Breeders' Cup
Ryan Moore, who guided three horses to Breeders' Cup victories during the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland Nov. 4-5, won the 20th Bill Shoemaker Award for the outstanding jockey of the two-day event. The Shoemaker Award goes to the jockey who rides the most winners in the 14 Championship races with the tiebreaker being 10-3-1 point system for second- through fourth-place finishes. Moore, who also won the Shoemaker Award in 2015, won Saturday's GI Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf on Tuesday (Ire), and Friday's GI Breeders'...
All of the Friday Breeders' Cup winners came back in fine form, according to their respective trainers Saturday, topped by GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Forte (Violence). "He's happy and proud of himself this morning," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "I thought he was more professional yesterday than he was when he won the [GI Claiborne] Breeders' Futurity here." Pletcher said Forte would get a little break--"not sure where"--and then look at a two-prep program from Pletcher's winter base at Palm Beach Downs in Florida leading up to the 2023 GI...
LEXINGTON, KY - You can add horse of a lifetime to the superlatives now, too. Unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Flightline (Tapit) ran to his already unworldly reputation, and, dare we say, even more, with a spectacular 8 1/4-length victory in Saturday's $6-million GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland. Olympiad (Speightstown) and fellow 'Rising Star' Taiba (Gun Runner) filled out the minors. "A great win today. He just ran beautiful; just like we thought he could," said winning trainer John Sadler, who previously put to bed an 0-for-44 mark at the...
LEXINGTON, KY - The Breeders' Cup Distaff, which has produced so many memorable moments over the years, delivered yet another race for the ages as Shadwell Stable's Malathaat (Curlin) got the bob over Blue Stripe (Arg) (Equal Stripes {Arg}) and Clairiere (Curlin) in a blanket three-horse finish. The 5-2 second choice behind her favored stablemate Nest (Curlin), Malathaat was unhurried from her inside post and settled well back as Society (Gun Runner) set the pace and Blue Stripe stalked the early leader down the backstretch. Nest began moving forward while...
LEXINGTON, KY -- There are few partnerships that have been as productive or have been firing more live ammunition during the Breeders' Cup thus far than the Coolmore group, Aidan O'Brien and jockey Ryan Moore. Following a pair of championship victories Friday, the triumvirate came right back on Breeders' Cup Saturday to annex the GI Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf with the impeccably bred Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who closed with a flourish to best dual Grade I winner In Italian (Dubawi {Ire}). The victory is the first in...
LEXINGTON, KY--Godolphin homebred Cody's Wish (Curlin) made quite a few wishes come true beneath cloudy skies Saturday when rallying from well back and edging MGISW Cyberknife (Gun Runner) to take the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland. The colt was named for 16-year-old Cody Dorman, who met the bay when he was just a foal at Gainsborough as part of Keeneland's Make-a-Wish day. Cody's Wish put his head in the young boy's lap, making an instant connection, and his story has touched many in the racing world. Dorman and...
LEXINGTON, KY - Gutsy Pennsylvania-bred mare Caravel (Mizzen Mast) took the field wire-to-wire and just held off Emaraaty Ana (GB) (Shamardal) with Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) closing powerfully late to give Godolphin the two-three in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Saturday at Keeneland. The gray mare, dismissed at 42-1, shot out to the early lead as favored Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), who had been expected to set the pace, was off to a slow start after jumping at the break. The favorite was rushing up through the field,...
Breeders' Cup Saturday was off to a good start for chalk players, as First Row Partners and Team Hanley's Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper) gave those that backed her into 9-5 favoritism a few anxious moments when in tight quarters for a few strides, but she launched a well-timed bid three wide into the Keeneland stretch and drew clear as much the best in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. Away to an almost too-sharp beginning from her middle gate, the $170,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July yearling purchase raced in the...
LEXINGTON, KY--Life in general, and life with horses in particular, simply doesn't dispense its favours with such an unstinting hand. Everybody understands that, and even an operation as lavishly resourced as Godolphin has over the years has experienced many moments of demoralization. Charlie Appleby and his team, moreover, will be perfectly aware that others must be expected in future. Before the afternoon was out, indeed, their second runner had been thwarted in a desperate finish by their rivals at Ballydoyle. By barely a nose, then, Appleby was denied a fifth...
The Europeans made their presence felt at Keeneland on Friday. Aidan O'Brien bagged a Grade I double while Charlie Appleby, who has two favourites to look forward to on Saturday, also landed a winner on the opening day of the Breeders' Cup. From O'Brien working his magic to No Nay Never silencing his doubters and William Buick and Ryan Moore once again confirming themselves top of the international riding tree, we pick the bones out of a pulsating Friday at Keeneland. Buick And Moore Confirm World-Class Status One of...
The Breeders' Cup Future Stars Friday card at Keeneland set an all-sources handle record for the first day of championship weekend when $66,141,766 was wagered on the 10-race card. That figure was a 7% increase from the previous record of $61,696,893 set last year at Del Mar. It was the fifth time the Breeders' Cup carded five juvenile races for its Future Stars Friday card since the event expanded to its two-day format in 2007. Friday's on-track attendance was 39,851. On-track handle was $7,504,265.
TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack reveals his selections for Breeders' Cup Saturday. Race 3: GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint--#8 Goodnight Olive (3-1) This is definitely one of my stronger opinions of the weekend. I love Goodnight Olive in this spot. Her win in the GI Ballerina this summer was as good as it gets and she's tactical enough to work out that same kind of trip right off the speed. Have good memories cashing on the Chad Brown-trained Wavell Avenue in this same race at Keeneland in 2015....