Breeders' Cup | Horse Racing Free Tips

Twilight Gleaming Preps For Royal Ascot With Win In Giant’s Causeway S.

A sprint specialist, Twilight Gleaming made her seasonal debut Saturday with a clear win in Keeneland's 5 ½ furlong Giant's Causeway S. The GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint winner from 2021, the Stonestreet-owned 'TDN Rising Star' won two of her four starts last year culminating in a fourth-place effort behind GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Caravel (Mizzen Mast) in the GIII Franklin S. at Keeneland Oct. 16. Not seen since, Twilight Gleaning returned to the races with aplomb Saturday as the 5-2 favorite.

Sitting pretty outside of Miner's Queen (Bernardini), she kept pressure on that pacesetter through an opening half in :44.39. Pushed to the front from the three path around the turn, Twilight Gleaming kicked into gear past the furlong marker and easily overtook the lead, keeping a closing 87-1 shot Querobin Duorada at bay for the win.

Trainer Wesley Ward seemed to indicate a return to Royal Ascot for his winning filly.

“Both fillies (Love Reigns and Twilight Gleaming) certainly look like they would do really, really well in the G1 King's Stand. We'll get home and assess it with the team. To have a stakes record in this race–there's been a lot of great fillies that have run in it– that really says a lot.”

Twilight Gleaming has a placed 3-year-old half-brother, Spartan Arrow (Ire) (Sioux Nation), a 2-year-old half-sister by Phoenix of Spain (Ire), and a yearling Ribchester (Ire) half-brother still to race. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

GIANT'S CAUSEWAY S., $214,650, Keeneland, 4-15, 3yo/up, f/m, 5 1/2fT, 1:01.74, fm.
1–TWILIGHT GLEAMING (IRE), 122, f, 4, National Defense
(GB)–Thames Pageant (GB), by Dansili (GB). (£75,000 Ylg '20
GOFOR). O-Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Pier House Stud (Ire);
T-Wesley A. Ward; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $113,150. Lifetime Record:
GSW-USA, SW-Fr, GSP-Eng, 10-6-3-0, $906,580.
2–Querobin Dourada, 122, f, 4, Capo Bastone–Gusto Dolce
(Uru), by T. H. Approval. O-Brownwood Farm, LLC; B-Haras
Phillipson Inc. (KY); T-Paulo H. Lobo. $45,625.
3–Star Devine (Ire), 122, m, 5, Fastnet Rock (Aus)–Stars At
Night (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). (200,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT).
O-Lawrence Goichman; B-Rockhart Trading Ltd. (Ire); T-Jorge
Abreu. $18,250.
Margins: 1HF, HD, NK. Odds: 2.77, 87.18, 5.34.
Also Ran: Happy Soul, Little Jewel, Mamba Wamba (Ire), Minaun (Ire)-(DH), Miner's Queen-(DH), Oeuvre, Opening Buzz, Train to Artemus, Creative Credit. Scratched: Amy C (GB), Fast Giselle, Sarah Harper.

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Breeders’ Cup Dirt Dozen Bonus Incentives Return For 2023

The Breeders' Cup announced the return of the Breeders' Cup Dirt Dozen, an incentive-based participation bonus program for horsemen pointing runners to the dirt races in the Breeders' Cup World Championships. Launched in 2022, the 12-race program is comprised of existing graded stakes races scheduled from May through October at six tracks throughout the United States.

The Dirt Dozen program will again award bonus credits funded by the Breeders' Cup for first through third-place finishes in the 12 program races. Horsemen can use those credits toward entry fees for one of six Grade 1 Breeders' Cup World Championships dirt races: the $2 million Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff, $2 million Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint, $2 million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, $2 million NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, $1 million PNC Bank Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, and the $1 million Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

In Dirt Dozen races in the $2 million Breeders' Cup race divisions, the bonus tier is allocated at $30,000 for first, $15,000 for second, and $7,500 for third. In Dirt Dozen races in the $1 million Breeders' Cup race divisions, the bonus tier will award $15,000 for first, $7,500 for second, and $3,750 for third.

