With so many implications toward the Breeders’ Cup, there is an incredible amount of energy building toward the opening Fall Stars Weekend at Keeneland, where the 17-day meet begins Friday.
“Everybody’s pumped – the horsemen, fans, our staff,” said racing secretary Ben Huffman.
Angela Renee and Conquest Eclipse put in as close to perfect preps as you can get for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 1 by finishing first and second in Saturday’s Grade 1 Chandelier at Santa Anita.
The Chandelier is run at the Juvenile Fillies distance of 1 1/16 miles over the Breeders’ Cup host track. Angela Renee earned a Win and You’re In fees-paid berth in the Juvenile Fillies for her 1 1/2-length victory.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Cigar Street will return Wednesday to trainer Bill Mott’s main base at Belmont Park to prepare for a possible run in the Breeders’ Cup Classic after his stirring victory Saturday in the Homecoming Classic, the highlight of closing weekend of the 12-day September meet at Churchill Downs.
Making his second start following a 17-month layoff, Cigar Street earned a 101 Beyer Speed Figure in his 1 3/4-length triumph over Departing in the 1 1/8-mile race. Shaun Bridgmohan was aboard the 2-1 second choice.
ARCADIA, Calif. – The comeback victory by Beholder on Saturday at Santa Anita was not the most impressive of her career. It did not need to be.
Racing for the first time in 112 days, Beholder won the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes by three-quarters of a length to re-establish herself as a top contender for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Beholder earned a 99 Beyer Speed Figure.
“It’s going to put her right where she ought to be,” trainer Richard Mandella said a day later. “She looks like a million bucks. That ought to put her in perfect shape.”
Lady Eli gave trainer Chad Brown his third straight win in the Grade 3, $200,000 Miss Grillo at Belmont Park on Sunday, and Brown hopes she can give him a second win in the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita on Oct. 31.
Brown won the inaugural running of the Juvenile Fillies Turf in 2008 with Maram, who was coming off a narrow win in the Miss Grillo. Maram paid $24.20 for her win in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. Following her three-length win over 50-1 longshot Margaret Reay in the Miss Grillo, Lady Eli will be a much shorter price this year.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Don’t count Rajiv Maragh out of the Breeders’ Cup just yet.
According to his agent, Tony Micallef, Maragh has been told by doctors that his broken right arm could heal in time allow him to ride in the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita on Oct. 31-Nov.1.
“The doctor said the bone will heal in two weeks, and he wants to see him again in two weeks,” Micallef said Monday morning.
“There is a chance he could ride the Breeders’ Cup, the doctor said.”
ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Bob Baffert has won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile three times. However, he is winless with four favorites in the race dating back to 1999.
That streak most certainly will be tested in this year’s $2 million Juvenile on Nov. 1, when Baffert sends out American Pharoah, who solidified his status as the Juvenile favorite with a devastatingly easy 3 1/4-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 1 FrontRunner Stakes at Santa Anita, the site of this year’s Breeders’ Cup.
ARCADIA, Calif.- Less morning activity in recent weeks resulted in a fine afternoon for Bright Thought in Sunday’s $201,000 John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita.
Ridden by Tyler Baze, Bright Thought won the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship by three-quarters of a length over Finnegans Wake, running 1 1/4 miles on turf in 1:58.27. The victory will lead to a start in the $3 million Breeders’ Cup Turf here on Nov. 1, trainer Phil D’Amato said.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin doesn’t run a maiden in a graded stakes race very often, but he thought there was plenty more to gain than to lose by running Imperia in Sunday’ Grade 3, $200,000 Pilgrim Stakes at Belmont Park.
“Our percentage is so high second-time out, especially with Lasix first time, we thought [if we lose] we could break his maiden later; if we win we can go on to the Breeders’ Cup,” McLaughlin said.
ARCADIA, Calif – Moulin de Mougin will be trained toward the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 1 despite falling in Saturday’s Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes.
Trainer Richard Mandella said Sunday that Moulin de Mougin escaped injury in the incident, which occurred about a quarter-mile from the finish of the race over 1 1/4 miles on turf. Moullin de Mougin was racing on the outside of the field and making progress on the leaders when she fell. Jockey Mike Smith told Mandella that Moulin de Mougin clipped heels with a rival.
