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

Start Date Delayed By Bobcat Fire, Santa Anita Announces Revised Autumn Stakes Schedule

With its original start date delayed due to air quality concerns related to the Bobcat Fire, Santa Anita Park has announced a revised Autumn Meet Stakes Schedule, which will begin on Friday, Sept. 25 and will offer fans and horsemen a total of 12 stakes, 11 of them graded, over its three-day opening weekend. Prominent among these stakes offerings are a total of seven Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race qualifiers, which will be run Saturday and Sunday.

With first post time set for 12:30 p.m. on Friday, the Grade II, $200,000 Eddie D Stakes, for 3-year-olds and up at 5 ½ furlongs on turf and the Grade III, $100,000 Chillingworth Stakes, for fillies and mares three and up at 6 ½ furlongs on the main track, will highlight the opening day card.

On Saturday, Sept. 26, a total of seven stakes, five of them Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” qualifiers, will be offered on what promises to be a blockbuster Breeders' Cup prep afternoon.

The Grade I, $300,000 Awesome Again, for 3-year-olds and up at a mile and one eighth (which promises to attract superstar Maximum Security), the $300,000 Rodeo Drive, for fillies and mares at a mile and one quarter on turf, the Grade I, $300,000 American Pharoah, for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles, the Grade II, $200,000 Chandelier, for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles and the $100,000 Speakeasy Stakes, for 2-year-olds at 5 ½ furlongs on turf, are all Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” stakes that will provide the winners of each race a fees-paid berth into their respective Breeders' Cup races at Keeneland Nov. 6 & 7.

In addition to these five Breeders' Cup Challenge Races on Saturday, Santa Anita will also present the Grade II, $200,000 John Henry Turf Championship for 3-year-olds and up at a mile and one quarter on turf and the $75,000 Unzip Me Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 5 ½ furlongs on turf.

On Sunday, two additional Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Challenge Races will be offered, the Grade II, $200,000 Zenyatta Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles and the Grade II, $200,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship, for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs. The Grade III, $100,000 Tokyo City Cup, to be run at the marathon distance of a mile and one half, will also share top Sunday billing.

Although Santa Anita remains closed to the general public due to the Covid-19 pandemic, fans are encouraged follow Santa Anita's live racing free of charge via santaanita.com. Those wishing to watch and wager may do so via XpressBet.com or 1stBet.com. Santa Anita's complete Autumn Meet Stakes Schedule is available at www.santaanita.com/stakes-schedule/.

For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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After Some Drama In Starting Gate, Lady Speightspeare Relaxes, Wins Natalma

Lady Speightspeare, under vigorous handling by Emma-Jayne Wilson, punched her ticket to the Breeders' Cup with a three-quarter length score in Sunday's Grade 1 Natalma Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario.

A victory in the $253,000 Natalma, a one-mile “Win and You're In” Challenge Series turf race for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, earned Lady Speightspeare a fees-paid berth in the Grade 1, $1 million Juvenile Fillies, which will be run at Keeneland this year on November 6.

Lady Speightspeare, owned and bred by Charles Fipke and conditioned by Roger Attfield, came into the Natalma off a front-running victory over seven furlongs on the E.P. Taylor turf course and was the slight 5-2 favorite in the field of seven 2-year-old fillies for the Natalma. And although the Kentucky-bred was skittish when first entering the starting gate, forcing Wilson to bail out, she was all business once the pair had reunited and reloaded.

“In the starting gate, she acted up a little bit, but a little bit was a testament to her intent. Last time she ran, she was such a racehorse,” said Wilson, who had ridden Lady Speightspeare to the front-end victory in her only previous start. “She broke through the pack early and went to the lead with such intent, I think it was the same thing today in the gate. She knew it was coming, they yelled 'last one,' she was anticipating the doors to open so she popped up a little.

“But kudos to the gate crew here at Woodbine, they kept her straight and steady so, despite her rearing, she didn't manage to get herself hung up or hurt in anyway, which meant she was able to compete and win today.”

While Lady Speightspeare had settled into second place in the Natalma after Big Big Plans, the rank outsider in the field, showed the way through fractions of :23.77, :47.92 and 1:11.59.

“It's interesting, she relaxed better than I expected but I wasn't overly surprised,” said the jockey.

“Like I said, in her first start, she ran to the lead with gumption and it took me by surprise. Today, there was little more pace in the race, and I didn't want to get hung up, caught up in between.

