Weekend Lineup Presented By Del Mar Ship & Win: Five Breeders’ Cup Berths On The Line At Belmont

This weekend's action is highlighted by five Breeders' Cup Challenge Series “Win and You're In” races taking place at Belmont Park, including the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup. The Belmont Park Breeders' Cup races will be televised on “America's Day at the Races” on either FS1 or FS2.

TVG will be live at Keeneland for a loaded card this Saturday featuring two graded stakes races including the Grade 1, $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup. In addition to Keeneland, the award-winning network will also be trackside at Santa Anita and Monmouth Park.

In addition to racing from Keeneland, Santa Anita and Monmouth Park, TVG will also be showing racing from Gulfstream Park West, Charles Town, Golden Gate and more.

Friday, Oct. 9

5:30 p.m.—$150,000 Grade 3 Buffalo Trace Franklin County Stakes at Keeneland on TVG

Gary Barber's multiple Grade 1 winner Got Stormy tops a field of 12 fillies and mares entered for the 24th running of the Franklin County going 5½ furlongs on the turf. Trained by Mark Casse, Got Stormy comes into Friday's race off a 3¼-length romp in the Grade 3 Ladies Sprint at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 12 going 6½ furlongs. The daughter of Get Stormy was an Eclipse Award finalist for champion turf female in 2019 after notching wins in the Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap over males and the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE100920USA9-EQB.html

Saturday, Oct. 10

1:58 p.m.—$250,000 Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park on FS1

J. Kirk and Judy Robison's Jackie's Warrior is a standout in the juvenile division with an unblemished record and will put his perfect resume on the line in the Champagne going a one-turn mile. Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Jackie's Warrior arrives at the Champagne off a 2 ¼-length victory in the Grade 1 Hopeful on Sept. 7 at Saratoga. In his prior effort, the bay son of Maclean's Music won his stakes debut in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special on Aug. 7 at the Spa by three lengths after displaying stalking tactics in his debut at Churchill Downs, which he won by 2 ½ lengths.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL101020USA4-EQB.html

2:30 p.m.—$250,000 Grade 1 Frizette Stakes at Belmont Park on FS1

Vequist proved she could dominate a Grade 1 field when she cruised to a 9 1/2-length score in her stakes debut in the Spinaway on Sept. 6 at Saratoga Race Course. She will look to show similar form on Saturday against a talented field of juvenile fillies in the Frizette contested at one mile on Belmont Park's main track. Gary Barber and Adam Wachtel purchased a 75 percent share from Swilcan Stable following Vequist's runner-up debut effort on July 29 at Parx when she ran a nose behind Niente. In her second start, the Butch Reid trainee was stretched out from 4 ½ furlongs to seven in the Spinaway.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL101020USA5-EQB.html

3:53 p.m.—$150,000 Grade 3 Monmouth Stakes at Monmouth Park on TVG

Shadwell Stable's Almanaar (GB) makes his first start since capturing last year's edition of the 1 1/8-miles Monmouth Stakes when he heads up a field of nine. Trained by Chad Brown, Almanaar displayed an affinity for the Monmouth course when he captured the Monmouth Stakes last May 25 but the son of Dubawi (IRE) has been on the shelf since.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/MTH101020USA8-EQB.html

4:14 p.m.—$250,000 Grade 1 Flower Bowl Stakes at Belmont Park on FS2

The top-four finishers in the Grade 2 Glens Falls last month at Saratoga Race Course will each vie for supremacy again in Saturday's rematch that highlights the Flower Bowl for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going 1 1/4 miles on the inner turf. Allen Stable's Civil Union, trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, outkicked the Chad Brown trainee My Sister Nat by one length in the Glens Falls going 1 3/8 miles on Sept. 5. Civil Union, a 5-year-old War Front mare, has won three in a row, starting with a 1 ¼-mile allowance tilt on the Belmont turf on June 21 before winning the River Memories on the same track going 1 1/2 miles on July 12.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL101020USA8-EQB.html

4:48 p.m.—$250,000 Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on FS2

Juddmonte Farms' three-time graded stakes-winning multimillionaire Tacitus will look to secure his first career Grade 1 triumph in the 102nd running of the Jockey Club Gold Cup going the classic distance of 1 ¼ miles. Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, a three-time Jockey Club Gold Cup winner, Tacitus was third in last year's edition and was most recently second as the favorite in the Grade 1 Woodward on Sept. 5 at Saratoga, where he chased a slow pace tracking a half-length off Global Campaign but was unable to catch the pacesetter, who strolled home a 1 ¾-length winner.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL101020USA9-EQB.html

