Truly Quality has won two long-distance turf stakes since early September, leaving trainer Jonathan Thomas considering a start in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar on Nov. 29 more than the Breeders’ Cup Turf at the same venue on Nov. 2.
Both races are run at 1 1/2 miles on turf.
Dreamfyre, the winner of two Grade 3 races for 2-year-old fillies in California in 2023, will be offered as a broodmare prospect at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale in Lexington, Ky., on Nov. 4.
A 3-year-old filly, Dreamfyre left trainer O.J. Jauregui’s stable at Santa Anita for Kentucky on Tuesday.
LEXINGTON, KY. – Immersive came out of her Friday win in the Grade 1 Alcibiades in good shape, has returned to trainer Brad Cox’s string at Churchill Downs, and will be among the favorites – if not the favorite – in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
Who knows if she’s even the leading 2-year-old filly in Cox’s barn?
LEXINGTON, Ky. – East Avenue made several points winning the Breeders’ Futurity on Saturday at Keeneland.
He showed he can go two turns after winning his career debut over six furlongs. He demonstrated that a step up in class, from maiden to Grade 1 competition, did not exceed his capacity, scoring by more than five lengths.
East Avenue ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.17, which announced him as just about the fastest 2-year-old dirt horse to have run in North America this year, his 95 Beyer Speed Figure second only to the 96 Ferocious received winning his debut.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Six graded stakes wins and a couple of runner-up finishes over the last two weekends helped to formulate the contingent of horses trainer Chad Brown will be taking to the 41st Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 1-2 at Del Mar.
While perhaps smaller than in most years, Brown’s cast of eight – perhaps as many as 10 – will be quite formidable.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Air Force Red, who has not won a stakes since New Year’s Eve in 2022, is under consideration for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at five furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 2.
Trainer Leonard Powell said over the weekend that he is eager to start the 6-year-old Air Force Red in a Breeders’ Cup race and said the Turf Sprint may be the more likely option than the Mile on turf.
“I don’t think he’ll get in the Mile,” Powell said. “The only chance may be the Turf Sprint. If the horse is doing well, we’ll see.”
ARCADIA, Calif. – Two months ago, Hang the Moon was at best a moderately successful filly, with two stakes placings in her first nine starts.
Last Saturday at Santa Anita, she won her second consecutive graded stakes in the Grade 2 Rodeo Drive Stakes to earn a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf on Nov. 2 at Del Mar.
Hang the Moon has thrived in longer races of late, winning the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf on Sept. 7 at Del Mar, and the longest race of her career in the $201,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Sierra Leone on Saturday continued his preparations for the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic to be run Nov. 2 at Del Mar by working a half-mile in 48.86 seconds over the Belmont Park training track, his first work at this facility in 11 months.
Working just after the 9:30 a.m. renovation break, Sierra Leone went in splits of 13.25 seconds, 24.06, got his last quarter in 23.80 seconds, and continued out five furlongs in 1:01.89 and six in 1:14.25.
Purses at the nine-week Golden State Racing meeting that begins on Oct. 19 at the Alameda county fair in Pleasanton will be higher than the current fair meeting in Fresno or at Golden Gate Fields earlier this year, but lower than what Golden Gate Fields offered last fall.
The condition book, detailing the proposed races for the first eight racing days of the 26-day season, was recently released.
First Peace, winner of the Grade 2 Eddie D Stakes for turf sprinters at Santa Anita on Sept. 28, will not start in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 2, and is under consideration for the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong on Dec. 8.
Trainer Mark Glatt said on Friday that First Peace has been nominated for the $3.34 million Hong Kong Sprint at six furlongs and is awaiting news whether the 4-year-old has been invited.
“That will be a consideration if he happens to be invited,” Glatt said.
