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Five Breeders’ Cup Challenge Races At Longchamp On Sunday’s Arc Card

Breeders' Cup Ltd., and France Galop are once again proud to announce that five Group 1 races at ParisLongchamp for the world-renowned Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe day on Oct. 4 will be part of the 2020 Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge, now in its 14th year, is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid for corresponding races in the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held on Nov. 6-7 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky.

The 1 ½-mile Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, is the centrepiece of the international spectacle on the ParisLongchamp program. For the second consecutive year, the winner of Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe will receive an automatic berth into the US$4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1), which will also be run at 1 ½ mile at Keeneland. Prince Khalid Abdullah's Enable (GB) became the first horse to win the Arc and the Breeders' Cup Turf in the same year, which she accomplished in 2018.

Top turf sprinters will be in action in the 5-furlong Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp Longines, with the winner receiving a “Win and You're In” position into the 5 ½ furlongs, US$1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1).

An automatic berth into the 1 3/16-mile, US$2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) will be awarded to the winner of the 1 ¼-mile Prix de l'Opéra Longines.

There will also be two “Win and You're In” races for 2-year-olds on the Arc day program. The 7-furlong Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère will give the winner a free placement into the 1-mile, US$1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), and the winner of the 1-mile Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac, for 2-year-old fillies, will earn an automatic starting position into the 1-mile, US$1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).

“We are extremely pleased to partner again with the great teams of France Galop and ParisLongchamp, who each year host international Thoroughbred racing at the highest level,” said Dora Delgado, Breeders' Cup Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Officer. “To align the Breeders' Cup World Championships with these prestigious races on the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe day program provides a clear path for Europe's finest horsemen, and we look forward to their participation in the World Championships at Keeneland Race Course.”

“Once again this year, France Galop is delighted to associate five Group1 races from this Sunday's program with the Breeders'Cup Challenge Series 2020. The winners of the most prestigious races of the weekend of the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe will have the chance to automatically qualify to run to one other International largest thoroughbred racing weekend in the world, the Breeders'Cup World Championship”, said Olivier Delloye, France Galop Chief Executive.

As part of the enhanced benefits to horsemen competing in the series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees and guarantee a starting position in a corresponding Championships race for winners of all Challenge races. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of Oct. 26 to receive the rewards, and those rewards must be used in the year they are earned.

Breeders' Cup also will provide a $40,000 travel stipend to the connections of all Championship starters from outside of North America.

The five Arc day races are among the seven total Breeders' Cup Challenge races in France this year.

Two “Win and You're In” races were held at Deauville. On Aug. 16, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's 3-year-old Palace Pier won the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-Le-Buffard Jacques le Marois (G1) and earned an automatic berth into the US$2 million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile Presented by PDJF (G1). On Aug. 23, Stonestreet Stables' 2-year-old filly Campanelle (IRE) captured the Darley Prix Morny (G1) at Deauville and secured a free starting position into the US$1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2).

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NBC Sports Network To Televise Breeders’ Cup Challenge Races From Keeneland This Weekend

Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., home to the 2020 Breeders' Cup World Championships, will be the site of automatic qualifying races into the Championships on Friday, Oct. 2, airing on NBCSN from 5-6 p.m. ET, and again on Sunday, Oct. 4, on NBCSN from 4:30-6 p.m. ET. Centered in between the Keeneland telecasts will be NBC's live broadcast of the Preakness Stakes (G1) on Saturday, Oct. 3 beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET from Baltimore, which provides the winner with an automatic berth into the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).

The Friday and Sunday telecasts, produced in association with TVG, mark the ninth and 10th programs this year in the “Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In – presented by America's Best Racing” on NBC and NBCSN from some of North America's most iconic racetracks. The series leads to the 37th Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland, scheduled for Nov. 6-7 and airing on NBC and NBCSN. The complete series TV schedule can be accessed here.

Reporting and commentary for both telecasts will be provided from Keeneland by TVG's Todd Schrupp, Matt Bernier, Gabby Gaudet, Caton Bredar and Caleb Keller. Simon Bray will be providing commentary from home.

Horse Racing Radio Network (HRRN) also will provide live coverage of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races from Keeneland on Friday, from 5-6 p.m. ET, and on Sunday, also from 5-6 p.m., on Sirius 219/XM 201 and on the HRRN website, Horseracingradio.net. HRRN also will broadcast Saturday's Preakness from 4-6 p.m. ET.