The Dirt Dozen program begins May 6 with the Derby City Distaff (G1) at Churchill Downs. The first three finishers in the race will earn credits toward entry fees for a potential start in the PNC Bank Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. The program concludes Oct. 1 with the Zenyatta Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park, where the first three finishers in the race will earn credits toward entry fees for a potential start in the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff.

Last year, 13 horses that earned credits through the Dirt Dozen program participated in the Breeders' Cup. Three of those were also Breeders' Cup Challenge winners who took advantage of their automatic qualifying berths, leaving 10 contenders that applied earned credits toward a start in the World Championships.

“After a successful launch in 2022, we are happy to again present our innovative Dirt Dozen program,” said Dora Delgado, executive vice president and chief racing officer of Breeders' Cup Limited. “Last year, many horsemen who took advantage of those credits toward entry fees for our dirt races were rewarded at the World Championships, and we look forward to extending the same incentive to connections who are targeting a start at Santa Anita Park in November.”

Further information on rules and participation in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Dozen program is available on the Breeders' Cup Members site.

Dirt Dozen Races by Division

Division	Date	Race	Track	Grade	Distance
Dirt Mile	7/29/2023	San Diego Handicap	Del Mar	Grade II	1 1/16 Miles
Dirt Mile	8/19/2023	Philip H. Iselin	Monmouth Park	Grade III	1 1/16 Miles

Distaff	7/1/2023	Fleur De Lis	Churchill Downs	Grade II	1 1/8 Miles
Distaff	10/1/2023	Zenyatta Stakes	Santa Anita	Grade II	1 1/16 Miles

Filly & Mare Sprint	5/6/2023	Derby City Distaff	Churchill Downs	Grade I	7F
Filly & Mare Sprint	8/27/2023	Rancho Bernardo	Del Mar	Grade III	6 1/2 F

Juvenile	9/10/2023	Del Mar Futurity	Del Mar	Grade I	7F
Juvenile	9/16/2023	Iroquois	Churchill Downs	Grade III	1 1/16 Miles

Juvenile Fillies	9/3/2023	Spinaway	Saratoga	Grade I	7F
Juvenile Fillies	9/16/2023	Pocahontas	Churchill Downs	Grade III	1 1/16 Miles

Sprint	7/1/2023	Smile Handicap	Gulfstream Park	Grade III	6F
Sprint	9/30/2023	Santa Anita Sprint Championship	Santa Anita	Grade II	6F

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Breeders’ Cup Dirt Dozen Series Returns in 2023

The Breeders' Cup Dirt Dozen, an incentive-based participation bonus program for horsemen pointing runners to the dirt races in the Breeders' Cup World Championships, will return this season. Launched in 2022, the series awards bonus credits funded by the Breeders' Cup for first through third-place finishes in each of 12 existing graded stakes races scheduled from May through October at six tracks throughout the United States. Horsemen can use those credits toward entry fees for one of the six Breeders' Cup World Championships dirt races.

In Dirt Dozen races in the $2-million Breeders' Cup race divisions–which includes the GI Longines Distaff, GI Qatar Racing Sprint, GI FanDuel Juvenile and GI NetJets Juvenile Fillies–the bonus tier is allocated at $30,000 for first, $15,000 for second, and $7,500 for third.

In Dirt Dozen races in the $1-million Breeders' Cup race divisions–the GI PNC F/M Sprint and the GI Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile–the bonus tier will award $15,000 for first, $7,500 for second, and $3,750 for third.

The Dirt Dozen program begins May 6 with the GI Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs. The first three finishers in the race will earn credits toward entry fees for a potential start in the F/M Sprint. The program concludes Oct. 1 with the GI Zenyatta S. at Santa Anita, where the first three finishers in the race will earn credits toward entry fees for a potential start in the Distaff.

“After a successful launch in 2022, we are happy to again present our innovative Dirt Dozen program,” said Dora Delgado, Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Officer of Breeders' Cup Limited. “Last year, many horsemen who took advantage of those credits toward entry fees for our dirt races were rewarded at the World Championships, and we look forward to extending the same incentive to connections who are targeting a start at Santa Anita Park in November.”

