Conquest Stable poised for possible sweep of Sovereign juvenile categories

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – While the Breeders’ Cup World Championships helped to settle several divisional championships for the Eclipse Awards, several horses may have secured Sovereign Award championships as a result of their performances at Santa Anita, Woodbine, and Churchill Downs over the weekend.

The Conquest Stables duo of Conquest Typhoon and Conquest Harlanate could be named champion 2-year-old male and champion 2-year-old female, respectively, after they both participated in Breeders’ Cup races on Friday.

Conquest Typhoon finished fourth after a wide trip in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf to add to a campaign that includes a victory in the Grade 2 Summer Stakes and runner-up finishes in the Grade 3 Grey Stakes and the Clarendon Stakes. He might face stiff competition in the voting from his stablemate Conquest Tsunami, who won the Colin and Victoria stakes earlier this summer at Woodbine, and also won the Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs on Oct. 26.

Conquest Harlanate was 11th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, but her résumé includes victories in the Grade 2 Natalma and the Grade 3 Mazarine Stakes at Woodbine this season.

A 10th-place finish by Something Extra in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on Saturday may have opened the door for another horse to stake a claim for the male sprint championship. Sharp Sensation has won only one race at Woodbine this year, but could have a strong case for the award after winning the Bet On Sunshine Stakes this past weekend on dirt at Churchill Downs. He has also won the Karl Boyes Memorial Stakes on Tapeta at Presque Isle Downs and the Grade 3 Turf Monster Handicap on turf at Parx earlier this season.

Locally, Strut the Course emerged as a leading contender for the older female championship with her five-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 3 Maple Leaf Stakes.