There are 14 “Win and You're In” races for the Breeders' Cup World Championships across North America this weekend, with three scheduled for Friday, seven on Saturday, and four on Sunday.
In addition, there are a total of nine Grade 1 races, nine Grade 2 races, and seven Grade 3 races over the three-day period during which several of the top contenders for next month's Breeders' Cup will have their final prep races.
Highlighting the action is opening weekend at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Ky., which will also be the site of this year's World Championships. Among Saturday's top contests are the G1 Coolmore Turf Mile, which drew a full field of 12 plus four also-eligibles, and the G1 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity, which drew 14 juveniles and two also-eligibles.
Juveniles will also take center stage at Santa Anita, as the G2 Chandelier and G1 American Pharoah have drawn talented maiden winners and a couple proven stakes winners seeking to earn their ticket to Lexington.
The Belmont at Aqueduct meet continues with several big races this weekend, including Saturday's G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic featuring the filly War Like Goddess taking on male rivals, as well as the top 3-year-old filly in the country, Nest, getting in her final prep in Sunday's G2 Beldame.
Also worth noting is Saturday's West Virginia Breeders' Classic day at Charles Town Race Course, offering nine stakes for West Virginia-breds.
Here's a quick look at some of this weekend's graded stakes:
Friday
5:16 p.m. – Grade 1 Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland (WAYI for BC Juv. Fillies)
Fun and Feisty, winner of the Pocahontas (G3) at Churchill Downs going 1 1/16 miles in her most recent start, and D. J. Stable's Wonder Wheel, runner-up in the Spinaway (G1) at Saratoga, headline a field of 14 2-year-old fillies entered for Friday's 71st running of the $500,000 Alcibiades (G1).
A winner of two of four starts, Fun and Feisty is trained by five-time Darley Alcibiades winner Kenny McPeek, whose most recent victory in the race came in 2020 with Simply Ravishing. Julien Leparoux, a two-time Darley Alcibiades winner, has the mount Friday and will exit from post position nine. McPeek also will send out Kentucky Downs maiden winner Stellar Lady.
Wonder Wheel, a winner of two of three starts including the Debutante (L) at Churchill Downs in July, is trained by three-time Darley Alcibiades winner Mark Casse, whose most recent winner in the race was Heavenly Love in 2017. Tyler Gaffalione, who has been aboard for all of Wonder Wheel's starts, has the call Friday from post position one.
Three other fillies that ran in the 7-furlong Spinaway are in the field Friday: third-place finisher Kaling, owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and trained by Todd Pletcher; Valene Farms' Sabra Tuff, who finished fifth for trainer Dallas Stewart; and Clarkland Farm's Just Cindy, who finished sixth for trainer Eddie Kenneally.
Saturday
4:20 p.m. – Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Aqueduct
For the past two seasons, War Like Goddess has displayed superiority amongst her staying female counterparts at graded stakes level on grass. In Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, the talented bay mare will target a new task when facing males for the first time for Hall of Famer Bill Mott. A perfect 4-for-4 at 12 furlongs, her long-distance capabilities has made an ambitious spot like the Joe Hirsch a viable option.
Trainer Christophe Clement will saddle a pair of runners, including Gufo, who finished third in last year's Joe Hirsch. Gufo boasts the most accomplished resume in the Joe Hirsch field with field-best earnings of $2,169,030 and three Grade 1 victories.
Trainer Chad Brown will look for a repeat triumph in the Joe Hirsch with last year's winner Rockemperor [post 5, Javier Castellano] as well as Grade 1 United Nations winner Adhamo [post 3, Dylan Davis], who enter from a respective ninth and eighth in the Sword Dancer Invitational.
4:42 p.m. – Grade 1 First Lady Stakes at Keeneland
Regal Glory, a three-time Grade 1 winner that includes a triumph in this spring's Jenny Wiley here, headlines a field of six fillies and mares entered Wednesday for the $750,000 First Lady Presented by UK HealthCare to be run over a mile on the Keeneland turf course.
Regal Glory is one of three entrants for trainer Chad Brown, who has saddled the First Lady winner the past four years and five times overall. Regal Glory was second in last year's First Lady to stablemate Blowout (GB). Regular rider Jose Ortiz has the mount Saturday and will break from post position five.
