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

Annapolis Defeats Elders in Coolmore Turf Mile

Bass Racing LLC's 'TDN Rising Star' Annapolis (War Front) would have been one of the chief protagonists in the 2021 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar, but was forced to miss the race after the injury bug bit. Twelve months on, connections have their collective minds set on making up for that missed opportunity, as the colt secured the gun run beneath an in-form Irad Ortiz, Jr. and outsprinted arguably the deepest turf Grade I field of 2022 to become the first 3-year-old since Aussie Rules (Danehill) in 2006 to defeat his elder rivals in the GI Coolmore Turf Mile, a 'Win and You're In' springboard to the GI Breeders' Cup Mile over the same course and trip Nov. 5.

“[This win is] the pinnacle,” said Perry Bass, who races Annapolis with mother Ramona. “[My mother and I] talk about [the racehorses] daily. We fret daily. The lows are the worst, and the highs…I've never experienced a high like this.”

Venturing out of age-restricted competition for the first time in his career, Annapolis secured a foothold at the fence on the back of this year's GI Maker's Mark Mile runner-up Masen (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who pulled fairly hard against Flavien Prat through quick fractions of :23.58 and an even more testing :46.60 with pressure to his outside from longshot Atone (Into Mischief) and Somelikeithotbrown (Big Brown). On hold as he continued to slipstream Masen around the turn and into the stretch, Annapolis was momentarily short of room at about the three-sixteenths as Atone did his best to string him up in some traffic, but he went through his gears once into the clear and prevailed comfortably in the finish. Ivar (Brz) (Agnes Gold {Jpn}), winner of this two years ago and fourth in 2021, raced behind midfield and in the two-wide line trailing last-out GI Fourstardave H. hero Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) and got home well down the center of the course to just touch 2020 GI Breeders' Cup Mile upsetter Order of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}) out of second. Set Piece (GB) (Dansili {GB}) closed stoutly from the tail to round out the super.

Forced to miss early-season stakes in Florida and at this venue, Annapolis made his seasonal reappearance in the GIII Penn Mile S. June 3, fighting on bravely to be second to longshot Wow Whata Summer (Summer Front) over boggy ground that was clearly not to his liking. Back to winning ways from off the speed over a sounder surface in the July 4 Manila S. at Belmont, the homebred was an excellent runner-up to the Breeders' Cup-bound Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) in the stamina-testing GI Saratoga Derby Invitational over a mile and three-sixteenths Aug. 6, but doled out a soft pace when last seen in the Sept. 3 GIII Saranac S. at the Spa and bolted up by 5 1/2 lengths at skinny odds.

“He is very tactical–he can do anything,” said Ortiz, Jr., who rode 'Rising Star' Forte (Violence) to victory in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity one race prior. Last time [in the Saranac], there wasn't too much speed in the race so we decided to let him do his thing. It was a slow pace..and he was going relaxed; it was pretty much an easy win. But before, in the race at Belmont, he was right in behind the speed and on the bridle and he responded really well with a good turn of foot coming home.

Pedigree Notes:

A 24th worldwide Grade I/Group 1 winner for his outstanding Claiborne-based sire, Annapolis is the second foal from his talented dam, a $260,000 Keeneland September purchase by Mathis Stable, who won the 2014 GII Gazelle S. and was second to Untapable (Tapit) in that year's GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, then was acquired by Jon Clay's Alpha Delta Stable for $2.15 million at Fasig-Tipton November in late 2014. Kept in training at four, the filly was third to Hall of Famer Tepin (Bernstein) in the 2015 GI First Lady S. She was unplaced in two starts in 2016 and produced the stakes-placed Nevisian Sunrise (War Front) before selling to the Basses' bloodstock agent Steve Young for $4 million with Annapolis in utero at Keeneland November in 2018, second only to the $4.2-million Lady Eli.

A half-sister to former Grade I-winning 'Rising Star' Materiality (Afleet Alex) and from the family of Grade I winners Embellish the Lace (Super Saver) and Afleet Express (Afleet Alex), My Miss Sophia is the dam of a yearling full-brother to Annapolis and visited Gun Runner earlier this season.

