Grand Prairie, TX (Sportsbooks) - Former Horse of the Year Azeri will run against the boys Saturday in the Breeders' Cup Classic.
Trainer D. Wayne Lukas made the announcement on Tuesday, deciding to send his six-year-old mare into the $4 million Classic instead of the Distaff at Lone Star Park. She was pre-entered in both races last week.
"This is Texas hold 'em," Lukas said Tuesday at the kickoff luncheon in Dallas. "We're all in."
Azeri won the Distaff in 2002 on her way to Horse of the Year honors, but missed last year's Breeders' Cup because of an illness.
"We're going to swing for the fences," Lukas said. "She's already won the Distaff. We're going to see if we can do something that hasn't been done before."
Only two other females have run in the 1 1/4 mile Classic. Triptych finished sixth in 1986 and Jolypha was third in 1992.
In her first start against males, Azeri finished eighth in the Met Mile on May 31 at Belmont Park.
The Classic could be the final race of Azeri's brilliant career. She has won 17 of her 23 career starts, with four runner-up finishes, and has earned nearly $4 million for the Allen Paulson Living Trust.
The post position draw will be held Wednesday and Azeri figures to face a tough field that is likely to include Belmont Stakes champion Birdstone, 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Funny Cide, and defending Classic champ Pleasantly Perfect.
Azeri went six furlongs in 1:13 2/5 on October 20 at Churchill Downs in her only work since capturing the Spinster Stakes by three lengths on October 10 at Keeneland. The Spinster was her third Grade I win in seven starts this year.
