Breeders' Cup Win and You're In | Horse Racing Free Tips

Yibir Punches Ticket To Breeders’ Cup Turf With Win In Jockey Club Derby At Belmont

In last place with a quarter of a mile to go, winning looked out of reach for Yibir, but the English bred went three-wide into the final turn of the 1 1/2-mile Jockey Club Derby Invitational and found running room on the far outside of the bunched field in the Belmont stretch to take the race and earn a spot in the starting gate for the Breeders' Cup Turf.

After breaking slow, jockey Jamie Spencer settled Yibir into last of eight early, with Tango Tango Tango and Slicked Back running one-two into the first turn of the 12-furlong Jockey Club Derby. Bolshoi Ballet, winner of the Grade 1 Belmont Derby in July, was third, Ryan Moore putting his colt in an ideal stalking position. With early fractions of :25.37 for the first quarter, :49.45 for the half-mile, and 1:14.46 for the six furlongs, Tango Tango Tango maintained his lead through the first mile, but Slicked Back took over after 1 1/4 miles.

Around the final turn, Spencer took Yibir wide, seeking a running lane, and then went wider still in the stretch as the field bunched up in the closing furlongs. Six wide, down the middle of the turf course, Yibir finally found a running lane and took the lead, winning the Jockey Club Derby by 2 1/2 lengths. Soldier Rising rallied from midpack to finish second with Slicked Back holding on for third.

The final time for the 1 1/2 miles was 2:26.23. Find this race's chart here.

Yibir paid $7.30, $3.50, and $3.40. Soldier Rising paid $3.00 and $2.80. Slicked Back paid $6.40.

The Jockey Club Derby Invitational Stakes is a Win and You're In Event for the Breeders' Cup Turf. Winners received a fees-paid, guaranteed spot in the corresponding race at the Breeders' Cup World Championships, scheduled for Nov. 6 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

Bred in England by owner Godolphin, Yibir is a 3-year-old gelding by Dubawi out of the Monsun mare Rumh. He is trained by Charles Appleby. Yibir has three wins in seven starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of five wins in 11 starts and $815,580 in career earnings.

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On ‘Cruise’ Control in the Woodbine Mile

Town Cruise (Town Prize) went from gate to wire in the GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile, springing an 8-1 upset and earning a spot in the gate for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile. Breaking on top from his rail draw, the gelding clicked off an opening quarter in :24.08 and a half-mile in :47.10. Showing the way into the lane, the bay kept on finding more in the lane, rolling clear to score. Space Traveller (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) was the runner-up. This was the first graded stakes win for trainer, owner and co-breeder Brandon Greer. It was also the first Grade I for winning rider Daisuke Fukumoto.

“It feels a little surreal at the moment, but I'm absolutely thrilled with him,” said Greer. “This horse is amazing. I absolutely love him. I could see him digging in, that's something that he's been able to do very well this year. Dig in the late stages, even though he's been in the front. I found it a little difficult to believe right until the final sixteenth and then I can see the other horses just didn't have enough to catch up there.”

“This is fantastic,” said winning Fukumoto. “I am still in awe, it's an unbelievable feeling. Winning a Grade I is my dream, and I got a good horse this year so far. He's been good all year so far. For me, I am just crazy happy. I had pretty good confidence. I just knew for a shot I had to take [the] front. He went good, I took the lead, and wait and wait and he finished well.”

Town Cruise finished off 2020 with a pair of fourths at Woodbine, one on turf Oct. 25 and one on synthetic Nov. 20. Kicking off this term on a winning note in a grassy Woodbine allowance June 13, he captured an optional claimer on the local lawn July 4 and was run down by Olympic Runner last out after setting the pace in the GII King Edward S. Aug. 15.

Pedigree Notes:

Town Cruise is the first black-type winner and first graded scorer for his sire Town Prize, a son of Speightstown. He is the fifth Grade I scorer, 10th graded winner and 25 black-type victor out of a daughter of Candy Ride. Brandon and Terry Greer purchased his dam Candy Cruise for $4,267 at the 2007 Canadian September Yearling Sale. Town Cruise is her third foal and she has only produced two foals since, the unraced 3-year-old filly Seriously Sweet (Society's Chairman) and an unraced juvenile filly by Frac Daddy. She failed to get in foal to Frac Daddy in the two subsequent years and did not get in foal to Seattle Serenade last year.