Saturday, Keeneland
COOLMORE TURF MILE S.-GI, $1,000,000, Keeneland, 10-8, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:33.29, fm.
1–ANNAPOLIS, 123, c, 3, by War Front
                1st Dam: My Miss Sophia (GSW & MGISP, $605,040),
                                by Unbridled's Song
                2nd Dam: Wildwood Flower, by Langfuhr
                3rd Dam: Dial a Trick, by Phone Trick
1ST GRADE I WIN. 'TDN Rising Star' O-Bass Racing, LLC; B-Bass Stables, LLC (KY);
T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $573,500. Lifetime Record:
7-5-2-0, $1,166,100. *Full to Nevisian Sunrise, SP, $196,180.
Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating:
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Ivar (Brz), 126, h, 6, Agnes Gold (Jpn)–May Be Now, by Smart
Strike. O-Bonne Chance Farm, LLC and Stud R D I, LLC.; B-Stud
Rio Dois Irmaos (BRZ); T-Paulo H. Lobo. $185,000.
3–Order of Australia (Ire), 126, h, 5, Australia (GB)–Senta's
Dream (GB), by Danehill. O-Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier,
Michael Tabor & Anne Marie O'Brien; B-Whisperview Trading
Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan P. O'Brien. $92,500.
Margins: 1HF, NO, NK. Odds: 6.35, 5.27, 6.01.
Also Ran: Set Piece (GB), Casa Creed, Masen (GB), Classic Causeway, Atone, Santin, Gray's Fable, Somelikeithotbrown. Scratched: Dark Shift (GB), Emaraaty (GB), Greyes Creek, Natural Power (Ire), Smooth Like Strait. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Senor Buscador Upsets Ack Ack As Favorites Flounder

Winner of the 2020 Springboard Mile, looking every bit a horse with a future, Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) was the 5-2 second favorite when pitched in against the likes of 'TDN Rising Star' and future GI Kentucky Derby winner Mandaloun (Into Mischief) and Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) in last year's GII Risen Star S. Sidelined off that effort and away nearly 16 months, connections kept the faith, and Saturday, the homebred colt rewarded them with a tough victory in the GIII Ack Ack S. at Churchill, earning a fees-paid berth into the Nov. 5 GI BigAss Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in the process.

Away fairly for Francisco Arrieta, who earned the mount after working the colt locally, the 4-year-old was content to sit a trip just behind midfield while racing in the company of third favorite Untreated (Nyquist) and in the clear as longshot Surly Furious (Upstart) took them along through an opening couple of furlongs in :22.91. Given his cue entering the final 3 1/2 furlongs, Senor Buscador traveled ominously well three and four deep and launched his bid in earnest leaving the quarter pole. Wide into the lane, he gathered up the pacesetter at the three-sixteenths, dueled into the final eighth of a mile with Injunction and got the better of that final-furlong tussle to score by a bit more than a length. Three Technique (Mr Speaker), winner of the Hanshin Cup S. over this course and distance July 4, was up late for third.

Favored Speaker's Corner (Street Sense) looked to veer to his left at the start and was locked away inside for the opening three-quarters of a mile before fading tamely late. Fulsome (Into Mischief) and Untreated proved no factor.

A handy allowance winner sprinting at Lone Star on his return to the races in July, Senor Buscador was a slow-starting eighth in the July 30 GII San Diego H., but was exiting a promising third to the improving Laurel River (Into Mischief) in the GII Pat O'Brien S. at Del Mar Aug. 27, in which Speaker's Corner disappointed as the 11-10 chalk.

The win was the first at the graded level for Arrieta and second for trainer Todd Fincher, who conditioned Senor Buscador's half-brother Runaway Ghost (Ghostzapper) to win the 2018 GIII Sunland Derby.

Pedigree Notes:

Senor Buscador is the 23rd graded winner for his Lane's End-based sire and one of four full stakes winners from as many to race for his New Mexico-bred dam, winner of 10 of her 15 career starts, including seven black-type races in the Desert Southwest. The winner's unraced broodmare sire, who stands in New Mexico, was a son of Fappiano and GI Kentucky Oaks victress Blush With Pride, the dam of broodmare of the year Better Than Honour and therefore granddam of back-to-back GI Belmont S. winners Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy) and Jazil (Seeking the Gold). Rose's Desert is also responsible for the yearling filly Aye Candy (Candy Ride {Arg}), the weanling filly Rose A (Hard Spun) and visited Authentic this past season.

