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The year-old grass course at Monmouth Park might make it difficult to handicap the four turf races over the two-day Breeders' Cup spectacular starting Oct. 26.

On that Friday, the new Juvenile Turf contest will be staged at a mile for all 2-year-olds no matter their gender.

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The following Saturday, three of the eight races will be on the grass course. "It was redone in '06," said Paul Grimm, editor of the Oceanport Racing Report.

"A new drainage system and base with new sod was installed along with a new innovative five-furlong turf chute," he said. "Depending on who you talk to the grass does or doesn't drain any better, but the strip is seven furlongs and the turns are tight."

Grimm knows Monmouth well. "I have been through all the charts for 2007," he said. "In mile races, outside posts are at a big disadvantage. There were a couple of new course records at this meet (including 1 3/8 miles, the BC Filly and Mare Turf distance on Oct. 27), but most were broken last year as the new grass was faster than the old surface.

"Although when they run the Monmouth meet the heat can tend to bake the course. It gets very firm if we don't get rain, but will play more honest than the dirt as far as speed is concerned.

"The grass held up extremely well and stayed green all summer. They managed to use the entire course with the portable rail so it did not get abused and was actually in very good condition at the end of the meet although we did finish a few weeks earlier this year."

Grimm ought to know. "I have worked here when I was a college student so I have a pretty good feel for its condition."

During this year's meeting that ran from May 12 through Sept. 2, only 17 percent of winners in 108 turf routes led from start to finish. The best place to be: inside.

"English Channel and Better Talk Now have been successful over this course and the American contingent will probably have an advantage here especially if the turf is firm," he pointed out.

On July 7, English Channel won the Grade 1 United Nations at 1 3/8 miles on the grass by a length over Honey Ryder while Better Talk Now finished third another two lengths back in third.

Honey Ryder most likely will run in the BC Filly & Turf. Top contenders in the 1 ½-mile BC Turf are English Channel, 2 for 2 at Monmouth, and Better Talk Now, 1-1-1 in 4 outings at the track.

Two other likely contenders have hit the board on the Monmouth grass: Red Giant, winner by a nose in the one-mile Restoration Stakes on June 17, and 9-year-old The Tin Man, who ran second in a race several years back.

"Monmouth will use the one mile dirt course and the seven-eighths grass course for Breeders' Cup racing," he added. "I don't expect to see the five-furlong turf chute used on BC days, but maybe on Wednesday and Thursday (Oct. 24-25."

There were only 21 sprints staged on the grass during the regular meeting, with 33 percent of the winners leading all the way.

Five BC races will be routes on the main track and probably won't be dominated by speed like in the sprints. However, front-runners did do well during 75 afternoons of the regular meeting.

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In one-mile races, wire-to-wire winners in 80 contests numbered 25 percent. Horses leading at every call of 78 races at a mile and 70 yards did better -- 35 percent.

"I don't know how much the summer condition plays in October because we have never run this late on this strip in a year," Grimm said. "I'm not aware whether the track management will alter the main track to add dirt or not.

"If the track becomes deeper I would have to think that would negate some speed, but we will have to wait and see. The earlier (Wednesday and Thursday) cards before Friday and Saturday should give us an indication."