Breeders' Cup

Timelines for the massive-scaled, $455-million rebuild of Belmont Park were brought more clearly into focus Wednesday during a construction update presented by the New York Racing Association (NYRA) at a meeting of the New York State Franchise Oversight Board (FOB). In chronological order: 1) Belmont's new one-mile Tapeta track could open for training as early as the spring of 2025. 2) NYRA is keeping open the option of running the 2026 GI Belmont Stakes back downstate at the new facility under a festival-meet scenario in which all four racing surfaces...

Breeders' Cup Limited issued a reminder that Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 11:59 p.m. ET is the final deadline to nominate foals born in 2024 to the Breeders' Cup program at the one-time nomination fee of $400.00, the program said via a press release Wednesday. The weanling nomination entitles each foal with lifetime eligibility to the Breeders' Cup World Championships and its racing programs. All foals sired by a fully-nominated North American Breeders' Cup stallion are eligible for nomination to the Breeders' Cup program in their year of birth at the...

New Vocations has launched its 15th annual Breeders' Cup Pledge, in which connections of Breeders' Cup contenders have the opportunity to pledge a percentage of their Championship earnings to support the charity's mission to rehabilitate, retrain, and rehome retired racehorses. The Pledge has raised over $1.1 million towards aftercare since starting in 2009. "We are thrilled to have had so many owners and trainers involved in our Breeders' Cup Pledge over the years," said Anna Ford, New Vocations' Thoroughbred Program Director. "The Pledge offers an easy way for owners and...

Eight horses have been supplemented to the Fasig-Tipton November Sale. The group, catalogued as hips 301-308, are: Kodiac Wintergreen (Ire) (Kodiac) (hip 301), a 3-year-old stakes-placed racing/broodmare prospect consigned by Gainesway, agent. Liquid Amber (Kitten's Joy) (hip 303), a group winner and stakes producer is offered in foal to Not This Time. Her 2024 No Nay Never colt is offered as hip 302. Both are consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. Omaha Tapped (Omaha Beach) (hip 304), an unraced 3-year-old out of a full-sister to champion Untapable offered in...

Minaret Station, a 38-1 longshot, came flying late to upset the GII Castle & Key Bourbon Stakes and earn his paid spot in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sunday at Keeneland. A homebred for Larry Best's OXO Equine, the bay colt is the first stakes winner for his freshman sire Instilled Regard (Arch), who won the 2020 GI Manhattan Stakes in Best's colors. Devoid of early speed, Minaret Station settled near the back of the field as Clock Tower took the field through fractions of :22.29 and :47.02. Minaret...

Idiomatic (Curlin), the defending Eclipse champion older mare, capped a big day for Juddmonte Farms with a wire-to-wire victory in the GI Juddmonte Spinster Stakes at Keeneland Sunday. Hours after Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}) gave the operation its record seventh victory in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Idiomatic was sent off the 1-5 favorite in the Spinster, a Win and You're In event for the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff. The bay mare broke alertly and was soon at the head of affairs while pressed by Candied (Candy Ride...

Lawrence Goichman's homebred Scythian inherited the lead when pacesetting Marvelous Madison (Caravaggio)--also owned and bred by Goichman--bolted on the far turn approaching the stretch and strode home unchallenged to the wire in the GIII Miss Grillo Stakes at Aqueduct Sunday. The victory gave freshman sire Tiz the Law his second graded winner pf the weekend and Scythian a fees-paid berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Marvelous Madison, breaking from the far outside in the field of 12, rushed up and over to take the early lead, while...

Trainer Phil D'Amato reported One Magic Philly (Good Magic) and Hang the Moon (Uncle Mo) were doing well after their graded stakes victories Saturday at Santa Anita and both fillies are under consideration for Breeders' Cup engagements. Hang the Moon earned a fees-paid berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf with her upset win in Saturday's GII Rodeo Drive Stakes. "She paid her way [to the Breeders' Cup]. If she continues to train well, that's where we'll go," D'Amato said Sunday morning. One Magic Philly won her...

Raging Sea, who upset champion Idiomatic (Curlin) in the GI Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga last time out, will likely head next to the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff after outbattling a stubborn Batucada in the GII Beldame Stakes at Aqueduct Sunday. The 1-9 favorite was allowed to settle into stride and was unhurried while racing off the early pace. She rushed up into contention on the bend and came with a full head of steam as longshot Batucada turned for home with a one-length advantage. Raging Sea eyeballed the gray...

Expectations were high for the three Grade I preps for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile run Saturday as the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity, the GI Champagne Stakes and the GI American Pharoah Stakes all included horses who seemed to have vast potential. And most came through. Chancer McPatrick (McKinzie) was the star performer in the Champagne, staying undefeated and adding a second Grade I to win to his resume. In the American Pharoah it all came down, as it so often does, to which Bob Baffert would win, and the...

With a racing move as ageless as the racetrack itself, it was Zeitlos (Curlin--Thyme For Roses {Aus}, by Redoute's Choice {Aus}) who made a timeless move to the rail and got up for the win in the GII Thoroughbred Club of American Stakes at Keeneland on Saturday afternoon. The score meant that the 4-year-old not only earned her first graded stakes victory, but she took home a prized ticket to enter the starting gate in the GI PNC Bank Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Del Mar next month....

Continuing an important weekend as next month's Breeders' Cup World Championships rapidly approach, Keeneland's GI Juddmonte Spinster Stakes headlines Sunday's graded stakes action spanning from coast to coast. A 'Win and You're In' for the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff, the Spinster has six contenders signed on, including last season's champion older mare Idiomatic (Curlin), who draws the rail under regular pilot Florent Geroux. The winner of a trio of Grade I stakes in 2023--capped off by the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Santa Anita--the Juddmonte homebred has proven consistent at...