Tag: breeders’ cup turf

United Seeks Rebound In Saturday’s John Henry Turf Championship

A winner of three out of his last four starts and no worse than third in his last nine, Richard Mandella's classy United heads up a field of eight 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/4 miles over the Santa Anita Turf in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 John Henry Turf Championship.

Most recently second, beaten a diminishing head at 3-5 in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap, United will again use the John Henry as a springboard to the Grade 1, 1 1/2-mile Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland, a race in which he was a close second to eventual Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar last year at Santa Anita.

The Richard Baltas-trained Next Shares, a late running Grade 1 stakes winner, BG Stables' Originaire, who charged from far back to be a close third in the Del Mar Handicap and fellow Irish-bred Oscar Dominguez, a close fifth in the same race, lend considerable depth to the John Henry field.

The John Henry is named in honor of the legendary gelding who garnered seven Eclipse Awards and was voted America's Horse of the Year in 1981 and 1984. A Kentucky-bred gelding by Ole Bob Bowers, John Henry was trained by Hall of Famer Ron McAnally and was retired at age nine in 1984.

UNITED

Owner: LNJ Foxwoods

Trainer: Richard Mandella

Third in last year's John Henry, this 5-year-old Giant's Causeway gelding was subsequently a massive second, beaten a head by Bricks and Mortar at odds of 51-1 in the 2019 Breeders' Cup Turf, a race that he's once again prepping for. Although he was flying at the finish of the Aug. 22 Del Mar Handicap, the winner, Red King, had made an early run and was able to just prevail. A winner of three out of his four starts this year, United is in top form with an overall mark of 15-6-4-1 and earnings of $1,293,549.

NEXT SHARES

Owner: Richard & Debby Baltas and Michael Iavarone

Trainer: Richard Baltas

Back from Kentucky following a pair of unplaced starts in one mile turf stakes, including a 10th place finish two races back in the Grade I Makers Mark Mile at Keeneland July 10, Next Shares is a classy 7-year-old gelding that would appreciate a fast early pace. A solid second, beaten 2 ¼ lengths three starts back in the Grade I Shoemaker Mile (turf) here on May 25, he rallied well to be third, beaten a neck four starts back in the Grade I Frank E. Kilroe Mile (turf) on March 7. Although winless in five starts this year and “o-fer” in two tries at the mile and one quarter distance, Next Shares will hope to rebound on his home ground and will be ridden for the first time by top eastern rider Luis Saez. The leading money earner in the field with $1,808,571, he'll be making his 35th career start.

ORIGINAIRE

Owner: BG Stables

Trainer: Jeff Mullins

In what will be his fourth consecutive confrontation with United, this 4-year-old Irish-bred colt rates a legitimate upset chance. Most recently a fast finishing third, beaten a half length by United in the Del Mar Handicap, he was much closer to the pace in both the Grade II Eddie Read on July 26 and the Grade II Charles Whittingham Stakes here on May 23, races in which he was beaten 2 ¼ lengths and a half length by United, respectively. With Abel Cedillo set to ride him back for the second time, it would seem that Originaire's best chance for victory would be if he could again lag far off of a fast early pace.

OSCAR DOMINGUEZ

Owner: Nancy Messineo & Bruce Sands

Trainer: Richard Baltas

Another deep closer, “Oscar” was most recently a fast finishing fifth from far off the pace in the Del Mar Handicap Aug. 22, this 7-year-old Irish-bred gelding is winless in four graded starts this year, with his last win coming five races back in the Grade II, mile and one half Hollywood Turf Cup on Dec. 1, 2019. A winner of six out of his 41 career starts, he'll be ridden for the first time Jose Valdivia, Jr.

THE GRADE II JOHN HENRY WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS ON POST POSITION ORDER

Race 9 of 11 Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PT

1. Proud Pedro—Juan Hernandez—122
2. Originaire—Abel Cedillo—122
3. United—Flavien Prat—126
4. Another Mystery—Drayden Van Dyke—122
5. Salvator Mundi—Umberto Rispoli—122
6. Kazan—Tiago Pereira—122
7. Next Shares—Luis Saez—124
8. Oscar Dominguez—Jose Valdivia, Jr.—124

First post time for an 11-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. Although there is no public admittance, fans can follow a live video stream, free of charge, at santaanita.com

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‘More Of The Old Arklow’: Blinkers Made The Difference As Brad Cox Trainee Eyes Breeders’ Cup Turf

Donegal Racing founder Jerry Crawford considered Zulu Alpha the top distance turf horse in at least America heading into last Saturday's $1 million Calumet Farm Kentucky Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs. After Donegal's Arklow upset his old rival to win the Grade 3, 1 1/2-mile stakes for the second time in the three years, Crawford slightly amended his assessment.

