The Breeders’ Cup World Championship races at Keeneland on Friday and Saturday live up to their name with many of the world’s best runners on hand, including the runaway top two — Golden Horn and American Pharoah.
Golden Horn, almost-undefeated winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and the Epsom Derby, is the star in a galaxy of fine European runners and heavy favorite for the $3 million Turf. U.S. Triple Crown winner American Pharoah faces challenges from all sides in the $5 million Classic.
The festivities take on a new flavor this year as the Breeders’ Cup comes for the first time to Keeneland — the “mothership” of American racing, nestled in the heart of the scenic Bluegrass and surrounded by many of the top U.S. breeding farms. Many of those properties, of course, now are owned by top international breeders..
The powerful European contingent gives jockey Frankie Dettori a chance to put an emphatic exclamation point on one of the best years a jockey has enjoyed in many a fortnight. Four of his five mounts are either favorite or second-favorite on the British books with Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Golden Horn apparently unassailable in the Turf on Saturday. “It’s the Breeders’ Cup and every race is hard to win,” Dettori was quoted by Racing Post earlier this week. “But I’m going there with some good chances.” We’ll see how good those chances are as the calendar turns from October to November.
If you can’t get to the track in person, remember the radio home of the Breeders’ Cup is Horse Racing Radio Network (www.horseracingradio.net or through www.breederscup.com). And for thoughtful thoughts on the races, www.popejude.com.
Let’s start from the end and work backward. They’re all Grade I events.
$5 million Classic, 1 1/4 miles
American Pharoah won eight straight races, including the U.S. Triple Crown, before bowing reluctantly to Keen Ice in the Grade I Travers at Saratoga in August. Trainer Bob Baffert has his star rested now and ready for his final race. He will face Keen Ice again, along with Frosted, who was third in the Travers. But the greater threat might come from the Aidan O’Brien-trained invader, Gleneagles. However, Gleneagles has needed good to firm turf in the past to who his best stuff and, while heavy rain fell earlier in the week, the main track likely will be fast for Gleneagles’ first attempt to compete over a surface he can’t eat. Super mare Beholder was to have been a third major player in this event but was scratched late Thursday morning after bleeding during a workout — a major loss for the race. She likely would have presented some pace company for American Pharoah, who will start from gate No. 4 under Victor Espinoza with Gleneagles and Ryan Moore just to his outside. There are some potential upsetters in the field besides Keen Ice and Frosted. Tonalist was an easy winner of the Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup in his last race and appears to be peaking. Honor Code won the Grade I Met Mile and the Grade I Whitney this summer. And those looking for a long shot could consider Smooth Roller. The 4-year-old has won three of his four career starts, most recently the Grade I Awesome Again at Santa Anita. If nothing else, he could provide a pace problem for American Pharoah and Beholder and provide some hope for the come-from-behind types. It should be a fitting finale to the Breeders’ Cup races.
$3 million Turf, 1 1/2 miles
Question: Can an Illinois-bred defeat the winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the Irish Champion Stakes, the Coral-Eclipse and the Epsom Derby? We’ll find out when The Pizza Man, winner of the Grade I Arlington Million, takes on Golden Horn and 10 others in this showdown. The Pizza Man, a 6-year-old gelding by English Channel, has been at his best on the Arlington Park greensward. But he demonstrated he’s not a one-track horse by producing a quite satisfying second-place effort at Keeneland in the Grade I Shadwell Turf Mile in his last outing — a too-short prep for this race. Trainer Roger Brueggemann has him locked and loaded. He will need to be all of that, given the competition. Of course, there are others besides Golden Horn — chief among them, Big Blue Kitten from the U.S. team and Found among the Euros. Big Blue Kitten has been ultra consistent since finishing a close eighth in the 2013 Turf, with nine of 10 exacta finishes. Found, from Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien’s powerful stable, is a 3-year-old filly who has knocked heads with the best of her generation, including a second behind Golden Horn in the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes. The international flavor continues with Ordak Dan, who comes from Argentina after qualifying for the Turf with a victory in the Group 1 25 de Mayo at San Isidro. Among the others: Slumber has jumped up to win against the likes of these; Da Big Hoss could figure in the outcome at Da Big Price; Twilight Eclipse was eclipsed last year by Main Sequence and this year by Big Blue Kitten but you never know; Cage Fighter, Big John B and Red Rifle all look to need a little more; and Shining Copper probably will sprint for the lead and hope for the best.
$2 million Juvenile, 1 1/16 miles
This race brings together a very diverse group representing jurisdictions from California to Canada to New York to England. Among them in no particular order are the undefeated winner of Woodbine’s Grade III Grey Stakes, Riker, who is making his first start on real dirt; Grade I Champagne winner Greenpointcrusader, who won that heat in the slop; the 1-2-3 from last month’s Grade III Iroquois at Churchill Downs — Cocked and Loaded, Rated R Superstar and Unbridled Outlaw; the top three from the Grade I Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland — Brody’s Cause, Exaggerator and Rated R Superstar; the winner of the Grade I Pilgrim on the Belmont Park turf, Isotherm; the undefeated winner of three West Coast graded stakes, Nyquist; and the winner of the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot, Waterloo Bridge. There are two credible also-eligibles in the event one of the 14 in the main field stubs a hoof.
