LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A month away from the Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs, trainer Chad Brown anticipates running only Sistercharlie and Fourstar Crook in the Nov. 3 Filly and Mare Turf, a decision influenced by the race being at 1 3/8 miles this year.
The six-furlong distance of the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket last Saturday did not suit The Mackem Bullet. The promising filly wants a longer race, which is why trainer Brian Ellison has targeted the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Churchill Downs on Nov. 2 for The Mackem Bullet’s first start at a mile.
“It’s a dream come true to have a filly that’s good enough to go out there,” Ellison said on Wednesday from a yearling sale in Ireland.
“She’s a very good filly. It should be spot-on.”
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Marley’s Freedom will train up to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint after trainer Bob Baffert decided early this week that the star filly will not run Sunday in the Grade 3 L.A. Woman at her home track, Santa Anita.
Marley’s Freedom, owned by Cicero Farms, has ascended to the top of the division in recent months, most recently winning the Grade 1 Ballerina by 3 1/4 lengths on Aug. 25 at Saratoga. The 4-year-old Blame filly worked a half-mile in 47.60 seconds Monday at Santa Anita, but Baffert said he now prefers to train her straight into the race.
Blue Prize has already won a pair of graded stakes at Breeders’ Cup host track Churchill Downs this season. Blue Prize keeps her eyes on the prize as she travels just up the highway to make her final prep start in the Grade 1, $500,000 Spinster Stakes on Sunday at Keeneland.
“This filly loves it here at Churchill Downs,” trainer Ignacio Correas said. “She’s just improved since we got her from Argentina, and I think she’s getting better.”
Trainer Jason Servis is preparing the trio of Rainbow Heir, Vision Perfect, and World of Trouble for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs. Now all they have to do is get into the race, which could be oversubscribed.
Rainbow Heir, 8, has started only twice this year. He won the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint in January, and in his September return to the races finished a fast-closing third in the Turf Monster at Parx Racing.
World of Trouble, 3, is 2 for 2 on turf, but both of those races came against 3-year-olds in ungraded stakes.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Bellafina already wants more, and she will ship to Churchill Downs as the presumptive favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies following a decisive victory in the Grade 1 Chandelier Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita.
Wednesday morning, in her first day back to the track, a frisky Bellafina was full of herself. She was a handful for her exercise rider to control, brimming with energy. If anyone wondered how Bellafina came out of her third graded win, the answer was clear.
Imperial Hint further solidified the notion that he’ll be favored in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint by cruising to victory last Saturday in the Grade 1 Vosburgh at Belmont. Mind Your Biscuits, on the other hand, may have lessened the likelihood that the Sprint will be the Breeders’ Cup race of choice for his connections following a similarly easy romp several hours later at Churchill Downs in the D. Wayne Lukas Classic.
Oscar Performance didn’t finish the Arlington Million, pulled up in the homestretch after jockey Jose Ortiz felt the colt take a couple of awkward steps. That was Aug. 11. On Sept. 15, Oscar Performance won the Woodbine Mile, running his second half-mile in less than 45 seconds and stamping himself as a serious player in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – After missing the first portion of the meet due to suspension, Eurico Da Silva appeared to have his work cut out for him in his quest to be Woodbine’s leading rider for a fourth straight year.
Rafael Hernandez opened up a substantial lead in the standings in the spring, but a surging Da Silva blew by him in mid-summer and is on target for his fourth straight 200-plus win total at the meet.
ARCADIA, Calif. – A majority interest in the 3-year-old colt Axelrod, a two-time Grade 3 winner who most recently was second in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby, has been sold to Phoenix Thoroughbreds by original owner Slam Dunk Racing, which will retain a minority interest in the colt, according to Nick Cosato, who heads the Slam Dunk partnership.
Axelrod won the Indiana Derby and Smarty Jones, both Grade 3 races, prior to the Pennsylvania Derby. He also was second in the Grade 3 Affirmed Stakes in June. He is based at Santa Anita with trainer Michael McCarthy.
