Flintshire and Postponed have been the dominant runners in major turf stakes at 1 1/2 miles in Dubai, England, and New York this year. One of them may conquer California in the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 5.
Flintshire, unbeaten in three starts this year at Belmont Park and Saratoga, is a slight choice with European bookmakers in the future book for the BC Turf over Postponed, who is undefeated in four stakes in Dubai and England this year.
Mongolian Saturday and Lady Shipman are among the most well-traveled horses in training. Mongolian Saturday has taken his show on the road to compete overseas; Lady Shipman has won 12 of 17 starts over the last two years while competing at 10 different tracks.
The Grade 1 Cotillion on Saturday at Parx should prove critical for the top two challengers to Songbird in determining which Breeders’ Cup race they will run in.
Cathryn Sophia and Carina Mia both have shown themselves to be highly effective at shorter distances, and depending on what transpires in the 1 1/16-mile Cotillion, their connections might wind up opting for the seven-furlong distance of the $1 million BC Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 5 at Santa Anita.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Breeders’ Cup history will be made before the extraordinarily deep Distaff field even crosses the Santa Anita finish line on Friday, Nov. 4.
Three Eclipse Award winners from 2015, each in top form, are aiming for the Distaff – Songbird, Beholder, and Stellar Wind. If all three start, it will be the first time in the 33-year history of the Breeders’ Cup that the Distaff field includes more than two current champions.
The $200,000 John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita at 1 1/4 miles is not part of the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In program, which offers fees-paid berths to the winners of selected major stakes to the BC Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 5.
But for the partnership that owns Metaboss, the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship on Oct. 2 will have similar implications. If Metaboss scores a convincing win, they will plow race earnings into entry and starting fees for the BC Turf.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Most horse trainers, including Dale Romans, don’t like getting too far ahead of themselves. But after Not This Time confirmed his suspicions about the colt’s potential with an 8 3/4-length romp Saturday in the Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs, Romans couldn’t help himself.
“The key is going to be getting him to the Kentucky Derby at a peak,” Romans said. “Everything will be done with the Derby in mind.”
ETOBICOKE, Ontario — The Bill Mott-trained shipper The Good Samaritan mowed down the favored Conquest Farenheit in the stretch to win the Grade 2, $206,400 Summer Stakes impressively under Joel Rosario at Woodbine on Sunday.
The Good Samaritan ($8) bided his time at the rear of the seven-horse field on the backstretch in the one-mile turf route, as The Craic and Harlan’s Harmony dueled through quick fractions.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario—The incomparable Tepin beat the boys again in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Woodbine Mile, holding off 23-1 shot Tower of Texas under Julien Leparoux to win the 20th running of the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In qualifier.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Corey Lanerie and Ken McPeek wouldn’t mind doing this every September at Churchill Downs. The jockey-trainer team won the Pocahontas Stakes for the second straight year, this time with Daddys Lil Darling, whose sustained stretch run was enough to hold off Ever So Clever in the Grade 2, $200,000 race.
With her victory for owner-breeder Normandy Farm, Daddys Lil Darling earned the first 10 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Oaks next spring as well as a Win and You’re In berth toward the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Dale Romans had been even more effusive in his praise for this one than he normally is. And after Not This Time easily defeated seven other 2-year-olds Saturday in the 35th running of the Grade 3, $150,000 Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs, the veteran trainer could barely contain his enthusiasm.
“He’s spooky good,” said Romans.
Confidently ridden from the outside post by Robby Albarado, Not This Time was kept in the clear throughout the 1 1/16-mile race, gliding past the front-runners after straightening for home to prevail by 8 3/4 lengths.