For a complete list of races in the series, click here.

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Tapwrit Filly Tops Texas Sale

A filly by Tapwrit (hip 167) , who blazed a furlong in :9 4/5 during Monday's under-tack show, topped the Texas Thoroughbred Association's 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale when bringing a final bid of $300,000 from trainer Randy Morse Wednesday at Lone Star Park. Morse, fresh off a runner-up finish with Taxed (Collected) in Saturday's GIII Fantasy S., purchased the juvenile on behalf of owners Randy Patterson, Joe Morgan and Sam Vogel.

“She's fast,” Morse said of the filly's appeal. “The work was really good. There was a really strong headwind and for a horse to work :9 4/5 on dirt, that's impressive. And physically, she looks like an athlete. I loved her looks. But time will tell.”

Morse admitted he may have found a bargain at the Texas auction.

“Truthfully, I think if she'd been in Florida, she would have brought way more,” he said. “But just like any sale, if there is a good one, someone will show up.”

Consigned by Al Pike's Pike Racing, agent, the gray filly is out of Sky O'Blue (Henny Hughes). She was purchased by Susan Naylor Sellers for $60,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton July sale.

“She just had a presence to her,” Naylor said of the decision to purchase the filly last summer. “She was just a nice, balanced filly and had a good walk and looked like she might be fast.”

Naylor confirmed her intention was always to reoffer the filly at a 2-year-old sale.

“Absolutely. I am a pinhooker first and if I have to race them after that, I will,” she said.

Naylor has also had success with racing as her default. She was represented by a pair of horses in last year's Breeders' Cup; homebred Andthewinneris (Oscar Performance), who RNA'd for $67,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September sale and Manny Wah (Will Take Charge), who she purchased for $175,000 at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton July sale.

“And I had to RNA two in this sale,” Naylor said with a chuckle. “Who knows, maybe you'll see us next year in the Breeders' Cup.”

The Texas sale seemed like a good fit for the speedy gray filly, according to Naylor.

“She looked like she would be early and fast,” Naylor explained. “And they aren't as judgmental down here. She did not have a whole lot of page, but neither did Bwana Charlie when we sold him down here in 2003. We paid $14,000 for him and sold him for $240,000, which was a lot back then. And I know they love grays down here, so I figured a gray filly that was fast, this would be the place for her. She wouldn't get lost.”

Of the filly's bullet breeze Monday, Naylor admitted, “We were blown away. She looked good doing it, but then they printed what it was–that doesn't happen very often. And especially with this track. This track used to be a lot faster back in the day, but it's not as fast as used to be.”

During the one-day auction, which had a catalogue of 193, a total of 103 juveniles sold for $3,420,000. The average was $33,204 and the median was $17,500. There were 64 horses reported not sold for a buy-back rate of 38.3%.

A year ago, from a catalogue of 144, 88 juveniles sold for $3,050,700. The average was $34,667 and the median was $28,000. There were 29 horses reported not sold for a buy-back rate of 24.8.

There were four horses sold for six figures a year ago, led by a $200,000 daughter of Free Drop Billy. Seven hit six figures Wednesday.

“We're truly fortunate to have had such quality offerings in our 2023 sale,” TTA Sales Director Foster Bridewell said. “It's a testament to the hard work and time put in by our sellers and teams behind these athletes. And we're grateful to our buyers locally, nationally, and internationally for supporting our sale.”

Still, with the uncertainty swirling around racing and Texas and its conflict with the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, Naylor admitted she wasn't sure what to expect from Wednesday's sale.

“I was a little shocked that [hip 167] would bring that much,” Naylor said. “It was a very odd sale. The sale last year was a little more balanced. But I think with all of the stuff in the news and all of the uncertainty with HISA and everything, a lot of the big hitters were not here. There were a handful, but a lot weren't here. There were a lot of nice pedigrees, but it seemed like everyone was sitting on their hands a little bit. I was really surprised to see they got as nice a book as they did and there seemed to be some nice individuals here, too. But I think we didn't quite get the buyers to show up this year.”

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