Breeders' Cup
Horses trained by Bob Baffert, whose Kentucky Derby win with Medina Spirit (Protonico) remains in doubt due to a betamethasone positive, will undergo enhanced scrutiny in order to participate in the upcoming Breeders' Cup championship races at Del Mar, the Breeders' Cup announced Sunday. The statement by the Breeders' Cup read: "The Breeders' Cup Board of Directors convened a special review under legal counsel to evaluate the recent conduct of Mr. Bob Baffert in order to determine whether he should be permitted to participate in the 2021 World Championships. In...
Several of runners targeting next month's Breeders' Cup at Del Mar breezed for trainer Chad Brown at Belmont Saturday, including Oct. 2 GI Champagne S. winner Jack Christopher (Munnings), who worked a half-mile in :49.05. According to Brown, the Jim Bakke, Gerald Isbister, Coolmore Stud and Peter Brant-owned colt remains on target for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Nov. 5. "He was great," said Brown. He was in control the entire way and galloped out super. He came back good." Also on Saturday's worktab, Klaravich Stables' multiple Grade I-winner Domestic...
Otter Bend Stables' Gufo (Declaration of War), who earned a berth into the GI Breeders' Cup Turf with a win in the Aug. 28 GI Sword Dancer S., remains on track for the 12-furlong test at Del Mar Nov. 5. Trainer Christophe Clement said a breeze next weekend will likely determine Gufo's Breeders' Cup status. The chestnut was third most recently in the Oct. 9 Saturday's GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic. "We are training him to go to the Breeders' Cup at the moment," said Clement. "I will speak to...
As one of the most recognizable television personalities in racing, Laffit Pincay has a front-row seat to some of the grandest spectacles in the sport, and as the son of one of the greatest jockeys who ever lived, he also has had first-hand experience with some of racing's most iconic moments from a very young age. Wednesday, the excellent broadcaster for NBC and the New York Racing Association joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland as the Green Group Guest of the Week to preview next month's Breeders' Cup, relive...
NBC and NYRA TV Host Laffit Pincay III joined this week's TDN Writers' Room to talk on the upcoming Breeders' Cup Championships and his early racing memories.
Trainer Hideyuki Mori will send four Japanese-based American-bred horses under his care to the Breeders' Cup, according to the Daily Sports newspaper, including 2-year-old colt Jasper Great (Arrogate), who became the first Japanese winner for his late sire (by Unbridled's Song) with a victory over the past weekend. Mori has become an active buyer at American bloodstock sales and acquired Jasper Great for $200,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling Showcase. The half-brother to GISW Power Broker (Pulpit) and SW Fierce Boots (Tiznow) was sent off at debut odds of...
Breeders' Cup and Qatar Racing have entered into a multi-year partnership that designates Qatar Racing as the official partner of the $2-million GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, starting with this year's running at Del Mar Nov. 6. The deal also adds two races to the 2021 Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" Challenge Series--the G1 QIPCO Champion S. and G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. (Sponsored by QIPCO), to be held on British Champions Day Saturday, Oct. 16 at Ascot Racecourse, will offer automatic berths into the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf...
The deadline to nominate weanlings of 2021 to the Breeders' Cup at the one-time regular nomination rate of $400 will end Friday, Oct. 15 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The $400 nomination will provide lifetime eligibility to the Breeders' Cup World Championships and the Breeders' Cup Racing Programs. All foals by a fully nominated North American stallion are eligible to nominate at the weanling rate. In addition to race benefits and eligibility, Breeders' Cup foal nominators in 2021 have received a $10,000 nominator award for each Breeders' Cup Challenge series "Win...
Minutes after another easy win by Letruska (Super Saver), this time in the GI Juddmonte Spinster S. Sunday at Keeneland, trainer Fausto Gutierrez told reporters that the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff, and not the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, would be next for his 5-year-old mare. That was hardly a surprise. Gutierrez and German Larrea, the Mexican billionaire businessman who owns the horse, are looking to play it safe. Letruska is simply better than every other filly and mare in the sport and shouldn't have any problem winning the Distaff. The...
Popular star distaffer Letruska (Super Saver) took another step toward a potential Horse of the Year trophy Sunday at Keeneland, rolling to her fourth Grade I victory and sixth graded stakes win overall on the year as a heavy favorite in the GI Juddmonte Spinster S. A dual Group 1 winner in Mexico for Fausto Gutierrez in 2019, Letruska stamped herself as a horse to watch with an impressive wire-to-wire score in last summer's GIII Shuvee S. at Saratoga and, after disappointing when finishing a well-beaten fourth in Belmont's GII...
Hat Creek Racing's Averly Jane (Midshipman--Sh Sh Shakin', by Richter Scale) powered home a much-the-best winner in Keeneland's Indian Summer S., a 'Win and You're In' race for the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar Nov. 5. Undefeated in three prior starts for trainer Wesley Ward, including a commanding score in Saratoga's Skidmore S. Aug. 20, she was installed the 4-5 choice while facing the boys and getting blinkers off here. To the front like a shot, she rolled through opening splits of :21.64 and :44.50. Turning...
Dual Group 1 runner-up Pearls Galore (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) has been confirmed for the upcoming GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar in November. A winner of the G3 Brownstown S. on July 11 and G3 Fairy Bridge S. on Aug. 26, the Haras de Saint-Pair homebred was second in both the G1 Matron S. at Leopardstown on Sept. 11 and the Oct. 3 G1 Prix de la Foret. Trainer Paddy Twomey said, "She came out of the race last weekend fantastic and she's in good form. She's going...