Breeders' Cup
NEWMARKET, UK--There's grey, cloud-stuffed sky hanging over Newmarket as the mild autumn is bustled along by an impatient winter. Exactly a week ago, it felt like spring was still in the air in Paris as a sun-dappled day saw second-season trainer James Ferguson announce his presence in the international stage with a first Group 1 winner. The diminutive El Bodegon (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) passed almost literally under the noses of observers on the paddock rails who mostly had eyes for his bigger, stronger rivals, but the little colt has the...
St. George Stable's Letruska (Super Saver), the expected favorite for the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff next week, had a somewhat eventful final breeze at Del Mar Saturday. Scheduled to work a solo five-eighths, the four-time Grade I winner broke off behind 2-year-old filly Brandon'smylawyer (Astern {Aus}), and hooked that runner near the half-mile pole. The other filly continued on with Letruska, and finished her half-mile work several lengths to the good of Letruska, who was credited with five furlongs in 1:01.20 (2/7) (Click for video). Brandon'smylawyer, a $340,000 OBS April...
Larry Collmus, who stepped up to pinch hit for Del Mar's longtime caller Trevor Denman during the height of the COVID 19 crisis in 2020, will take over for the recently injured Denman for the majority of the track's upcoming fall race meet starting Nov. 3. Denman, 68, suffered a herniated disc in his back earlier this week after a fall at his home in Minnesota. Collmus, who will cover the Breeders' Cup for NBC at Del Mar, will take over calling duties at Del Mar though closing day Nov....
The genius of the Breeders' Cup is the way it brings together the two ancillary channels of investment that offer a Thoroughbred racehorse such viability as it may have: from the bloodstock industry, on the one hand; and fans and handicappers, on the other. So far as the first group are concerned, it might be overstating things to say that the GI Kentucky Derby would not lose a single runner if they only ran for that blanket of roses. But it's certainly true that the values of the bloodstock market...
Grade I winners Got Stormy (Get Stormy) and Juju's Map (Liam's Map) put in their final works for their respective Breeders' Cup races at Churchill Downs Friday morning. MGISW turfer Got Stormy had her final career breeze at 7:30 a.m. under jockey Declan Carroll, cruising a half-mile in :48.60 in preparation for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile. "We had some rain in the area but the track was really good so I decided to move her work up a day," trainer Mark Casse's assistant David Carroll said. "Sometimes you see...
It has been quite the run for the Chehboub family's Haras de la Gousserie this autumn. First Rougir (Fr) (Territories {Ire}) won the G1 Prix de l'Opera on Arc weekend. Then Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}), whom they race in partnership with the colt's breeder Guy Pariente, took some fairly notable scalps on QIPCO British Champions Day when landing the G1 QIPCO Champion S. The gallant stayer Skazino (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), winner of three group races at ParisLongchamp this season, only narrowly failed to keep the good times rolling when finishing...
The connections of Jasper Prince (Violence) and Pingxiang (Speightstown) confirmed Thursday morning that the runners will compete in the GI Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Nov. 6 instead of the G1 Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint. Both Jasper Prince, owned by Kazuo Kato, and Pingxiang, owned by Naoya Fuji, are trained by Hideyuki Mori. The Dirt Mile was the first preference of both at pre-entry. It was also announced Thursday that four horses are not traveling to Del Mar for next weekend's World Championships. La Joconde (Ire) (Frankel...
Thoroughbred Charities of America will host Bash at the Breeders' Cup on Friday, Nov. 5 at the Hilton in Del Mar. An outdoor event featuring signature cocktails, music, hors d'oeuvres, and a live auction of racing memorabilia and experiences, Bash at the Breeders' Cup is a fundraiser for TCA. The Hilton San Diego/Del Mar is directly across the street from the racetrack. Tickets are available here. "Bash at the Breeders' Cup has become a significant fundraiser for TCA and, after a hiatus last year, we're thrilled to return to Del...
Champion Essential Quality (Tapit), GI Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit (Protonico), MGISW turf star Domestic Spending (GB) (Kingman {GB}), defending GI Breeders' Cup Turf heroine Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal), top distaffer Letruska (Super Saver) and GI Kentucky Oaks victress Malathaat (Curlin) are among the 196 horses entered in the Nov. 5-6 Breeders' Cup World Championships to be held at Del Mar. This will be the second time the SoCal venue plays hosts to the Breeders' Cup, with the first being in 2017. The 56 international horses are a record number of...
Connections of Sacred (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) have decided against a tilt at the Breeders' Cup for the 3-year-old filly, and she has headed into winter quarters at Cheveley Park Stud ahead of a planned 4-year-old campaign. Sacred, second in a trio of key juvenile events in 2020 for trainer William Haggas in the G2 Queen Mary S., G2 Lowther S. and G2 Flying Childers S., won the G3 Nell Gwyn S. and the G2 Hungerford S. this season over seven furlongs. On her only other run, she was...
Darley America will have two major new additions to its stallion roster for 2022 as GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile and GI Belmont S. winner Essential Quality (Tapit--Delightful Quality, by Elusive Quality) and fellow Grade I winner Maxfield (Street Sense--Velvety, by Bernardini) are set to retire to Jonabell after their final starts. "To have both Essential Quality and Maxfield coming to Jonabell is as exciting as it gets. And to have accomplished what they did as homebreds in the colors of Godolphin makes it even that much more meaningful," said Darley...
Qatar Racing's Mise En Scene (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) will make her next start in the GI Breeder' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar. Trained by James Ferguson, who won his first Group 1 race as a trainer with El Bodegon (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud on Saturday, the filly broke her maiden at Haydock on July 2 and captured the G3 Prestige S. at Goodwood in just her second start on Aug. 28. She was fourth in the G1 Fillies' Mile most recently on Oct....