Who will ride Main Sequence in Breeders' Cup Turf?

ELMONT, N.Y. - In Main Sequence, trainer Graham Motion has a top-flight contender for the $3 million Breeders’ Cup Turf. Unfortunately, it appears as though he will need a new rider for his three-time Grade 1 winning colt.

One race after Main Sequence won Saturday’s $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park, his rider, Rajiv Maragh, went down in the Jockey Club Gold Cup and suffered a broken right arm. Maragh underwent surgery on Sunday, but it is highly unlikely the 29-year-old rider will be able to make it back in five weeks.

“Of course it’s a concern,” Motion said Sunday morning at Belmont Park. “He’s had an amazing rapport with that horse. He’s obviously a bit of a quirky horse and [Maragh] has had his number from Day One.”

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While nothing is official, speculation is that John Velazquez would be Motion’s first choice to ride Main Sequence in the Breeders’ Cup. In 2011, Velazquez picked up the mount on the Motion-trained Animal Kingdom the day before the Kentucky Derby and won the race.

Main Sequence ran his North American record to 3 for 3 - all in Grade 1 races - with another neck victory over Twilight Eclipse in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch. Main Sequence defeated Twilight Eclipse by a neck in the United Nations at Monmouth in July. Main Sequence won the Sword Dancer by a head over Imagining with Twilight Eclipse three-quarters of a length back.

Main Sequence was bright and alert and at the front of his stall Sunday morning. Motion said Main Sequence would van to Fair Hill, Md. on Monday and do all his preparation there for the Breeders’ Cup before shipping to Southern California the week of the race.

“He gets turned out every day. It’s all part of the things that helped him,” Motion said.

Twilight Eclipse is likely to join Main Sequence in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

Chad Brown said Big Blue Kitten, who finished fourth, beaten 2 1/4 lengths in the Turf Classic, could be pointed to the Turf as well.

“He’s a horse I want to consider for the Breeders’ Cup,” Brown said. “He needs pace to run at and I’m not saying with pace we would have won because we were tracking Main Sequence and he clearly outran us and ran terrific. I didn’t feel Big Blue Kitten was training particularly well going into the Breeders’ Cup last year and he only got beat four lengths. I believe the horse is training better than he was a year ago so I have to consider that race if he can get in.”

Stephanie’s Kitten, winner of Saturday’s Grade 1 Flower Bowl Stakes, will be pointed to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf, Brown said Sunday.

“She’s come out of her race in good order and will point to the Breeders’ Cup,” Brown said.

Brown said he would keep Stephanie’s Kitten in New York as long as possible.

Trainer Rudy Rodriguez said Belle Gallantey, winner of the Grade 1 Beldame, and Vyjack, winner of the Grade 2 Kelso Handicap, are more likely to skip their respective Breeders’ Cup races and point to races in New York. Vyjack is likely to point to the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct on Nov. 29.