2011 Melbourne Cup

Update: Dunaden wins! More info here.

The $6.175 million (Australian, about $6.4 million US) Emirates Melbourne Cup (G1) is the world's most famous 2 mile race, and is the "Race That Stops a Nation", as millions of Australians tune into the race on the first Tuesday in November, on television and on radio, as up to 24 runners contest the 3200 meters (about 2 miles) on the turf at Flemington Racecourse, under handicap conditions, before crowds of up to 120,000. The race was originally run at 2 miles but when Australia converted to the metric system, the 1972 running was the first contested at its current 3200 meters. The Melbourne Cup is to Australia what the Kentucky Derby is to America.

The already famous race earned an even larger international following in 2005, when mare Makybe Diva became the only three-time winner of the race of either gender, after already setting the record as the only mare to win it twice. After the third win, her trainer Lee Freedman said, "Go and find the youngest child on the course, because that's the only person here who will have a chance of seeing this happen again in their lifetime." She was promptly retired after the race and had a colt by English Derby winner Galileo in 2007, and then a filly by Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus in 2008. Other than Makybe Diva, the race's most famous winner is Phar Lap, who captured the 1930 running, the highlight of a career when he won 32 of 35 starts. In 2006, Delta Blues became the first Japanese trained horse to capture the famous three-handled loving cup, with Pop Rock completing the all-Japan exacta. Last year Americain won the Melbourne Cup, the first win for jockey Gerald Mosse and trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre. The current stakes record time is 3:16.30 set by Kingston Rule in 1990.

Post positions were drawn on Saturday and a maximum field of 24 was entered for the 2011 running of the Melbourne Cup on November 1st. The 3-1 morning line favorite is defending champion Americain, who wears the #1 saddlecloth as the 128 lb highweight but drew post 15. He has only 2 victories since last year's Cup, including the Moonee Valley Cup last out. Regular rider Gerald Mosse gets the call for trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre. In to challenge him include two horses at 6-1 second choice, fellow French invader Dunaden, off his win in the Geelong Cup, and drew post 13 as the 3 horse, and Lucas Cranach, formerly based in Germany but now in the barn of Anthony Freedman, fifth in the Caulfield Cup last out.

The full field with program numbers and post positions is listed below and North American style past performances are available at Australianracing.com. Australian form information for each horse is available here by clicking the horse's name under "Fields & Form." Note that in the North American pool, horses 20-24 are the mutuel field as one betting interest.

The Melbourne Cup is carded as race 7 of a 10 race card at Flemington on Tuesday, November 1, going to post at 3 PM local time. Racing fans in North America can watch the race at simulcast locations on Monday night, October 31, with the Cup going off at 11:00 PM ET.

• 2011 Melbourne Cup Information - Click on "Fields & Form" the "Emirates Melbourne Cup" to list all the horses running where each horse name links to detailed info about that horse including his past races and pedigree.
• Free past performances - for the 2011 Melbourne Cup card plus handicapping tips from AustralianRacing.com.
• Racing Victoria - home of the Melbourne Cup
• 2011 Melbourne Cup Information - History, stats, and more. Will include all the horses running where each horse name links to detailed info about that horse including his past races and pedigree.
• Melbourne Cup official site - Everything you could want to know about the race from who is running to history.
• Here comes the Melbourne Cup - A nice overview from Larry Rivera the About.com guide to Australia for Visitors.
• Past Melbourne Cup Winners - With jockey, trainer, owner, and winning time for each year. Many of the horses also link to profiles as well.
• Melbourne Cup History - A look at the history of Australia's biggest race of the year, first run in 1861.
• Melbourne Cup Facts and Stats - Interesting facts and trivia about the Melbourne Cup.
• History of the Trophy - A look back at the various trophies used over the years at the Melbourne Cup up to the current three-handled one.
• Australian Racing - Lots of info including free program pages with past performances when available, handicapping contest, trivia, analysis of contenders, and where to wager in the US. Photos and possibly video after the race is over. Aimed at the US simulcast market.
• The Race That Stops a Nation - An interesting article about the Melbourne Cup from Highflyer International.
• Phar Lap: Australia's Wonder Horse - lots of photos and info about Phar Lap from the Museum Victoria.
• Review: Melbourne Cup 1930 - How Phar Lap Won Australia's Greatest Race by Geoff Armstrong and Peter Thompson. Covers the four intense days preceding the infamous race, during which time a drive-by shooting was attempted after morning workouts.
• 2008 Melbourne Cup results - won by Viewed, the 12th Melbourne Cup victory for his trainer Bart Cummings
• 2007 Melbourne Cup results - won by Efficient, the first Victoria Derby winner in 50 years to also win the Cup.
• More Melbourne Cup links