Football Echo: Horse Power: Americans hold the upper hand; Euros face rare Breed.

Byline: MIKE TORPEY: YOU CAN PUT YOUR SHIRT ON HIM

IT'S a brave punter who wades in with the European contingent in tonight's Breeders' Cup at Lone Star Park, Texas.

The distance, climate, type of track and -- for those running in dirt races -- unfamiliar surface, all work in favour of the American horses at the Dallas series in which every race is worth at least a million dollars.

I would love to see dual Oaks heroine Ouija Board storm home in the Filly & Mare Turf for Lord Derby, but she's a skinny 7/4.

Her fast-finishing third in the Arc four weeks ago shows she's capable of punching outside her division -- something US-trained fillies are rarely asked to do. But she faces a tough task, despite boasting higher class form than any of her rivals.

Irish raider Powerscourt should put up a decent show in the Turf race on the strength of the majority of his efforts this season, together with the improved recent form of trainer Aidan O'Brien.

But he may just have to give best to Kitten's Joy, who has got the Americans waxing lyrical. Here are are just a few of their remarks over various runners during the past few days.

``A super freak, super freak, he's super freaky, '' Daily Racing Form expert Mike Watchmaker summarises the prospects of Kitten's Joy in the Turf.

``This horse is so good that he almost has mystical powers, '' Kitten's Joy again, this time the three year -old's owner Ken Ramsey.

``She's been working so smoothly that I've had to put flour down on the gallops to make sure that she's actually touching the ground, '' D Wayne Lukas looking forward to Azeri running in the Classic.

``We're in the land of Texas hold'em and we're going all in with our queen, '' Lukas again, announcing his intention to switch Azeri from the Distaff to the Classic.

``We've never had much fun in the shallow end so we're going to jump into the deep end and see what happens, '' Lukas on the same theme.

``As my old daddy used to say, `Ladies first, except when climbing ladders', '' Ramsey, asked for his views on Azeri's addition to the Classic field.

``Edgar Prado's a great jockey. When he's riding on the track nobody's his friend, '' trainer Nick Zito.

``I think the most open race at the meeting is the Juvenile. Bob Baffert's horse has been the subject of a lot of hype. In fact, Bob's so good at spin he ought to be working for the Bush campaign, '' Lukas once more, referring to Juvenile favourite Roman Ruler. n My own `best bets' for the meeting are 2003 Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide in the Breeders' Cup Classic and the Frenchtrained Six Perfections, who attempts a double in the Mile. n The Breeders' Cup will be screened live on both the Racing UK and free Attheraces channels from 5. 30pm.