4:57 p.m.—$200,000 Grade 2 Fayette Stakes at Keeneland on TVG

Parque Patricios Racing Stables' Mirinaque (ARG), a two-time Group 1 winner in Argentina, headlines a field of 10 runners for the 63rd running of the Fayette Stakes. Trained by Maria Munoz, Mirinaque finished fifth in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on Aug. 22 at Del Mar in his U.S. debut. Coming back for another try in the Fayette is Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister's Mr Freeze. Second in the race last year that was run over a sloppy track, the Dale Romans trainee exits a sixth-place finish in the Grade 2 Alysheba on Sept. 4 at Churchill Downs.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE101020USA8-EQB.html

5:20 p.m.—$150,000 Grade 2 Sands Point Stakes at Belmont Park on FS2

Trainer Chad Brown will saddle a pair of contenders led by multiple graded-stakes winner Selflessly and French-bred Tamahere as the four-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner looks to secure his fourth win in Saturday's Sands Point, a one-mile Widener turf test. Selflessly stumbled at the start of her seasonal debut when fifth in the Grade 3 Wonder Again on June 20 at Belmont, but returned to form last out when a nose winner of the one-mile Grade 3 Lake George at Saratoga on Aug. 28, when besting multiple graded-stakes winner Sweet Melania.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL101020USA10-EQB.html

5:30 p.m.—$500,000 Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes at Keeneland on TVG

Lael Stables' Magic Attitude (GB) headlines a field of nine for the 37th running of the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup going 1 1/8-miles. Trained by Arnaud Delacour, Magic Attitude comes to Keeneland off a 2¼-length victory over Antoinette in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational in her U.S. debut. Antoinette, owned and bred by Godolphin, won the Saratoga Oaks in her start prior to the Belmont Oaks.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE101020USA9-EQB.html

Sunday, Oct. 11

4:12 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Futurity Stakes at Belmont Park on FS1

Ironhorse Racing Stable and Secure Investments' Momos will look to build on a third-place effort last out in his graded stakes debut when he tries turf for the first time in the Futurity for 2-year-olds going six furlongs on Belmont Park's Widener course. Momos won his debut for trainer Christophe Clement with a 6 1/2-length maiden win going 5 ½ furlongs on July 18 over Saratoga Race Course's main track. Returning just three weeks later, the Distorted Humor colt ran third in the six-furlong Grade 2 Saratoga Special, finishing behind winner and eventual Grade 1 Hopeful victor Jackie's Warrior.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL101120USA7-EQB.html

5:20 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Matron Stakes at Belmont Park on FS1

Three Chimneys Farm's Royal Approval will seek to parlay an impressive maiden victory into graded stakes company when taking on seven other juvenile fillies in the 111th running of the Matron going six furlongs over the Widener turf. Trained by Wesley Ward, who saddled Happy Like a Fool to victory in the 2017 Matron, Royal Approval arrives off her best performance yet when besting a maiden special weight field going 6 ½ furlongs at Kentucky Downs, where she drew off to a 6 ¼ length victory.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL101120USA9-EQB.html

5:42 p.m.—$125,000 Grade 3 Durham Cup Stakes at Woodbine on TVG

Armistice Day, owned by Bruce Lunsford and Lansdon Robbins, faces six rivals in the Durham Cup, a 1 1/16-mile main track test. Bred in Kentucky by Glenvale Stud, four-year-old Armistice Day, the son of Declaration of War-Harmony Lodge, will chase his second stakes score and first graded stakes title on Sunday. Campaigned by trainer Barbara Minshall, Armistice Day, who took last year's Toronto Cup, has compiled a 3-2-2 record from 15 starts.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO101120CAN9-EQB.html

The post Weekend Lineup Presented By Del Mar Ship & Win: Five Breeders’ Cup Berths On The Line At Belmont appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Sands of ‘Summer’

Sophomore fillies take center stage in the GII Sands Point S. at Belmont Saturday and among leading contenders in the eight-furlong event is Waterford Stable’s Speaktomeofsummer (Summer Front). Victorious in last fall’s Chelsey Flower S. at the Big A, she kicked off 2020 with a fourth-place finish in Belmont’s Wonder Again S. in June before realizing a head score in Saratoga’s GII Lake Placid S. July 19. Rank in the early going of the Saratoga Oaks Invitational S. at 9 1/2 furlongs Aug. 16, the Christophe Clement trainee finished fourth behind Antoinette (Hard Spun) and cuts back in this return. Joel Rosario, aboard for her three latest starts, gets the call in the Sands Point.

“The filly is doing great. She’s working well and looks well. I’m excited to see her run,” said Clement. “I think she’s very versatile from a mile to a mile and a quarter. I don’t see the distance as a negative, I think she’s perfectly OK with it.”

