Breeder's Cup Turf

Rockemperor (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) led home one  of the better-paying Chad Brown-trained exactas in recent memory in Saturday's GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic S. The French Group 3-placed runner was fifth as the favorite in this race last year after a close second in the GI Manhattan S. to stablemate Instilled Regard (Arch) in July and a third to fellow Brown pupil Digital Age (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in the GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic S. at Churchill that September. He kicked off this season with a...

Sisfahan (Fr) (Isfahan {Ger}), winner of the G1 Deutsches Derby and second to Arc winner Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) in the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden, will travel to Del Mar for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. "Sisfahan should make his next start in the USA," confirmed Holger Faust, racing manager to the colt's owner Dr Stefan Oschmann of Darius Racing. "On his last start in Cologne he was [third] behind Alpinista (GB), who beat Torquator Tasso in the Grosser Preis von Berlin, and in Baden-Baden Sisfahan was only...

A pair of Belmont-based Grade I winners turned in works over the last few days and will be trained up to the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar Nov. 5 and 6, their trainers confirmed Sept. 19. Shadwell Stables' 'TDN Rising Star' Malathaat (Curlin) breezed an easy four furlongs over the Belmont training track Sept. 18 in :49.49, her first breeze since winning the GI Alabama S. at Saratoga Aug. 19. She will not have another start prior to the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar Nov. 6. "It...

Argentinian import Imperador (Arg) (Treasure Beach {GB}) was the main beneficiary of favorite Arklow (Arch)'s unlucky trip as he earned his first North American victory in the GII Calumet Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs, a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. Backed at 8-1 from a 15-1 morning line, the bay entire broke alertly from the fence before being wrestled back by Joe Talamo to bide his time in midpack. He was one slot behind Arklow as they headed down the hill past six furlongs...

York's G1 Juddmonte International S. didn't just provide the world's best 130-rated performance of 2020 for Ghaiyyath (Ire) but, with its stellar back-up cast of seven-time Group 1 winner Magical (Ire), the G1 St James's Palace S. winner Lord North (Ire) and 2000 Guineas hero Kameko, the race was also judged to be the Longines World's Best Horse Race last year on ratings. Along with announcing the World's Best Racehorse Rankings on Tuesday, Longines and the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) also published the list of top 100 Group...

Trainer Dermot Weld, widely regarded as the pioneer of traveling horses, has accomplished most everything there is to accomplish in this business, winning the 1990 GI Belmont S. with Go and Go (Ire) (Be My Guest) and the G1 Melbourne Cup twice with Vintage Crop (Ire) (Rousillon, 1993) and Media Puzzle in 2002, to name just a few of his considerable achievements. The latter was a son of Theatrical (Ire), trained by Weld for Bert and Diana Firestone to a runner-up effort in the 1985 G1 Irish Derby before finishing...

Channel Maker (English Channel) is now a Grade I winner at ages four, five and six after wiring the GI Sword Dancer S. over a soggy Saratoga turf course Saturday. The victory also earned him a spot in the starting gate for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland in November. Gliding up to dictate terms, the 8-1 shot was under a tight hold by Manny Franco through measured splits of :25.10, :51.14, 1:17.27 and 1:42. with Marzo (Medaglia d'Oro) on his tail. That rival called it quits on the...

The 4-year-old filly Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}) was the second choice in the betting for Sunday's G1 Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin, but at the finish line there was no doubting who was number one, with the Sunday Racing colourbearer establishing her dominance with a race record six-length victory and earning a spot in the Nov. 7 GI Breeders' Cup Turf. After finishing third in the opening two races of last year's fillies' Triple Crown, the G1 Oka Sho and the G1 Yushun Himba, Chrono Genesis collected her first Group...

2017 GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf hero and MG1SW Talismanic (GB) (Medaglia d'Oro) sired his first foal, a colt, on Jan. 25, Darley Japan announced. The bay colt is the first produce of the winning Dynamis (Jpn) (Street Sense), from the family of Japanese Horse of the Year Air Groove (Jpn) (Tony Bin {Ire}), herself the dam of Japanese Champion Older Mare Admire Groove (Jpn) (Sunday Silence). Admire Groove, a half-sister to G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup winner and sire Rulership (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) is already a proven commodity...

One of the outsiders for Sunday's G1 Henkel-Preis der Diana at Dusseldorf, Gestut Brummerhof's Diamanta (Ger) (Maxios {GB}) made strides on her previous best to put her peers in the shade on the day that counted. Breaking well to bag the rail as one of the leading contenders Ismene (Ger) (Tertullian) unseated her rider exiting the stalls, the 24-1 chance enjoyed a stalking trip in third under Maxim Pecheur before taking over from the 29-10 favourite Durance (Ger) (Champs Elysees {GB}) approaching the final furlong and asserting for a 1...