$2 million Mile (Turf)
The Europeans sent the A Team for this one, except perhaps for Solow, who gets a deserved rest after posting his ninth straight win in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II at Ascot two weeks ago. No matter. The 12-horse field does include Make Believe, winner of the Group 1 Prix de la Foret at Longchamp last time out; Mondialiste, who came from England to win the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile in a prep for this; Impassable, winner of the Grade II Prix Daniel Wildenstein in her last start; Esoterique, who accounted for the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket in her last outing and the Group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois at Longchamp in the race before that; and Time Test, who won the Group 2 Joel Stakes at Newmarket in his last start. And, oh yes, Karakontie, a Japanese-bred, French-trained 4-year-old who won this race last year. If all that isn’t hard enough to sort out, the local team is tough, too, featuring Grand Arch and Tourist, who ran 1-3 around The Pizza Man in the Grade I Shadwell Turf Mile over the course; Tepin, who has been dynamite against the distaffers all year; speed merchant Obviously; and Mshawish, who is poised for an upset under Frankie Dettori in his second start back from Dubai in March.
$1.5 million Sprint, 6 furlongs
With defending champion Work All Week retired and promising contender Rock Fall victim to a fatal training injury, this race looks set up for Private Zone and Runhappy. Private Zone has won three of his last four starts, including the Grade I Forego at Saratoga. Runhappy is undefeated in five sprint attempts, with wins in the Grade I King’s Bishop at the Spa and the Grade III Phoenix at Keeneland in his last two races. But the Sprint is no cakewalk as 11 of the 14 are graded stakes winners. Among those, West Coast shippers Masochistic and Wild Dude have been running well. There’s the usual healthy dose of speed but also plenty of off-the-pace types to guarantee an exciting stretch run.
$2 million Filly & Mare Turf, 1 3/16 miles
The top three from the Grade I Beverly D. at Arlington Park, a clutch of New York winners and the top two from the Grade I Rodeo Drive at Santa Anita face off in this one against another extremely tough bunch of Europeans. The Beverly D. finish was scrambled by a disqualification but there’s no question all three of those involved — Watsdachances, Secret Gesture and Stephanie’s Kitten, deserve their place here. Photo Call and Elektrum were 1-2 in the Rodeo Drive but Elektrum is on the also-eligible list for this heat. Hard Not to Like comes to this with victories on her resume from the Grade I Gamely at Santa Anita and the Grade I Diana at Saratoga. Legatissimo heads the overseas contingent and is the likely favorite after consecutive wins in the Group 1 Nassau at Goodwood and the Group 1 Matron at Leopardstown. Miss France, Bawina, Queen’s Jewel and Talmada all must be considered. Dacita raced with distinction in her native Chile last year and won the Grade II Balston Spa at Saratoga in August in her only U.S. start.
$1 million Filly & Mare Sprint, 7 furlongs
Cavorting is the 3-1 morning-line favorite for this sprint after winning the Grade I Test at Saratoga and the Grade II Prioress, also at the Spa. But the 14-horse field is so tough that La Verdad, winner of six straight races, is only 6-1 on the line and Judy the Beauty, last year’s winner and with Frankie Dettori riding, also is 6-1. With Cavorting drawn in the outside, No. 14, gate, this race is a real program-stabber. Seven furlongs is a tough distance and it’s worth noting which of the contenders have had success at that trip.
$1 million Turf Sprint (5 1/2 furlongs)
The favorite here is Lady Shipman, a 3-year-old filly who has won eight of her last 10 races and finished second in the Franklin County over the course and distance in her last outing. But internationally minded trainer Wesley Ward has three to watch — Undrafted, winner of the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot and with Frankie Dettori up; Green Mask, who was third in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint on World Cup night in March; and The Great War, who hasn’t yet lived up to his promise but gets another chance under Ryan Moore. Any or all of them could be around at the end of this race. Pure Sensation, winner of the Grade III Turf Monster at Parx, drew the rail and may set the pace. Mongolian Saturday, parked outside in the 14-horse field, shows six straight exacta finishes, albeit against somewhat lesser competition. Bobby’s Kitten won this race last year but hasn’t fared so well since.
$2 million Juvenile Fillies, 1 1/16 miles
Songbird has yet to be seriously challenged in three starts, two of them Grade I’s and all in California, and is the favorite in this event. The main competition is Rachel’s Valentina, the daughter of champions Bernardini and Rachel Alexandra. She also is undefeated after two wins at Saratoga, the last of which was the Grade I Spinaway. Dothraki Queen won the Grade II Pocahontas at Churchill Downs and finished second in the Grade I Alcibiades at Keeneland but will be overbet by “Game of Thrones” fans.
