Essential Quality Leads Knicks Go In Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings

Godolphin's Essential Quality, the Belmont Stakes (G1) and the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) winner, maintained a two-vote advantage over stablemate Knicks Go for the lead in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings, a weekly poll of the top 10 horses in contention for the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). This year's Longines Breeders' Cup Classic will be run at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California, on Nov. 6 as the final race of the 38th Breeders' Cup World Championships.

Trained by Brad Cox, the 3-year-old Essential Quality received 282 votes in his second week at No. 1. Just behind Essential Quality with 280 votes is the Cox-trained 5-year-old Knicks Go, who won the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park and the Whitney (G1) at Saratoga this year.

The next five places in the rankings remained the same from last week. Godolphin's 4-year-old Maxfield, who earned an automatic berth in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic when he won the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs in June, has 228 votes. Boat Racing, Gainesway Stable, Roadrunner Racing, and William Strauss's Hot Rod Charlie, third in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and second in the Belmont Stakes, is in fourth place with 184 votes for trainer Doug O'Neill.

George E. Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds Corp's Max Player is in fifth place with 153 votes. Trained by Steve Asmussen, the 4-year-old Max Player has won two Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races this year in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Division, taking the Suburban Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park in July and The Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Saratoga earlier this month.

Hronis Racing's 4-year-old Tripoli, who triumphed in the TVG Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar and gained a free starting position into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, is in sixth place. Trained by John Sadler, Tripoli has 153 votes. St. George Stable's 5-year-old mare Letruska is in seventh place with 70 votes. Letruska, trained by Fausto Gutierrez, won her third Grade 1 race this year when she captured last month's Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga.

Zedan Racing Stable's 3-year-old Medina Spirit, winner of the listed Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar, rose from 10th place to eighth with 68 votes. Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon dropped from eighth place to ninth this week with 67 votes. Also trained by Asmussen, Midnight Bourbon finished second to Essential Quality in the Runhappy Travers Stakes. Prince A A Faisal's 4-year-old Mishriff (IRE) drops one spot to 10th place with 65 votes. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Mishriff secured a free berth in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic when he won the Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) at York Racecourse in England on Aug. 18.

Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings – Sept. 14, 2021*

Rank Horse Votes First-Place Votes Previous Week
1 Essential Quality 282 9 1
2 Knicks Go 280 15 2
3 Maxfield 228 3 3
4 Hot Rod Charlie 184 1 4
5 Max Player 153 0 5
6 Tripoli 101 0 6
7 Letruska 70 0 7
8 Medina Spirit 68 0 10
9 Midnight Bourbon 67 0 8
10 Mishriff (IRE) 65 3 9

*Note – The Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings have no bearing on qualification or selection into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.

The 2021 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, which will be run at 1 ¼ miles on the main track, is limited to 14 starters. The race will be broadcast live on NBC.

The Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings are determined by a panel of leading Thoroughbred racing media, horseplayers, and members of the Breeders' Cup Racing Directors/Secretaries Panel. Rankings will be announced each week through Oct. 11. A list of voting members can be found here.

In the Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings, each voter rates horses on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 system in descending order.

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Dubawi Colt A New Rising Star At Sandown

Godolphin's annus mirabilis shows no sign of halting, with Wednesday's “Breeders' Day” card at Sandown playing host to one of the operation's more promising juveniles seen out so far. Debuting over a mile on soft ground in the Time Test EBF Novice S., the Charlie Appleby-trained colt Goldspur (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) streaked to a 6 1/2-length success to become the 16th TDN Rising Star by his sire sensation. Out of the G2 Lancashire Oaks and G3 Prix Minerve winner Pomology (Arch), the bay raced in second throughout the early stages under James Doyle behind another newcomer in the Andrew Balding-trained Wolsey (Kitten's Joy). Sent past that rival with under two furlongs remaining, the 2-1 favourite surged clear for an emphatic success, with Tying the Knot (Noble Mission {GB}) two lengths further behind in third. “We were on a fact-finding mission, rather than knowing exactly what he could do,” Doyle admitted. “He didn't begin all that well, but he was quickly into stride. He was very straightforward and he seemed to be a quick learner. We didn't go very quick, as we were mindful of these testing conditions, but I got him on the move around the two there and he stretched really nicely on that ground. His dam stayed very well and was a high-quality mare, so it gave us confidence that he would hit the line today.”

