August, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Breeders’ Cup Winner Golden Pal Lines Up In Friday’s Nunthorpe Stakes At York

The 2020 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) champion Golden Pal lines up in the 5-furlong Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes (G1) at York on Friday. The Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes winner will receive an automatic berth into the US$1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) through the international Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 84 stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be held at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California, on Nov. 5-6.

International challengers Golden Pal and Suesa (IRE) head a 15-runner field in the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes.

Trained by Wesley Ward and ridden by Frankie Dettori, Golden Pal returns to the UK for the first time this season. The 3-year-old son of Uncle Mo was last seen across the Atlantic when finishing second in the Norfolk Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot in June 2020. Returning to the US, Golden Pal finished off his 2-year-old campaign in style when winning the Skidmore Stakes at Saratoga, before cruising to victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland.

Winner of the Quick Call Stakes (G3) at Saratoga in his only start this year, Golden Pal is aiming to give Frankie Dettori his fourth win in this race.

The Newmarket based jockey flew up to York on Tuesday morning to exercise Golden Pal and said, “Wesley booked me on the horse a few weeks back. He is very pleased with the horse. I've seen him race a few times, but Wesley wanted me to have a sit on him before Friday. He's in good order and looks great. I didn't let him out of third gear, it was just to get a feel of him.'

Dettori added: “Wesley is the king of sprinters so I'm with the right trainer. The Nunthorpe Stakes is probably our best sprint so it's always very hard to win, but we are going to war with a good horse. He's an explosive horse and very quick. I'm looking forward to riding him.”

George Strawbridge's Suesa was last seen winning the King George Qatar Stakes (G2) at Goodwood on July 30. The 3-year-old filly, representing French trainer Francois Rohaut, suffered her only career defeat when finishing eighth as the favorite in the Commonwealth Cup (G1) at Royal Ascot in June. Jockey William Buick is booked to ride.

Second that day in the King George Qatar Stakes was Dragon Symbol (GB), one of four occasions the son of Cable Bay (GB) has placed runner-up this season. The highly consistent 3-year-old was first past the post in the Commonwealth Cup (G1) at Royal Ascot in June but following a stewards' inquiry was demoted to second place behind Campanelle (IRE). Trained by Archie Watson, Dragon Symbol was denied another Group 1 victory when finishing 1 ¼ lengths behind Starman (GB) in the Darley July Cup (G1) at Newmarket on July 10.

The Tim Easterby-trained Winter Power (IRE) leads the home challenge for Yorkshire. The 3-year-old daughter of Bungle Inthejungle (GB) was a comfortable winner of the listed John Smith's City Walls Stakes over the same course and distance last time out, with Moss Girl (IRE), for trainer Edward Bethell, 1-length behind in second.

They are joined by last year's Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes runner-up Que Amoro (IRE), one of two runners in the race for trainer Michael Dods, who also saddles stablemate Dakota Gold (GB). Other notable runners include the Robert Cowell-trained Arecibo (FR), runner-up in the King's Stand Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot in June, and the Group 1-placed Liberty Beach (GB), trained by John Quinn.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes winner to start in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, which will be run at 5 Furlongs on the Del Mar turf course. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance of US$40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of Oct. 25 to receive the rewards.

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Snowfall Dominates Yorkshire Oaks En Route To Arc De Triomphe

Aidan O'Brien looks to have racing's next superstar in his ranks – as Snowfall made light work of Thursday's Group 1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks. The daughter of Deep Impact will receive an automatic berth into the US$2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) through the international Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

Having demolished her rivals in both the Cazoo Oaks and the Irish Oaks, O'Brien's filly was sent out a heavy favorite for Darley Yorkshire Oaks. And she certainly did not disappoint.

Ryan Moore kept Snowfall at the back, ridden quietly throughout the race. Stable companion La Joconde ensuring there was a good gallop throughout the race under Hollie Doyle. Turning the corner the runners came back to stands, and push came to shove on La Joconde, with Wonderful Tonight beginning to make her move.

Gasps from the York crowd rang out, as Snowfall, with consummate ease breezed her way through the field. In a matter of moments she was upside and past Wonderful Tonight – seemingly in third gear.

Ryan Moore then nudged her to press on and put the race to bed before easing her way to the line with all the dangers long behind her.

It was a special performance from a filly who looks set to go on to big things.

