Ireland: Battle of Marengo goes for Breeders' Cup berth in Beresford Stakes at the Curragh

Battle of Marengo, who won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Trial at Leopardstown, can move closer to a potential trip to California for the Breeders’ Cup in November when he starts in Sunday’s Group 2 Beresford Stakes at the Curragh in Ireland.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien, Battle of Marengo is part of a field of five in the Beresford Stakes, which is run over a mile for 2-year-olds and worth approximately $117,600. The turf course at the Curragh is expected to be soft to heavy on Sunday.

The Beresford is part of the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In program, offering a fees-paid berth to the BC Juvenile Turf if the winner is nominated to the Breeders’ Cup.

By Galileo, Battle of Marengo has won 2 of 3 starts, all for owners Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Sue Magnier. The partnership has another runner in the Beresford in Probably, who won the Group 2 Railway Stakes in June and was fourth in Group 1 races in August and earlier in September – the Phoenix Stakes and Vincent O’Brien Stakes.

Probably, by Danehill Dancer, is trained by David Wachman.

Sunday’s Group 1 Premio Vittori di Capua in Milan, Italy, has drawn seven runners.

Jockey Andreas Starke and trainer Peter Schiergen, who will try to win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris for the second consecutive year with Danedream on Oct. 7, will start Amarillo.

A 3-year-old colt by Holy Roman Emperor, Amarillo was a minor stakes winner in Dusseldorf, Germany, in April, and was fourth in the Group 2 Oettingen-Rennen at Baden-Baden, Germany, on Aug. 30.

Certify dominant in Fillies’ Mile

The talented 2-year-old Certify ran her career mark to 4 for 4 when she dominated the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile on Friday at Newmarket, looking like a horse for the 2013 English 1000 Guineas.

Certify, an Elusive Quality filly owned by Godolphin and trained by Mahmood Al Zarooni, beat Roz by 4 1/2 lengths despite appearing to lose focus when making the lead with a quarter-mile left in the one-mile race. She was ridden to victory by Mickael Barzalona and gave Godolphin three straight wins in the Fillies’ Mile, the last two with horses trained by Al Zarooni.

The Fillies’ Mile is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Win and You’re In race linked to the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf, but barring a change in plans, Certify won’t make another start anywhere in 2012.

Difficult to load and away slowly, Certify raced near the back of a six-horse field for the first half-mile. Barzalona sought a gap along the rail with about three furlongs to run, asked Certify to pick up with just more than two furlongs to go, and quickly seized control of the race when Certify showed an impressive burst of speed.

– additional reporting by Marcus Hersh