5:14 p.m. – Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland (WAYI for BC Juvenile)
Forte, winner of the Hopeful (G1) at Saratoga in his most recent start, heads a field of 14 2-year-olds plus two also-eligibles entered for the $600,000 Breeders' Futurity going 1 1/16 miles on the main track. A winner of two of three starts, Forte is trained by Todd Pletcher, a two-time winner of the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount Saturday and will break from post position seven.
Pletcher has one other entrant in the race: Harrell Ventures' Lost Ark. A half-brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Nest, Lost Ark is unbeaten in two starts and won the Sapling at Monmouth in his most recent start. Flavien Prat has the mount and will break from post 10.
5:39 p.m. – Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine
Nine fillies and mares, including Queen's Plate winner Moira, will vie for top prize in the Grade 1 $750,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes. Trained by Kevin Attard, Moira, a bay daughter of Ghostzapper-Devine Aida, will be testing out the turf for the first time. She'll also be chasing history as no filly has ever turned the Plate-Taylor double to date.
Bred in Ontario by Adena Springs, Moira romped to victory in the 163rd running of the Plate on August 21, a seven-length tour de force that came three weeks after a 10 ¾-length, head-turning performance in the Woodbine Oaks Presented by Budweiser. Moira, who has won all three of her 2022 engagements, is now 4-1-0 from five career starts.
Standing in Moira's way is a salty group of turf talents, including fellow 3-year-old filly Mylady (GER). Bred and owned by Gestut Karlshof, the daughter of The Grey Gatsby (IRE)-Minoris (FR) heads into her first start outside of Germany off a third-place finish, just three-quarters of a length behind the winner, highly regarded Toskana Belle, in the Group 1 German Oaks on August 7.
Other notables include Chad Brown trainees Lemista (IRE) and Rougir (FR), as well as graded stakes winner Adventuring, and Flirting Bridge (IRE), conditioned by Brendan Walsh.
5:45 p.m. – Grade 1 Turf Mile Stakes at Keeneland (WAYI for BC Mile)
Santin and Smooth Like Strait, the 1-2 finishers in the Arlington Million (G1) at Churchill Downs in August, head a field of 12 plus four also-eligibles entered for Saturday's 37th running of the $1 million Coolmore Turf Mile (G1).
Trained by Brendan Walsh, Santin is a two-time Grade 1 winner this year with his other Grade 1 triumph also coming at Churchill in the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic on Kentucky Derby Day, May 7. In his lone Keeneland start, Santin was an allowance winner last fall in his second career race. Tyler Gaffalione will ride Saturday and exit post position seven.
Smooth Like Strait, who has finished in the top three in all eight of his starts in Grade 1 stakes, is trained by Michael McCarthy. In his lone Keeneland race, Smooth Like Strait finished third this spring beaten a nose and a neck in the Maker's Mark Mile (G1). John Velazquez has the mount Saturday and will break from post position two.
In addition to Santin and Smooth Like Strait, four other Grade 1 winners are in the field: Classic Causeway (2022 Belmont Derby), Order of Australia (IRE) (2020 Breeders' Cup Mile), Ivar (BRZ) (2020 Shadwell Turf Mile) and Casa Creed (2022 Fourstardave and 2021-2022 Jaipur).
6:00 p.m. – Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita (WAYI for BC F&M Turf)
Last year's Rodeo Drive winner Going to Vegas, was a troubled third in the G2 John C. Mabee Stakes Sept. 10 at Del Mar, has five wins and six seconds from 14 starts over the Santa Anita turf and she has two wins and as many seconds from four tries at the Rodeo Drive distance.
However, trainer Brendon Walsh's classy Family Way rates top billing among a field of seven distaffers after finishing second, beaten 1 ½ lengths in a Grade 3 going a marathon 1 5/16 miles as the 4-5 favorite at Kentucky Downs Sept. 13. Family Way was also a solid third two starts back in the Grade 1 Beverly D at Churchill Downs Aug. 13 and she brings an impressive 2022 resume of 6-1-4-1, all in graded stakes this year.
