After barely holding third in a three-way photo behind Vyjack and River Rocks as the odds-on choice and highweight in Saturday’s Grade 2 Kelso Handicap at Belmont Park, Itsmyluckyday will not be supplemented to either the Breeders’ Cup Classic or Dirt Mile and will await the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct on Nov. 29.
The Cigar Mile also will be the next start for the Aqueduct-based Vyjack, who earned a career-best 103 Beyer Speed Figure in notching his first stakes win since the 2013 Gotham.
The last two major preps toward the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint are set for Saturday, with the Thoroughbred Club of America at Keeneland and the L.A. Woman at Santa Anita.
Although none of the potential top favorites – Artemis Agrotera, Midnight Lucky, and Judy the Beauty – will have another race before the Breeders’ Cup, the Grade 2 TCA and Grade 3 L.A. Woman could combine to produce a handful of starters for the seven-furlong Filly and Mare Sprint.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Victor Espinoza was suspended for seven days by Santa Anita stewards on Sunday for causing interference aboard Sky Kingdom in Saturday’s Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes.
On Monday, Espinoza’s agent, Brian Beach, said the jockey will not appeal.
“Victor wants to put the spotlight on the horses,” Beach said.
Espinoza was sanctioned for allowing Sky Kingdom to drift wide on the first turn, carrying 1-5 favorite Shared Belief four wide. The incident was the subject of widespread discussion after the race, which was won by Shared Belief.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The September meet at Churchill Downs ended with ties for leading trainer and jockey. Steve Asmussen and Wayne Catalano tied for top trainer with seven wins apiece, while Corey Lanerie and Ricardo Santana Jr. deadlocked for top jockey with 13 wins each.
For Asmussen, it was the 15th time he has won or tied for that honor, extending his own record at Churchill, while it was the first time for Catalano, a perennial leading trainer on the Chicago circuit.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Victories by Shared Belief in the Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita and Tonalist in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on Saturday further strengthened the already-strong hold that 3-year-olds appear to have on the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Those two, combined with Bayern, the winner of the Haskell Invitational and Pennsylvania Derby, and California Chrome, the winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, could very well be the top four choices in the Classic on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita.
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.