Saturday, Churchill Downs
ACK ACK S.-GIII, $300,000, Churchill Downs, 10-1, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:34.60, ft.
1–SENOR BUSCADOR, 121, c, 4, by Mineshaft
                1st Dam: Rose's Desert (MSW, $626,035), by Desert God
                2nd Dam: Miss Glen Rose, by Peaks and Valleys
                3rd Dam: Snippet, by Alysheba
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-Joe R. Peacock, Jr.; B-Joe R
Peacock Sr. & Joe R Peacock Jr. (KY); T-Todd W. Fincher;
J-Francisco Arrieta. $180,350. Lifetime Record: 7-4-0-1,
$376,677. *1/2 to Sheriff Brown (Curlin), MSW, $506,421;
Our Iris Rose (Ghostzapper), SW, $255,580; Runaway Ghost
(Ghostzapper), GSW, $783,509. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Injunction, 121, g, 4, Skipshot–Valid Valencia, by
Northern Afleet. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-J & J Stables, LLC
& Nicholas Vaccarezza; B-Mikhail Yanakov (KY); T-Carlo
Vaccarezza. $58,500.
3–Three Technique, 121, h, 5, Mr Speaker–Nite in Rome, by
Harlan's Holiday. 'TDN Rising Star'. ($50,000 Wlg '17 KEENOV;
$180,000 Ylg '18 FTKJUL; $47,000 RNA 4yo '21 KEENOV).
O-David E. Miller; B-Omega Farm LLC & Bally Breeders (KY);
T-Jason G. Cook. $29,250.
Margins: 1 1/4, 3HF, NK. Odds: 6.18, 13.96, 9.85.
Also Ran: Surly Furious, Fulsome, Silver Prospector, Speaker's Corner, Untreated. Scratched: Mailman Money, Twilight Blue.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Bumper Saturday For Juveniles at HQ and Beyond

Newmarket's three-day Cambridgeshire meeting's titular event, the annual nine-furlong cavalry charge boasting a purse of £200,000, is overshadowed by two Group 1 championships on a bumper Saturday of juvenile action at Headquarters and beyond.

First of the elite-level heats is the six-furlong G1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park S., with ante-post markets pointing to an effective match between Coolmore and Westerberg's Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never) and Rockcliffe Stud's homebred Trillium (GB) (No Nay Never). In reality, it is an open edition which also features G2 Lowther S. victrix Swingalong (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), G3 Round Tower S. winner Treasure Trove (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) and a Group 3-winning duo, Juliet Sierra (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) and Lezoo (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}), from the Ralph Beckett stable. Meditate forfeited her unblemished record when her standard was lowered by Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. on Irish Champions Weekend and this swift-draining surface offering more bounce will bolster her chances of redemption. August's G2 Debutante S. heroine also revisits the distance of Royal Ascot's G3 Albany S., over which she outshone 'TDN Rising Star' Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) and Sydneyarms Chelsea (Ire) (Sioux Nation), but opposition is deep and she must draw from the well once more.

Trillium Nearing Full Bloom

Richard Hannon resident Trillium (GB) (No Nay Never) has displayed plenty of zip in all four prior starts and embraces a return to six furlongs after annexing Goodwood's G3 Molecomb and Doncaster's G2 Flying Childers over five. She shed maiden status in style when tackling a downhill six at the Sussex track in July and her trainer expects a reboot to suit the April-foaled bay.

“She held the track record for a matter of minutes [after the Molecomb],” he revealed. “Then, at Doncaster, she beat the filly [The Platinum Queen] who beat her track record. I won this in 2014 with Tiggy Wiggy and she had a lot of speed, but Trillium has a lot of scope and only gets going a furlong out. I've always thought she wants six furlongs and I'm very hopeful.”

Blackbeard To Plunder More Booty

Saturday's £275,000 G1 Juddmonte Middle Park S. is also blessed with quality and a field of eight will assemble for another dash across the final three-quarters of Newmarket's Rowley Mile. Coolmore and Westerberg's G3 Marble Hill and G2 Prix Robert Papin victor Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never) will bid to become the ninth colt this century to have garnered France's G1 Prix Morny en route to glory here, a list which includes former Ballydoyle luminary Johannesburg (Hennessy). The February-foaled bay, whose year-younger full-sister is catalogued as lot 93 on day one of Goffs' forthcoming Orby sale, renews rivalry with Amo Racing's ultra-consistent G2 July S. winner Persian Force (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), who ran second in the G1 Phoenix S. before occupying the same slot in the Morny.

