BREEDERS’ CUP RACE AT A GLANCE

* Race: Sprint.

* Purse: $1 million.

* Distance: Six furlongs.

* Track Record: 1:07 1/5, by Sunny Blossom in 1989.

* Pre-entry field: Alydeed, Apelia, Birdonthewire, Cardmania, Catrail, Demaloot Demashoot, Fly So Free, Gilded Time, Gold Spring, Meafara, Music Merci, Sayyedati, Surprise Offer, Thirty Slews. ( Also eligible: Monde Bleu, Now Listen, Binalong, Wild Harmony, Anjiz, Kashani, Superstrike, Harlan, Arches Of Gold, Cargo, Plantagenet.)

* Probable Favorite: Birdonthewire.

* Record of Favorites: One winner in nine runnings (Eillo, 1984).

* Average $2 Win Payoff: $25.20.

* Race Analysis: Very Subtle won the Breeders’ Cup Sprint the last time the event was held in California, easily outrunning heavily favored Groovy early to win by four lengths at Hollywood Park in 1987. Meafara could duplicate that feat against a field that is probably the weakest in the race’s history and make up for her loss at 13-1 in Breeders’ Cup IX. What makes the 4-year-old daughter of Meadowlake so attractive, besides her front-running ability--a prerequisite for success in California sprints--is that she is now being trained by Gary Jones. Not many, if any, trainers are better than Jones at getting a horse prepared for a specific race and Meafara will be cranked up for her best effort. She has trained exceptionally well for her local debut and showed her quality in this race last year at Gulfstream Park. She had a 2 1/2-length lead with a furlong to run, but Thirty Slews wore her down. Still, she finished three lengths ahead of Rubiano, who wound up winning the Eclipse Award as the nation’s top sprinter. Thirty Slews is back to defend his title and his recent workouts have been sharp. However, regular rider Eddie Delahoussaye chose to ride Cardmania and that alone should tell a handicapper to look elsewhere. Delahoussaye is a keen judge. Cardmania is an intriguing longshot, even though his victory in the Ancient Title two weeks ago was his first victory in 18 starts. The 7-year-old Cox’s Ridge gelding likes the track--he has three victories, two seconds and two thirds in nine tries at Santa Anita--and he showed more early speed last time, suggesting he won’t be too far off the pace. Music Merci, a 7-year-old gelding, has overcome a lot of physical problems and is the first horse to go five years between Breeders’ Cup appearances. He finished fourth, behind Is It True, Easy Goer and Tagel, in the 1988 Juvenile. Fly So Free’s workouts have been drawing raves, but he has disappointed often and has won only three of his last 15. Birdonthewire has a three-race winning streak but scored one of those victories in the Vosburgh, which, historically, has guaranteed defeat in the Breeders’ Cup.