Breeders' Cup Challenge | Horse Racing Free Tips

Three-For-Three In 2021, Snowfall Goes For Breeders’ Cup Berth In Thursday’s Yorkshire Oaks

Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier and Michael Tabor's dual Group 1-winning filly Snowfall (JPN) is set to take on six rivals at York in the 1 ½-mile Darley Yorkshire Oaks (G1) on Thursday. The Darley Yorkshire Oaks winner will receive an automatic berth into the US$2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) through the international Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

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.

Snowfall, a 3-year-old daughter of Deep Impact (JPN) out of the Galileo (IRE) mare Best In The World (IRE), is three for three this season. The Aidan O'Brien-trained filly returns to York where she began her 2021 campaign with a win in the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes (G3), before cruising to a record-breaking 16-length victory in the Cazoo Oaks (G1) at Epsom in June. Snowfall followed up on that success with another wide-margin victory in the Juddmonte Irish Oaks (G1) at The Curragh on July 17. She is joined by stablemates Divinely (IRE), last seen finishing fourth in the Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes (G2), and La Joconde (IRE), the outsider of the field.

Trained by David Menuisier and ridden by William Buick, Wonderful Tonight (FR) steps up to Group 1 competition for the first time this season. The 4-year-old daughter of Le Havre (IRE) won the Qatar Prix de Royallieu (G1) at ParisLongchamp and QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (G1) last October. This year, Wonderful Tonight captured the Hardwicke Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot in June before winning the Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes (G2) at Goodwood on July 31.

Menuisier had alternative options in France for his star filly but has decided to head to York.

He said: “Obviously I'm hoping there's a bit more rain, but if the ground is good we'll give it a go.

“I've been in Deauville for four or five days and I've found that the ground is pretty chopped up. The weather forecast is not that positive for downpours and I'm sure the ground will be better in York than it is in Deauville.”

Connections of Albaflora (GB) will be hoping their 4-year-old filly can improve against Wonderful Tonight. Owned and bred by Miss Kirsten Rausing, Albaflora finished fifth in the Hardwicke Stakes and third in the Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes. It would be a first win in this race for trainer Ralph Beckett and jockey Rossa Ryan, if successful.

John Gosden has won this race five times. Now training in partnership with his son Thady, the duo saddle Loving Dream (GB), with jockey Frankie Dettori set to ride. The 3-year-old daughter of Gleneagles (IRE) was last seen when winning the Ribblesdale Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot on June 17.

Finishing three-quarters of a length behind Loving Dream that day at Ascot was Shadwell Estate Company's Eshaada (GB). The lightly raced Group 2 placed 3-year-old filly, trained by Roger Varian and ridden by Jim Crowley, completes the field.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the Darley Yorkshire Oaks winner to start in the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, which will be run at 1 3/8 Miles on the Del Mar turf course. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance of US$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.

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Love Rerouted To Juddmonte International, Faces Mishriff For ‘Win And You’re In’ Berth

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 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.

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Casse ‘All Smiles’ After Get Stormy’s Fourstardave Victory, 104 Beyer Speed Figure

Trainer Mark Casse was all smiles on Sunday morning at Saratoga Race Course after securing his first Grade 1 victory as a newly enshrined Hall of Famer when Got Stormy bested males to win the $500,000 Fourstardave for the second time on Saturday.

Owned by Spendthrift Farm and MyRacehorse Stable, Got Stormy set a course record over the inner turf capturing the 2019 Fourstardave in a time of 1:32 flat with Ricardo Santana, Jr. up.

After finishing second in last year's running to pacesetting Halladay, the 6-year-old chestnut daughter of 2010 Fourstardave victor Get Stormy vindicated herself with a sharp 1 ½-length triumph under Tyler Gaffalione.

The victory registered a 104 Beyer Speed Figure, a tenth lifetime triple-digit number for the talented mare, and included a “Win and You're In” berth to the Breeders' Cup Mile on November 6 at Del Mar.

Despite last week's Hall of Fame induction, the summer campaign had been a frustrating one for Casse, who was winless at the current Saratoga meet before Got Stormy's Fourstardave coup.

“It's been a rough meet, but my wife [Tina] said it best: 'It's been gloomy in Saratoga until the storm blew through,'” Casse said.

Got Stormy arrived at the Fourstardave off two fifth-place finishes at graded stakes level after making her seasonal bow a winning one in the Grade 3 Honey Fox on February 27 at Gulfstream Park.

Sent off at 12-1 odds, Casse said he nevertheless felt confident in his mare because of her demeanor in the paddock.

“It's her. She just gets happy,” Casse said. “She was walking around after I had saddled her and I told Tyler, 'She's got her game face on today, they better be ready,' I could tell she just wanted to go out there and do it.”

Casse said Got Stormy, a seven-time graded stakes winner with graded scores at six different tracks, will appreciate a return to Del Mar, where she captured the Grade 1 Matriarch in her final start of 2019.

