Breeders' Cup | Horse Racing Free Tips

Mother Earth Headlines 13-Horse Field In ‘Win And You’re In’ Matron Stakes

Derrick Smith & Mrs. John Magnier & Michael Tabor's Mother Earth (IRE) heads a strong 13-runner field in the Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes (G1) at Leopardstown on Saturday. The winner of this race will earn an automatic starting position and fees paid into this year's Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into corresponding races of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be held at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California, on Nov. 5-6.

A daughter of Zoffany (IRE) out of the Green Desert mare Many Colours (GB), Mother Earth finished second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) last year, before kicking off her 3-year-old season in perfect style with a win in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas (G1).

The filly went on to place second in the Emirates Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (G1) at ParisLongchamp, third in the Coronation Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot, and runner-up in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes (G1) at Newmarket. She returned to the winner's circle in her last start, taking the Prix Rothschild (G1) at Deauville on Aug. 3.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien said: “We were delighted with Mother Earth the last day in Deauville, and everything has gone well with her since then.”

The Classic heroine is one of two Guineas scorers for O'Brien, who also saddles Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas (G1) winner Empress Josephine (IRE), alongside stablemate Friendly (IRE).

Johnny Murtagh enjoyed a glittering career in the saddle, including three wins at the Breeders' Cup. He celebrated his first top-level success as a trainer in this race last year with Champers Elysees (IRE) and the 4-year-old returns to Leopardstown to defend her crown.

The daughter of Elzaam (AUS) will need to reverse recent form with Juddmonte's Acanella (GB). Trained by Ger Lyons and ridden by Colin Keane, Acanella was last seen when winning the Snow Fairy Fillies Stakes (G3) at The Curragh, with Champers Elysees three-quarters of a length behind in second.

The Paddy Twomey-trained Pearls Galore (FR) is another stepping up to Group 1 company for the first time. The 4-year-old recently secured Group 3 success at Fairyhouse and Tipperary.

Other notable runners include Pretty Gorgeous (FR), trained by Joseph O'Brien, and Shale (IRE), trained by Donnacha O'Brien. The duo meet again having repeatedly clashed last season, but neither are yet to reproduce their top-class juvenile form.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the winners of the Challenge Series winners to start at this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance of US$40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of Oct. 25 to receive the rewards.

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Breeders’ Cup Winner Tarnawa Goes Head-To-Head With St Mark’s Basilica, Poetic Flare In Irish Champion Stakes

Three exciting Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races will be featured at Leopardstown on Saturday, with the Irish Champion Stakes (G1) the standout event of an exceptional afternoon of racing.

His Highness Aga Khan's homebred Tarnawa (IRE), the defending Longines Breeders' Cup Turf champion, will go head-to-head with trainer Aidan O'Brien's star 3-year-old colt St Mark's Basilica (FR) in the 1 ¼-mile Irish Champion Stakes (G1). The winner will gain an automatic berth into the US$4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

Two other “Win and You're In” berths also will be awarded at Leopardstown. The winner of the Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes (G1) will earn an automatic position into the US$2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1), and the winner of the KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes (G2) will earn a free spot into the US$1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).

Tarnawa (IRE), a 5-year-old daughter of Shamardal, enjoyed an unbeaten campaign in 2020 with back-to-back Group 1 victories in France, capturing the Qatar Prix Vermeille and Prix de l'Opera Longines, before providing her trainer, Dermot Weld, with his first Breeders' Cup success at Keeneland. Tarnawa stormed down the stretch to win the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf by 1 length over Magical (IRE).

The top-class mare was an easy winner of the Grant Thornton Ballyroan Stakes (G3) at Leopardstown on Aug. 5 in her sole start this season. Jockey Colin Keane is booked to ride once again.

Tarnawa will go head-to-head with four-time Group 1 winner St Mark's Basilica (FR). A son of Siyouni (FR) out of the Galileo (IRE) mare Cabaret (IRE), St Mark's Basilica is three for three this season, winning the French Guineas and French Derby, before striking in the Coral-Eclipse (G1) at Sandown Park, under jockey Ryan Moore, last time out.

Connections of the 3-year-old colt will be hoping their stable star can continue his unbeaten record this season, with trainer Aidan O'Brien pleased the colt's preparations ahead of this Saturday. O'Brien said: “He's very offhanded and very straightforward. He has a great mind, he relaxes, he has a great stride and is very genuine – he has all the things that you would love in a horse.”

The duo are joined by dual Group 1 winner Poetic Flare (IRE). The Jim Bolger-trained 3-year-old colt will race over 10 furlongs for the first time, having won the QIPCO 2000 Guineas (G1) at Newmarket and St James's Palace Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot.

Patrick Sarsfield (FR), trained by Joseph O'Brien and ridden by Declan McDonogh, completes the four-runner field.

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NBS Sports To Present Live Coverage Of Kentucky Downs’ Breeders’ Cup Challenge Races

The “Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In – presented by America's Best Racing” comes to Kentucky Downs tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 11 on NBC from 5-6 p.m., with live coverage of the $1 million FanDuel Turf Sprint Stakes (G3) and the $1 million Calumet Turf Cup Stakes (G2).

Saturday's program marks the sixth telecast this year in the “Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In – presented by America's Best Racing” on NBC and NBCSN from some of North America's most iconic racetracks. The series leads to the 38th Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California, to be held Nov. 5-6 on NBC and NBCSN. The complete series TV schedule can be accessed here.

NBC Sports' coverage will feature commentary and discussion from its International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn., led by host Ahmed Fareed, and analysts Randy Moss and Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey, who won 15 Breeders' Cup races including five victories in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). Reporter Britney Eurton and handicapper Matt Bernier will be on-site at Kentucky Downs.