“When we've been training her since then, she's known more, she's settled more in her breezes with her intensity so I was hopeful that would translate into the race today and it did. The doors opened and I just kind of put my hands down and the outside horse out-stepped her the first little bit and she showed that composure of a race horse, she knew that she was going to get a chance to run and I had a chance to let that horse cross over and just put her right on her flank and she settled into stride, got into rhythm and, man, when they started to come to her, just like last time, she really leveled off and dug in.”

Lady Speightspeare finally put away the longshot leader with a furlong to run and held sway for her game victory.

Alda, returning from Fair Hill, Maryland after capturing the Catch A Glimpse over 6 1/2 furlongs of turf, held a decided edge in experience on the winner and while she loomed a serious threat in mid-stretch, she was simply unable to track her down.

The strong second choice at 2.60-1, Alda finished 2 3/4 lengths to the good of Seasons, who had trailed the field at the quarter pole but rallied to snatch third money by a head from Dreaming of Drew.

Dreaming of Drew, who had missed narrowly in the Catch A Glimpse, stalked throughout on the inside but was unable to mount an effective rally.

Sleek Lynx raced within striking distance but also was unable to close the gap and checked in fifth, another three-quarters of a length back.

Stunning Princess and Big Big Plans completed the order of finish as the mile was clocked in 1:34.61 on firm going.

Lady Speightspeare was the third Natalma winner for dual Hall of Famer Attfield, who sent out the superstar Alywow to capture the 1993 running and Llanarmon to turn the trick in 2013.

And the trainer was more than pleased that his charge had shown an ability to rate after her 3 3/4-length debut win.

“That's always nice to see,” said Attfield. “When you break your maiden and you're going into a race like this off of going wire-to-wire you really haven't had any education or anything going into something like this so it was nice to see that for sure.”

Regarding a Breeders' Cup venture, Attfield minced no words.

“Well, that would be up to Mr. Fipke, and I would say knowing Mr. Fipke we probably are,” he said.

A daughter of Speightstown and the Theatrical mare, Lady Shakespeare, Lady Speightspeare returned $7, $3.90 and $2.90. The 6-5 exacta with Alda ($3.70, $3) was worth $21.90, the 6-5-2 trifecta rounded out by Seasons ($3.50) came back at $97.70, and the 6-5-2-4 superfecta completed by Dreaming of Drew came back at $95.85.

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Juvenile Turf Next Goal For Nyquist’s Son Gretzky The Great Following Summer Stakes Score

Gretzky the Great netted his second added-money trophy in taking Sunday's Grade 1, $250,000 Summer Stakes, a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Challenge Series race, at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario.

Trained by Mark Casse for owners Gary Barber and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, the son of Nyquist bred by Anderson Farms Ontario survived an inquiry after coming in during mid-stretch against pacesetter and runner-up Ready to Repeat in the one-mile grass engagement for 2-year-olds.

It was Ready to Repeat, under Luis Contreras, who broke on top after briefly acting up in the starting gate. Trained by Gail Cox, who co-owns the Kentucky-bred gelding with John Menary, Michael Ambler and Windways Farm, the Victoria Stakes champ led his six rivals through an opening quarter-mile in :24.10 over an E.P. Taylor Turf Course listed as “firm.”

Gretzky the Great, with Kazushi Kimura in the irons, sat second, while Secret Potion was third, and American Monarch positioned in fourth.

Ready to Repeat was still comfortably in front by two lengths after a half in :47.82, as Kimura kept the leader in his sights. Secret Potion and American Monarch continued their tussle behind the front duo, as Dolder Grand began to close ground from sixth.

As the field rounded the turn for home, Kimura roused Gretzky the Great to engage Ready to Repeat, and the bay colt responded with an impressive outside surge, striking front and looking to put away a determined foe.

A half-length on top at the stretch call, Gretzky the Great went on to notch a 3 1/4-length win in a time of 1:34.53. Ready to Repeat finished one length in front of Dolder Grand for second, with American Monarch finishing fourth.

Heat of the Night, Secret Potion and Download rounded out the order of finish.

“He is such an amazing horse,” said Kimura, who recorded his first Grade 1 win. “When I came to the final turn then come through the final stretch, he had a tremendous explosion. He sometimes was a little bit lugging in, but he's just still a baby.”

The Summer represented the third consecutive winner's circle trip for Gretzky the Great.

After a second in his first career start on July 12, Gretzky the Great broke his maiden courtesy of a 4 1/4-length win on August 2. That was followed up by a neck nod in the Soaring Free Stakes, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course on August 23.

“First time out it was only five furlongs on the (Woodbine Inner) turf, then when he won the first time I was like, 'Oh, that will be a stakes horse for the future,'” offered Kimura. “And then winning a stakes and now got a Grade 1, he's such a nice horse.”

