Telescope's focus has been on Breeders' Cup Turf

ARCADIA, Calif. – Trainer Michael Stoute and Harry Herbert of Highclere Thoroughbred Racing confirmed Telescope’s next start in a conversation after the colt had finished third in the Grade 1 Juddmonte International Stakes at York, England, in August. They planned to send Telescope to California for the $3 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita.

Their plan will come to fruition when Telescope runs Saturday in the BC Turf.

Though beaten in the International Stakes, Telescope finished behind two top 3-year-olds – Australia, the winner of the English Derby, and The Grey Gatsby, the winner of the French Derby.

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“We thought he’d run a good race on a trip too short [against] two derby winners that are better than him,” Herbert said this week. “We took a view that the Breeders’ Cup is where we were headed, and to try to have a fresh horse. So far, everything has gone according to plan.”

Australia and The Grey Gatsby are not in the BC Turf. Telescope is part of a strong European group that includes Flintshire, second in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris on Oct. 5, and Magician, who won the 2013 BC Turf here and was second in the Arlington Million in Chicago in August. Also in the field of 13 is Main Sequence, a winner of three Grade 1 races in the United States this year.

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Telescope will be racing over his preferred distance of 1 1/2 miles. He won the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes over that trip at Royal Ascot in June and was second as the 5-2 favorite in the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot over 1 1/2 miles in July, losing by three lengths to the brilliant filly Taghrooda.

Stoute knows the BC Turf well. He has won the race four times, a record he shares with Aidan O’Brien, who trains Magician.

Highclere is a syndicate with 12 members on the Telescope team, including Alex Ferguson, the former manager of the Manchester United soccer team. Highclere won the 2005 English Derby with Motivator.

Telescope, a 4-year-old colt by Galileo, has won 4 of 10 starts and earned $956,582. The Hardwicke is the most recent of two stakes wins for a colt highly regarded throughout his career.

“This year, we’ve seen a different horse,” Herbert said. “He’s done well physically. I think this seems like the right race to aim for.”