Tag: Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In

Chrono Genesis Wins Her Second Takarazuka Kinen, Earns Spot In Breeders’ Cup Turf

Sunday Racing's 5-year-old mare Chrono Genesis (JPN) took the lead in deep stretch and won Sunday's $3 million, 1 3/8-mile Grade 1 Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin Racecourse in Takarazuka, Japan by 2 ¾ lengths and earned an automatic berth and fees paid into the $4 million Grade 1 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf 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 Chrono Genesis, to start in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, which will be run at 1 ½ miles on the Del Mar turf course. 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 odds-on favorite in the 62nd Takarazuka Kinen, Chrono Genesis, a bay daughter of Bago (FR) out of the Kurofune mare Chronologist (JPN), covered the 1 3/8 miles in 2:10.9 over a course listed as good to firm. Trained by Takashi Saito and ridden for the first time by Christophe Lemaire, Chrono Genesis improved her record to eight wins in 15 starts. She also became the third horse this year to earn a “Win and You're In” berth into the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, joining Cool Day (ARG), who won the Gran Premio International Carlos Pellegrini (G1) at Palermo in Argentina, and Love (IRE), who captured Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot.

Facing 12 rivals, Chrono Genesis broke well from post seven and settled around fifth while eyeing the 7-2 second choice Lei Papale (JPN), a 4-year-old filly who came into the race unbeaten in six starts. Though surrounded by horses entering the lane, Chrono Genesis waited until finding an open space 300 meters out and exerted a powerful burst of speed with the fastest last 3-furlong drive. She overtook 27-1 Unicorn Lion (IRE) and Lei Papale before reaching the wire with a comfortable 2-1/2-length margin.

“The mare was in very good condition and looked great at the paddock,” said winning rider Lemaire, who replaced the injured Yuichi Kitamura, Chrono Genesis's regular rider, for this race. “We were able to race in good position behind Lei Papale. She stretched really well and was able to run the last 200 meters easily.”

Seventh-pick Unicorn Lion and Lei Papale broke smoothly from the first two stalls and immediately surged out to take the front. Continuing to lead the field with Unicorn Lion setting the pace and Lei Papale pressing the pace in second, the two dueled strongly entering the lane. Though overtaken by Chrono Genesis 100 meters out, Unicorn Lion and Lei Papale held off the rest of the field by two lengths to finish second and third, respectively.

In winning back-to-back Takarazuka Kinen titles, Chrono Genesis became the first horse to do so since Gold Ship (JPN) in 2013 and 2014. Coming off a close runner-up effort in the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) in March, this win marked her fourth Group 1 and sixth group-stakes victory. Along with her Takarazuka Kinen and Grade 1 Arima Kinen titles last year, she became the fifth horse and the first mare to win three Grand Prix races. Her career earnings surpassed a billion yen to become the fifth mare to do so after Vodka (JPN), Buena Vista (JPN), Gentildonna (JPN), and Almond Eye (JPN).

The post Chrono Genesis Wins Her Second Takarazuka Kinen, Earns Spot In Breeders’ Cup Turf appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Letruska Blooming Ahead of Fleur de Lis

St. George Stable LLC's Letruska (Super Saver) has proven near invincible since turning five and will try to add her sixth graded victory in Saturday's GII Fleur De Lis S. at Churchill Downs, a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar this fall. Winner of last summer's nine-furlong GIII Suvee S., the bay later kicked off a two-race win skein when taking Gulfstream's GIII Rampart S. Dec. 12 before adding the Jan. 31 GIII Houston Ladies Classic S. A desperate head behind GI Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) in the Mar. 13 GII Azeri S., she came right back to nose out dual champion Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) and third-place finisher GI Preakness S. heroine Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) in the GI Apple Blossom H. Apr. 17. Avenging her Azeri loss, she bounced home an easy winner over Bonny South (Munnings) with Shedaresthedevil back in third.

“She's in a good condition to run,” said trainer Fausto Gutierrez. “This is a very important race. We're going step by step for now and this is next race we had in mind. I know it's just 21 days from the [Ogden Phipps]. When a horse wants to run and they're ready to run, we have to let them run. She's at Keeneland training and we're looking forward to getting her to Churchill.”

Walking L Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm's Envoutante (Uncle Mo) will try to punch her own ticket to the Breeders' Cup at Churchill Saturday. Winner of the GIII Remington Park Oaks and GII Falls City S. last term, she was fourth in the Azeri before finishing second to Shedaresthedevil in the Apr. 30 GI La Troienne S. Most recently, the dark bay strolled home a facile 4 1/4-length winner in Churchill's Shawnee S. May 29.

Robert and Lawana Low's Spice Is Nice (Curlin) has shown mixed form since her sparkling career debut at Gulfstream in January of 2020. Earning TDN Rising Star status following her 12-length triumph in that one-mile event, the daughter of Grade I winner Dame Dorothy (Bernardini) was runner up in the GII Davona Dale S. next before checking in fifth in the 8 1/2-furlong GII Gulfstream Park Oaks. Given a softer place to land for her return in a Belmont optional claimer in July, the chestnut responded with a 2 3/4-length win for trainer Todd Pletcher, but failed to carry that through next time out when a well-beaten sixth in last summer's GI Alabama S. Freshened for this season, she took an 8 1/2-furlong optional claimer at Keeneland in April before making it two straight in Pimlico's May 14 GIII Allaire DuPont Distaff S. over nine panels.

