Ulysses not your typical Breeders' Cup Turf runner for Stoute

ARCADIA, Calif. – For British trainer Michael Stoute, Ulysses is a most unlikely entrant in Saturday’s $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita. Ulysses was second in the Group 3 Winter Hill Stakes at Windsor Racecourse in England on Aug. 27 in his most recent start, a far cry from the established form of Stoute’s past winners of the BC Turf.

Stoute has won the race four times, with Pilsudski in 1996, Kalanisi in 2000, and Conduit in 2008 and 2009.

Pilsudski was second in the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe before his BC Turf win. Kalanisi won the Group 1 Champion Stakes at Newmarket in his preceding start, and Conduit won the Group 1 English St. Leger in advance of the 2008 BC Turf.

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Ulysses was 12th in his only Group 1 race, the English Derby in June.

“I’m getting reckless,” Stoute joked on Wednesday morning.

Owned by the Niarchos family’s Flaxman Holdings, Ulysses won the Group 3 Gordon Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse in England in July before losing the Winter Hill Stakes by a nose at 3-5. Stoute said Ulysses will benefit from starting in the BC Turf, which will be his seventh race.

“We’re taking a punt with Ulysses,” Stoute said. “The experience will do him good for the future.

“He’s got to improve. I hope he’ll be competitive.”

Stoute trails only Aidan O’Brien on the list of winners of the BC Turf. O’Brien has won the race five times and has two chances this year – Found and Highland Reel, the first two finishers of the Arc at Chantilly Racecourse on Oct. 2.

If Ulysses has an edge, it could be an affinity for firm turf.

“We were never going to point him for the Arc,” Stoute said. “We had this race in mind with the fast ground.”