GI Breeders' Cup Distaff

Much like the diva the race was named in honor of, Cavalieri (Nyquist) gave the fans on hand a moment's worry at the start, but rolled home the easiest of winners to stamp her ticket to the Breeders' Cup via the 'WAYI' GII Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita. Unbeaten in her career, the Speedway Stables colorbearer entered the race off a stalk and pounce performance which saw her claim the GI Beholder Mile by three-quarters of a length over stablemate Richi (Chi) (Practical Joke) back in March--who returned here for...

In his second trip to the post, Provenance (Into Mischief) became Monomoy Girl's first 'TDN Rising Star' at Santa Anita Park. The bay debuted Aug. 23 at Del Mar and ran third in a mile maiden special weight that yielded GSP Plutarch (Into Mischief) when he hit the board in the GIII Del Mar Juvenile Turf next out. He finished second in front of Provenance in that mutual debut. Training well since that unveiling, the Bob Baffert trainee recently put in a strong four-furlong work Sept. 20 in advance of...

It was a dramatic finish, but reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) gamely gave it her all and nosed out her competition to win the GI Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga. No stranger to being the media's darling as well as the fan's favorite, the 'TDN Rising Star' was most recently the headliner when Hill 'n' Dale announced that they'd acquired a half-interest in a deal which included former NFL player Marshawn Lynch. In the lead up to the race, trainer Kenny McPeek was particularly bullish on...

The Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May Two-Year-Olds In-Training sale has supplemented an additional 36 entries to the catalogue, highlighted by a Gun Runner half-brother to multiple champion MGISW Monomoy Girl (Tapizar). The May 15 colt, consigned by Hoppel LLC as agent, counts not only the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff heroine as a half-sister but GSW Mr. Monomoy (Palace Malice) as a half-brother as well. Their dam has produced six winners from seven to the races. The Florida-bred is set to go as HIP 559. Juveniles by major stallions like Constitution, Maxfield, Munnings,...

3rd-GP, $60k, Msw, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:18p.m. ET Fashionably late to the party, but making it to the races for the partnership of WinStar Farm, Siena Farm, and Rockridge Racing, TUCSON (Constitution) seeks to validate their patience against a field of experienced maidens over the main track. Hammered down for $1.3-million at KEESEP in 2022 but later having to be resold by Keeneland the following spring, the chestnut has been working steadily for Todd Pletcher out at Palm Beach Downs. A half-brother to Grade I-winning and Royal Ascot Group 1-placed...

Multiple Grade I winner 'TDN Rising Star' Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) will be paraded at Churchill Downs Friday, Nov. 29 in the paddock during the ninth race, the race track announced Sunday afternoon. One of the candidates for Horse of the Year honors, the presumed champion 3-year-old filly will join the field during the walkover to the paddock and will remain there through the race, from approximately 4:30 to 4:50 p.m. Thorpedo Anna has won five races at the elite level this season, namely the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, DK...

Some trivia for you equine enthusiasts out there. Who is the only horse to have two graded stakes named after them? The answer is Bayakoa (Arg). The Ron McAnally trainee who won a pair of GI Breeders' Cup Distaffs has one at Oaklawn, while its counterpart takes place this Friday at Los Alamitos Racecourse. The Grade III event out West pits morning-line favorite and Arizona-bred Desert Dawn (Cupid) versus six others going 1 1/16 miles. The 4-year-old filly trained by Phil D'Amato is loaded with class, even though she has...

Godolphin's Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief), who was slated to start in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff on Saturday at Santa Anita, will scratch from the race and return to Kentucky due to not being 100%, said trainer Brendan Walsh, in a release from the Breeders' Cup Notes Team midday Friday. Walsh confirmed that she would prepare for her 4-year-old campaign. "After traveling, she got a little bit colicky and we had to treat her the next day," said Walsh. "She's looked great on the track, but that's just her....

Forty years after his first GI Kentucky Oaks win, D. Wayne Lukas relished his fifth appearance in that winner's circle this year alongside a special filly named Secret Oath (Arrogate - Absinthe Minded, by Quiet American). "We've celebrated in that winner's circle a number of times already, but this one was a little bit better though, because when you're an old man you often wonder if you're going to get another one--one of those really special ones," explained Lukas. The Hall of Fame conditioner known as "The Coach" has a...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency By Stefanie Grimm 7th-FG, $56K, Alw/Opt. Clm ($80k), 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16m, 5:05 p.m. ET After a last-out fourth in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff where she was defeated only three-quarters of a length by longshot Marche Lorraine (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), GISW & MGSP CLAIRIERE (Curlin) starts her 2022 season Wednesday at the site of some her greatest successes. Prior to her defeat in the Breeders' Cup, she took the GI Cotillion S. Sept. 25 at Parx and, earlier that season, captured the GII...

Japan celebrated its first-ever Breeders' Cup victory three races earlier with logical GI Breeders' Cup F/M Turf heroine Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), and added a shocking tally in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff as 45-1 Marche Lorraine (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn})--also trained by Yoshito Yahagi--out-nosed 12-1 Dunbar Road (Quality Road) after the pace completely fell apart. GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Malathaat (Curlin) was third with a less-than-perfect trip, while heavily favored Letruska (Super Saver) never found her rhythm, chasing hot early fractions and backing out of it on...

Saturday's GI Apple Blossom H. at Oaklawn Park features a clash between champions Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) and Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil). Named champion 3-year-old filly off a sparkling 2018 campaign, Monomoy Girl returned from a year and a half on the sidelines to win all four starts in 2020, including Churchill's GI La Troienne S. followed by a successful title defense in the Nov. 7 GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland. After realizing $9.5 million from Spendthrift Farm at Fasig-Tipton in November, the 6-year-old mare marked her debut sporting the MyRacehorse...