Breeders' Cup Challenge Series | Horse Racing Free Tips

Godolphin Wins Third Straight John Deere Award As Outstanding Breeder of Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series

Strengthened by victories from She’s a Julie (Elusive Quality), Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Essential Quality (Tapit), Godolphin has won its third consecutive John Deere Award, honoring the outstanding breeder of the 2020 Breeders’ Cup World Championships and the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series.

The John Deere Award, presented by Breeders’ Cup Limited and NTRA Advantage, emphasizes the contributions of breeders to the Breeders’ Cup program. The industry’s breeders provide funding for the purses for the World Championships through the annual nominations of foals and stallions. NTRA Advantage and John Deere will award a John Deere TS Gator Utility Vehicle to Godolphin.

The John Deere award winner is determined by the breeder who received the highest number of first-place finishes in Graded/Group stakes in the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series of 81 stakes races in nine countries, and in the 14 Breeders’ Cup World Championships races. Each Grade/Group 1 win was worth 10 points; Grade/Group 2 wins were worth six points; Grade/Group 3 wins were worth four points; and listed stakes wins were worth two points.

Godolphin-bred runners earned 40 points by winning four Group/Grade 1 races in England and the United States. Godolphin finished 10 points in front of both Coolmore Stud and Northern Farm/Northern Racing, which tied for second place with 30 points each.

“The Breeders’ Cup and John Deere’s commitment to International Racing reflects the goals and ambitions of the global Godolphin breeding program to strive to compete at the highest level,” said Jimmy Bell, President, Godolphin USA. “Godolphin is honored to be recognized with this award.”

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After Futurity Upset, Second Of July Likely Heading To Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint

After springing a 68-1 upset in his career debut, Bryan Hilliard's homebred Second of July again outran his odds displaying off-the-pace tactics to score a 15-1 victory in Sunday's 130th running of the Grade 3, $100,000 Futurity going six furlongs over the Widener turf at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

In taking the Futurity, Second of July earned an all-fees paid entry into the Grade 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint on November 6 at Keeneland.

Trained by Phillip Gleaves, Second of July was further off the pace in the Futurity than he was in his September 20 maiden special weight victory over Belmont's inner turf, where he was 1 1/2 lengths off the lead before surging to win by three-quarters of a length. On Sunday, the chestnut son of Jack Milton settled in sixth under jockey Dylan Davis while Momos and Gypsy King wrestled for control of the pace through opening fractions of 22.10 and 45.45 over the firm turf.

The field was tightly packed as they made their way around the far turn, where Second of July was trying to find real estate. Just past the quarter pole, Davis tipped one path to the outside and in the clear and began asking more from his charge. On the front end, Momos and Gypsy King were still duking it out with County Final to their outside with a chance as Second of July bid five-wide in the stretch.

After Five unleashed a late bid to the far outside, but Second of July made his way to the front just inside the sixteenth pole and came home a half-length winner in a time of 1:09.33. After Five, who was last at the top of the stretch in search of racing room, took second as the beaten favorite over Momos, who ran third against graded stakes company for a second straight time.

Davis, who piloted Second of July to both of his victories, said he felt a difference in the horse's maturity level from his first start.

“The first time out, he was pretty green about everything,” Davis said. “Today, he was very professional and I hope he will be third time out. He was a lot better with the gate and the pony and the whole race scenario. He was a lot better for me. First time out, there were some heavy hitters and that's why he was a longshot. He ran great that day and he ran well again today. He was moving up in class and we were asking a lot of him. Phil did a great job getting him here.”

Second of July rewarded his backers with $2 win payouts of $33 as the highest price in the seven-horse field. Banking $55,000 in victory, he increased his earnings to $89,650 being unbeaten in two starts.

Gleaves said he was cautiously optimistic in his horse's chances.

“I knew he was very fit and sharp and doing good, so I knew he would run his race, but I just wasn't sure if it was going to be good enough, but it turned out to be,” Gleaves said. “I was happy to see he had so much horse coming around the turn and at that point I knew we were going to run well. He just wore them down. Dylan does such a great job. There would be no reason to change things at the Breeders' Cup.”