Appleby was thinking about the 10-furlong G3 Godolphin Flying Start Zetland S. at Newmarket Oct. 9 for Goldspur. “I was pleased with that run. He is a horse that has got plenty of stamina in his pedigree there, so he will be a mile-and-a-half horse for next year,” he said. “Going forward, we look at stepping him up to a mile and a quarter and point him at something like the Zetland Stakes, as that will suit him. I'm very pleased that he is a big-margin winner, but soft ground has come into play for him there.”

Goldspur is the fourth foal out of Pomology, who raced for John Gosden and won her first four starts, including the aforementioned Minerve and Lancashire Oaks, before running second on what would be her career finale in the G1 Prix Vermeille of 2014. The stakes-winning second dam Sharp Apple (Diesis {GB}) also produced the listed-winning sprinter Tommy Taylor (Mizzen Mast) and Sassy Little Lila (Artie Schiller) who was runner-up in the GI Just a Game S. and GI American Oaks. From the family of the GI Turf Classic Invitational-winning sire Apple Tree (Fr) and the G3 Prix de Royaumont runner-up American Apples (Fr) (American Post {GB}), Pomology's 2021 filly is by Night of Thunder (Ire).

2nd-Sandown, £10,000, Novice, 9-15, 2yo, 8fT, 1:50.86, sf.
GOLDSPUR (IRE), c, 2, by Dubawi (Ire)
     1st Dam: Pomology (Hwt. Older Mare-Eng at 11-14f, GSW-Eng, GSW & G1SP-Fr, $258,749), by Arch
     2nd Dam: Sharp Apple, by Diesis (GB)
     3rd Dam: Top Apple (Fr), by Top Ville (Ire)
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $7,456.
O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.

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Video Series Launched By TBA on Breeders’ Day

A five-episode educational video series on essential care for thoroughbreds has been launched on Breeders' Day at Sandown Park by the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association. The goal is to raise awareness of the high standards of welfare in the sector, while also providing guidelines on good practice. Topics covered include an overview of equine health parameters, paddock checks for horses on stud farms, transportation of mares and foals, care of the older horse and body condition scoring. The series is free to view for those who register on the TBA's online learning platform TB-Ed. The video series will be supported by the publication of comprehensive equine welfare guidelines later this month.

TBA Chief Executive Claire Sheppard said, “As our members will be aware, equine welfare runs through the heart of the TBA's objectives and workstreams, with support of veterinary research projects, distribution of guidance materials and provision of educational courses for industry participants.

“We are delighted to be launching them on Breeders' Day at Sandown Park racecourse which celebrates the thoroughbred breeding industry as part of National Racehorse Week.

“Raising awareness of the high standard of equine care and continuing to promote best practice within the industry is very much a key priority for us. These overview videos will support the TBA's Equine Welfare Guidelines for the Thoroughbred Breeding Sector, which will be published soon. I would like to express my thanks to all of the contributors who helped deliver this important project.”

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PR Back Ring Book 2, Keeneland September: The Best On A Budget

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ISSUE OF THE PR BACK RING

The latest issue of the PR Back Ring is now online, looking ahead to Book 2 of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

The PR Back Ring is the Paulick Report's bloodstock newsletter, released ahead of, and during, every major North American Thoroughbred auction. Seeking to expand beyond the usual pdf presentation, the Back Ring offers a dynamic experience for bloodstock content, heavy on visual elements and statistics to appeal to readers on all platforms, especially mobile devices.

Here is what's inside this issue…

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ISSUE OF THE PR BACK RING

  • Lead Feature presented by Gainesway: Bloodstock editor Joe Nevills ranks the best bargain-priced graduates of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale since 2010 by on-track performance.
  • Stallion Spotlight Presented By New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc.: Erin Robinson of Rockridge Stud discusses Grade 1 winner Combatant, who retires to New York for the 2022 breeding season.
  • Indiana Yearling Spotlight Presented By Indiana Thoroughbred Alliance: A rundown of the Indiana-bred entries in this year's Keeneland September sale, and the benefits of buying them.
  • Pennsylvania Leaderboard Presented By Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association: A check-in on the top Pennsylvania incentive earners through the end of June, including a tight race between Beren and Wait For It.
  • Third-Crop Sire Watch: Stallions whose third crops of yearlings are represented in the Keeneland September catalog, including the number of horses cataloged and the farm where the stallion is currently advertised.

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ISSUE OF THE PR BACK RING

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