“I'm going in there with a horse we know is good enough,” insisted the latter's trainer Richard Hannon. “He has lasted all year and he has proved himself at the top level. Blackbeard is a very good horse who probably beat us fair and square in France, but half a length is the sort of margin to have another go at him with. We have everything to gain and nothing to lose.”

Strength in depth is provided by Prix Morny third The Antarctic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Godolphin's G3 Sirenia S. winner Mischief Magic (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), G2 Gimcrack S. runner-up Marshman (GB) (Harry Angel {Ire}) and impressive Yarmouth novice scorer Zoology (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}).

The Zousome Twosome

Widden Stud's antipodean sire sensation Zoustar (Aus) (Northern Meteor {Aus}) has hit the ground running with his first Northern Hemisphere crop, striking for 11 individual winners headed by Marc Chan and Andrew Rosen's G3 Princess Margaret S. victrix Lezoo (Ire). The €110,000 Arqana Breeze-Up graduate, whose lone defeat in four outings was a G2 Duchess of Cambridge second at the town's summer venue, takes her place alongside nine for the G1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park.

Qatar Racing's four-length debut winner Zoology (GB), who was a 90,000gns Tattersalls December foal and trainer James Ferguson's first juvenile scorer of the campaign, doubles up for the sire and flies the Southern Cross in the G1 Juddmonte Middle Park. Bold shows from either, or both, should cap a fine week for the Tweenhills operation which recently revealed the G1 Golden Rose S. and G1 Coolmore Stud S. hero is to shuttle this way for the 2023 breeding season.

Earning Your Wings

Opening HQ's seven-race programme, the one-mile G2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge S. has attracted a field of four, with the winner entitled to a fees-paid berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland in early November.

With three 'TDN Rising Stars', all subsequent multiple Group 1 winners, already in the race's hall of fame–Jukebox Jury (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), Frankel (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and Best Of Days (GB) (Azamour {Ire})–Godolphin's Flying Honours (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) qualifies as the only contender attempting to become a fourth such victor. He carries the best form into this test and ratified a 9 1/2-length demolition at Sandown in July with another daylight exhibition in last month's Listed Stonehenge S. at Salisbury. Aidan O'Brien, on the lookout for a record-equalling eighth renewal, is represented by Roscommon maiden scorer Greenland (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}).

Getting Two Little Ducks In A Row

Of the many records Aidan O'Brien does not track, none matches his vice-like grip on Saturday's seven-runner G2 Alan Smurfit Memorial Beresford S. at the Curragh, with the modern maestro poised on an astonishing 21 wins in the one-mile juvenile test. Azamour (Ire) (Night Shift) and Sea The Stars (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) are two of just four to have interrupted the sequence since Johan Cruyff (GB) (Danehill) set the ball rolling in 1996, that first win coming five years after the trainer's namesake and original Ballydoyle denizen, Vincent, claimed the last of a then-record 15 with El Prado (Ire) (Sadler's Wells).

In the quest for 22 overall and 12 straight, O'Brien has clipped his five-day entry of 21 down to two, Wayne Lordan taking the mount on this month's G3 Prix des Chenes second Adelaide River (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and Emmet McNamara aboard last month's landmark winner Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}).

Later on the Co. Kildare card is a €1,234,000 reincarnation of the Goffs Million, which appears at the mercy of Teme Valley Racing's G3 Tyros S. runner-up and Listed Churchill S. winner Hellsing (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) and Ballydoyle's lone nominee Hiawatha (Ire) (Camelot {GB}).

Sunday Cracker In Store

Sunday's European highlight is a mouthwatering edition of Cologne's G1 60th Preis von Europa, with seven declared for a 12-furlong cracker at the Weidenpescher venue.

