“Win and You're In”

It was a two-horse race almost right from the gate, but Intricate Spirit (Complexity) overtook the longtime leader late to stamp a ticket to the Breeders' Cup in the GIII Futurity Stakes at the Belmont Big A meet. The Miguel Clement-trainee was unveiled Aug. 1 upstate at Saratoga with a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard'-worthy performance ahead of a next out winner at Kentucky Downs. He too took a swing at the boutique meet Aug. 28 and finished second by three-quarters of a length to Street Beast (Street Sense),...

Friday is the start of the unofficial Kentucky state holiday known as Opening Weekend at Keeneland, and GI Spinaway victress Tommy Jo (Into Mischief) headlines a strong card for fantastic racing not just at the venue but across the country. Largely considered the last hurrah for anyone trying to get into the World Championships by way of the 'WAYI' challenge series, several tracks across the country have such opportunities in October, and Keeneland will be hosting three such chances on Friday. The last of the graded races for the opening...

Imagination (Into Mischief) showed an electric turn-of-foot in the lane to overhaul the defending champion and claim his automatic berth to the Breeders' Cup by way of the GII Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes. Back at the six furlong distance for the first time since his debut two years ago at Del Mar, the Bob Baffert trainee had predominantly been a two-turn horse in his career and had two elite-level placings last year to his credit--once in the spring in the GI Santa Anita Derby when he came a neck...

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...

The connections of GIII Vosburgh Stakes winner Patriot Spirit (Constitution) are not quite ready to commit their 'Win and You're In' victor to the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, though a trip to Del Mar is in the cards no matter what they decide. Trainer Michael Campbell has provided a good prognosis for this son of Constitution in the post-race follow-up Sunday morning, and admitted that he's got his eyes on the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile as well when asked about using his guaranteed berth into the Sprint. "He's [come...

Johannes capped off a four-race win streak in 2024 when winning last year's renewal of the GII City of Hope Stakes before enduring a tough beat at the hooves of More Than Looks in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar in November. With only a single prior race under his belt in 2025, the 5-year-old set the stage for his return to the World Championships at the seaside oval with a gutsy victory over Cabo Spirit in the "Win and You're In' qualifier for the Mile on Nov....

George A. Mellon's Patriot Spirit (Constitution), a smart last-out winner of the Reigh Count S. going seven furlongs at Colonial July 26, punched his ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint with a 1 1/2-length victory in Saturday's 'Win and You're In' GIII Vosburgh S. at the Belmont at the Big A meeting. Well-backed as the 5-2 second-choice, he pressed in second through an opening quarter in :22.76, hit the front while traveling nicely beneath Javier Castellano at the top of the stretch and took care of business from there...

Multiple Grade I-winner Locked (Gun Runner) looms the big favorite in the scratch-decimated GII Woodward Stakes on Saturday at the Belmont Big A meet, but is far from the only marquee name this upcoming weekend across the country. One of three confirmed runners for Saturday's co-feature in New York, Locked comes into the race with a two-race skid to break after he missed the board May 2 in the GII Alysheba Stakes when returning to the races after a tour de force effort in the GI Santa Anita Handicap Mar....

Already a stakes winner in her fledgling career, Corsia Veloce (Practical Joke) stayed undefeated in three races as she took the GI Natalma Stakes at Woodbine for trainer Josie Carroll. The Ontario-bred filly was on home turf in Canada Saturday, having broken her maiden on the Tapeta July 6 before stealing a win in the Catch A Glimpse Stakes at 11-1 odds in her first try on the grass Aug. 16. Given only 12-1 odds despite having several familiar rivals behind her in that prior win, Corsia Veloce broke well...

Dr. Venkman (g, 5, Ghostzapper--Theory of Change, by Archarcharch), winner of the GII San Diego Handicap at Del Mar 13 months ago, returned to the scene of his biggest career triumph to add the GII Pat O'Brien Stakes Saturday. The $250,000 Pat O'Brien, run at seven furlongs, offers a 'Win and You're In' berth to the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, to be held over this surface Nov. 1. Despite a field of veterans, the Pat O'Brien was not without incident. Two of the six horses--Stronghold (Ghostzapper) and Spirit of...

There's a pattern. Four times in her career, My Racehorse and Peter Leidel's Seismic Beauty (f, 4, Uncle Mo--Knarsdale, by Medaglia d'Oro) has gone straight to the lead and each time she's won big, but never bigger than she did Saturday in the $400,000 GI Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar. It was the first Grade I victory of her career following her first graded score in the GII Santa Margarita Stakes May 25 at Santa Anita. Saturday's win nets her a 'Win and You're In,' fees-paid berth to...

Before Sovereignty (Into Mischief) and Journalism (Curlin), there was Fierceness (City of Light) and Sierra Leone (Gun Runner). While we patiently wait for round three between the top two 3-year-olds in the country, last year's two standout sophomores and 'TDN Rising Stars' Fierceness and Sierra Leone will meet for the fifth time and first this year in Saturday's GI Whitney S. at Saratoga, a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. Fierceness defeated Sierra Leone in both the GII Jim Dandy S. and GI Travers S. at...