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Arc Winner Sottsass Retired From Racing, Set To Enter Stud

A day after winning the Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in France, Sottsass was retired from racing, and he will stand for the Coolmore operation in 2021, Racing Post reports.

The 4-year-old Siyouni colt was campaigned in a 50/50 partnership between Peter Brant and Coolmore, the latter of which purchased its stake in January. Monday's announcement removes a key contender from this year's Breeders' Cup Turf, in which Sottsass earned a “Win and You're In” berth by virtue of his Arc score.

Trained by Jean-Claude Rouget, Sottsass has been a high-level runner in France over the past two seasons.

During his 3-year-old campaign last season, the colt won the G1 Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly and the G2 Prix Niel at Longchamp before finishing third to Enable in that year's Arc.

At four, he won the G1 Prix Ganay at Chantilly and he finished second in the G3 Prix Gontaut-Biron Hong Kong Jockey Club at Deauville ahead of his Arc victory.

Bred in France by S.A.S.U. Ecurie Des Moneaux, Sottsass is a half-brother to Sistercharlie, the 2018 Eclipse Award winner for champion turf female, who is also campaigned by Brant. Sistercharlie is a contender for this year's Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

Entries Open for New Vocations Virtual Horse Show

With its annual in-person charity horse show cancelled due to COVID-19, New Vocations opened entries for its first All-Thoroughbred Virtual Horse Show Tuesday. Exhibitors from all over the country can compete by filming their rides at any location and uploading the videos for judging in the virtual show.

“This has definitely been a challenging year with all of our live events being cancelled, so we are excited to be able to launch the New Vocations All-Thoroughbred Virtual Horse Show,” said New Vocations Thoroughbred Program Director Anna Ford. “We were very fortunate that the majority of our annual horse show sponsors graciously agreed to carry over to the virtual show. This kind gesture allows us to move forward with raising much-needed funds for our racehorse aftercare efforts while providing a way for Thoroughbreds to compete in many different disciplines.”

For more information, including classes available, closing dates, and results, visit New Vocations.

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Delacour Hoping Magic Attitude Can ‘Bounce Back’ In Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup

Lael Stables' Magic Attitude (GB), the likely favorite for Saturday's 37th running of the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Presented by Dixiana, arrived at Keeneland Tuesday morning following an overnight van ride from the Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland.

A Group 3 winner as well as a Group 1 runner-up this year in France, Magic Attitude dazzled in her U.S. debut, winning the Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1) on Sept. 19 by 2¼ lengths with a last-to-first move in the stretch.

“I was thinking they are going slow and they are all going to kick,” trainer Arnaud Delacour said of the 1¼-mile race. “It was a good effort from her and I think she appreciated the firm ground.”

The 1 1/8-mile Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup comes three weeks after the victory at Belmont, repeating a time frame Magic Attitude had this summer between her runner-up finish at Chantilly in France in the Saxon Warrior Coolmore Prix Saint Alary (G1) and fifth-place finish in the Prix de Diane (G1).

“It probably will be her last race of the year, and the question is the three weeks (between races),” Delacour said. “Will she bounce back well? So far, she has been showing all the right things, and she had a nice maintenance move the other day (a half-mile in :51 on the dirt at Fair Hill).”

Also arriving Tuesday morning was Lael Stables' Chalon, who is entered in Friday's 24th running of the $150,000 Buffalo Trace Franklin County (G3) going 5½ furlongs on the Keeneland turf course.

The 6-year-old mare, who has compiled a 22-9-8-1 record for earnings of $991,895, will be making her turf debut in the Buffalo Trace Franklin County.

At Keeneland, Chalon has three runner-up finishes in four Grade 2 races on Keeneland's main track in her career. She was scratched from Saturday's Skipat (L) at Pimlico.

“We have always wanted to try her on the grass and there is no better place to try than here at Keeneland,” Delacour said.

The post Delacour Hoping Magic Attitude Can ‘Bounce Back’ In Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Spinster Winner Valiance to Fasig-Tipton November

Sunday’s GI Juddmonte Spinster S. winner Valiance (Tapit–Last Full Measure, by Empire Maker) will be offered at the Nov. 8 Fasig-Tipton November Sale after an anticipated start in the GI Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff Nov. 7. She will go through the ring as a racing or broodmare prospect consigned by Meg Levy’s Bluewater Sales.

A Todd Pletcher trainee for the partnership of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Martin S. Schwartz, and CHC Inc., Valiance is riding a three-race win streak into the Breeders’ Cup. She came into the Spinster off a score in Monmouth’s Eatontown S. Aug. 29, which had followed an allowance/optional claimer win on the turf at Colonial Downs July 28. She also won the Open Mind S. on the Monmouth turf last year as a 3-year-old. Valiance goes into the Breeders’ Cup with an 8-6-0-0 record and earnings of $469,575.

“It is always exciting to offer fillies in top current form,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “A daughter of Tapit with a fantastic pedigree will be highly desirable to the sport’s leading buyers and owners.”

Valiance is out of the GI Madison S. winner Last Full Measure, who hammered for $1.5 million while in foal to War Front at the 2014 Keeneland November sale. Valiance’s granddam, Lazy Slusan (Slewvescent), was a dual Grade I winner in 2001.

The Spinster winner previously sold for $650,000 as a yearling at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale to Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Marty Schwartz.

“She’s been a joy to be associated with, taking us to the top of the mountain,” said Eclipse Thoroughbred’s Aron Wellman. “Valiance is regally bred, a gorgeous physical, and she’s a top-shelf performer on dirt and turf. We are hoping for another positive result in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff and to then showcase her at the historic Newtown Paddocks.”

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