Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1) winner Love (IRE) has a chance to win her second race in the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series this year when she tackles Wednesday's 1 ¼-mile Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) at York on turf, a “Win and You're In” race for the US$6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).
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.
The Juddmonte International is the first of three Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races to be held this week during York's Ebor Festival. It will be followed on Thursday, Aug. 19 with the Darley Yorkshire Oaks (G1), a “Win and You're In” for the US$2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1), before attention turns to the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes (G1) on Friday, Aug. 20. The Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe winner will earn a free berth into the US$1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1).
The Juddmonte International Stakes will be the only “Win and You're In” qualifying race for the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic to be run in Europe this year.
Love, owned by Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Mrs. John Magnier and trained by 13-time winning Breeders' Cup trainer Aidan O'Brien, secured an automatic start in the US$4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) with a victory in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. The 4-year-old filly will be partnered on Wednesday by Ryan Moore.
O'Brien had intended to run St Mark's Basilica (FR) in this race, but he was not declared on Monday morning after developing an infection. He will now be targeted at the Irish Champion Stakes (G1) at Leopardstown on Sept. 11, a “Win and You're In” race for the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1).
O'Brien said: “St Mark's Basilica was doing his canter yesterday morning, he lost his front shoe, and it caught the front of his near fore hind joint, his fetlock joint, and cut him. We did bloods there this morning to check that it hadn't got infected or anything, and when the bloods came up it showed that it had got infected. St Mark's Basilica will now go on antibiotics and the Irish Champion Stakes would be the obvious target for him.”
O'Brien continued: “We are going to declare Love instead. She was supposed to go for the Prix Jean Romanet (G1) on Sunday at Deauville, so she will go for the Juddmonte now instead.”
York's feature race is headed by Mishriff (IRE) who was last seen finishing second to Adayar (IRE) in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes (G1) at Ascot in July, a “Win and You're In” race for the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf. The 4-year-old colt is trained by John & Thady Gosden and will be ridden by David Egan. Mishriff won the Saudi Cup (G1) and the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) this year.
The 3-year-old filly Alcohol Free (IRE) is an intriguing runner for owner Jeff Smith and trainer Andrew Balding. Balding is enjoying a landmark season and is currently leading the British Trainers' Championship. Alcohol Free defeated a high-quality field in the Qatar Sussex Stakes (G1) at Goodwood, booking herself an automatic place in the US$2 million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile presented by PDJF (G1). She will be trying 1 ¼ miles for the first time and will be ridden by Oisin Murphy.
William Haggas will be represented by the Royal Ascot duo, Mohaafeth (IRE) and Alenquer (FR), who will be ridden by Jim Crowley and Tom Marquand, respectively. Jim Bolger's Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas (G1) winner Mac Swiney (IRE) and the Kevin Ryan-trained Juan Elcano (GB) complete the lineup.
As a part of the benefits of the Challenge series, the Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the winner of the Juddmonte International to start in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, which will be run at 1 1/4 miles on the dirt track at Del Mar. Breeders' Cup also will provide a travel allowance of $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.
The post Love Rerouted To Juddmonte International, Faces Mishriff For ‘Win And You’re In’ Berth appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
