breeders' cup turf | Horse Racing Free Tips

Maker Fully Loaded For Kentucky Downs Turf Cup

As usual, Mike Maker, the all-time leading trainer at Kentucky Downs, is very well-armed for the $1 million, Grade 2 Calumet Turf Cup Saturday.

Maker is scheduled to saddle five of the 12 horses in the 1 1/2-mile race. While it is already a personal best for him in the race, it is possible he could have half the field if Dynadrive draws in from the also-eligible list. This will be the eighth-straight year that Maker, 52, has had two or more starters in one of the track's premier races, which he has won a record four times. He has had at least one horse finish in the money seven straight years.

The Calumet Turf Cup, one of the five graded stakes on Saturday's program, is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” race and will be broadcast live on NBC.

Maker has made it clear that he points for this race and will start as many runners as he can. He has built a solid reputation for developing horses – many of whom he has claimed – that can go long on the grass.

“I have a lot of horses that can go a mile and a half on the grass, there are limited opportunities and this purse is always lucrative,” he said.

Maker said he developed his ability with distance-loving turf horses earlier in his career when he worked for breeder-owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey.

“I had a lot of offspring by Kitten's Joy,” he said, naming the Ramsey's prominent turf stallion. “You have to play the hand you're dealt.”

According to Equibase stats, Maker has saddled a record 22 starters in the Turf Cup and his purse earnings of $2,225,240 is a record, nearly $1 million ahead of Brad Cox. He quietly served notice that he might do well in the race by finishing second with his first starter, Stream of Gold, in 2008. Since 2014 he has had at least two runners. Twice he has sent out four runners. In 2018, his horses finished second, third, fourth and fifth. His record in the race from the 22 starts is 4-2-4.

This year, Maker has Three Diamonds Farm's Tide of the Sea in post 4; Michael Ryan's Bluegrass Parkway in post 6; Paradise Farm's and David Staudacher's Ajourneytofreedom in 8; Three Diamonds' Glynn County in 9 and Michael Hui's 8-year-old Zulu Alpha, who won in 2019 and was third last year, in 11.

“Glynn County was a Kitten's Joy and only had a couple of starts when we got him,” Maker said. “He's a nice horse and I think you're going to hear a lot of him in the future. He ran well at Arlington (third in the G1 Mr. D). I think he's one of my better chances.

“Tide of the Sea is an English Channel who was bought out of the sale. Bluegrass Parkway was sent to me with these type of races in mind. The first we ran him I think was a mile and three-eighths race he won, a conditioned allowance race. Ajourneytofreedom was bred for these type of races and that's why we claimed him. Obviously, Zulu Alpha doesn't need any explanation.”

All five of Maker's runners are stakes veterans and Tide of the Sea and Zulu Alpha are graded stakes winners.

Zulu Alpha, a Grade 1 winner and $2.27 million-earner, has not hit the board in his two starts in 2021, but Maker said that is too small of a sample to judge him. In the Mr. D at Arlington Park on Aug. 14, he was a non-factor.

“It was slow paced and didn't suit him,” Maker said. “We're going to cross it out and bring him to the track he loves. I think it should be a strong pace Saturday with Tide of the Sea and Channel Cat.”

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St Mark’s Basilica, Tarnawa, Poetic Flare To Clash In Saturday’s Irish Champion Stakes

Big guns St Mark's Basilica, Tarnawa and Poetic Flare remain on target to clash in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday. The Irish Champion Stakes is a “Win and You're In” race for the Breeders' Cup Turf to be held in early November at Del Mar.

The trio head the remaining 13 entries for the event, the highlight on the opening day of Longines Irish Champions Weekend which, for the first time, will be a World Pool event for all eight races.

Also standing their ground are a sextet from Ballydoyle, Armory, Bolshoi Ballet, Innisfree and the fillies Snowfall, Love and Joan Of Arc. Joseph O'Brien has left a trio in the race, Patrick Sarsfield, Baron Samedi and Thundering Nights while Jim Bolger's Mac Swiney also remains a possible contender.

The first of the weekend's Group 1 races is the Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes, a “Win and You're In” for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Johnny Murtagh has left in both last year's winner Champers Elysees and the ever-improving Create Belief, while Aidan O'Brien can choose from Mother Earth, Empress Josephine, Joan Of Arc and Friendly. Joseph O'Brien is also strongly represented with Thundering Nights, Pretty Gorgeous and Lovely Esteem while the Willie McCreery-trained Epona Plays would not be without her chance. The Pascal Bary-trained Thalie stays in as do the Ed Walker-trained Dreamloper and Richard Fahey's Fev Rover.

