DEL MAR, Calif. – With a foundation established in 2023, Cogburn has risen to the top of the American turf sprint division this year with three emphatic wins at Churchill Downs, Saratoga, and Kentucky Downs.

Now, near the end of his racing career and before he is sent to stud in Kentucky, there is the little matter of a mad dash around a turn in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at five furlongs at Del Mar on Saturday.

A blazingly fast 5-year-old, Cogburn may simply scoot clear early and dare his 11 rivals to keep pace, or try to catch him late.

DEL MAR, Calif. – War Like Goddess makes her fourth consecutive Breeders’ Cup appearance in Saturday’s Grade 1, $2 million Filly and Mare Turf at 1 3/8 miles.

A close third as the favorite in the 2021 Filly and Mare Turf over this course and distance, War Like Goddess faced the boys in the Turf the following two years, placing third and seventh, respectively.

DEL MAR, Calif. – When horseplayers think about Chad Brown, they often think green.

It’s true that Brown sends out one quality turf horse after another to pluck major stakes races across the country, but he’s also won the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on three occasions, including the last two editions with Goodnight Olive.

Goodnight Olive was a challenge for Brown. Brilliant, but somewhat brittle, Brown nursed her through two bilateral ankle surgeries to go back to back on racing’s biggest stage.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Since the start of this millennium, two winners of the 2000 Guineas in England have started in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. Kameko, a modest Guineas winner who was far from a standout, finished a lackluster seventh at Keeneland in 2022. Rock of Gibraltar, a great miler, finished second at Arlington 20 years earlier, beaten at odds-on by a bad trip.

DEL MAR, Calif. – The list of countries reads like a deluxe worldwide cruise, or the itinerary of a high-ranking government official.

The United States, Italy, France, England, Ireland, Germany, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Czech Republic, Poland, Serbia, Dubai, and Saudi Arabia.

Those are the countries where jockey Antonio Fresu recalls riding in his 13-year career. A native of Italy, Fresu is more settled of late. In the last 18 months, Fresu has been based in Southern California, developing a reputation as a big-race rider.

Dylan Davis followed his sensational summer with a fabulous fall and now finds himself at the Breeders’ Cup for the third time in his career with what he feels are two strong contenders on Friday’s card at Del Mar.

Davis, 29, will ride Quickick for trainer Tom Amoss in the $2 million Juvenile Fillies and Abientot for Mark Casse in the $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf. They will be the third and fourth career Breeders’ Cup mounts for Davis who finished ninth aboard Carson’s Run in last year’s Juvenile Turf and 12th aboard Second of July in the 2020 Juvenile Turf Sprint.