Tag: Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In

Lady Prancealot Holds Slight Edge in Rodeo Drive

Saturday’s GI Rodeo Drive S. at Santa Anita offers the winner an all-expenses-paid trip to the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland Nov. 7, and Lady Prancealot (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) figures a slight favorite against six familiar faces.

Winner of the GI American Oaks over this course and distance last December, Lady Prancealot has done her California-based shuttle stallion proud this season, despite not having her picture taken. Fourth to the in-form Keeper Ofthe Stars (Midnight Lute) in the GII Buena Vista S. over a mile trip that is short of her best in February, she was fifth to that rival in the GI Gamely S. in May. A troubled fourth to Bodhicitta (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) in the GI Yellow Ribbon H. at Del Mar Aug. 8, she finished fast to just miss in the GII John C. Mabee S. Sept. 5. Umberto Rispoli, who rode for the first time in the Mabee, has the return call.

Rispoli was just outfinished in the Del Mar jockeys’ premiership by Flavien Prat, and the Frenchman goes in search of his fourth win in five starts atop Bodhicitta. An allowance winner over a mile of this turf course Mar. 8, the chestnut attacked the line to be second in the Gamely and outfinished Tonahutu (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) in the Yellow Ribbon. The latter has since added a handy allowance victory at the seaside Sept. 5.

The visiting Luis Saez picks up the mount on Maxim Rate (Exchange Rate), who was guided by Rispoli to an allowance defeat of Tonahutu at Del Mar July 10 ahead of a neck success in the CTT & TOC S. over 11 furlongs at Del Mar Aug. 16.

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Baffert Appears to Have Stranglehold on Awesome Again

Twice in its last seven runnings, the GI Awesome Again S. has produced the winner of the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic, with Mucho Macho Man (Macho Uno) and Accelerate (Lookin At Lucky) completing the double in 2013 and 2018, respectively. Just a field of five faces the starter this weekend for the nine-furlong test–a ‘Win and You’re In’ qualifier for the Classic–but the two marquee horses have legitimate claims at Keeneland in six weeks’ time.

Maximum Security (New Year’s Day), whose topsy-turvy championship sophomore season saw him miss a start in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, is on track for this year’s race and looks to remain perfect in three tries for the Bob Baffert barn since being transferred from Jason Servis. Given plenty of time to recover from his hard-fought success in the $20-million Saudi Cup in February, the bay overcame an eventful trip to defeat Midcourt (Midnight Lute) by a nose in the GII San Diego H. at Del Mar July 25, but looked a different sort altogether when taking out the GI TVG.com Pacific Classic, scoring by three front-running lengths in a result that never truly looked in doubt. Luis Saez, who missed the two post-Saudi rides owing to COVID-19 travel restrictions, makes the trek west Saturday.

In the form of stablemate and ‘TDN Rising Star‘ Improbable (City Zip), Maximum Security faces his most formidable rival since besting champion Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) in Riyadh some seven months ago. A low-odds fifth in last year’s GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, the blaze-faced chestnut turned in an enormous effort from a double-digit gate to finish 3/4 of a lengths behind Tom’s d’Etat (Smart Strike) in the Oaklawn Mile Apr. 11. An easy winner of the 10-furlong GI Gold Cup at Santa Anita June 6, he accounted for next-out GII Alysheba S. hero By My Standards (Goldencents) and the slow-starting, but fast-finishing Tom’s d’Etat in the GI Whitney S. at Saratoga Aug. 1.

Midcourt was in receipt of five pounds and had the benefit of recency in the San Diego, but was a no-match third at level weights in the Pacific Classic. He’ll get two pounds under the conditions of this race. Sleepy Eyes Todd (Paddy O’Prado) earned this chance via his powerful 7 1/2-length score in the GII Charles Town Classic Aug. 28, but will need a lot to go his way to be a factor. Take The One O One (Acclamation) comes off a one-mile Del Mar allowance win Aug. 22, but also looks in too deep.

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BC Sprint Berth on the Line in Vosburgh

Following the untimely retirement of the ultra-talented GISW Volatile (Violence) earlier this week, an evenly matched field of six will line up for Saturday’s GII Vosburgh S. at Belmont Park, a ‘Win and You’re In’ for the GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

The 2-1 morning-line favorite Engage (Into Mischief), winner of last fall’s GII Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix S. at Keeneland, makes his first start since finishing a non-threatening fourth in the GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita. He’s been training steadily at Steve Asmussen’s Churchill base for this.

Belmont horse-for-course Firenze Fire (Poseidon’s Warrior), just a nose short in last year’s heart-stopping renewal of this race, contested then as a Grade I, was last of 11 in a Saratoga downpour in the GI Forego S. last time Aug. 29. He’s posted three career graded stakes victories at Belmont, led by a tally in the 2017 GI Champagne S. He also has a win in the GII True North S. June 27 over this course on his resume as well.

Funny Guy (Big Brown) followed a pair of sharp stakes victories versus fellow New York-breds with a close fourth as the 3-1 favorite after a troubled trip in the Forego.

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Unbeaten Princess Noor Towers Over Competition In Chandelier

With three out of the five runners in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Chandelier Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., Bob Baffert would appear to “have 'em surrounded” indeed, as his budding starlet Princess Noor fairly towers over her competitors, based upon two impressive tallies at Del Mar over the summer.

To be run for the 52nd time and won by Baffert a record 11 times, the Chandelier will be contested at a mile and one sixteenth.

Baffert will also be represented by Illumination, who was third, beaten 8 3/4 lengths by Princess Noor in the G1 Del Mar Debutante and by Varda, who was a speedy first out maiden winner going six furlongs on Aug. 30.

Trainer Mark Casse will be represented by two-time Saratoga graded stakes placed filly Make Mischief, a New York-bred daughter of red hot sire Into Mischief, who will try two turns for the first time in her fifth career start.

The Chandelier is a Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race qualifier, with the winner earning a fees-paid berth into the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland on Nov. 6.

PRINCESS NOOR
Owner:  Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.
Trainer:  Bob Baffert

A $1,350,000 Florida 2-year-old in training sale purchase in April, she's done little wrong in two starts, taking her 5 1/2-furlong debut by 2 1/2 lengths at 3-5 on Aug. 22 and crushing five rivals by 6 1/2 lengths at 3-5 in the G1 Del Mar Debutante going seven furlongs on Sept. 6.  With Baffert sending in the plays in the morning and afternoon, regular rider Victor Espinoza would appear to be first and goal with plenty of time left aboard Princess Noor on Saturday.

GRADE II CHANDELIER STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 3 of 11  Approximate post time 1:30 p.m. PT

  1. Princess Noor—Victor Espinoza—122
  2. Make Mischief—Abel Cedillo—122
  3. Varda—Drayden Van Dyke—122
  4. Illumination—Luis Saez—122
  5. Miss Costa Rica—Flavien Prat—122First 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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