Gleaves said a trip to the Breeders' Cup is likely in play.

“All being well and if the horse is OK, we will head to the Breeders' Cup,” Gleaves said.

Completing the order of finish were County Final, Gypsy King, Trade Deal and Bright Devil. Sky's Not Falling, Newbomb, Kentucky Knight and Nutsie were scratched.

A Kentucky homebred, Second of July is named after owner Bryan Hilliard's son Reed's date of birth and is the third offspring out of the Curlin mare Wichita.

Live racing resumes on Monday with a nine-race program. First post is 12:50 p.m.

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A Grade 1 First For Trainer Hamm As Dayoutoftheoffice Wins Frizette

Dayoutoftheoffice extended her unbeaten streak to three on Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., with a command performance in Saturday's Grade 1, $250,000 Frizette for 2-year-old fillies, a 'Win and You're In' event for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

The race was a fitting encore to the day's first Grade 1 event for juveniles, the one-mile Champagne, which was won impressively by the undefeated Jackie's Warrior in 1:35.42. Contested just a little more than a half hour later on the fast main track at Belmont, Dayoutoftheoffice completed a mile in the Frizette in 1:35.82, a sparkling final time that could position her to be among the favorites in next month's Juvenile Fillies.

Trained and co-owned by Tim Hamm with Siena Farm, the dark bay daughter of Into Mischief began her career with an easy win in a 4 1/2-furlong dash on May 14 at Gulfstream Park. She made her next start in the Grade 3 Schuylerville at Saratoga Race Course and despite being sent off at 19-1 odds, she exploded to a six-length score in the six-furlong sprint. Having learned their lesson in the Schuylerville, the wagering public made her the second choice in the betting in the Frizette, with runaway Grade 1 Spinaway winner Vequist inheriting the role of odds-on favorite.

Breaking from post 5 under Junior Alvarado, who was aboard Dayoutoftheoffice for her breakthrough victory in the Schuylerville in July, the Siena Farms homebred took up position in second early as stretch-out sprinter Joy's Rocket darted to the front to set the pace. With Vequist tucked in along the inside in third of a tightly packed bunch, Joy's Rocket carved out splits of 22.94 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 46.41 for the half.

Joy's Rocket's early advantage evaporated in a hurry around the far turn, however, as Dayoutoftheoffice made what proved to be the winning move, quickly wresting control of the lead away from the frontrunner and putting daylight between her and the rest of the field as they turned for home through three-quarters in 1:10.98

Vequist, not willing to concede defeat, launched her rally and was in hot pursuit of Dayoutoftheoffice in upper stretch, even appearing at points as if she would overtake the leader, but her chase was ultimately in vain as Dayoutoftheoffice dug in doggedly in the final eighth of a mile and hit the wire first by two lengths.

“When you ride fast horses, it makes it easy for you,” said Alvarado. “I thought it [the pace] was going to be a little more contested and I was going to stalk but I felt like I was in control of the race from where I was. I knew I had the horse in front of me [measured], so I just made sure my filly got into a nice rhythm and at the same time keep everybody where I wanted them to be. It worked out great today. When I asked her turning for home, she responded beautifully.”

Just shy of 3-1, Dayoutoftheoffice returned $7.80 on a $2 win wager and bumped her bankroll over the $200,000 mark through three career starts, all of which have been spaced out by at least a couple months.

“She's a big, scopey filly and I wanted to have some horse for the end of the year,” said Hamm, who earned the first Grade 1 win of his career in the Frizette. “The plan was to have a fresh horse for this time of the year. We wanted to just train her a little lightly and have her fresh for the fall run. Everything went according to plan.

“When you put a plan together that works – the team of Siena Farm and myself and all our assistants – you feel vindicated,” the veteran trainer added. “We all thought this filly was special when she won at 4 1/2 [furlongs] because we knew she would be able to get longer than that. She was able to get the job done today.”

