Yibir won't make Breeders' Cup Turf

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The setback that forced Yibir to miss the Sword Dancer at Saratoga will also force him to miss a repeat bid in the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf, trainer Charlie Appleby said Wednesday.

Appleby said Yibir has only recently resumed light training, but that he won’t “make it back in time for the Breeders’ Cup Turf.”

Appleby said Yibir would likely return to the races during the Dubai Racing Carnival in 2023 with a return to the U.S. next spring. Last year, Yibir was beaten a neck when second in the Dubai Sheema Classic and two starts later ran third in the Grade 1 Man o’ War at Belmont in May.

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Appleby also said that With the Moonlight, winner of the Saratoga Oaks after finishing second in the Belmont Oaks, would return to England next week with Nations Pride.

With the Moonlight finished second in the Lake Placid on Aug. 20 and was originally being considered for the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland on Oct. 15.

“We decided against that now,” Appleby said. “She’ll winter in Dubai and we sort of hope to go down the same sort of program that we’ve had with a few fillies in the past.”

Appleby said that With the Moonlight and recent Group 3 winner Eternal Pearl will be considered for trips to the U.S. in 2023.

“Hopefully, we’ll have a small planeload to come over there in the spring to retarget the races we’ve had a crack at this year as well,” Appleby said. “Hopefully with some new stock but also the likes of Yibir will look towards Belmont again.”