On Friday, the 1 1/16-mile, $350,000 Darley Alcibiades (G1), which awards an automatic berth into the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), and the 6-furlong, $200,000 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2), with the winner gaining an automatic starting position into the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), will be the featured “Win and You're In” races.

The Darley Alcibiades is led by Heider Family Stables' Thoughtfully, winner of the Adirondack Stakes (G2) at Saratoga, and Phoenix Thoroughbred's Crazy Beautiful, who finished second last time out in the “Win and You're In” Pocahontas Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs.

The Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes is led by Robert LaPenta, Ron Moquett and Head of Plains Partners' 7-year-old Whitmore, who won this race in 2017 and has finished second the past two years. Whitmore also finished third in last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint.

Saturday's Preakness Stakes for 3-year-olds marks the first time that a Triple Crown race will be a part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series. Eleven runners have been entered for the 1 3/16-mile test, led by Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Authentic, who is the 9-5 favorite. Owned by Spendthrift Farm, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables, and Starlight Racing, Authentic earned a free berth into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic when he captured the TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) in July. Bruce Lunsford's Art Collector, winner of Keeneland's Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2), is the 5-2 second choice.

NBC's Preakness coverage will also include an update from Keeneland on the Breeders' Cup Challenge races held earlier in the day.

The 1 1/8-mile, $400,000 Juddmonte Spinster (G1) headlines Sunday's three Breeders' Cup Challenge races at Keeneland. The Spinster winner will gain a free berth into the $2 million Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1). The race is expected to be led by Flurry Racing Stables, Qatar Racing Limited, and Big Aut Farms' 3-year-old filly Shedaresthedevil, winner of the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs.

Two recent Kentucky Downs stakes winners, Breeze Easy LLC's Outadore and Bantry Farms' Barrister Tom, figure to headline the 1 1/16-mile, $200,000 Bourbon (G2), with the winner gaining a free spot into the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1). Outadore captured the Kentucky Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint on Sept. 12 and Barrister Tom won the More Than Ready Juvenile Stakes on Sept. 7.

Ranlo Investments' Golden Pal is expected to loom large in the 5 ½-furlong, $150,000 Indian Summer Presented by Keeneland Select for 2-year-olds, with a “Win and You're In” spot on the line for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2). A son of 2010 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winner Uncle Mo, Golden Pal finished second in the Norfolk Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot in June and came back to win the Skidmore Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 21.

The 2020 “Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In – presented by America's Best Racing” concludes on Wednesday, Oct. 7 with the 1 1/16-mile, $150,000 JPMorgan Chase Jessamine (G2) at Keeneland. The winner of the Jessamine will earn an automatic starting position into the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1). The NBCSN telecast is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET.

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Enable ‘Primed To Run A Big Race’ Against 14 Rivals In Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe

They are on the verge of writing one of the most beautiful chapters in the history of racing. Lanfranco Dettori and John Gosden, the jockey-trainer combination trainer behind the great Enable, the mare out to record an unprecedented third win in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the world's top race, open up a few days ahead of the big event.

Of Italian extraction, Dettori is based in England. He will celebrate his 50th birthday in December and his record as a jockey is truly remarkable. He has won the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe six times, which makes him record holder, having ridden in the race 31 times. He won his first Group 1 race (the highest level in racing) in 1990, and, to date, boasts 259 successes at this level.

In a serene mood as the big day comes near, he said: “We have already achieved something historic by winning the King George for the third time. Frankly, the pressure involved is less than last year, and it's not because there will be fewer people in Paris. It's because we have already experienced disappointment. The three hours which followed last year's defeat were the worst in my entire professional career, and I think that Enable was similarly downcast.”

On the matter of the tactics, Dettori said: “Rain is forecast and the ground will most likely be heavy. I hope that we won't experience extremes of going as happened last year. There are two horses that like to go to the front: Serpentine and Sovereign. So taking up a good position will be de rigueur.

“The genuine heavy ground will turn the Arc into a stamina test. That will play to Stradivarius' strengths, and, on the contrary, the distance may prove a bit long for Persian King, although anything trained by André Fabre warrants respect. There are other horses which shouldn't be underestimated such as Sottsass. He hasn't had a hard campaign and boasts prior experience in the Arc de Triomphe.”

John Gosden, one of the most successful trainers (he has won the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe three times) of his profession, believes that his mare is ready to give of her best: “Enable is doing very well! She's at her optimum racing weight and is happy. We had a bit of trouble getting her really 'fit' this year, as the mare has grown older and heavier. However, as things stand, she's in top form. So we are confident. She has never run a bad race. She invariably rises to the task. She's primed to run a big race.”

