Paddington’s loss, a 35 1/4-length one to be exact, is the Breeders’ Cup’s gain. One of the best milers in Europe – some would say no qualifier is required, that Paddington is the best – probably would have been retired or given a break until 2024 had he run to expectations last Saturday in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot Racecourse in England. He decidedly did not. Seeking to end Paddington’s season, if not his career, on a more pleasing note, his connections pre-entered Paddington in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. Sixteen others were pre-entered in the $2 million Mile, including four more Europeans – Kelina, Sauterne, Master of The Seas, and Mawj – and two Japan-based horses, the excellent Songline and the lesser Win Carnelian. Sauterne was withdrawn after pre-entries were taken. Two of the shortest-priced domestic horses on Brad Free’s early morning line for Daily Racing Form, In Italian in the Filly and Mare Turf and Up to the Mark in the Turf, are expected to start in other Breeders’ Cup races. That leaves Casa Creed at 8-1 as the shortest-priced American. Casa Creed is a 7-year-old, and trainer Bill Mott, who won the 2016 BC Mile at Santa Anita with Tourist, believes the horse is better now than when he finished seventh in the 2021 Mile at Del Mar. With the two expected defections and 14 runners permitted, More Than Looks, the first alternate, is all but certain to make the final field. Masteroffoxhounds, the second alternate, has first preference in the Turf but is an alternate for that race and might not make the field, which could push him into the Mile. Behind him in order of preference are Lucky Score and Astronomer. :: DRF Breeders' Cup Packages on sale now! Get everything you need to win and save up to 32% off the retail price.  The last seven Miles at Santa Anita have produced four American-trained wins – Uni, Tourist, and Wise Dan twice – and three Europeans, all from France – longshot Karakontie won in 2014, the great Goldikova in 2008-09. Kelina has the same owners as Goldikova, Alain and Gerard Wertheimer, and won the Group 1 Prix de la Foret in her last start, the same race Goldikova used as a BC Mile prep on three occasions. Kelina is a much better horse on firm turf than on soft. Mawj and Master of The Seas campaign for Godolphin, and both have raced already in North America. Master of The Seas, trained by Charlie Appleby, won the Woodbine Mile and was nipped on the wire by Up to the Mark in the Coolmore Turf Mile on Oct. 7 at Keeneland, where Master of The Seas has been training. Appleby, Godolphin, and jockey William Buick won the Mile in 2021 with Space Blues and last year with Modern Games. Three-year-old filly Mawj, trained by Saeed bin Suroor, beat top-class Tahiyra in the 1000 Guineas this past May and wasn’t seen again until she won the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup on Oct. 14 at Keeneland. Though that race is restricted to 3-year-old fillies, Mawj is no Mile outsider. :: BREEDERS’ CUP 2023: See DRF’s special section with top contenders, odds, comments, news, and more for each division Songline, a 5-year-old mare, is one of Japan’s top milers and has captured the Group 1 Yasuda Kinen over one mile at Tokyo Racecourse two years in a row. Chad Brown trained the last Santa Anita BC Mile winner, the mare Uni, and has a live chance with 4-year-old filly Gina Romantica, who ran down In Italian to win the Grade 1 First Lady on Oct. 7 at Keeneland. Three-year-old Paddington, a seven-time winner from 10 starts, reeled off four straight Group 1s this past spring and summer. The last of those was the Group 1 Sussex Stakes, run over a challengingly wet course at Goodwood, but from all appearances he could not cope with an Ascot course rated soft and trending toward heavy. Trainer Aidan O’Brien attributed Paddington’s ninth-place finish to the colt pulling too hard, but that alone wouldn’t account for such a bad loss. O’Brien said Paddington was too fresh coming back from a two-month layoff and would improve from the Ascot start. It will take a trip to California to see if that’s true. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.