The next goal on Gretzky the Great's stat sheet could be a date in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland on November 6.

“He's a so easy horse – I mean to control,” said Kimura. “If I want to do something, I can do anything.”

Gretzky the Great paid $6.80, $3.30 and $3. The 4-3 exactor with Ready to Repeat ($5, $4) returned $22.60. Dolder Grand ($4.10) finished off a 4-3-7 triactor worth $115.70, with American Monarch completing a $1 superfecta worth $220.70.

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Lady Speightspeare Proves Best in GI Natalma

Chuck Fipke’s Lady Speightspeare, named a ‘TDN Rising Star’ for an impressive frontrunning debut victory, backed that distinction up with a gusty success in Sunday’s GI Natalma S. at Woodbine, punching her ticket to the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in the “Win and You’re In” event.

Unveiled as a 22-5 chance going seven furlongs over this course Aug. 22, the chestnut dictated terms and drew away down the lane to a 3 3/4-length graduation, with the runner-up also finishing six clear of the remainder. Drilling a sharp five-furlong bullet in :58 3/5 (1/7) over the Woodbine training turf Sept. 13, she was made a fractional favorite over morning-line choice and local Catch A Glimpse S. heroine Alda.

Breaking smartly after acting up in the gate, Lady Speightspeare was taken into the clear by Emma-Jayne Wilson and tracked longshot Big Big Plans from a close-up second through splits of :23.77 and :47.92. It briefly looked as though the frontrunner would steal away midway around the turn, but Lady Speightspeare drew alongside her by the time heads pointed for home. Going on with it entering the final furlong, she was attacked late by Alda from her outside, but stayed on strongly to hold that rival at bay.

“In the starting gate, she acted up a little bit, but [it] was a testament to her intent. Last time she ran, she was such a racehorse,” said Wilson. “She broke through the pack early and went to the lead with such intent, I think it was the same thing today in the gate. She knew it was coming, they yelled ‘last one,’ she was anticipating the doors to open so she popped up a little. The doors opened and I just kind of put my hands down and the outside horse out-stepped her the first little bit and she showed that composure of a racehorse, she knew that she was going to get a chance to run and I had a chance to let that horse cross over and just put her right on her flank and she settled into stride, got into rhythm and, man, when they started to come to her, just like last time, she really leveled off and dug in.”

Pedigree Notes:

Now one of 116 stakes winners, 57 graded stakes winners and 19 Grade I winners for WinStar stalwart Speightstown, Lady Speightspeare is the first black-type performer out of Lady Shakespeare, victress of the 2009 Ontario Colleen S. over this course and the GII New York S. and GIII Grey Goose Bewitch S. in 2010. She is a half-sister to Perfect Shirl (Perfect Soul {Ire}), who carried the Fipke colors to victory in the 2011 GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, and a full-sister to MGISW Shakespeare, who took the GI Woodbine Mile S. here as a 6-year-old in 2017. Second dam Lady Shirl was a GISW over turf as well. Lady Shakespeare has a yearling More Than Ready filly and foaled a colt by the same sire Mar. 28 before visiting Bee Jersey.

Sunday, Woodbine
NATALMA S.-GI, C$253,000, Woodbine, 9-20, 2yo, f, 1mT, 1:34.61, fm.
1–LADY SPEIGHTSPEARE, 121, f, 2, by Speightstown
1st Dam: Lady Shakespeare (MGSW-USA, SW-Can, $495,608), by Theatrical (Ire)
2nd Dam: Lady Shirl, by That’s a Nice
3rd Dam: Canonization, by Native Heritage
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. O/B-Charles Fipke (KY); T-Roger L. Attfield; J-Emma-Jayne Wilson. C$150,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $146,394. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Alda, 121, f, 2, by Munnings
1st Dam: Soldata, by Maria’s Mon
2nd Dam: Soldera, by Polish Numbers
3rd Dam: La Pepite, by Mr. Prospector
O/B-Wertheimer et Frere (KY); T-H. Graham Motion. C$50,000.
3–Seasons, 121, f, 2, by Tapit
1st Dam: Winter Memories, by El Prado (Ire)
2nd Dam: Memories of Silver, by Silver Hawk
3rd Dam: All My Memories, by Little Current
O-LNJ Foxwoods & Phillips Racing Partnership; B-Phillips Racing Partnership (KY); T-James J. Toner. C$27,500.
Margins: 3/4, 2 3/4, HD. Odds: 2.50, 2.60, 5.05.
Also Ran: Dreaming of Drew, Sleek Lynx (GB), Stunning Princess, Big Big Plans.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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