Bidding to follow in the hoofprints of last year's champion Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}), 2022's star-studded cast includes this term's G1 Deutsches Derby and G1 Bayerisches Zuchtrennen hero Sammarco (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), last season's Deutsches Derby first and second Sisfahan (Fr) (Isfahan {Ger}) and Alter Adler (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), respectively, Godolphin's G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin victor Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and G1 Bayerisches Zuchtrennen runner-up Amazing Grace (Ger) (Protectionist {Ger}).

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Modern Games ‘Miles’ the Best at Woodbine

When last seen on these shores, Godolphin's Modern Games (Ire) (c, 3, Dubawi {Ire}–Modern Ideals {GB}, by New Approach {Ire}) was embroiled in the controversy of all controversies, when erroneously scratched, then allowed to run–albeit for purse money only–in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, which he duly won. The homebred is likely back on his way to the Breeders' Cup after pummeling overmatched rivals by five lengths in Saturday's GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile, for which Modern Games earns an all-expenses-paid trip to Keeneland.

Allowed to drift back to sit worse than midfield as Get Smokin (Got Stormy) set a strong tempo in advance of War Bomber (Ire) (War Front), the chestnut still found himself in the latter half of the field, in some traffic and very much on hold as they raced into the final three-eighths of a mile. Waiting for the precise moment to pull the trigger, William Buick set Modern Games alight once heads were turned for home, beating GI Maker's Mark Mile winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Shirl's Speight (Speightstown) to a spot while angling out and around fellow European raider Finest Sound (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}). Once into the clear, Modern Games let down beautifully and motored through the final couple of furlongs to score decisively. Ivar (Brz) (Agnes Gold {Jpn}) was along late to take a photo for second over Finest Sound. Modern Games is the first 3-year-old to win the Woodbine Mile.

Winner of this year's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) in his first post-Breeders' Cup appearance in May, Modern Games failed to see out the extended 10-furlong trip when beaten 5 1/4 lengths into third by the exciting Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club June 5. Fractionally disappointing when fifth as the 8-5 favorite in the G1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville July 10, Modern Games ran Europe's top horse Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) to 1 3/4 lengths when last seen in the G1 Sussex S. at Goodwood July 27.

Pedigree Notes:

Modern Games is one of four winners from five to the races for his dam, also responsible for this year's Listed Royal Windsor S. winner Modern News (GB) (Shamardal) and Mawj (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), second in the G3 Albany S. at Royal Ascot before taking out the G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. during Newmarket's July meeting. Modern Games was produced by a half-sister to G1SW Ultra (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}) and Synopsis (Ire) (In The Wings {GB}) and his deeper female family also includes Bosra Sham and Hector Protector. Modern Ideals is the dam of a yearling filly by Mastercraftsman (Ire).

Saturday, Woodbine
RICOH WOODBINE MILE S.-GI, C$1,017,200, Woodbine, 9-17, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:32.77, fm.
1–MODERN GAMES (IRE), 123, c, 3, by Dubawi (Ire)
                1st Dam: Modern Ideals (GB), by New Approach (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Epitome (Ire), by Nashwan
                3rd Dam: Proskona, by Mr. Prospector
O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charles Appleby; J-William T. Buick.
C$600,000. Lifetime Record: GSW & G1SP-Eng, G1SW-Fr, GISW-USA, 11-6-2-1, $1,858,773. *1/2 to
Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), GSW-Eng, $119,745;
Modern News (GB) (Shamardal), SW & MGSP-Eng, SP-UAE,
$201,610. Werk Nick Rating: A++.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Ivar (Brz), 122, h, 6, Agnes Gold (Jpn)–May Be Now, by
Smart Strike. O-Bonne Chance Farm, LLC & Stud R D I, LLC.;
B-Stud Rio Dois Irmaos (BRZ); T-Paulo H. Lobo. C$200,000.
3–Finest Sound (Ire), 122, g, 5, Exceed And Excel
(Aus)–Amplifier (GB), by Dubawi (Ire). O/B-Sheikh Mohammed
Obaid Al Maktoum (Ire); T-Simon Crisford. C$110,000.
Margins: 5 1/4, NK, 1HF. Odds: 0.75, 2.80, 25.70.
Also Ran: Shirl's Speight, Town Cruise, Mighty Heart, Wakanaka (Ire), March to the Arch, War Bomber (Ire), Get Smokin, Homer Screen (Brz).
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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