International Star, Conquest Typhoon head to BC Juvenile Turf off one-two finish in Grey

There are many paths to the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, but at least two leading contenders for the Oct. 31 race at Santa Anita will be coming out of an unlikely prep.

International Star, trained by Mike Maker, and Conquest Typhoon, trained by Mark Casse, ran one-two last Sunday in the Grade 3 Grey Stakes on Polytrack at Woodbine. The horses landed in the race for different reasons, but according to their trainers, both will return to the grass for the Juvenile Turf.

International Star rallied for a 1 1/4-length win over Conquest Typhoon in the 1 1/16-mile Grey. It was his first stakes score after running second in both the Rockville Centre Stakes on dirt at Belmont and the Grade 2 With Anticipation Stakes on grass at Saratoga.

“It looks like we’re going to go to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf,” Maker said.

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International Star had been a candidate for last weekend’s Bourbon Stakes on turf at Keeneland, but with owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey having two other prospects for the race, he invaded Woodbine. Maker was pleased with the effort from International Star, who he feels is a better horse on grass. International Star won his debut on turf at Belmont and had stretch trouble in the With Anticipation.

Conquest Typhoon earned a berth in the Juvenile Turf when he won his maiden in the Grade 2 Summer Stakes at Woodbine. Casse, who trains the horse for Ernie Semersky and Dory Newell, said he could have remained on turf in the Bourbon.

“I discussed it with Ernie, and we thought it would be better just to stay at home so he didn’t have to ship and run in another race,” Casse said of the lead-up to the Breeders’ Cup. “We weren’t sure about the synthetic.”

Conquest Typhoon was prominent in his two-turn debut in the Grey.

“Not only did he have to run two turns, he had to carry 125 pounds, and everybody else carried [115 to 119] pounds,” Casse said. “Obviously, our biggest goal is the Breeders’ Cup, and in the end, I think that will be a plus for him. Unfortunately, I think it cost him [Sunday].”

Patrick Husbands has the mount in the Breeders’ Cup.

Brown has trio of contenders

Trainer Chad Brown has three horses under consideration for the Juvenile Turf: Startup Nation, the winner of the With Anticipation; Offering Plan, third in the Pilgrim Stakes at Belmont; and Can’t Happen Here, third in the Bourbon.

“It’s too early to tell what we’re going to do,” Brown said. “We’re still processing things, seeing how they emerged from their races and if it warrants going out there.”

Startup Nation owns the division’s best Beyer Speed Figure, an 85, for his With Anticipation win. He was fourth last out as the favorite in the Pilgrim.

“He looked like he was a bit intimidated taking the inside route,” Brown said. “According to the jockey, he was intimidated down there. Hopefully, he’ll get a chance to redeem himself.”

Can’t Happen Here, the favorite in the Bourbon, had a wide trip, said Brown.

** Conquest Tsunami, a two-time stakes winner with Casse, scratched from the Bourbon and ran in last weekend’s Breeders’ Futurity. He finished sixth after contesting the pace, the first loss for the turf and Polytrack winner, who is 4 for 5.

“We felt like he’d like the dirt, but we knew the route of ground was going to be a challenge for him,” Casse said. “But we had to give it a try. He came out of there fine. There’s no Breeders’ Cup in his future right now – maybe something on the undercard. We’ll try to stick with sprinting.”

** Retama Park has the $100,000 El Joven Stakes on Saturday.