If anyone can benefit from a potential early speed duel it is Alpha Delta Stables' Point of Honor (Curlin). While winless since taking the 2019 GII Black-Eyed Susan S., the chestnut has hit the board in seven of eight starts since, including seconds in the GI Ogden Phipps S. and GII Beldame S. and thirds in the GI Personal Ensign S. and GI Apple Blossom S. In her latest trip to post, she rallied late to be sixth–beaten 4 1/2 lengths–in last November's Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland.

The post Letruska Blooming Ahead of Fleur de Lis appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Chrono Genesis Defends Title In Takarazuka Kinen

Japan stages a pair of 'all-star' races each season, the G1 Takarazuka Kinen in early summer and the G1 Arima Kinen at year's end, giving fans a chance to vote for their favourite runners. The last four runnings of these events have been won by females–Lys Gracieux (Jpn) completed the double in 2019, while Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}) repeated the feat last year. The latter, who scored by six lengths last June, is back to defend her title in the final top-level test of the first half of the season, which offers the winner a fees-paid berth into the GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar in November.

Winner of half of her 14 career trips to the post, the gray mare was a sound third to Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) in the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) over 2000 metres last November before taking the 12 1/2-furlong Arima Kinen by a neck Dec. 27. She was most recently beaten a neck into second by Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) in the Mar. 27 G1 Dubai Sheema Classic (2410m), the form of which was franked when Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) returned to take the G1 FWD QE II Cup in Hong Kong.

“She got bumped quite badly last time in the Dubai Sheema Classic and it was an unlucky race for her, but she still ran well,” her trainer Takashi Saito said. “She came back to the stable on June 2, and in her first piece of work after that, she seemed a little heavy, but soon got switched on in her usual way of doing things.”

Further female power comes in the form of Lei Papale (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who has yet to taste defeat in her six career trips to the post to date. Winner in Group 3 company at the tail end of her 3-year-old season, the bay got the litmus test in the G1 Osaka Hai over a rain-affected turf course at Hanshin Apr. 4, but she proved more than equal to the task in scoring by four lengths from Mozu Bello (Jpn) (Deep Brillante {Jpn}), with the likes of Triple Crown hero Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and champion Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) left further back in her wake.

Aristoteles (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) finished first or second in his first seven starts, then put a real scare into Contrail in the G1 Kikuka Sho (3000m), going down to a narrow defeat in that final leg of the Triple Crown last October. A Group 2 winner to begin this season, he exits a fourth in the May 2 G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) over two miles of this course. Kiseki (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}), winless since the 2017 Kikuka Sho, was runner-up in this event in each of the last two seasons.

Unicorn Lion (Ire) (No Nay Never) cost 850,000gns at Tattersalls October in 2017 and enters the Takarazuka Kinen on a two-race winning streak, including a 19-1 upset of the G3 Naruo Kinen at Chukyo June 5.

The post Chrono Genesis Defends Title In Takarazuka Kinen appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Letruska Adds Intrigue To Loaded Fleur de Lis Field

Closing day for the spring meet at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. was already a blockbuster one loaded with seven stakes races on the 11-race card, including two Win-And-You're-In events for this year's Breeders' Cup at Del Mar. Sunday's news from the Daily Racing Form's Marty McGee that trainer Fausto Gutierrez had declared Letruska, the current leader of the filly and mare division, for the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Stakes bumped the anticipation for that 1 1/8-mile event even higher.

The Fleur de Lis already had Spice Is Nice, Point of Honor, and Shawnee Stakes winner Envoutante, set to start along with Singita Dreams and Grade 2 Ruffian Stakes winner Vault, but the addition of Grade 1-winning Letruska makes this stake a must-watch on Saturday. To the victor goes the winner's share of the $300,000 purse and a free and guaranteed spot in the 1 1/8-mile Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, Calif. on Nov. 6.

Of her four races this season, Letruska has won three, all stakes, including the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Stakes at Oaklawn Park in Hot Spring, Ark. in April and the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, Ny. on the Belmont Stakes undercard on June 5. In the G1 Apple Blossom, Letruska took an early lead over 2020's champion mare Monomoy Girl, dueling with the multiple-Grade 1 winner down the Oaklawn stretch to win by a nose. In the G1 Ogden Phipps, Letruska faced 2020 Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil and stakes winner Bonny South, again taking the lead from the break and winning easily by 2 3/4 lengths.

After her Ogden Phipps victory, Gutierrez declared the Breeders' Cup Distaff his mare's year-end target, and a win in the Fleur de Lis along with that guaranteed spot in the Distaff starting gate would put Letruska well on her way to that goal.

Letruska was bred in Kentucky by breeder/owner St. George Stable. She is by 2010 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver out of the Successful Appeal mare Magic Appeal. Letruska started her career in Mexico, winning her first six starts there before coming to the United States in late 2019. She has won 14 of her 19 lifetime starts with career winnings of $1,121,400.

The post Letruska Adds Intrigue To Loaded Fleur de Lis Field appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights