I gave my thoughts on the race earlier but did not put in specific picks. A few thoughts here, not worth much:
--- Classic is one of the wide open races
--- Historically won by American riders/horses
Only 2 ways to go here: PICK a HORSE. or. PICK a JOCKEY (some say this is a rider's race).
PICK A JOCKEY: Jose, Irad, JJ and Prat. They are intimately familiar with how each other rides, day in and day out. They know how each other judges pace, etc. With JJ out, you can superstitiously go with with Johnny V, since when another jock defects he seems to make magic (Animal Kingdom, Shackleford). Or Lemaire, the top jockey in Japan from 2017-2021, he clinched that title on Almond Eye... or Dettori.
PICK A HORSE: the harder task; I always prefer a G1 winner to win a G1 race. I prefer horses never lasixed for any career race which would include Arabian Knight, Ushba Tesoro, Derma Sotogake, Zandon.
White Abarrio - postponed a work earlier last week (sore foot/feet?) and then miraculously puts in a killer work on Friday
Zandon - always shows up but not always as the winner. Hasn't won a G1 since the Blue Grass in 2022
Missed the Cut - pedigree and performance say a Marathoner/12F horse. Wrong race for him here. I included in my longshots but moreso for the exotics so I'm going to go and change that now.
Derma Sotogake - only horse out of all the KY Derby runners (including the ones who scratched out) who entered the Classic. Before the Derby he even caputured some props from Beyer who has traditionally been cool on foreign horses for the KY Derby, because he seems to have a more typical "American dirt" running style. 182 days off has some raising eyebrows. Keeps Lemaire, and trainer would not bring him here if there was anything wrong with him. I did not like him for the Derby because UAE winners never win that one, but I don't mind him here.
Saudi Crown - won the G1 Pennsylvania Derby. Could be a pace casualty if he hooks up in a speed duel. Has the speed and late pace to figure. Also depend s on how high you hold the Pennsylvania Derby in your estimation.
Clapton - maybe a musician can write a song about him. Album cover photo only.
Dreamlike - Has not won a G1, but for whatever reason, take note: some of these Candy Rides seem to emerge from their cocoons in the Fall after all the TC races. (Il Miracolo in the Smarty Jones at Parx; Geaux Rocket Ride in the Haskell). And the presence of Tapit (as it was for Arcangelo) may mean something here. Gets one of the riders I listed above but has never run 1-1/4.
Ushba Tesoro - the newest Japanese darling, Orfevre (JPN) and King Kamehameha influences cannot be ignored, he moves beautifully over the track, takes corners like a german race car and has a turn of foot. Runs late so keeps everyone on edge of seat. However, rider has little experience at all here except at Del Mar with Loves Only You. That worries me. And, this will be the horse's 1st race outside of Japan as well except for Dubai. His last win at Funbashi and prep for this was only at 1800m.
But here's a note: back when Mandarin Hero came here from the NAR circuit, the US racing press seemed intent on mentioning that NAR was Japan's "second tier track", every single time his name was brought up. Comedic, because NAR is predominantly a dirt track (so by repeatedly saying this, it's like they were going along with the thought that "dirt racing" anywhere else in the world is "2nd tier". ) But I remembered Marche Lorraine (also an Orfevre) who I backed in the 2021 Distaff at about 50-1 and won. Her race before this was at Mombestu, a G2 Listed race on the NAR circuit.
Interesting how this year seems intent on stressing that Ushba Tesorro's win to get into the BC was a "a G2 event on the NAR second-tier circuit".
I googled it for all 3 horses every way I could think of. Although back in Sept they were mentioning how NAR was a 2nd tier track when Ushba first got a BC berth.
I have some big knocks against him though. 6 year olds have never won the Classic that I'm aware of? His rider is top notch though in Japan and has shown he can win here. (Loves Only You at Delmar).
Senor Buscador - have had him in my virtual stable since his maiden race at Remington in 2020 so been with him for a long time. A hardy sort, family 23-b so a lot to like, damsire is same as Peppers Pride who was undefeated. But I think he's a cut below for the Classic and has already shown that when asked to run 1-1/4.
Bright Future - another Pletcher, only wins on Lasix it seems. Gets JV. The Ortiz brothers will outride him IMHO.
Proxy - no thoughts on this horse, won the G1 Clark but that was back in '22 and Rosario is kinda "cold" lately. Have just never been a proxy fan.
Arabian Knight - not sure about post 12, but may keep him from getting into a speed duel on the front. In his home state but has not run ont eh SA track. with trainer who wins this race, but inherits the place of Chalk with the scratch of Arcangelo.
I googled it for all 3 horses every way I could think of. Although back in Sept they were mentioning how NAR was a 2nd tier track when Ushba first got a BC berth. 
