Warm Heart might be the best European female who winds up in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita in November, and she is having a quiet weekend training in Ireland, but Sunday’s Prix de l’Opera often produces Filly and Mare Turf runners and is likely to do so again this year.

The Group 1 contest over 1 1/4 miles drew a dozen entrants, none, to date, anything near the quality of Tarnawa, who won the Opera and the Filly and Mare Turf in 2020. But, like Tarnawa, horses coming from Ireland to the Opera could have a major say.

The Del Mar summer season was a meeting of two extremes for the 7-year-old Order and Law, one of five entrants in Sunday’s Grade 3 Tokyo City Cup at 1 1/2 miles on dirt at Santa Anita.

Order and Law scored a 14-1 upset in the Grade 3 Cougar II Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on July 23 at Del Mar, but was ninth of 10 at 93-1 in the track’s signature race, the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at 1 1/4 miles on Sept. 2.

“We took a shot at it, didn’t work out,” trainer Bob Hess Jr. said.

It’s strange calling an unbeaten French Derby winner an unknown quantity, but that might be an apt description of Ace Impact, who lines up Sunday at Longchamp Racecourse as the favorite to win the Group 1, $5.28 million Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Ace Impact faces 14 foes in the 1 1/2-mile fixture, which is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series and is contested around right-handed bends over a course as of Friday labeled soft. Breezy, warm weekend conditions could lead to an upgrade that might include the word “good.”

ARCADIA, Calif. – Even if heavily favored Adare Manor wins the Grade 2 Zenyatta Stakes on Sunday at Santa Anita, a question into the Breeders’ Cup Distaff next month will remain unanswered. What would a Zenyatta victory over three rivals prove?

Only four fillies and mares entered the 1 1/16-mile Zenyatta, and Adare Manor holds all the cards. She is the class of the field, with the highest figures, and could be loose on the lead. Her price will reflect her dominance.

Both the champion and reserve champion of this summer’s Maryland Horse Breeders Association’s yearling show will return to the state fairgrounds in Timonium for this week’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic fall yearling sale.

True Empress seemingly has found her kingdom since coming to Finger Lakes, with career-best form at the Farmington, N.Y., track after a barn move. She’ll test that form against a salty field, including stablemate and defending winner Gone and Forgotten, in the $50,000 Jack Betta Be Rite Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares on Monday.

In a season in which many Breeders’ Cup hopefuls are staying in the barn in early autumn, the turf stayer Gold Phoenix is an exception.

The 5-year-old gelding needs action and will start in Sunday’s Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at 1 1/4 miles at Santa Anita in advance of an expected appearance in the Breeders’ Cup Turf on Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.

“I’ve learned from prior experience when they’re going good and need to run, you’re better off running them,” trainer Phil D’Amato said. “He’s in good shape.”

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Neepawa wired a modest field of nine in the 2018 Breeders’ Stakes at Woodbine. His promising half-brother Touch’n Ride will have a taller order in the 133rd running of the anchor leg of the Canadian Triple Crown on Sunday against 13 other 3-year-olds in the 1 1/2-mile turf event.

It’s Arc weekend, and the Longchamp course, typically sodden this time of year, looks surprisingly good for Sunday’s renewal of one of the world’s great races. Fantastic Moon is the pick over that kind of ground.

All the rain that’s supposed to be in Paris has decided to stay in America. A late week deluge left Aqueduct drenched, forcing the postponement of Saturday's card to Sunday, and there’s even a chance of a slightly wet Saturday at Santa Anita. Out of all this water we’ll try to fish a winner or two.

Joe Hirsch Turf Classic

Brad Cox hopes a return to Maryland leads to a return to the winner’s circle for Interstatedaydream.

“She’s performed well over there,” Cox said.

She has indeed, with Pimlico victories in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan in 2022 and this year’s Allaire duPont.

Now, Interstatedaydream tries her luck at Laurel as the likely favorite in the $100,000 Twixt for fillies and mares at about 1 1/16 miles.