Thu, 06/28/2012 - 16:16

Breeders' Cup: Board set to vote on 2013 site

The Breeders’ Cup board of directors was expected to vote on Thursday on the selection of a host site for the 2013 year-end event, with the option of choosing among Churchill Downs in Louisville, Santa Anita Park in Southern California, and Monmouth Park in New Jersey, according to officials.

Thu, 06/28/2012 - 15:03

Hollywood Park: Mr. Commons should get pace help in Shoemaker Mile

Shigeki Kikkawa
Mr. Commons should get a lively pace to chase in Saturday's Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Hollywood Park.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Mr. Commons and Little Mike are set in their ways.

Mr. Commons is a closer, reliant on a quick pace to help his chances in the stretch of one-mile turf races. Little Mike races from the front and is dangerous with that style.

They will play their customary roles when they meet for the first time in Saturday’s $300,000 Shoemaker Mile on turf at Betfair Hollywood Park. Mr. Commons, the expected favorite, will be seeking his first stakes win since the Grade 2 Arcadia Stakes at Santa Anita in February.

Wed, 06/27/2012 - 15:55

Hollywood Park: Little Mike gives California a try in Shoemaker Mile

Tom Keyser
Little Mike, winner of the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic last month, will make his first California appearance in Saturday's Shoemaker Mile.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Good luck trying to keep pace with Little Mike in Saturday’s $300,000 Shoemaker Mile at Betfair Hollywood Park, trainer Dale Romans said.

“I don’t think anyone will get in front of him,” Romans said. “If they do, they won’t finish well. He’s fast.”

Owned by Priscilla Vaccarezza, Little Mike has won 10 of 17 starts and $830,412.

Sun, 06/24/2012 - 17:57

Hollywood Park: Potesta will race just once more this summer

Shigeki Kikkawa
Trainer Mike Mitchell says he wants to keep 3-year-old filly Potesta racing on dirt or synthetic surfaces with a long-range goal of this fall's Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Potesta, who won the Grade 2 Hollywood Oaks at Betfair Hollywood Park on Saturday in her stakes debut, may have one more start for the rest of the summer.

Trainer Mike Mitchell said on Sunday that the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 2 is a long-term goal for Potesta, s lightly raced filly.

With most of the stakes schedule for 3-year-old fillies at Del Mar on turf later this summer, Potesta will be pointed for the $100,000 Torrey Pines Stakes for 3-year-old fillies over a mile on the Polytrack synthetic surface there on Sept. 2.

Sun, 06/24/2012 - 15:30

Breeders' Cup berths awarded to winners in Japan, France, Argentina

Gus Dupat
Calidoscopio, ridden by Pablo Falero, wins the 1 1/2-mile Clasico Belgrano on Saturday at Palermo Racecouse in Argentina and qualifies for the Breeders' Cup Marathon at Santa Anita.

Major stakes on three continents on Saturday and Sunday offered automatic berths to Breeders’ Cup races at Santa Anita in November, but it was uncertain whether two of the winners would travel to the United States this fall.

Orfevre, the winner of the 2011 Japanese Triple Crown, won for the first time in three starts as a 4-year-old in Sunday’s Grade 1 Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin Racecourse. At Saint-Cloud racecourse in Paris, Meandre pulled an upset against three rivals in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.

Sun, 06/17/2012 - 11:11

Churchill Downs: Breeders' Cup on far horizon for Ron the Greek, Royal Delta

Reed Palmer Photography/Churchill Downs
The filly Royal Delta was awarded a 110 Beyer Speed Figure for her win in the Fleur de Lis Handicap.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott confirmed that Ron the Greek and Royal Delta both will be pointed to the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita after sweeping the two big races Saturday night on the Stephen Foster program at Churchill Downs.

Ron the Greek, a head winner over odds-on favorite Wise Dan in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster, will have a short break, said Mott, then might have one race before running in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park as his final prep for the $5 million BC Classic on Nov. 3.

Wed, 04/11/2012 - 11:26

Australia: T.J. Smith at Randwick first Breeders' Cup Challenge race for BC Turf Sprint

The races may be on opposite sides of the world, but the winner of Saturday’s Group 1 T.J. Smith Stakes at Randwick Racecourse in Australia will receive a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita in November.

Part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge program, the $1.02 million Smith Stakes is the first race of the year to offer a berth in the BC Turf Sprint, provided the winner is nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program or is made eligible later this year.

The Smith is run over about six furlongs and has drawn a field of six.

Thu, 03/22/2012 - 09:58

Breeders' Cup Challenge expanded to 73 races

The Breeders’ Cup Challenge, a series of stakes races that provide the winners with guaranteed berths in one of the 15 races held during the organization’s year-end event, will be expanded from 68 races last year to 73 races this year, the Breeders’ Cup announced Thursday morning.

Tue, 02/07/2012 - 16:02

Del Mar expresses interest in hosting Breeders' Cup

Del Mar Thoroughbred Club outside of San Diego has sent an informational package to Breeders’ Cup expressing interest in hosting a future edition of the organization’s year-end event, the Breeders’ Cup’s chief executive said on Tuesday.