Breeders' Cup Turf draws well-matched, accomplished group
A mare who comfortably beat males earlier this month, a two-time Group 1 winner in Germany, a veteran with more than $15 million in earnings, and the 2021 runner-up are among 15 horses pre-entered for the Breeders’ Cup Turf on Nov. 5 at Keeneland.
The $4 million race at 1 1/2 miles is the richest grass race in the United States.
The pre-entries are led by Rebel’s Romance, who has won his last four starts for Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby. Godolphin and Appleby won the 2021 BC Turf at Del Mar with Yibir, who is not part of this year’s field.
Rebel’s Romance won Group 1 races at 1 1/2 miles in Germany in August and September and will have his American debut in the BC Turf. The Godolphin-Appleby team also pre-entered Nations Pride, who will have his fourth start in the United States on Nov. 5.
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Nations Pride had an outstanding summer campaign in New York in Grade 1 races for 3-year-olds, finishing second in the Belmont Derby in June and winning the Saratoga Derby in August, and then winning the Grade 3 Jockey Club Derby at the Belmont at the Big A meeting on Sept. 17.
The Godolphin runners must be sharp to beat War Like Goddess, a 5-year-old mare trained by Bill Mott for George Krikorian. War Like Goddess scored an attractive win in her debut against males in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at 1 1/2 miles on Oct. 8 at Aqueduct, winning by 2 3/4 lengths over Bye Bye Melvin at 9-10.
Bye Bye Melvin was pre-entered in the BC Turf by trainer Graham Motion along with Highland Chief, winner of the Grade 3 Sycamore Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf Oct. 14 at Keeneland.
Motion has won the BC Turf twice, most recently with Main Sequence in 2014. Mott has won the race twice, but not since 1992 with Fraise. Aside from War Like Goddess, Mott has pre-entered Channel Maker, who starts in the BC Turf for a remarkable fifth consecutive year. Channel Maker was third in the 2020 running at Keeneland, but only fifth last year.
Aidan O’Brien of Ireland is the all-time leading trainer in the BC Turf with six wins from 2002 to 2016. This year, O’Brien has pre-entered Broome, who was second in the 2021 BC Turf, and Stone Age, who was third in the Belmont Derby and fifth in the Saratoga Derby.
The BC Turf will be the American debut of Mishriff, who has earned $15.8 million, largely by winning the $20 million Saudi Cup and $5 million Sheema Classic in consecutive starts in early 2021. Mishriff is winless in six starts this year for trainers John and Thady Gosden.
The BC Turf will be limited to 14 runners, and may not include the 3-year-old filly Mise En Scene, who was placed on an also-eliglible list by a Breeders’ Cup panel.
Mise En Scene and Virginia Joy were pre-entered in the BC Filly and Mare Turf and Turf, with a first preference for the Filly and Mare Turf. Virginia Joy won the Grade 2 Flower Bowl Stakes for fillies and mares on Sept. 3 at Saratoga.
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