Glorious Empire, winner of the Grade 1 Sword Dancer Stakes on Aug. 25 at Saratoga, will spend the early weeks of autumn being prepared for the Breeders’ Cup Turf on Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs.

There will be no prep races, such as Saturday’s Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park, only regular exercise at trainer Chuck Lawrence’s base at the Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland. Lawrence and Matt Schera, who owns the 7-year-old gelding, considered the Hirsch, but think Glorious Empire will be better with a longer gap between races.

Three times in the last four years, champion trainer Chad Brown has walked into the winner’s circle after the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. With four victories, Brown is the winningest trainer in the 10-year history of the race, having also won the inaugural running at Santa Anita in 2008.

What do we know about the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf with just five weeks until the 12th edition of the race? Not much.

North American 2-year-old turf form remains murky and it will be a couple of weeks before European horse folks sort out which juveniles will be pointed toward Churchill Downs, where the Juvenile Turf is contested over one mile on Nov. 2.

Accelerate this year already has taken down the Santa Anita Handicap, Gold Cup at Santa Anita, and Pacific Classic. His trainer, John Sadler, hopes to make it a grand slam of 1 1/4-mile races on Nov. 3 in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs, victory in which would guarantee Accelerate an Eclipse Award as champion older dirt male.

“It’s why I’m here every day, even when I’m sick,” Sadler said this week at Santa Anita as he trudged through the stable area while fighting off a cold. “The horse is so solid. You just hope to continue to have good luck along the way.”

The venue may be different, but the lineup could have a very familiar look when the field for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint assembles at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3.

The turn of the season to fall traditionally signals the time for 3-year-olds to graduate to facing their elders. That collision course looks especially meaningful in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff – this year restored to the Saturday program – which will feature a stellar group of 3-year-old fillies, led by Kentucky Oaks winner Monomoy Girl.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – More than the host site is changing when the Breeders’ Cup moves to Churchill Downs in early November. Also coming are several changes to race distances, notably in the Nov. 3 Filly and Mare Turf, which goes from last year’s 1 1/8-mile distance at Del Mar to a three-turn, 1 3/8-mile race at Churchill.

Trainers Christophe Clement, Peter Miller, and Jason Servis could have multiple starters in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint when the 5 1/2-furlong race is held Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs.

Clement may start Disco Partner and Pure Sensation. He is pointing the duo for the $150,000 Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational, a six-furlong race Oct. 6.

Miller and Servis could have three starters each.

The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, the new kid on the block for this year’s event, may have a mix of domestic and international talent for its inaugural running.

The Juvenile Turf Sprint’s addition to the Breeders’ Cup program was announced in February. The $1 million race, contested at about 5 1/2 furlongs, joins the lineup for a Friday card that also includes the $2 million Juvenile, $2 million Juvenile Fillies, $1 million Juvenile Turf, and $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf.

The favorites for the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies may be exceptional, yet neither filly ran exceptionally fast last time out.

Serengeti Empress won the Pocahontas Stakes by more than 19 lengths, but her 1:45.47 time in the 1 1/16-mile race at Churchill Downs earned a 78 Beyer that does not rank among the top two dozen figures this year by a juvenile filly on dirt.

Bellafina is slower still. Although she won the Del Mar Debutante by more than four lengths, her 1:25.51 time for seven furlongs earned a mere 75 Beyer.