There are four Group 1 races at the Curragh on Sunday and the second day of Longines Irish Champions Weekend is highlighted by the Comer Group International Irish St Leger for which there are 22 horses remaining. Leading the way is Dermot Weld's Search For A Song, bidding for her third successive win in the race with opposition set to include Johnny Murtagh's Ebor winner Sonnyboyliston. A strong team from the Joseph O'Brien stable is comprised of Twilight Payment, Master Of Reality and Baron Samedi while Aidan O'Brien has five possibles, including 2020 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner Santiago and Sir Lucan. Aircraft Carrier and Seattle Creek are set to represent the sponsor, Luke Comer.

From France and Germany, Yann Barberot's Brokeback Mountain and the Andreas Suborics-trained Rip Van Lips, winner of the Group 2 Comer Group International 50th Oleander-Rennen at Hoppegarten in May, could yet take their chance along with the remaining British challenger, David O'Meara's Eagles By Day.

Sixteen horses remain in the Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes, headed by last year's winner of the race, the Kevin Ryan-trained Glass Slippers and Tim Easterby's Winter Power, successful in the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York. Archie Watson's Dragon Symbol is another leading contender standing his ground along with top home contenders Mooneista, Gustavus Weston and Measure Of Magic, trained by Jack Davison, Joe Murphy and Johnny Murtagh respectively.

The first of the weekend's Group 1 races for 2-year-olds is the Moyglare Stud Stakes and topping the 14 remaining entries are Ger Lyons's supplementary entry Cairde Go Deo and the Dermot Weld-trained Homeless Songs which is bidding to give the sponsors their first win in the race.

Unbeaten colts Point Lonsdale, trained by Aidan O'Brien, and the Charlie Appleby-trained Native Trail lead the way in the Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes for which ten horses stand their ground. Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes winner Ebro River is there for Hugo Palmer while Michael Bell's Great Max could be another raider from across the Irish Sea.

Tim Husbands, CEO of Leopardstown Racecourse, said: “We are delighted to see such a top-class field at this stage announced for the Irish Champion Stakes. It will be a highly competitive race, truly reflective of the depth of quality of Irish racing currently. We are looking forward to a great day's racing and to have racegoers returning in greater numbers will make for an extra special occasion.”

Evan Arkwright, Chief Executive (interim) of the Curragh Racecourse, said: “The entries on Sunday certainly confirms the champion status of the day with high quality runners from start to finish on a superb programme which features four Group 1 races. I would like to acknowledge the fantastic support of owners, trainers and of course our very loyal sponsors. We are really looking forward to welcoming racegoers back to the Curragh for one of the major highlights in the international calendar.”

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Gufo Much The Best In Sword Dancer At Saratoga

Gufo won his way into the Breeders' Cup Turf with a hard-fought victory in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Toward the back of the pack throughout the 1 1/2-mile stakes, Gufo went two-wide on the final turn to find a clear lane to take the lead in the stretch and outlasted Japan in the race's final yards to get the win.

Breaking from post 2, Joel Rosario on Gufo wrapped up on the 4-year-old colt early, running sixth of seven throughout the first mile as Channel Maker took the lead. After a first quarter in :23.38, Manny Franco on Channel Maker slowed the pace down, the half-mile coming in :48.59 and the six furlongs in 1:14.42. The 7-year-old gelding held on to the lead through the race's final turn, as Rosario moved Gufo out from the rail, going to the outside to find a clear path for their stretch run.

Into the Saratoga straight, Channel Maker and Tribhuvan, 1-2 throughout the race, dueled for the lead as Gufo made his bid down the center of the track, hitting the front within the last eighth of a mile. Japan kicked into gear in the stretch as well, passing Channel Maker and Tribhuvan to challenge Gufo. The Christophe Clement trainee was able to hold on, winning the G1 Sword Dancer by a half-length with Japan second and Cross Border third.

The final time for the 1 1/2 miles was 2:28.30.

The G1 Sword Dancer is a Win and You're In race for the Breeders' Cup World Championships. With his victory, Gufo receives a fees-paid guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the Breeders' Cup Turf, scheduled for Nov. 6 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

Gufo paid $7.10, $3.80, and $2.80. Japan paid $4.00 and $3.10. Cross Border paid $3.70.