Gosden will also saddle Stradivarius, the world's top stayer in the world, and now trying his hand over 2,400 metres (12 furlongs). Regarding the ability of his two runners to cope with the forecast heavy ground, Gosden said: “Enable has already run well on very soft ground, but like many horses, she prefers good ground. She can cope with testing tracks, but that renders her task more difficult: as it's more demanding in terms of stamina. Stradivarius has always been a fast ground horse, but he surprised us on the day of the [Ascot] Gold Cup when he managed to win, despite the conditions, over 4.000m (2m 4f). So if it rains, we hope that both horses will be able to cope. It is my jockeys who will decide on the tactics. They have to judge how fast they are going, where they have to be in a race, and how much effort to ask of their horses… It can be dangerous to give a horse in front too much rope, and, in equal measure, the same applies to make too much use of your horse, which invariably entails you cutting your own throat.”

John Gosden will follow the race on television owing to the restrictions relative to Covid-19. Taking it on the chin, he said: “For the horses that will be better as they'll be calmer! Regarding our situation, we just have to deal with it… We live in complicated times. I will watch the race on television, like almost everyone else. My team and I have had the extreme privilege and responsibility of looking after such a mare for all these years. The Enable adventure has been fantastic and, if she wins on Sunday, it would be wonderful. However, above all, the only thing we ask of the mare is that she gives it her best shot. I'm sure that she will do that. ”

A total of 15 horses drew stalls for the 2020 Arc, listed below:

Persian King – A. Fabre
Royal Julius – J. Reynier
Way to Paris – A. Marcialis
Japan – A. O'Brien
Sovereign – A. O'Brien
Stradivarius – J. Gosden
Sottsass – JC. Rouget
Enable – J. Gosden
Deirdre – M. Hashida
Gold Trip – F. Chappet
Chachnak – F. Vermeulen
In Swoop – FH. Graffard
Mogul – A. O'Brien
Serpentine – A. O'Brien
Raabihah – JC. Rouget

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Veteran Whitmore To Make His Fourth Start In Friday’s Phoenix At Keeneland

Robert LaPenta, Ron Moquett and Head of Plains Partners' Whitmore will make his fourth start in the $200,000 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2) on Friday when he headlines a field of 12 for the 6-furlong main track test at Keeneland.

The Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix is a “Win and You're In” race for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) to be run here Nov. 7. The race will go as the eighth on Friday's 10-race program that opens the 17-day Fall Meet, which runs through Oct. 24. First post is 1:05 p.m. ET with the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix slated for 5:05 p.m.

Trained by Moquett, Whitmore won the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix in 2017 and has been runner-up in the race the past two years. Whitmore has used this race as a final prep for the Breeders' Cup Sprint the past three years, a race in which he finished third in 2019 at Santa Anita and second in 2018 at Churchill Downs.

Seventh over a sloppy track in the Forego (G1) at Saratoga on Aug. 29 in his most recent start, Whitmore will be ridden Friday by Joe Talamo and break from post position three.

Whitmore, who won the 2018 Forego, is one of three Grade 1 winners in the field.

L and N Racing's Echo Town won the Allen Jerkens (G1) at Saratoga going 7 furlongs on Aug. 1 and most recently was fifth as the favorite in the Pat Day Mile (G2) at Churchill Downs. Trained by Steve Asmussen, who won the race last year with Engage, Echo Town will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr. and break from post position six.

Maggi Moss and Greg Tramontin's No Parole won the Woody Stephens (G1) at Belmont in June going 7 furlongs. Trained by Tom Amoss, who won the race in 2012 and 2013 with Sum of the Parts, No Parole will break from post position five and be ridden by Luis Saez.

The field for the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Shashashakemeup (Corey Lanerie, 118 pounds), Absolutely Aiden (Chris Landeros, 120), Whitmore (Talamo, 120), Diamond Oops (Florent Geroux, 122), No Parole (Saez, 122), Echo Town (Santana Jr., 122), Empire of Gold (Declan Carroll, 118), Copper Town (Julio Garcia, 120), Lexitonian (Tyler Gaffalione, 120), Edgemont Road (Declan Cannon, 120), Mo Don't No (Gerardo Corrales, 120) and Midnight Sands (Joel Rosario, 120).

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