Above, trainer Aidan O'Brien talks about Mastercraftsman. 

by Mark Simon

A mile on dirt is an iconic American race, so it is ironic that a foreign-based horse is the strong morning-line favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Santa Anita Park on November 7.

Well, in actuality, the Dirt Mile is not really a race at a mile on dirt. It is a race at a flat mile on the synthetic Pro-Ride surface. This will be third running of the Dirt Mile, and it has yet to be held as a flat mile on dirt. The first edition was contested at 1 1/16 miles on a sloppy track at Monmouth Park, and last year’s race was also held at Santa Anita.

The 2009 edition will feature the first foreign-based horse to ever start in the race. But this is no ordinary horse.

Mastercraftsman (Ire), trained by Aidan O’Brien, has competed successfully at the highest level in England and Ireland this year. The three-year-old Danehill Dancer colt is a classic winner in Ireland at mile, taking the Boylesports.com Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1), and also won the St. James’s Palace Stakes (Eng-G1) at a mile. Most recently, he won the 1 5/16-mile Diamond Stakes (Ire-G3) on the Polytrack surface at Dundalk on October 2. All three of his losses this year came to European superstar Sea The Stars.

“He’s a very classy colt, and his best race [last year] was at six furlongs,” said O’Brien, who had not had a Breeders’ Cup winner in six years until Man of Iron's victory in the Marathon on Friday. “His forte is speed.”

The principal threat to Mastercraftsman probably will come from Midshipman, who won the Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and a championship last year. He is training well after being injured this spring. He won his return to the races in September and he has shown a fondness for the Pro-Ride surface.

One to watch is Santa Anita Derby (G1) runner-up Chocolate Candy, who has been training well at Santa Anita and is primed for a big effort.

Mark Simon is president of Thoroughbred Times