The FanDuel Turf Sprint Stakes, to be run at 6 furlongs, gives the winner a free berth into the $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1). The race is headlined by the outstanding 5-year-old mare Got Stormy, who is seeking her second Breeders' Cup Challenge Series win this year. Owned by MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm, and trained by Mark Casse, Got Stormy secured a free berth into the $2 million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile presented by PDJF (G1) when she defeated male rivals in the Fourstardave Handicap (G1) at Saratoga on Aug. 14. A 12-time winner, Got Stormy finished second in the 2019 Breeders' Cup Mile and was fifth in last year's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. Tyler Gaffalione will ride Got Stormy from post nine.

LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable's 5-year-old Casa Creed, trained by Bill Mott, already earned an automatic starting position into the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint when he captured the Jackpocket Jaipur Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park on June 5. In his most recent start, Casa Creed finished third in the Fourstardave Handicap (G1) at Saratoga on Aug. 14. Ricardo Santana Jr. has the mount breaking from post seven. Breeze Easy's 7-year-old gelding Imprimis won last year's race by a neck and earned a free berth into the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. Trained by Joe Orseno, Imprimis got caught in traffic on the turn for home in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, and finished 13th. This year, Imprimis won the Janus Stakes at Gulfstream Park in January, and was fourth in the Troy Stakes (G3) at Saratoga on Aug 6.

The past two winners of the Calumet Turf Cup Stakes ― Arklow and Zulu Alpha ― are among 12 horses entered for the 1 ½-mile race, with the winner gaining a free starting position into the $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1), which will also be run at 1 ½ miles. Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger and the Estate of Peter Coneway's 7-year-old gelding Arklow won last year's race by 1 ¼ lengths. Trained by Brad Cox, Arklow has one win in three starts this year, taking the Louisville Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs on May 15 for his ninth career victory. Arklow will be ridden from post 5 by Florent Geroux. Michael Hui's ulu Alpha, won the 2019 Turf Cup by 1 ¾ lengths, and finished third behind Arklow in last year's renewal. A leg injury prevented Zulu Alpha from running in last year's Breeders' Cup. This year, the 8-year-old gelding, trained by Mike Maker, has been winless in two starts, registering a seventh-place finish last time out in the Mr. D. Stakes (G1) at Arlington Park. Ricardo Santana Jr. rides Zulu Alpha from post 11.

Calumet Farm's homebred Channel Cat has a Grade 1 victory this year, taking the Man o' War Stakes at Belmont Park on May 8. Channel Cat, a 6-year-old son of 2007 Breeders' Cup Turf winner English Channel, is trained by Jack Sisterson, and will be ridden from post three by John Velazquez.

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Maker Fully Loaded For Kentucky Downs Turf Cup

As usual, Mike Maker, the all-time leading trainer at Kentucky Downs, is very well-armed for the $1 million, Grade 2 Calumet Turf Cup Saturday.

Maker is scheduled to saddle five of the 12 horses in the 1 1/2-mile race. While it is already a personal best for him in the race, it is possible he could have half the field if Dynadrive draws in from the also-eligible list. This will be the eighth-straight year that Maker, 52, has had two or more starters in one of the track's premier races, which he has won a record four times. He has had at least one horse finish in the money seven straight years.

The Calumet Turf Cup, one of the five graded stakes on Saturday's program, is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” race and will be broadcast live on NBC.

Maker has made it clear that he points for this race and will start as many runners as he can. He has built a solid reputation for developing horses – many of whom he has claimed – that can go long on the grass.

“I have a lot of horses that can go a mile and a half on the grass, there are limited opportunities and this purse is always lucrative,” he said.

Maker said he developed his ability with distance-loving turf horses earlier in his career when he worked for breeder-owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey.

“I had a lot of offspring by Kitten's Joy,” he said, naming the Ramsey's prominent turf stallion. “You have to play the hand you're dealt.”

According to Equibase stats, Maker has saddled a record 22 starters in the Turf Cup and his purse earnings of $2,225,240 is a record, nearly $1 million ahead of Brad Cox. He quietly served notice that he might do well in the race by finishing second with his first starter, Stream of Gold, in 2008. Since 2014 he has had at least two runners. Twice he has sent out four runners. In 2018, his horses finished second, third, fourth and fifth. His record in the race from the 22 starts is 4-2-4.

This year, Maker has Three Diamonds Farm's Tide of the Sea in post 4; Michael Ryan's Bluegrass Parkway in post 6; Paradise Farm's and David Staudacher's Ajourneytofreedom in 8; Three Diamonds' Glynn County in 9 and Michael Hui's 8-year-old Zulu Alpha, who won in 2019 and was third last year, in 11.

“Glynn County was a Kitten's Joy and only had a couple of starts when we got him,” Maker said. “He's a nice horse and I think you're going to hear a lot of him in the future. He ran well at Arlington (third in the G1 Mr. D). I think he's one of my better chances.

“Tide of the Sea is an English Channel who was bought out of the sale. Bluegrass Parkway was sent to me with these type of races in mind. The first we ran him I think was a mile and three-eighths race he won, a conditioned allowance race. Ajourneytofreedom was bred for these type of races and that's why we claimed him. Obviously, Zulu Alpha doesn't need any explanation.”

All five of Maker's runners are stakes veterans and Tide of the Sea and Zulu Alpha are graded stakes winners.

Zulu Alpha, a Grade 1 winner and $2.27 million-earner, has not hit the board in his two starts in 2021, but Maker said that is too small of a sample to judge him. In the Mr. D at Arlington Park on Aug. 14, he was a non-factor.

“It was slow paced and didn't suit him,” Maker said. “We're going to cross it out and bring him to the track he loves. I think it should be a strong pace Saturday with Tide of the Sea and Channel Cat.”

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