Wearing blinkers for the first time in 29 career races, the 6-year-old Arklow laid up close to the pace under Florent Geroux and took command through the long stretch for a 1 1/4-length victory over Red Knight. Zulu Alpha was another length back in third after coming from near-last.

“We have nothing but respect for Zulu Alpha,” Crawford said of the 2019 Kentucky Turf Cup winner to whom Arklow was second in last year's running of the track's richest race. “He was the best mile-and-a-half turf horse in the world coming into the Kentucky Turf Cup. But if you beat the best, then you're in the conversation.”

Crawford won't get any disagreement from Michael Hui, who claimed Zulu Alpha for $80,000 two years ago with the 2019 Kentucky Turf Cup in mind and now has earned more than $2 million with the gelding.

“I think he was in the conversation anyway, just because of his trainer,” Hui said of Arklow's trainer, Brad Cox.

The Mike Maker-trained Zulu Alpha started his 7-year-old season with a victory over an international field in Gulfstream Park's Grade 1, $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf, in which Arklow was fifth. Saturday marked the 10th time the horses had squared off, the two evenly split 5-5 for number of times finishing in front of the other.

Now the focus for both horses is squarely on the $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf on Nov. 7 at Keeneland. Arklow won a maiden race at Keeneland and was second in the 2018 Grade 2 Sycamore, won by Zulu Alpha in the gelding's first race for Hui. Zulu Alpha also won Keeneland's July 12 Elkhorn in his last start before Saturday's race.

“Zulu is good, he was bouncing around the barn cooling out, had a lot of energy,” Hui said of the defeat. “You could tell he knew he didn't win. It's onward; we'll move on. We're just going to stick with the playbook we laid out after he won the Pegasus.”

Both horses have been fourth in the Breeders' Cup Turf; Arklow in 2018 at Churchill Downs and Zulu Alpha last year at Santa Anita.

Zulu Alpha will train up to this Breeders' Cup, Hui said. Arklow could run back in New York's Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, which the horse won last year to become a Grade 1 winner.

“Our next decision is: Do we go to the Joe Hirsch in three weeks and then give him five weeks to the Breeders' Cup? Do we just train him up to the Breeders' Cup?” Crawford said. “Brad is very, very pleased with the way he came out of the race. You want him to be fresh going into the Breeders' Cup, but you don't want him to be stale. To figure that out is the next challenge.”

Arklow crashed through the $2 million mark for earnings and now has made $2,446,116, the vast majority in his 24 turf starts spanning seven wins, six seconds and a third.

“I have a lot of confidence going forward with the equipment change that we're going to see more of the old Arklow,” Crawford said.

Crawford said that as much as bragging on Arklow, he wanted to praise stakes-sponsor Calumet Farm, Calumet owner Brad Kelley and Kentucky Downs. Crawford said that they make it possible “so that we can brag on horses like him.

“Kentucky Downs is one of the niftiest racetracks anywhere. What they do to make it so lucrative, the sport would be nowhere without them.”

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Ghaiyyath Heads Field Of Six For Saturday’s Irish Champion Stakes

The mighty Ghaiyyath heads a field of six runners for the Irish Champion Stakes on the opening day of Longines Irish Champions Weekend at Leopardstown on Saturday afternoon.

Godolphin's star 5-year-old became the highest-rated horse in the world when adding the Juddmonte International at York last month to earlier top-level wins in the Coronation Cup at Newmarket and Sandown's Coral-Eclipse.

Charlie Appleby told godolphin.com: “It was a routine piece of work (on Wednesday) to check his well-being, and he has come through it without a worry.

“It was not strong work, more a breeze, which is normal procedure three days before a race. He's telling us that he's ready now for another big race.

“We are really looking forward to the weekend. He travels to Ireland at the peak of his career, unbeaten in four starts this year, three of them Grade 1s, two of which were officially rated the best performances globally in 2020.”