While no match for the winner, Vequist ran a valiant race in defeat and proved her 9 1/2-length demolition of the Spinaway on September 6 at the Spa was no mirage. The dark bay daughter of Nyquist finished second, 10 1/4 lengths clear of third-place finisher Cilla.

“She broke pretty nice and I thought we were in a good spot,” said Luis Saez, rider of Vequist. “When we got to the three eighths, I started asking her a little and when we got to the stretch the winner took off.

“I wish we could have been outside [instead of inside post] so I could have pressed early, but that's racing,” Saez added.

Joy's Rocket, Cantata, and Get On the Bus completed the order of finish in the 71st running of the Frizette. Fifth Risk was scratched.

Live racing resumes Sunday at Belmont Park with a 10-race card highlighted by the 130th running of the Grade 3, $100,000 Futurity, a six-furlong turf sprint offering a “Win and You're In” berth to the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint on November 6 at Keeneland. It is one of two turf stakes for juveniles on the 10-race card, with the Grade 3, $100,000 Matron for 2-year-old fillies going six furlongs also on the docket. First post is 12:50 p.m.

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Jackie’s Warrior Now 4-For-4 After Rollicking Champagne Victory

Kirk and Judy Robison's Jackie's Warrior kept an unblemished record intact, establishing an early lead while shaking off a challenge from Reinvestment Risk to win Saturday's 149th running of the Grade 1, $250,000 Champagne going one mile for juveniles over the main track at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The 2-year-old son of Maclean's Music improved to a perfect 4-for-4, including two Grade 1 triumphs along with the Runhappy Hopeful on September 7 at Saratoga. He earned an automatic entry into the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile on November 6 at Keeneland from his victory in the Champagne, which is a Breeders' Cup “Win And You're In” event.

Within a few strides out of the gate, Jackie's Warrior was able to secure his usual frontrunning position under jockey Joel Rosario and recorded the opening quarter-mile in 23.12 seconds over the fast main track with Hopeful runner-up Reinvestment Risk in second and stablemate Midnight Bourbon another path to the outside in third.

Around the turn, through a half-mile in 46.54, jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. launched his bid aboard Reinvestment Risk, and came close to being on even terms with Jackie's Warrior. Just outside the quarter-pole, Rosario nudged his charge a couple of times and that was all it took to get Jackie's Warrior to extend his advantage.

Jackie's Warrior opened up by three lengths in the stretch and was geared down just past the sixteenth pole, crossing the wire a 5 1/2-length winner in a final time of 1:35.42. Reinvestment Risk finished 8 ¾ lengths ahead of third-place finisher Midnight Bourbon.

Civil War, Run Casper Run, and Ambivalent rounded out the order of finish.

“He's a beautiful horse; a big horse, and it looks like everything he does is easy for him,” Rosario said. “I was very confident that he could get the mile. I felt confident the whole way. He just enjoyed what he was doing.”

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Jackie's Warrior, who returned $3.70 for a $2 win bet as the favorite, banked $137,500 in victory which enhanced his lifetime earnings to $402,564.

Prior to his pair of Grade 1 scores, he was a 2 1/2-length winner on debut on June 19 at Churchill Downs before taking the Grade 2 Saratoga Special presented by Miller Lite on August 7 by three lengths.

“He had an easy half-mile and I'm surprised he came home that quick. He's very impressive,” said Asmussen's Belmont Park-based assistant Toby Sheets. “He's a class act and does everything correct. The one-turn mile certainly didn't seem to bother him.”

The Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile will be Jackie's Warrior first two-turn engagement, which Rosario said should be no problem for the unbeaten juvenile.

“I tried to get him away from there quickly and get position. I think the further he goes the better. He seemed to do it very easy today and I was very confident in him,” Rosario said. “I wanted to be a little out in front, so he had confidence, and it looked like he liked that. I let him do whatever he wanted to do. He breaks two lengths in front of everyone and not all horses can do that. He's amazing.”

Bred in Kentucky by J & J Stables, Jackie's Warrior is out of the A.P. Five Hundred mare Unicorn Girl. He was purchased for $95,000 from the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

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