile and a quarter around Santa Anita."
The one they all have to beat, though, is Chad Brown's Sistercharlie, last year's winner.
"As a sportsman we'd like to face the best field possible, so it's a shame that Magical was ill and couldn't run," said Brown.
"It definitely makes the race easier, but there's some other really nice fillies in there and she's going to have run a really good race to win.
"She gives me a great feel right now. Nothing ever surprises me in horse racing, but I'd be surprised if she didn't give a really good effort."
As Brown mentioned there is a big hole in O'Brien's team with Magical missing and as a result his best chance of a winner could be Circus Maximus in the Mile.
The St James's Palace and Prix du Moulin winner will need some Ryan Moore magic from stall nine.
"Circus Maximus is a lovely horse by Galileo, who benefited from a switch back in trip and that really made him come alive," said O'Brien.
"He's a lazy horse at home, but when he gets to the track he's completely different and can quicken up very well when he's running.
"I'm very happy with the team in general, and of course I'm looking forward to the meeting, as I always do."
James Tate's Hey Gaman, Richard Fahey's Space Traveller and the David O'Meara duo of Lord Glitters and Suedois are also in the European team.
Aidan O'Brien believes Investec Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck possesses the necessary tools to provide him with a record seventh victory in the Breeders' Cup Turf.
It is 17 years since the Ballydoyle handler first landed the prize with that season's Derby hero High Chaparral. The same horse dead-heated in 2003, and O'Brien has since added to his tally with St Nicholas Abbey (2011), Magician (2013), Found (2015) and Highland Reel (2016).
Following his Epsom triumph in early June, Anthony Van Dyck failed to reel in stablemate Sovereign when bidding to complete the Derby double at the Curragh and disappointed in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.
However, his third-placed finish behind esteemed stablemate Magical in the Irish Champion Stakes was a definite step in the right direction and O'Brien is delighted with how his charge has acclimatised to his new surroundings.
He said: "I'm very happy with him and the way he has come over here. If you look at his record this year, he just had one little blip on bad ground in the King George, when I shouldn't have run him.
"But he put in a great run, I thought, in the Irish Champion, and has been for a racecourse gallop at Dundalk since.
"I think the trip, ground and track are all good for him here at Santa Anita. The Turf was always a race that we thought would suit him as he likes nice ground."
O'Brien has a second string to his bow in Mount Everest, while British hopes are carried by the Charlie Appleby-trained Old Persian.
Winner of the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan in March, the four-year-old son of Dubawi has run only three times since - disappointing in the Coronation Cup at Epsom before finishing third in Germany and winning the Northern Dancer Stakes in Canada last month.
Appleby said: "It was always my plan to come straight here after Canada. He has a great spring in his step and is full of beans.
"He's by Dubawi, and as we all know, he's capable of anything. I respect the claims of Bricks And Mortar greatly, as well as Aidan O'Brien's horse, but Old Persian certainly won't look out of place in the field and I'm happy with gate 10."
Bricks And Mortar very much heads the home team for trainer Chad Brown.
The son of Giant's Causeway was winning his sixth race in succession when beating O'Brien's Magic Wand by little under a length in the Arlington Million on his latest outing, and now tests the water over a mile and a half for the first time.
"If he gets the mile and a half I think he's going to be tough (to beat). He's training great and he's really settled in his work, so I think he'll stay the mile and a half no problem," Brown told Sky Sports Racing.
In the Classic, Bob Baffert's McKinzie looks like going off favourite after a consistent season, although Mike Smith has been replaced after a defeat last time out.
"I thought I had to do something different, so I put Joel Rosario up," said Baffert.
"Every time he gets beat it's very frustrating because I think of my friend Brad McKinzie, who died of cancer at 62 in August 2017.
"It was very frustrating to lose the Met Mile because he was so good that day. I really don't blame Mike Smith that much, as he had to make a decision there and he made the wrong one.
"I just want the horse to show up. There's a lot on the line. There's championships on the line. There is Horse of the Year on the line.
"That's the beauty of the Breeders' Cup. They are going to give out lots of championships this weekend, I just hope that some of mine are on that list."
