Juddmonte Irish Oaks (G1) winner Savethelastdance (IRE) headlines a quality field of 10 in Thursday's Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks (G1) at York. The winner of the 1 1/2-mile showpiece for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up is guaranteed an automatic starting position in the $2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In.
The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 80 Graded/Group stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, scheduled to be held Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.
The Aidan O'Brien-trained Savethelastdance, by Galileo (IRE), has enjoyed an outstanding season so far. The 3-year-old filly was a dominant winner of the listed Cheshire Oaks in May and finished second in the Betfred Oaks (G1) at Epsom in June. She then claimed victory in the Irish Oaks last month, with Ralph Beckett's Bluestocking (GB) finishing second. The duo go head-to-head again on Thursday.
O'Brien has enjoyed great success in this race over the years, winning four of the last 10 renewals, and will be hoping Savethelastdance is victorious once again for owners Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor, and Westerberg.
Prior to finishing second in the Irish Oaks, the Juddmonte-owned Bluestocking ran third in Royal Ascot's Ribblesdale Stakes (G2). Beckett is confident that Bluestocking has what it takes to win the Group 1 at York this week. “She came back from Ireland in good shape and we're on course,” he said.
Frankie Dettori is due to ride the George Strawbridge-owned Free Wind (IRE). The John & Thady Gosden trained 5-year-old has course form, as seen in May when winning the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies' Stakes (G2), and was said to dislike the heavy ground in her latest outing when finishing fourth as the odds-on favorite in the Aug. 5 Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes (G2) at Goodwood. The formidable Gosden and Dettori duo enjoyed victory in this race with Enable (GB) in both 2017 and 2019.
With two Group victories in her last two starts, the Shadwell Estate Company Ltd-owned Al Husn (IRE) will be looking to build on her fine form for Newmarket-based trainer, Roger Varian. Al Husn's victory in the Qatar Nassau Stakes (G1) at Goodwood saw her beat an experienced field in less-than-ideal conditions. Racing Manager, Angus Gold, acknowledged the step-up in trip for the 4-year-old daughter of Dubawi (IRE) who has not yet run over 1 ¼ miles. Gold said: “She hasn't run over this trip before but she's so tough and it's obviously a lovely race.”
Lady Bamford's Rosscarbery (GER) finished second in the Comer Group International Curragh Cup (G2) over 1 3/4 miles last month but was victorious in the June 16 Darley Munster Oaks (G3) at Cork over 1 1/2 miles, so connections are hopeful she is better suited for Thursday's distance.
Karl Burke's Novakai (GB) and Poptronic (GB) both line up for the Yorkshire-based trainer in this high-class renewal. Novakai (GB) relished the increase to 1 1/2 miles when winning a listed race at Newmarket last time out having previously disappointed over 1 1/4 miles in the Prix de Diane Longines (G1). Connections are hopeful this 1 1/2-mile contest will suit their 3-year-old filly by Lope de Vega (IRE). David & Yvonne Blunt's Poptronic has not been seen since her Lancashire Oaks (G2) victory in July at Haydock, where she beat the William Haggas-trained Sea Silk Road (IRE) by a neck. The duo will face each other again on Thursday.
Completing the field are the Aidan O'Brien-trained Warm Heart (IRE) and Hughie Morrison's Stay Alert (GB).
As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the Yorkshire Oaks winner to start in the $2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance 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. 23 to receive the rewards.
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