After the race Aidan O'Brien was in buoyant mood as he spoke about the next stage in the filly's career, he said: “She's gone very laid-back, putting on weight and starting to thrive. She's ready for the autumn. She could have another race before the Arc, if the lads want to do that.”

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Heavyweight Battle Between Arklow, United Headlines Pacific Classic Undercard At Del Mar

Four Graded stakes, each eligible to be a card topper on a given day, instead will provide a first-rate “undercard” for Saturday's TVG Pacific Classic Day at Del Mar.

Topping the quartet are a pair of $300,000 offerings – the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks for 3-year-old fillies and the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap presented by The Japan Racing Association. The former is run at nine furlongs on grass, while the latter goes at a mile and three eighths on the green for 3-year-olds and up.

Also on the agenda is another $300,000 Grade 2 special, the Del Mar Mile on the main track. The fourth stakes is the Grade 3, $100,000 Torrey Pines Stakes for sophomore fillies traveling a mile on the dirt.

The Oaks has lured a field of nine including a pair of shippers: Head of Plains Partners' Fluffy Socks in from New York and Yuesheng Zhang's Soaring Sky aboard from her native Ireland.

The Del Mar Handicap will bring out 10 competitors and sets up for a clash of titans between two of the best grass route horses in the country in LNJ Foxwoods' United and Donegal Racing, Bulger and Coneway's Arklow.

Six will go hard and heavy at the classic flat mile in the Del Mar Mile and each and everyone of them is a major stakes winner. Their purse earnings got past the $5.4-million mark and they're all seasoned racehorses eligible to fire a big shot Saturday.

In the Torrey Pines, seven will face the starter, each of them eyeing their first graded stakes score. The Fast Anna filly I'm So Anna has the most bragging rights in the group currently with a pair of Cal-bred stakes on her ledger and $289,740 in the bank.

The “undercard” races will be run like this: Torrey Pines – 6th Race; Del Mar Mile – 7th Race; Del Mar Oaks – 9th Race; Del Mar Handicap – 11th Race. The TVG Pacific Classic is the day's 10th Race.

The key prep race for the Del Mar Oaks is the Grade 2, $150,000 San Clemente Stakes, run at Del Mar at a mile on the turf on July 24. The one, two, three finishers from the race — Kaleem Shah's Madone, Dubb, Gevertz or Nentwig, et al's Going Global and Slam Dunk Racing or Platts' Tetragonal – are all back to try their luck in the more demanding and more lucrative Oaks.

The likely battle royale between United and Arklow in the Del Mar Handicap will be a fitting nitecap to a delicious day of racing. The pair of turf behemoths bring plenty of bragging rights to the race: United, a 6-year-old gelding by Giant's Causeway, has won nine races and $1,675,549. He was second, beaten a head, in this race last year. Arklow also has won nine races, but his bankroll goes past his chief rival at $2,755,746. The long-winded stretch kicker shipped to Del Mar last fall and made short work of the Hollywood Turf Cup at a mile and a half. Both runners will have their regular riders – Flavien Prat on United and Florent Geroux on Arklow.

The Del Mar Handicap is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Challenge race that guarantees the winner all expenses paid admission into the $4 million Breeders' Cup Turf, which will be run at Del Mar on Saturday, Nov. 6.

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Statement from Breeders’ Cup on the Passing of B. Wayne Hughes

“We were very saddened to learn of the passing of B. Wayne Hughes, who has left an indelible impact and legacy on our sport as a breeder, owner, and industry innovator for the past 20 years. Foremost of his many achievements was his restoration of Spendthrift Farm to its grandeur and success as an internationally preeminent breeding operation, led by such prolific stallions as Malibu Moon and Into Mischief.

Moreover, Mr. Hughes believed that breeders were the 'backbone of our industry,' and created programs that re-established the owner/breeder relationship, such as 'Share The Upside,' designed to bonus the breeder with a vested interest in a stallion. Among his many triumphs in racing, Mr. Hughes won six Breeders' Cup races, highlighted by the great mare Beholder, who won three of them and was the recipient of four Eclipse Awards. Mr. Hughes also served us proudly as an innovator on our Board of Directors.

In recent years, Mr. Hughes developed the MyRacehorse ownership program, which offered everyday fans the chance to experience owning a piece of a racehorse through the online purchase of micro-shares, including 2020 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic winner Authentic. We express our deepest sympathies to his wife Patricia, his extended family, and all those who are a part of the Spendthrift team.”

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