Breeders' Cup Win and You're In

With a plethora of Breeders' Cup berths up for grabs over the past weekend, Repole Stable's Final Score (Not This Time) grabbed the last one when taking Keeneland's GII Castle & Key Bourbon Stakes, a qualifier to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar. Final Score was driven to the front from the word jump, rolling out and opening quarter mile in :22.51. Soon running head-and-head with Casa Cielo (Caravaggio)) through a :47.69 half, he continued to play cat-and-mouse what that rival into the final turn. With Irad...

She wasn't 100-1 this time and it's doubtful she ever will be again. NBS Stable's Ground Support (f, 2, Army Mule--Arch Support, by Arch), fresh off a 100-1 debut win going a mile at Kentucky Downs Aug. 30, secured her berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf with a 'Win and You're In' victory in Saturday's GII Miss Grillo Stakes at Belmont at the Big A. "I don't know why they didn't like her at Kentucky Downs," said trainer Kelsey Danner with a laugh. "She does everything right,...

Dahman's Bottas (Vekoma) found himself in tight quarters with push coming to shove in Friday's GII Pilgrim Stakes at Aqueduct, but he sliced through a narrow opening at the eighth pole and refused to let three-start maiden Heeere's Johnny (Oscar Performance) push past in the dying stages, scoring by a head. The 8 1/2-furlong contest serves as a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar on Oct. 31. Named a 'TDN Rising Star', presented by Hagyard off an impressive 2 1/4-length debut...

by TDN Editorial Staff Buckle up, race fans, it's going to be a wild ride on Saturday, as no fewer than 16 graded stakes from New York to Lexington, from Los Angeles to Toronto are scheduled, with horse racing's championship weekend now officially less than four weeks down the road. Without further ado, let's jump into the always-productive card at Aqueduct. Champagne, Frizette Share Spotlight at Belmont at the Big A A quartet of graded stakes, headed by the 'Win and You're In' GI Champagne S. and GI Frizette S.,...

The cars scooting along on the nearby Pennsylvania Turnpike may have little from a speed standpoint on Saturday's GI Pennsylvania Derby in Northeast Philly, as the pace looks to be very much on and that could help those with stalking or closing ability in the final age-restricted Grade I of the season around two turns. But make no mistake: speed has been king--by and large--in the $1-million contest over the past dozen years or so. The Bob Baffert-trained Bayern (Offlee Wild)--next-out winner of a much-discussed GI Breeders' Cup Classic--future champion...

After watching 'TDN Rising Star' Wild Desert (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) and Dance to the Music (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) defeated as the favorites in the GI Summer Stakes and GI Natalma Stakes earlier on the Turf Champions Day program, respectively, Team Godolphin got a measure of revenge when long odds-on 'TDN Rising Star' Notable Speech (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) came storming down the center of the inner turf course and stamped his authority on Saturday's GI Rogers Woodbine Mile. The victory secures the homebred a berth in the field for...

Charlie Appleby and William Buick have teamed to take the GI Rogers Woodbine Mile--a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile--two out of the last three years, and in the form of Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star' Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) they appear well positioned to add to that total Saturday afternoon in suburban Toronto. When Team Godolphin raid from Europe, you can rest assured that it isn't just for the Tim Horton's. They mean business and their record bears that out. Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi...

Charlie Appleby says it's not easy to come over to North America and win major stakes, even though he makes it look that way. On Saturday at Woodbine, Appleby will send out three horses, all of them in Grade I competition, and each one looks to have an excellent chance. He usually does well when he ships to anywhere in North America, but has been particularly tough at Woodbine, where he is 9-for-17 (53%). All nine of his Canadian winners have come in Grade I stakes. "We have sent the...

East Coast shipper Reef Runner (The Big Beast) crossed the wire narrowly first in Saturday's GIII Green Flash Handicap at Del Mar, but was disqualified and placed second, as Motorious (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) was elevated to the victory, completing a three-peat in the 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint over the same course and distance on Nov. 1. It was the 7-year-old gelding's third consecutive win in the race. Reef Runner was one of the first away from his double-digit box, but came over...

Charles Marquis's hard-knocking Bear River (Flameaway) grab command of Saturday's $2-million GII Mint Kentucky Turf Sprint soon after the start and never relinquished the advantage while reversing form with comebacking favorite Howard Wolowitz (Munnings) to earn a fees-paid berth into the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 1. A no-excuses sixth to Howard Wolowitz in last year's GI Franklin-Stamps Stakes in his lone previous attempt at this quirky layout, the chestnut ridgling was returning to southern Kentucky off a narrow victory at 17-1 in the Turf...

Just how deep is Sunday's running of the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga, a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic in a little more than two months' time? Well, six of the eight remaining horses--GII Charles Town Classic winner Banishing (Ghostzapper) will be scratched--have recorded at least one Beyer Speed Figure of 104 or higher this year and three of the entrants are already Grade I winners this term. It is the very definition of a hot race. The field is led by...

When 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo) went wire-to-wire to take out the 2023 GI Pacific Classic, it made trainer Bob Baffert the winningest trainer in the relatively short history of the event with seven winners, surpassing the late Bobby Frankel. The Hall of Fame conditioner will have every chance to extend that record when he sends out fellow 'Rising Star' Nysos (Nyquist) in a compelling renewal of the 10-furlong feature Saturday afternoon, with an all-expenses-paid trip to the GI Breeders' Cup Classic over the same course and distance...