Klaravich Stables’ Selflessly (More Than Ready) attempts to add her third graded tally Saturday for trainer Chad Brown.

A winner in last season’s 8 1/2-furlong GII Miss Grillo S., she closed out the year with a fifth in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Filling that same position in her 2020 return in the GIII Wonder Again S. in June, the Maryland-bred was given some time off before resuming with a nose score in Saratoga’s

GIII Lake George S. Aug. 28. Jose Ortiz, winning at 25% at the Belmont meet, accompanies the filly for the first time.

“Selflessly is doing really well coming off a nice win last time out,” said Brown.

Brown is also represented by Tamahere (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), making her U.S. debut following a listed score at La Teste De Buch in France in June. The French-bred will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr.

The post Sands of ‘Summer’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Smullen to be Honored with Dundalk Stakes Race

Nine-time Irish Champion Jockey, Pat Smullen, who lost his battle with cancer last month, will be honored at Dundalk Stadium with the inaugural running of the five-furlong G3 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Pat Smullen Mercury S. Oct. 16. The €50,000 event is sponsored by Al Basti Equiworld, a UAE distributor of horse feeds and supplements. Smullen held a long association with the brand as well as a long-standing friendship with the brand’s founder, Malih Al Basti.

“Pat was a terrific horseman and a great friend, said Al Basti. “I hope this race will provide all those who knew him or admired his achievements from afar with an opportunity to reflect on a true racing legend.”

Chief Executive Jim Martin said, “We are delighted that Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai has chosen to honor Pat with a race at Dundalk Stadium where he rode his first winner, Vicosa, for trainer Tom Lacy in June 1993, and his last aboard Anthony McCann’s Togoville in March, 2018. We have enjoyed some great moments with Pat in between and look forward to celebrating his outstanding career with this prestigious event later this month.”

The post Smullen to be Honored with Dundalk Stakes Race appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Tough Trio for Brown in Flower Bowl

As has become the custom in New York’s top turf races, Chad Brown offers a three-pronged attack in Saturday’s GI Flower Bowl S., a ‘Win and You’re In’ event for the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland next month. Leading the fray is dual Grade I-winner Cambier Parc (Medaglia d’Oro), victorious in four graded stakes last season–the GI Queen Elizabeth Cup, GI Del Mar Oaks, GIII Wonder Again S. and GIII Herecomesthebride S. Sent off the even-money favorite in her sole start of 2020 in the Sept. 12 GII Canadian S. at Woodbine, the OXO Equine runner finished runner-up behind Rideforthecause (Candy Ride {Arg}). Jockey John Velazquez, aboard for both Grade I wins in 2019, is reunited with the 4-year-old here. Brown is also represented by Nay Lady Nay (Ire) No Nay Never), winner of two of three starts this term, including Monmouth’s nine-furlong GIII Matchmaker S. in July. The 4-year-old, who returned to score in Laurel’s All Along S. Sept. 7, will be joined by Irad Ortiz Jr. for the first time Saturday.

Flying high following a victory in last weekend’s G1 Qatar Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe with Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), Peter Brant is represented by the French hero’s half-sister My Sister Nat (Fr) (Acclamation {GB}). Winner of the G3 Bertrand de Tarragon at Longchamp during her sophomore season, the bay was winless in a quartet of starts at four, however, did hit the board in three of them, including a second in Aqueduct’s 11-furlong GIII Long Island S. Nov. 30. Runner-up behind Mean Mary (Scat Daddy) in Belmont’s GII New York S. June 27, the French-bred annexed the 12-furlong GIII Waya S. at the Spa Aug. 8. Most recently, she finished second to Civil Union (War Front) in the Sept. 5 GII Glens Falls S.

Riding a three-race win streak, Civil Union, a former Brown trainee, joined the Shug McGaughey barn last fall, debuting for the trainer with a third in a 9 1/2-furlong Gulfstream allowance in January. Breaking through with an allowance score over this course and trip June 21, the Joe Allen homebred added the July 12 River Memories S. over 12 furlongs before her victory upstate. Joel Rosario, in the irons for her latest win, gets back on board this time.

“I think she’s a nice filly and she’s learned to put it all together,” McGaughey said. “We’ve been able to space her races in a good way and we’ll see if she moves it up the next notch. She’ll run as far as you want to run her.”

He added, “Most of the War Fronts like the firm turf. I think she likes this big race track at Belmont, too. She liked Saratoga and ran good there, but I think everything is coming together with her and I’m hoping it comes together Saturday.”

The post Tough Trio for Brown in Flower Bowl appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights