Tag: breeders’ cup mile

War Like Goddess Wins Glen Falls For Mott, Casa Creed To Fourstardave

George Krikorian's War Like Goddess rallied from last-of-7 to capture Saturday's $250,000 Grade 2 Glens Falls, a 12-furlong inner-turf test for older fillies and mares at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the 4-year-old English Channel bay notched her third straight graded win, encompassing the Grade 3 Orchid in March at Gulfstream Park and the Grade 3 Bewitch in April at Keeneland.

Mott said he was pleased with the winning trip engineered by regular pilot Julien Leparoux.

“I thought she accelerated very good. I couldn't describe it any other way other than impressive,” Mott said.

Mott said he would point War Like Goddess to the $600,000 Grade 1 Flower Bowl on September 4 at Saratoga, a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

Natalie Baffert and Debbie Lanni's Du Jour, who exited post 2 under Joel Rosario, finished third just 3 1/2-lengths back of winner State of Rest in Saturday's Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational.

The Temple City bay captured the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 American Turf in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., before finishing fourth last month in the 10-furlong Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational in his first start for Mott.

“I thought he ran well to be third. I wasn't disappointed,” Mott said. “He had a little bit of trouble getting through. As he was coming through, they kind of squeezed him a little bit, but he still ran well. We're happy with his performance.”

Bruce Lunsford's Art Collector earned a 102 Beyer in a convincing front-running score in Friday's nine-furlong Alydar.

The 4-year-old Bernardini colt, who was making his first start for Mott, captured the Grade 2 Blue Grass last August at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., and the Ellis Park Derby last August for former conditioner Tom Drury, Jr.

He entered the Alydar off a trio of off-the-board efforts.

“He had kind of lost his way a little bit, but it looks like he's back into form,” Mott said.

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LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable's High Oak, an impressive maiden winner in June at Belmont, and Grade 1 Jackpocket Jaipur-winner Casa Creed breezed a bullet half-mile in :48.11 in company Saturday on the Oklahoma dirt training track.

“They both went well. I was very happy with them,” Mott said. “They both did what I wanted them to do. They maybe worked a little better than expected.”

High Oak, a 2-year-old son of Gormley, is pointed to Saturday's $200,000 Grade 2 Saratoga Special presented by Miller Lite, a 6 1/2-furlong main track sprint for juveniles.

Casa Creed, a 5-year-old son of Jimmy Creed, scratched out of Friday's Grade 3 Troy presented by Horse Racing Ireland after drawing post 12. Mott said Casa Creed will now target the $500,000 Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap on August 14, a “Win and You're In' qualifier to the Breeders' Cup Mile.

“We didn't like our post the other day and I think we'd prefer to take our chance in another race,” Mott said. “Not that we think it's an easier spot, but maybe we'll get a little better draw and have a chance at a better trip.”

Casa Creed will stretch back out to one mile in the Fourstardave after an impressive rally to win the six-furlong Jackpocket Jaipur. Mott acknowledged that the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, to be contested at five furlongs at Del Mar, would likely be too short for the late-running Casa Creed.

“That's probably not his cup of tea,” Mott said.

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Breeders’ Cup Challenge: ‘Simply Incredible’ Alcohol Free Draws Clear In Sussex Stakes

Alcohol Free (No Nay Never) led home a 1-2-3 for 3-year-olds in the G1 Qatar Sussex Stakes, a clash of the generations over a mile and the highlight on day two of the Qatar Goodwood Festival. The win earned Alcohol Free an expenses-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Mile this fall at Del Mar.

Jockey Oisin Murphy held the Coronation Stakes winner up in the early stages, seeking cover before pouncing as the race developed two furlongs from home. Trained by Andrew Balding, the 7/2 chance had too much in reserve for the 11/8 favorite Poetic Flare, who was trying to add to his 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes victories this season.

The winning distance was a length and three-quarters at the line, with Falmouth Stakes heroine Snow Lantern (6/1) running on late to take third and complete a clean sweep for 3-year-olds.