Chad Brown's New York-based Fluffy Socks, winless this year in five tries but second in four of those races—three of them graded stakes, rates a huge chance from off the pace with Joe Bravo.
Trainer Leonard Powell's consistent French-bred Neige Blanche, who has four wins from nine tries over the Santa Anita lawn, is another multiple stakes winner in search of her first Grade 1 win. Most recently fifth, beaten three lengths as the 4-5 favorite in an ungraded stakes at 1 3/8 miles on turf Aug. 19, Neige Blanche will be handled by regular rider Juan Hernandez.
6:30 p.m. – Grade 2 Chandelier Stakes at Santa Anita (WAYI for BC Juv. Fillies)
Justique, an impressive first-out winner that would appear to be much better suited routing, rates top billing among a talented field of seven juvenile fillies who will each be trying two turns for the first time in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Chandelier Stakes at 1 1/16 miles. Trained by John Shirreffs and ridden by Victor Espinoza, Justique was off slowly and devoid of early foot in her 5 ½ furlong debut July 31 at Del Mar, but hit her best stride around the far turn and won with consummate ease while geared down some three lengths clear of next-out winner Home Cooking in an eye-catching effort.
7:30 p.m. – Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita (WAYI for BC Juvenile)
Easily the most impressive juvenile this past summer at Del Mar, Bob Baffert's undefeated Cave Rock heads Saturday's Grade 1, $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita as eight juvenile colts go a mile and one sixteenth. A six length first-out maiden winner going 6 ½ furlongs on Aug. 13, Cave Rock was totally dominant as the 2-5 favorite in the G1 Del Mar Futurity Sept. 11, winning by 5 ¼ lengths while earning a 98 Beyer Speed Figure, which followed a 101 Beyer in his debut.
Sunday
1:47 p.m. – Grade 2 Beldame Stakes at Aqueduct
Nest has proven her superiority amongst a highly competitive division of sophomore fillies all year long. On Sunday, the talented three-time Grade 1-winner will face a new task of taking on older fillies and mares in the 84th running of the Grade 2, $250,000 Beldame at Belmont at the Big A.
Nest's pair of triumphs in Saratoga's most prestigious races for sophomore fillies came following a game effort against males in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes, where she finished second behind stablemate and fellow Repole Stable color bearer Mo Donegal. Prior to the Belmont, she was second beaten two lengths to Secret Oath in the Kentucky Oaks, and captured the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland by 8 1/4 lengths.
5:10 p.m. – Grade 2 Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland (WAYI for BC Juv. Turf)
Boppy O, winner of Saratoga's With Anticipation (G3) on Aug. 31, headlines a field 12 2-year-olds plus four also-eligibles entered for Sunday's 32nd running of the $350,000 Castle & Key Bourbon (G2) for 2-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the Keeneland turf course. Trained by Mark Casse, Boppy O made his grass debut a successful one by winning the With Anticipation. Dylan Davis, who was aboard for that victory, has the mount Sunday and will break from post position six.
Two other stakes winners are in the field: Reckoning Force and Gigante.
5:45 p.m. – Grade 1 Spinster Stakes at Keeneland (WAYI for BC Distaff)
Letruska and Malathaat will clash for a fourth time as they headline a field of five fillies and mares entered for Sunday's 67th running of the $600,000 Juddmonte Spinster (G1) going 1 1/8 miles on the main track.
Trained by Fausto Gutierrez, Letruska will be bidding to become the fifth horse to win the Juddmonte Spinster in back-to-back years. The most recent was Blue Prize in 2018-2019. Letruska, who has won two of four starts this year, in her most recent race was third behind Malathaat in the Personal Ensign (G1) at the 1 1/8-mile distance. Tyler Gaffalione has the mount on Letruska in the Juddmonte Spinster and will break from post position three.
Malathaat, who also finished in front of Letruska in last year's Breeders' Cup Distaff as well as in the Ogden Phipps (G1), is perfect in two starts at Keeneland. Here she won the Central Bank Ashland (G1) in 2021 and opened her 2022 campaign with a victory in the Baird Doubledogdare (G3). Trained by four-time Juddmonte Spinster winner Todd Pletcher, Malathaat will break from post position one and be ridden by John Velasquez.
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