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Wild Beauty Looms Large in Natalma

Three years ago, the Godolphin-owned and Charlie Appleby-conditioned La Pelosa (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) used placings in the Listed Star S. and in the G3 Sweet Solera S. as a stepping-stones to victory in the GI Natalma S. at Woodbine. Connections will be hoping that lightning strikes twice Sunday with Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who has charted precisely the same course into the 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies' Turf at Del Mar Nov.5.

Whereas La Pelosa finished third in the Star S. at Goodwood, Wild Beauty went one better, chasing home hot favorite Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who subsequently hacked up at 20 cents on the dollar in Doncaster's G2 May Hill S. Sept. 9. Wild Beauty and La Pelosa both finished runner-up in the Sweet Solera contested over a straight seven furlongs at Newmarket and she should appreciate the extra eighth of a mile Sunday.

D J Stable and Nexus Racing's Diabolic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) looks to take her unbeaten streak to four while stretching out in trip for the first time. Purchased for £90,000 out of last year's Goffs Orby Yearling Sale, the gray filly validated 8-5 favoritism with a neck success sprinting five grassy furlongs at Gulfstream May 20 before adding the My Dear S. over the local synthetic surface July 31. It was back to the turf when prepping for this in the Aug. 21 Catch a Glimpse S. and Diabolic made a run from next to last to report home a length to the good of Royal Engagement (Palace Malice), with Mrs. Barbara (Bodemeister) another length and three-quarters back in third.

Bobby Flay homebred Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) holds the distinction of being the lone runner in the field of 10 with a victory going long, having graduated by three-parts of a length at first asking at Saratoga July 22. Joel Rosario retains the mount for Christophe Clement.

Ready Lady (More Than Ready) belied generous odds to score by a half-length on her seven-furlong debut Aug. 28 and will try to follow in the hoofprints of her half-sister 'TDN Rising Star' Lady Speightspeare (Speightstown), who won this event last year by 3/4 of a length off a somewhat more decisive first-out success.

Eminent Victor (Mr. Z) earned a competitive 74 Beyer for a debut score over the Arlington Poly and has since been acquired by Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group and Louis Lazzinaro. She makes her first appearance for Chad Brown here.

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Woodbine Mile Has Open Feel

Saturday's GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile serves as a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Fanduel Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar in six weeks' time, and a legitimate case can be made for at least half of the 10 runners set to face the starter.

Raging Bull (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}), promoted to third in this event in 2019, is the proven Grade I runner in the field, having scored three times at the highest level. The Peter Brant colorbearer made the most of his seasonal debut, belying a five-month absence to post a two-length success in the GI Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland Apr. 9. Unlucky when denied by Oleksandra (Aus) (Animal Kingdom) in the GIII Poker S. at Belmont June 20, the bay took all the pari-mutuel action for Saratoga's GI Fourstardave H. Aug. 14, but never really landed a blow, finishing sixth of eight behind Got Stormy (Get Stormy). With Frankie Dettori accepting the call, Raging Bull should take plenty of beating, but he will need to bring his 'A' game.

Mark Casse has three chances for a third Mile, all of whom are lined up next to one another. Drawn lowest of the trio in gate two is Gary Barber's in-form Olympic Runner (Gio Ponti), a longshot fourth to Starship Jubilee (Indy Wind) last year and exiting a 1 1/4-length success in the course-and-distance GII King Edward S. Aug. 15. March To the Arch (Arch) ran on to complete the exacta 12 months ago, rallied into a strong past to annex the July 25 Niagara S. going nine panels and was a latest third, with some traffic trouble, in the King Edward. Ride a Comet (Candy Ride {Arg}) was runner-up to Raging Bull in the Maker's Mark, raced too close to the pace from a high draw in the nine-furlong GI Old Forester Turf Classic May 1 and finished well to be third behind Set Piece (GB) (Dansili {GB}).

Town Cruise (Town Prize) looks to be the controlling speed of the race and is favorably drawn in the inside stall for Daisuke Fukumoto to make best use of that weapon. The 6-year-old wired a field going a mile and a sixteenth at 70 cents on the dollar July 4 and set a cracking pace in the King Edward before clinging on for second. If able to settle early on, he could prove sneaky at a big price.

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