Winning owner Jeff Smith has enjoyed much success at the Qatar Goodwood Festival over the decades, most memorably with Chief Singer, who landed this race in 1984, Lochsong and Persian Punch.

Smith said: “I won my first Sussex Stakes 37 years ago – I had jet black hair and no worries in the world! I thought it was very easy and that I would come back and do it again.

“This filly is something else. The way she has won is simply incredible, I am thrilled to pieces. What a wonderful job Andrew and the whole team have done.

“It wasn't so much the opposition; I was more concerned that we did not have a repeat of the Falmouth where she got left in the lead having broken too well. She needs to get cover and something to aim at.

“Then she got bumped around and pushed back, but then the way she picked up showed what she really is. She is a champion – there is no question in my mind.”


Balding, who won the 2017 Sussex Stakes with outsider Here Comes When, said: “Maybe we got lucky with Here Comes When, although that was hugely rewarding, don't get me wrong.

“But this filly has already won two Group 1 races, so it was lovely to see her cement her place at the top of the tree.

“Oisin was at pains to try and tuck in and get some cover because she's so much better when you are able to do that and she has got something to aim at. Poetic Flare is a very good horse, but she really did it well in the end.

“I am sure there were hard luck stories, but I am sure she was the best horse on the day. It was lovely to see her do that because we have always believed in her. It is no easy task taking on the colts and older horses, and to do it in that style was just fantastic.”

Balding continued: “It is a privilege, it really is, watching her at home in the mornings. Cassia, who rides her every day, does a wonderful job as she tends to get a little highly strung. Watching her work is demoralizing for the other horses; we have to keep swapping the lead horse because she is just so, so good. You see her afterwards and she is hardly blowing – it is effortless really.

“She has looked very good right from her first bit of work, and we ran her on one bit of work. She had been cantering, we worked her once and thought we'd better run her. She went to Newbury and hosed up. She has been the victim of bad draws whenever she has run, to be honest.

“She probably would have won the Dick Poole, and, with a good draw, I think in the Guineas she would have gone close had she been drawn in the middle or to the far side. Anyway, I will take this over all of those!”

Regarding future targets, Balding added: “It was Jeff Smith's idea in the first place, and I don't think it's a bad idea, to put her in the International at York and we decided to keep her in at yesterday's forfeit stage.

“It might be asking a bit much, going a mile and a quarter, but she's a filly that has won three Group 1 races, so we have very little to lose.

“If it doesn't work, we'll regroup and go back to the mile race on Champions Day.”

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Murphy said: “I can't thank everyone at Park House enough. Alcohol Free really can be a handful in the mornings. Cassia has to deal with her every day and deserves a medal because she can be really tough work.

“Anyone who follows me on Instagram will see that, when I go to tack her up, she looks like she is going to bite or kick me. Then when you get near her, she is quite the opposite. She is a special character.

“Alcohol Free is so, so talented and what a thrill I got from that. I've won this race before on Lightning Spear and last year it all went wrong on Kameko. Day to day, you have to just keep kicking.

“Alcohol Free thrives on racing, and she felt super on Saturday; we only went four furlongs, but I was full of confidence to be honest, particularly when the rain came.

“I knew James Doyle would go forward on Century Dream but on his own terms and in his own rhythm. I knew Tilsit under Kieran Shoemark and Alcohol Free would fight for the same position. Unfortunately, she is 440kgs and Tilsit is probably 500kgs plus. I was never going to win that battle and was happy to come back and trust that Kieran would move at the right time and that I would be able to get out and slip into the race. The race really ran from when we turned into the straight and then it was a grind to the line.

“Jeff Smith has been an incredible supporter of horse racing for a long time. I don't know how many employees there are at Park House Stables, but they all play their part and this will mean the world to them.”

Una Manning, daughter of Jim Bolger, said of the runner-up: “Kevin [Manning] said for Poetic Flare that it was the same as France again. The ground just blunted his speed, and I would say the wind drying it out has just made the ground tacky.

“That was all that Kevin said – the ground. We were always going to turn up here, it was just unfortunate that the rain came. We were game to go and had to give it our best go.

“Poetic Flare has lost nothing in defeat. He loves his racing, loves his work. He's an easy horse to deal with and to travel. Bringing him over here wasn't going to be any sort of disadvantage to him even if the ground didn't turn out like he wanted.”

Kevin Manning said: “It was the same as in Paris. I was riding Poetic Flare a little bit behind the bridle from a long way down, whereas on good ground he is travelling into his races. I think the ground has just blunted him for speed. It is tacky, holding ground and there is no bounce in it.

“Poetic Flare has dug very deep and I thought for a few strides when Alcohol Free came by that he would shunt her back.

“He's won a 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace on good to quick ground. The runs that he hasn't lived up to have both come on soft ground.”

Snow Lantern's rider Jamie Spencer said: “The pace was only just OK. When they quickened at the three, I was caught a little flat-footed, but I hit the line very strong. Further won't be a problem.”

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Poetic Flare, Order Of Australia Chasing Breeders’ Cup Berth In Wednesday’s Sussex Stakes

Mrs. J.S. Bolger's 3-year-old Poetic Flare (IRE), a two-time Group 1 winner, and Order of Australia (IRE), the defending US$2 million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) champion, lead Wednesday's Qatar Sussex Stakes (G1) at Goodwood Racecourse. The Qatar Sussex Stakes winner will earn an automatic starting position and fees paid into this year's US$2 million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile presented by PDJF (G1) through the 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.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the Qatar Sussex Stakes winner to start in the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile, which will be run at a mile 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.

The Qatar Sussex Stakes will be televised live on TVG with an approximate post time of 10:35 a.m. ET.

Challenging older runners for the first time in the Qatar Sussex Stakes, Poetic Flare, trained by Jim Bolger, has won five races in eight starts, including three this year. A son of Dawn Approach (IRE) out of the Rock of Gibraltar (IRE) mare Maria Lee (IRE), Poetic Flare captured the QIPCO 2000 Guineas at 1 mile on May 1 at Newmarket, defeating Master of The Seas (IRE) by a short head at 16-1. That win was followed by a sixth-place finish as the 5-2 favorite in the Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) (G1) at ParisLongchamp on May 16. Just six days later, Poetic Flare was entered in the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas (G1) at The Curragh, where he finished second by a short head to stablemate Mac Swiney (IRE). However, Poetic Flare returned to his winning ways with his most impressive performance to date, taking the 1-mile St James's Palace Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot on June 15 by 4 1/4-lengths.

“Poetic Flare has been very well since the St James's Palace Stakes,” said Jim Bolger to Goodwood.com. “We're very happy with his work and he seems to be improving further. I was expecting and hoping for him to win at Ascot but possibly not as spectacularly as he did.”

Trainer Aidan O'Brien, who has won the Qatar Sussex Stakes five times, has entered Order of Australia and Lope Y Fernandez (IRE), the first and third-place finishers, respectively, in last year's FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland. Owned by Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Anne Marie O'Brien, the 4-year-old Order of Australia came off the also-eligible list to win by a neck at 73-1 over stablemate Circus Maximus (IRE). Order of Australia made his first start of 2021 in the “Win and You're In” Queen Anne Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot, finishing eighth. He rebounded in his next start, though, scoring a 1 1/4-length triumph in the 7-furlong Romanised Minstrel Stakes (G2) at The Curragh on July 18.

The 4-year-old Lope Y Fernandez, owned by Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier and Michael Tabor, finished second to Palace Pier (GB) in the Queen Anne Stakes by 1 ½ lengths in his third start this year. A son of Lope de Vega (IRE), Lope Y Fernandez began 2021 with a 5 ½-length victory in the listed 1-mile Heritage Stakes at Leopardstown on April 14. He started next in the 1-mile Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes (G1) at Newbury on May 15, but was not a factor, finishing eighth as the 5-1 second choice.