The Irish Champion Stakes offers a “Win and You're In” berth to the Breeders' Cup Longines Turf in November at Keeneland.

The main opposition to Appleby's charge will come from two Aidan O'Brien-trained runners, Magical, winner of the Irish Champion Stakes last year and the mount of Seamie Heffernan, and the Ryan Moore-ridden Japan. Magical is bidding to become the first horse to win the race twice after the O'Brien-trained Dylan Thomas in 2006 and 2007.

Jean-Claude Rouget is back for further Irish Champion Stakes success. He won with Almanzor in 2016 and runs Sottsass, the mount of Colin Keane, and the field is completed by the Jessica Harrington-trained Leo De Fury and one more from Ballydoyle, Armory.

Classic winners Fancy Blue, trained by Donnacha O'Brien and his father Aidan's Peaceful, lead the way in the Group 1 Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes. Eleven runners will line up for the first of the weekend's six Group 1 races with Albigna and Valeria Messalina representing Jessica Harrington, Joseph O'Brien's Argentinian-import Wilds Dreams takes her chance while Johnny Murtagh runs both Champers Elysees and Know It All as he searches for a first top-level training success.

Speaking this morning, Donnacha O'Brien, who has his first Longines Irish Champions Weekend runners this weekend, said: “It's a great weekend, the biggest in Irish racing and I'm excited about having horses to run.

“Fancy Blue starts out on her autumn campaign in the Matron Stakes and while the trip might not be ideal, she does have good form over a mile and she ran well in the Irish Guineas over this distance.”

There are ten runners for the Group 2 KMPG Champions Juvenile Stakes with the Harrington-trained Cadillac leading the way along with course and distance winner Fernando Vichi, and Ides Of August, trained by Donnacha O'Brien and Ger Lyons respectively.

Another Group 2 on the stellar card is the Clipper Logistics Boomerang Mile and here ten runners will go to post with British raiders Century Dream, Escobar and Safe Voyage taking on the likes of Royal Dornoch, Lancaster House and Ancient Spirit.

The Group 3 Paddy Power 'Is It 2021 Yet?' Stakes has a field of 13 with Joseph O'Brien's pair Buckhurst and Patrick Sarsfield taking on Irish Derby runner-up Tiger Moth, trained by Aidan O'Brien, Johnny Murtagh's Red Kelly and the Paddy Twomey-trained Bolivar.

Racing begins with the Listed Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes where 13 runners line out, among them Joseph O'Brien's course and distance winner Earth Strike and the recent Punchestown scorer New Emerald Bay, another for Johnny Murtagh.

A maximum field of 18 runners, including last year's runner-up Buildmeupbuttercup, are set for the Irish Stallion Farms 'Petingo' Handicap while there's also 18 declared for the Irish Stallion Farms EBF 'Sovereign Path' Handicap with Damien English's Geological and Lord Rapscallion for Nikita Kane and Murtagh likely leading contenders.

Tim Husbands, Leopardstown CEO said: “Declarations for Day 1 of Longines Irish Champions Weekend confirm that the quality of runner associated with this prestigious weekend will be of the same exceptional standard as previous years. We are delighted to welcome our International entries but also our native runners where the depth of talent is unrivalled. I would like to express our sincere gratitude to all owners, trainers, jockeys and sponsors for their valued participation and contribution to Longines Irish Champions Weekend.”

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Next Stop, Paris: Enable Cruises To Easy Victory In September Stakes

Juddmonte's superstar racemare Enable made it look easy in the G3 September Stakes on Saturday at Kempton Park, cruising to victory under regular rider Frankie Dettori. It was her final prep for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, in which the 6-year-old daughter of Nathaniel will try to become the first horse in history to win the history race three times.

The John Gosden-trained Enable won the Arc in 2017 and 2018, but fell just short when second in 2019.

“All roads lead to Longchamp,” Dettori told racingpost.com. “We came here to do the job, she felt good and the dream is still alive.”

Enable has won 15 of her 18 lifetime starts, including the 2018 Breeders' Cup Turf, and has earnings over US$14 million. The Arc is a “Win and You're In” for this year's Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland.

“What she's done already with all the races she's won is pretty extraordinary, so we'll just build it up one day at a time,” Gosden said. “Frankie was delighted with her. She's had a good blow, had a nice day out and got a bit of freshness off her.”

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