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Mishriff Defeats All-Star Cast To Land Breeders’ Cup Berth In Juddmonte International

An all-star cast lined up for the 2021 Juddmonte International, but one star was left shining brightest as Mishriff ran out a six-length winner of the feature 10 furlong contest at York's Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival. The dual-surface star earned an expenses-paid berth in the Breeders' Cup Classic this fall at Del Mar, though winning co-trainer John Gosden implied that the next stop for Mishriff will be the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe or QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot.

The Juddmonte International was the only “Win and You're In” qualifying race for the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic run in Europe this year.

Mishriff was last seen finishing second to Adayar 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 was ridden by David Egan. Mishriff won the Saudi Cup (G1) on dirt and the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) on turf earlier this year.

After the ride, Egan said: “Mishriff has proved he can do it overseas and he can do it back home.

“I had in my mind I wanted to sit in the second row, one of the fence…he stays this flat mile and a quarter so well and I was going so easy three out I just let him slide and he took me there all the way.”

Much was made of the absence of St Mark's Basilica at the declaration stage for the race, but he could well have met his match regardless as David Egan steered Mishriff to a resounding victory over Alenquer.

Mac Swiney, winner of the Irish 2000 Guineas earlier in the year took up the running early on. A relatively steady two-by-two formation ensued for the first half of the race. The eventual winner received plenty of cover, dicing between third and fourth.

Turning into the straight the race pace began to increase, with Love and Alcohol Free making their moves on the far side. Meanwhile standside, David Egan was cruising on Mishriff and found himself in the lead two furlongs out. Any worries that the horse had a tendency to stop out in front were soon quashed as Mishriff continued to pull clear for a resounding victory.

Alenquer ran a very strong race to finish best of the rest, while Love and Alcohol Free weren't seen at their best. Although, their best still may not have been enough to topple the eventual winner.

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Cox Trainees One-Two In Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings

Korea Racing Authority's 5-year-old Knicks Go, a front-running winner of the Whitney (G1) at Saratoga on Aug. 7, has maintained the top spot in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings, a weekly poll of the top 10 horses in contention for the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). This year's Longines Breeders' Cup Classic will be run at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California, on Nov. 6 as the final race of the 38^th Breeders' Cup World Championships.

Knicks Go, trained by Brad Cox, received 286 votes in his second week at No. 1. Knicks Go has won three of five starts this year, which in addition to the Whitney includes the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) at Gulfstream Park in January and the Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (G3) in July.

Godolphin's 3-year-old Essential Quality, also trained by Cox, is in second place with 259 votes. Essential Quality won the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga and the Belmont Stakes (G1) in his last two starts.

Maxfield, second in the Whitney and winner of the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs, is in third place with 244 votes. Owned by Godolphin and trained by Brendan Walsh, the 4-year-old Maxfield gained a free berth into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic with his win in the Stephen Foster.

Boat Racing, Gainesway Stable, Roadrunner Racing, and William Strauss's 3-year-old Hot Rod Charlie, trained by Doug O'Neill, is in fourth place with 192 votes.

St. George Stable's 5-year-old mare Letruska improved one position to fifth place with 109 votes. Letruska, trained by Fausto Gutierrez, has won four of five starts this year, including the Ogden Phipps (G1) at Belmont Park and the Fleur de Lis Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs.

Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing's 4-year-old Silver State rose from seventh to sixth place with 94 votes. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Silver State finished third in the Whitney after winning his first four races this year.

CRK Stable's 4-year-old Express Train, winner of the San Diego Handicap (G2) at Del Mar, is in seventh place with 90 votes.

George E. Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds Corp.'s 4-year-old Max Player, trained by Asmussen, is in eighth place with 65 votes. Max Player won the Suburban (G2) at Belmont Park in July.

Wertheimer and Frere's Happy Saver, third in the Suburban, is in ninth place. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Happy Saver has 54 votes.

Another horse trained by Pletcher, St. Elias Stable's Dr Post, has joined the top 10 for the first time. A winner twice in three starts this year, Dr Post, who captured the Monmouth Cup Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park on July 17, has 53 votes.

Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings – Aug. 17, 2021*

Rank	Horse	Votes	First-Place Votes	Previous Week
1	Knicks Go	286	21	1
2	Essential Quality	259	4	2
3	Maxfield	244	5	3
4	Hot Rod Charlie	192	0	4
5	Letruska	109	0	6
6	Silver State	94	0	7
7	Express Train	90	0	8
8	Max Player	65	0	9
9	Happy Saver	54	0	10
10	Dr Post	53	0	13

*Note – The Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings have no bearing on qualification or selection into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.

The 2021 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, which will be run at 1 ¼ miles on the main track, is limited to 14 starters. The race will be broadcast live on NBC.

The Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings are determined by a panel of leading Thoroughbred racing media, horseplayers, and members of the Breeders' Cup Racing Directors/Secretaries Panel. Rankings will be announced each week through Oct. 11. A list of voting members can be found here.

In the Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings, each voter rates horses on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 system in descending order.

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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 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.

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Rock Your World Among Nominees To Pacific Classic

The nomination deadline passed at midnight on Thursday for the five major stakes a week from Saturday at Del Mar. And when the racing office had finished sorting them out this morning, there were 15 horses on the list for the summer season's signature Grade 1, $1 million TVG Pacific Classic.

Most were expected. But one not-exactly-expected name figures to generate interest and speculation leading up to next Tuesday's close of entries and post position draw. That would be Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World, trained by John Sadler for Hronis Racing, the connections who notched back-to-back TVG Pacific Classic wins with Accelerate in 2018 and Higher Power in 2019.

Sadler has indicated since the start of the meeting that Rock Your World, a 3-year-old son of Candy Ride, was being targeted for the Grade 2, $250,000 Del Mar Derby Presented by Caesars Sporsbook on Sept. 4, in what would be a return to turf after three starts on dirt – a victory in the Santa Anita Derby followed by Triple Crown event disappointments in the Kentucky Derby (17th) and Belmont Stakes (6th).

The Pacific Classic has been won by 3-year-olds over older horses five times. Best Pal's victory in the inaugural running in 1991 was followed by General Challenge (1999), Came Home (2002), Dullahan (2012) and Shared Belief (2014). Under race conditions, 3-year-olds carry 118 pounds while older horses tote 124.

Sadler did not immediately respond to a text inquiry regarding Rock Your World but had, earlier in the morning, confirmed another TVG Pacific Class entrant from the stable.

San Diego Handicap runner-up Tripoli went six furlongs in 1:12.80 this morning under exercise rider Cerapio Figueroa to Sadler's satisfaction in a final tune-up for the event.

Sadler said he had the son of Kitten's Joy, a $450,000 purchase at the Keeneland September sale in 2018 for Hronis Racing, galloping out to seven furlongs in 1:24.80.

“I was pleased with it, he's set for the Classic,” Sadler said. Tiago Pereira, aboard for the 4-year-old colt's last three starts since May, retains the mount.

Tripoli has three wins in 13 career starts and earnings of $211,960. The second-place result in the Grade II, $250,000 San Diego Handicap on July 17, beaten a half-length by Express Train, came in his stakes debut.

Other Pacific Classic nominees, with trainer's name in parentheses are: Chess Chief (Dallas Stewart); Cupid's Claws (Craig Dollase); Dr Post (Todd Pletcher); Express Train (John Shirreffs); Ginobili (Richard Baltas); Independence Hall (Michael McCarthy); Magic On Tap (Bob Baffert); Midcourt (John Shirreffs); Mo Mosa (Mike Maker); Royal Ship (Richard Mandella); Sherriff Brown (Todd Fincher); The Great One (Doug O'Neill), and Tizamagician ( Mandella).

Trainer Pletcher, from his Saratoga headquarters, indicated he's considering the coast-to-coast ship for Dr Post seriously.

“We're going to breeze him Saturday and if we're pleased with that, he's a go,” Pletcher said.

The 31st running of the TVG Pacific Classic is for 3-year-olds and up at the classic distance of a mile and one quarter. It is designated as a “Win and You're In” Challenge Race giving its winner a guaranteed all-fees-paid admission to the $6-million Breeders' Cup Classic, which will be run at Del Mar on Saturday, November 6.

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