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Three-year-old fillies Alcohol Free (IRE) and Snow Lantern (GB) were the first two finishers in the 1-mile Coronation Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot on June 18. The 1 ½-length victory in the Coronation was Alcohol Free's second Group 1 triumph. Owned by Jeff Smith and trained by Andrew Balding, the daughter of No Nay Never claimed her first Group 1 in last year's Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket. Alcohol Free began this year with a win in the Dubai Duty Free Stakes (G3) at Newbury on April 18. In her first start against older fillies and mares, Alcohol Free finished third to Snow Lantern in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes (G1) at Newmarket on July 9.

Rockcliffe Stud's Snow Lantern, trained by Richard Hannon, has finished in the money in her four starts this year. A gray daughter of Frankel (GB), Snow Lantern broke her maiden in the 1-mile Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships at Newbury on April 18. She finished third in the listed Oaks Farm Stables Fillies' Stakes at York on May 14 prior to her second-place effort in the Coronation. Sent off at 6-1 in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes, Snow Lantern moved off the rail in the final two furlongs and surged to the front to catch QIPCO 1000 Guineas (G1) winner Mother Earth (IRE) by a half-length.

Juddmonte's 4-year-old Kentucky homebred Tilsit, trained by Charlie Hills, comes into the race off a win in the 1-mile Betfred Summer Mile Stakes (G2) at Ascot on July 10. That victory came after a second-place finish in the 1 1/8-mile Prix d'Ispahan (G1) at ParisLongchamp on May 30. A son of First Defence, Tilsit has a win over the Goodwood course, taking last year's 1-mile Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes (G3).

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‘Improving’ Poetic Flare Can Give Bolger A First Sussex Victory

Jim Bolger has been involved in some iconic Goodwood finishes over the years including Alexander Goldrun's battle with Ouija Board in ​the 2006 Nassau Stakes and Dawn Approach's duel with Toronado in the 2013 Sussex Stakes. Dawn Approach's son, Poetic Flare, will arrive at Goodwood next week hoping to go one better than his sire and provide the indomitable Jim Bolger with a first success in the Group 1 Qatar Sussex Stakes on July 28 at Goodwood.

The Sussex is a “Win And You're In” race for the Breeders' Cup Mile this fall at Del Mar.

The County Carlow trainer believes his QIPCO 2000 Guineas hero, who confirmed himself as the leading 3-year-old miler in Europe when demolishing a high-quality field in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, has improved since Ascot.

“Poetic Flare has been very well since the St James's Palace Stakes. We're very happy with his work and he seems to be improving further. I was expecting and hoping for him to win at Ascot but possibly not as spectacularly as he did.”

Bolger has always held the colt in the highest regard and is thrilled that he has showed his quality this season.

“I felt from the Spring of 2020 that he would be our best 2-year-old and as things transpired, he could only partially prove that. I did view him all along as my Guineas horse so it was very pleasing that he could prove that this year.”

Kevin Manning has partnered Poetic Flare in all his starts to date and will once again be riding the horse who Bolger describes as the apple of Manning's eye.

“Kevin Manning loves him! For him, Poetic Flare can do no wrong. He's a very straightforward horse to ride as you can put him anywhere in the race and he always delivers.”

Poetic Flare's two Group 1 victories have come on good-to-firm ground and Bolger believes he is an even better horse on a sound surface.

“He handles soft ground but he's better on good ground. He is very well balanced, so I don't think Goodwood holds any problems for him.”

Poetic Flare has inherited many of Dawn Approach's attributes, but Bolger is hopeful that he can differ from him by going one better in next Wednesday's £1 million Qatar-sponsored contest, which is part of the QIPCO British Champions Series.

“He's a heavyweight in every regard and is over 500kg. He's a very easy horse to manage as he knows his job and he thrives on racing. He has a great appetite for eating and for working, he's just like his sire Dawn Approach in every way.”

“He has one more bit of work to get through and will then arrive at Goodwood on Monday. It's a very special race and a race I've not won before.”

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