ARCADIA, California, (Reuters)  – Kentucky Derby  champion Mine That Bird is primed to pull off another shocker in  the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, trainer Chip Woolley said yesterday.

Mine That Bird was an unheralded three-year-old gelding when  he whipped the Derby field at a 1 1/4 miles, the same distance  as today’s Classic at Santa Anita Park.

“This horse is supposed to go a mile-and-a-quarter,” Woolley  told Reuters. “These mile-and-an-eighth races, it makes it a  little tougher on him.”

Mine That Bird has not reached the winner’s circle since his  stunning Derby upset but has raced at almost every distance but  his preferred 1 1/4 miles.

In his final prep before the Classic, the Kentucky-bred son  of Birdstone finished sixth at the Grade I Goodwood Stakes at  Santa Anita at a mile-and-an-eighth.

“People don’t give him nearly enough credit for his last  outing,” Woolley said. “He made up eight lengths in the stretch  against a really, really slow pace. There won’t be that slow  pace this time.”

The undefeated five-year-old mare Zenyatta is the early 5-2  favorite in the 13-horse Classic field and could become the  first female to win North America’s richest race.

“I’m not going to say it’s the best field but it could be  the deepest Classic field ever,” Woolley said. “Who would have  dreamed you’d get 10 Grade I winners from the current year in  one race together? It’s unbelievable.”

Since winning the Derby with Calvin Borel, Mine That Bird  has alternated between Borel and Mike Smith in the irons. Borel  gets the call Saturday since his regular mount, Rachel  Alexandra, will not be running. Smith will ride Zenyatta.

Mine That Bird, currently rated a 12-1 chance for today’s  showdown, likes to come off the pace but needs a clean trip to  reach the winner’s circle.

During the Preakness, his path in the stretch was blocked,  while at the Belmont Stakes, Borel cut him loose too early.

During a third-place finish at the Grade II West Virginia  Derby in August, it was Smith’s turn to get over-anxious.

“In West Virginia, he didn’t run his race and Mikey didn’t  run Mine That Bird’s race,” the trainer said.