Breeders' Cup

"We were very saddened to learn of the passing of B. Wayne Hughes, who has left an indelible impact and legacy on our sport as a breeder, owner, and industry innovator for the past 20 years. Foremost of his many achievements was his restoration of Spendthrift Farm to its grandeur and success as an internationally preeminent breeding operation, led by such prolific stallions as Malibu Moon and Into Mischief. Moreover, Mr. Hughes believed that breeders were the 'backbone of our industry,' and created programs that re-established the owner/breeder relationship, such...

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL--The year was 1981. I was approaching freshman year at Wheeling High School, not far from my home, about 15 minutes north and east of Arlington Park. Three doors down from me at 1512 Clearwater Drive lived a heavy-set, middle-aged man named Bert Loebmann. He and a partner campaigned a then 4-year-old filly named Diablo Morn (that I still remember this name 40 years later is either really frightening or super impressive, you decide). Bert was an enthusiastic horse owner, even if Diablo Morn wasn't going to make...

Breeders' Cup Executive Vice President & Chief Racing Officer Dora Delgado has been named to the Sports Business Journal's prestigious 'Game Changers' list, which recognizes "women with broad, deep, and varied responsibilities and oversight who contribute to the success of the [sports] industry in multiple ways." "Dora's contributions to the success of the Breeders' Cup over the last 38 years truly cannot be overstated," said Breeders' Cup President and CEO Drew Fleming. "Her hard work, passion, expertise and commitment to the horses and the sport are well-known in the racing...

For a race that offers just a five-horse field, Saturday's GI Whitney S. at Saratoga will nevertheless feature plenty of intrigue, as two of the handicap division's top stars will meet the one-two finishers from the GI Metropolitan H. and a certain champion filly whose trainer called an audible to enter her in the meet centerpiece for older horses, a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. Given the morning-line at 6-5 is the Korea Racing Authority's enigmatic star speedball Knicks Go (Paynter). A shocking...

With their horse coming off a win in a Group 3 stakes race, the connections of Cadillac (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) could have easily pointed their horse to some of the major stakes remaining on the European calendar. Instead, the 3-year-old colt will be in Saratoga Saturday for the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational. With so many lucrative opportunities available, it is growing increasingly difficult for European stables to ignore a stakes schedule laden with rich, winnable races. "This is a very valuable race, it's a Grade I and it...

Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) sat off a quick early pace, pounced at the five-sixteenths pole and edged clear in the lane to capture the GI Clement L. Hirsch S. Sunday at Del Mar, punching her ticket to the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff in the "Win and You're In" qualifier with her third Grade I victory. Bought into by Qatar Racing out of a debut victory for Norm Casse in June of 2019 and transferred to Simon Callaghan, the bay went winless in three subsequent starts as a juvenile, but still hammered...

Tabor, Magnier and Smith's As Time Goes By (American Pharoah) looks for her third straight win--and an automatic berth in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff--in the GI Clement L. Hirsch S. at Del Mar Sunday. The Bob Baffert trainee, second in the Mar. 13 GI Beholder Mile, romped home by 9 1/4 lengths in the Apr. 24 GII Santa Margarita S. She was all out to hold off This Tea (Curlin) in the May 22 GII Santa Maria S., but has been freshened since then and is training strongly...

Handicappers will have a tough time tossing many horses from their tickets as a competitive nine-horse field lines up for Saturday's six-furlong GI Bing Crosby S. at Del Mar, a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint. Given a slight nod on the morning line at 5-2 is C Z Rocket (City Zip). Claimed for $40,000 last spring at Oaklawn by Peter Miller, the gelding has been a new horse since, winning seven of nine races while finishing second in the other two. That streak includes...

Reigning champion sprinter Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect), third in his latest start in the May 1 GI Churchill Downs S., recorded his final serious breeze Friday in preparation for the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. July 31 at Saratoga. The 8-year-old, who won the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint in November at Keeneland, went a half-mile in :48.78 seconds over a fast main track, 12 days after completing the same distance in a swift :47.21 seconds. Trained by Ron Moquett, the gelding has amassed more than $4.4 million in lifetime earnings through...

OwnerView will host an in-person Thoroughbred Owner Conference in Del Mar, CA on Wednesday of Breeders' Cup week, Nov. 3. Registration is now open for the event. "Our monthly virtual Thoroughbred Owner Conference series has been enthusiastically received this year with more than 1,100 registrations, so we are excited to carry this momentum forward and return to hosting a live event during the week of the Breeders' Cup," said Gary Falter, project manager for OwnerView. "We are looking forward to again offering existing and prospective Thoroughbred owners the invaluable face-to-face...

Fanticipate, a patented online auction platform for fans to bid on unique memorabilia and experiences from their favorite competitors before the game even starts, has partnered with Breeders' Cup to offer a series of auctions coinciding with select Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races and the Breeders' Cup World Championships. Proceeds will benefit Breeders' Cup Charities. With Fanticipate, fans have the exciting opportunity to own items used by entrants in these races, enabling them to "own a piece of the action." The series of auctions will kick off with Saturday's GI...

The GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar on Nov. 6 is on the long-term radar for Laws Of Indices (Ire) (Power {GB}), who earned a first Group 1 win in last weekend's G1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville. Trainer Ken Condon, however, has his sights set first on a return trip to Deauville for the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest next month and the G1 Prix de la Foret on Oct 3 for the €8,000 Goffs Autumn yearling graduate. "The Maurice de Gheest is on Aug. 8," said Condon....