Things get rolling on Friday. Again working from the last Breeders’ Cup race forward:
$2 million Distaff, 1 1/8 miles
This race got more wide open when Beholder was detoured to the Classic. Last year’s winner, Untapable, is back. But she faces several foes who defeated her recently, including Wedding Toast, Stopchargingmaria and Got Lucky — all Grade I winners. I’m a Chatterbox was third in the Kentucky Oaks and most recently won the Grade I Cotillion at Parx. Sheer Drama and Frivolous were 1-2 in the Grade I Delaware Handicap. Several others are in good form and potential upsetters. On a weekend filled with tough fields, this one is among the toughest.
$1 million Juvenile Filly Turf, 1 mile
The favorites here are Harmonize, winner of the Grade III Jessamine over the course, and British invader Illuminate, winner of the Group II Duchess of Cambridge Stakes and second in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes, both at Newmarket. Dettori rides Illuminate. Alice Springs, another trans-Atlantic raider, was a last-out winner at Newmarket for Aidan O’Brien. The local crowd includes winners or near-winners from Gulfstream Park, Laurel, Belmont, Woodbine and Santa Anita.
$1 million Dirt Mile
Liam’s Map has five wins and two seconds from seven career starts and is 3-for-3 at the straight mile. He also is the even-money morning-line favorite for the Dirt Mile. Lea, a Grade I winner at 7 furlongs, 1 mile and 1 1/8 miles, is 8-1 on the line. Last year’s second, Tapiture, is 10-1 despite winning the Grade III Ack Ack at Churchill Downs going a mile in his last outing. Bradester, Red Vine and Valid, the top three from the Grade III Salvator Mile at Monmouth Park, also are in this mix. Trainer Wayne Lukas continues to plug along with Mr. Z. Jockey Club Gold Cup second Wicked Strong cuts back to a distance that has not been kind to him.
$1 million Juvenile Turf (1 mile)
A pair of visitors — Cymric and Hit It a Bomb — join undefeated Airoforce as the favorites in this kickoff to the Breeders’ Cup card. Cymric, trained by John Gosden, was beaten just a neck in the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere Grand Criterium at Longchamp earlier this month. Hit It a Bomb won both his previous starts in Ireland for conditioner Aidan O’Brien. Airoforce also is undefeated in two starts, including the Grade III Bourbon at Keeneland going 1 1/16 miles on yielding turf. Conquest Daddyo, Sky Marshall and Manhattan Dan were the triactor in the recent Grade II Summer Stakes at 1 mile on the Woodbine turf.
The Breeders’ Cup isn’t the only show in town, either.
Keeneland
There are three non-Breeders’ Cup stakes on Friday’s card, including the $200,000, Grade II Hagyard Fayette. That one features Hoppertunity, the Bob Baffert trainee who won the Grade I Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs last fall and most recently was second in the Grade I Awesome Again at Santa Anita, and V.E. Day, winner of the 2014 Travers and last seen finishing second in the Temperence Hill at Belmont Park for trainer James Jerkens. Todd Pletcher saddles Commissioner, Protonico and Race Day in this one with Departing also meriting a look. The race is 9 furlongs.
The Breeders’ Cup Marathon is no more, but the $200,000 Marathon on Friday’s Keeneland program subs nicely. The 14 lining up to go 1 3/4 miles include the first three finishers from the 1 1/2-miles, Grade III Greenwood Cup at Parx — Neck ‘n Neck, Majestic Harbor and For Greater Glory.
Twelve are entered for the Bryan Station for 3-year-olds, including Closing Bell, winner of the Dueling Grounds Derby and second in the Grade I Secretariat at Arlington Park — a potential single on many multirace tickets.
Saturday’s Keeneland stakes include the Perryville, for 3-year-olds going 6 furlongs on the main track, the $100,000 Fort Springs for 3-year-old fillies at 6 furlongs, and the $100,000 Juvenile Dirt Sprint.
Elsewhere:
Belmont Park
Saturday’s feature is the $200,000, Grade III Turnback the Alarm for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on the dirt. Sunday, it’s the $200,000, Grade III Bold Ruler for 3-year-olds and up at 7 furlongs on the main track.
Del Mar
Southern California action shifts back to the seaside with a pair of races for Cal-bred 2-year-olds. Friday’s race is the $200,000 Golden State Juvenile Fillies; Saturday, the $200,000 Golden State Juvenile. Both are at 7 furlongs on the dirt.
Laurel Park
Saturday’s feature is the $100,000 Laurel Turf Cup at 1 1/2 miles for 3-year-olds and up.
Woodbine
Sunday’s $150,000 (Canadian), Grade III Maple Leaf Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/4 miles on the all-weather track is the highlight of the weekend schedule north of the border.
International
Saturday is Victoria Derby day in Australia. Sunday’s highlight is the Group 1 Tenno Sho Autumn in Japan.
Tuesday is Melbourne Cup Day — the deal of deals Down Under.
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