“The good news for us is she's 1-for-1 at Del Mar,” Casse said. “We should have hard and fast [turf] there, and the turns aren't quite as tight as they are here but they're sharp. I want to get one race into her, I just haven't figured out where I want to do that yet.

“She just loves training here so much. Most horses do,” Casse added regarding Got Stormy's affinity for Saratoga. “She enjoys the tight turns. She can run around a turn like most horses can't, so that helps.”

Casse mentioned the possibility of attempting a dual conquest in the $600,000 Grade 3 Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint on September 11 at Kentucky Downs in Franklin, Ky.

“I can go to Kentucky Downs just as a prep, run her at 6 ½ [furlongs] and we don't care about the weather,” Casse said. “If it rains, it's okay. Where the soft ground hurts us is when she's trying to get a mile.”

Previously owned by Gary Barber, Got Stormy was purchased for $2.75 million by Spendthrift Farm at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton November Sale.

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Ned Toffey of Spendthrift Farm said he was delighted to see the superstar mare secure a Grade 1 victory when sporting Spendthrift's orange and purple silks.

“Mark was very confident. He said she was doing so well,” Toffey recalled. “I think clearly, she really likes Saratoga. It was just great to see. This was so gratifying because when Mr. [B. Wayne] Hughes decided to get involved with MyRacehorse, he really believed that this was something that would be successful, but what they need are really good horses.

“She didn't appear to have lost any steps yesterday so that was great to see,” Toffey continued. “She's such a gutsy, hard trying mare. You just love to see that kind do well.”

Toffey said he felt gratified to be able to provide the multiple MyRacehorse partners a prestigious victory at Saratoga.

“To get a Grade 1 and to be able to see a project like this come full circle, work out this way, and have a bunch of enthusiastic MyRacehorse fans to be there and share it with us was a great feeling,” Toffey said.

Casse said that maiden Volcanic, a two-time starting son of Violence owned by Breeze Easy, could race back in the $300,000 Grade 1 Hopeful on September 6. The $230,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase finished third last out in a six-furlong maiden event on July 24 at the Spa.

The Hall of Fame trainer said Live Oak Plantation's graded stakes-winner Souper Sensational, who finished second in the Grade 1 Longines Test here on August 7, could race back in the $250,000 Grade 2 Prioress on September 4 at the Spa.

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Shedaresthedevil Romps In Clement L. Hirsch, Earns Breeders’ Cup Distaff Spot

Flurry Racing Stables, Qatar Racing Limited or Big Aut Farms' Shedaresthedevil walked her beat Sunday at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, Calif., and came away a handy 3 1/4-length winner of the Grade 1, $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes.

The big bay daughter of Daredevil broke smartly, sat just behind the speed, then went to the front when rider Florent Geroux gave her the signal on the far turn and left little doubt as to who the best horse was Sunday in the 1 1/16-mile headliner.

Trainer Brad Cox sent assistant Eric Gary west with his 4-year-old and he watched her cover the distance in 1:45.38, drawing away from her rivals at the finish.

Running second in the Hirsch was the pacesetter, Ciagila Racing, Highland Yard, et al's Venetian Harbor, who had 3 1/4 lengths on Mathiesen Racing, Feghali, et al's Paige Anne. Fractions were :23.30, :47.21, 1:11.77 and 1:38.33.

Shedaresthedevil, who went off at 13-10, returned $4.60, $2.60 and $2.60 across the board. Venetian Harbor paid $3.20 and $3.60 and Paige Anne returned $5.80 to show.

“I'm very pleased,” said Geroux. “The idea was to get her to break alertly, then get a good spot. That's exactly what happened. She ran her race today and she's very good when she does. I'd have to say she's up there with the best mares I've ever ridden. And his is her third Grade 1 win. And the fact that she showed she can run well on the track where the Breeders' Cup will be held, that's a good thing, too.”The win was worth $180,000 to Shedaresthedevil and pushed her sizable bankroll past the $2 million mark to $2,047,318. She now has won eight of 15 starts with two seconds and four thirds besides.

The Hirsch was a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff, which will be run at Del Mar on November 6 at nine furlongs. Shedaresthedevil earned a fees-paid berth in the Distaff.

“We sat right off the lead, nice, calm and relaxed and when it was time to go she showed up like she was supposed to,” said Gary, Cox's assistant. “We had a good stalking position and when I saw they went the half in :47, I thought we were going to be OK. Being around her this morning, I had a really good feeling that she was going to run big today. She flies back tomorrow (to Kentucky) with some other horses and then I guess she'll be back in November. ”

The track's Pick Six Single Ticket Jackpot wager carried over for the eighth straight day. The sum that will be in the pool when racing resumes Thursday starting at 2 p.m. will now be $686,925.

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