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‘Horse For Course’ Cross Border Brings Top Form To Sword Dancer

A winner of 10 races and nearly $1 million in purse earnings, Three Diamonds Farm's Cross Border has saved his best for Saratoga. Trainer Mike Maker, enjoying a spectacular summer of his own at the Spa, is hoping to continue the magic in Saturday's Grade 1, $750,000 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer.

The 1 ½-mile Sword Dancer, a 'Win and You're In' for the Grade 1, $4 million Breeders' Cup Turf November 6 at Del Mar, is one of seven graded-stakes – six of them Grade 1 – worth $4.6 million in purses on a blockbuster program highlighted by the 152nd running of the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers.

Cross Border, a 7-year-old New York-bred son of turf champion English Channel, has made seven of his 35 career starts at Saratoga with six wins and a second, the latter coming in last year's Sword Dancer. Of his $948,821 lifetime bankroll, $544,400 has been earned at the Spa.

“He's a horse for course. I hope we have another rabbit to pull out of the hat,” Maker said. “I wish I knew [why]. I wouldn't have to train horses. The horse never has a bad hair day. He always looks well and trains well. Obviously, he has an affinity for up here, where he's had his best performances. So, we'll take it.”

Cross Border turned in one of his best efforts to date last out to win the Grade 2 Bowling Green by 1 ¼ lengths July 31. It was his second career graded triumph, the other coming in last year's Bowling Green following the disqualification of first-place finisher Sadler's Joy, who edged Cross Border by a neck at the wire.

“His last race was spectacular,” Maker said. “Obviously, we had a great setup and we'd have no problem getting that again.”

Cross Border has placed in four other graded-stakes, beaten a neck in the Grade 3 W.L. McKnight in 2020 and third by 2 ¼ lengths in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf January 23, both at Gulfstream Park. He was a distant but decisive seconds in last year's Sword Dancer, won by Channel Maker over a course listed as soft.

The 2-1 program favorite for the Sword Dancer is Grade 1 United Nations winner Tribhuvan. Cross Border is the third choice in a field of seven at odds of 4-1.

“Last year we had a lot of rain and it was probably a bit softer than he would prefer,” Maker said, “But he still put in a good effort.”

Also for Three Diamonds Farm on Saturday, Maker will send out Doubly Blessed in the Grade 1, $600,000 Forego for older horses sprinting seven furlongs, marking the graded debut for the 4-year-old Empire Maker gelding.

“We entered an allowance race and it failed to fill, so we figured we'd give this a shot,” Maker said. “He's been doing great. Hopefully, he gets a hot pace to run into. We're looking forward to it.”

Doubly Blessed has not raced since May 29 when he scored by 1 ½ lengths in a second-level optional claimer in the Belmont Park slop. In his only other stakes appearance, he ran fourth in the 1 3/8-mile Stud Muffin March 27 at Aqueduct.

After beginning his career with seven turf races, the first two for previous trainer Jonathan Thomas, Maker moved Doubly Blessed to the dirt this year and he has responded with four wins and a second from six starts including three in a row at Aqueduct to open 2021.

“He had worked well on the dirt and we weren't getting the results we were expecting on the turf, so we figured we'd give it a shot,” Maker said. “Since he came off the turf, he turned the corner and has become a nice horse for us.”

Prior to the Forego, the shortest Doubly Blessed has run is one mile – the distance of each of his three wins this winter. Meet-leading rider Luis Saez will be aboard from post position 5 in a field of seven that includes Grade 1 winners Firenze Fire, Lexitonian, Mind Control, Mischevious Alex and Whitmore and 5-2 morning-line favorite Yaupon. Doubly Blessed is listed at 15-1.

“The competition is the main thing. The seven-eighths, one-turn doesn't bother me,” Maker said. “It's a pretty salty field. We're going to find out how he fits.”

Maker said Three Diamonds Farm's Army Wife was doing well out of her third-place finish in the Grade 1 Alabama August 21, which followed back-to-back wins in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan May 14 at Pimlico Race Course and Grade 3 Iowa Oaks July 2 at Prairie Meadows.

“She's never missed a bite of grain coming out of the race and this morning she was a handful, so we're happy,” Maker said. “She ran a big race, and she came out of it super. We're pointing to the Cotillion.”

The Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles will be run September 25 at Parx Racing.

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