Breeders' Cup | Horse Racing Free Tips

Palace Pier, Poetic Flare To Clash For Breeders’ Cup Mile Berth In Deauville Group 1

The John & Thady Gosden-trained Palace Pier (GB) looks for back-to-back wins in the Group 1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois at Deauville this Sunday. The winner of this race, which boasts five Group 1 winners, will earn an automatic starting position and fees paid into this year's $2 million Grade 1 FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile presented by PDJF through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 84 stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be held at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California on Nov. 5-6.

Unbeaten in three starts this season, Palace Pier, a son of Kingman (GB) secured his place in the Grade 1 FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile on June 15 when capturing the “Win and You're In” Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.

After bypassing the Group 1 Qatar Sussex Stakes due to a blood disorder, the 4-year-old will face seven rivals in France, including Mrs. J. S. Bolger's two-time Group 1 winner Poetic Flare (IRE).

Winner of the Group 1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas and the Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes, Poetic Flare was last seen finishing second in the G1 Qatar Sussex Stakes on testing ground on July 28. Trainer Jim Bolger believes his 3-year-old colt will improve from that performance.

“It was the ground at Goodwood,” Bolger said. “The filly [Alcohol Free (IRE)] was very good but it was a sub-par run for him. It was very tacky ground that day. He is so much better on good ground. This horse has all the class in the world, he's very quick, and any sort of a reasonably run race will suit him.”

Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Mrs. A.M. O'Brien's Order of Australia (IRE), the defending G1 FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile champion, has been entered by trainer Aidan O'Brien. The 4-year-old son of Australia (GB) finished fifth behind Poetic Flare in the G1 Qatar Sussex Stakes.

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The 4-year-old filly Alpine Star (IRE), owned and bred by the Niarchos Family, will seek to go one better than last year. Runner-up behind Palace Pier in 2020, one of three occasions the 2020 Group 1 Coronation Stakes heroine placed second in Group 1 company, Alpine Star returns to Deauville after finishing second in her seasonal debut in the listed British Stallion Studs EBF Lyric Fillies' Stakes.

“It's a very good renewal of the race,” said her trainer, Jessica Harrington. “She's in good form and a stronger filly this year. Hopefully, it will be the slow side of good. Shane Foley takes the ride and I hope she will run a big race.”

Andre Fabre has won the Group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois more than any other trainer in its history with seven victories. He has entered the Godolphin-owned Victor Ludorum (GB) and Midtown (GB).

Winner of the Group 1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) over course and distance in June 2020, this year Victor Ludorum bounced back from two defeats to win the Group 3 Prix Messidor at Chantilly last time out on July 18. He is joined by his lightly raced stablemate Midtown, a 3-year-old son of Dubawi (IRE) out of a Diktat (GB) mare First City (GB), who was last seen finishing a credible third in only his third start in the Group 1 Haras d'Etreham Prix Jean Prat.

Group 3 winner Ecrivain (FR), trained by Carlos Laffon-Parias, and British challenger Chindit (IRE), trained by Richard Hannon, complete the field.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois winner to start in the G1 FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile, which will be run at a mile on the Del Mar turf course. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance of $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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Rock Your World Among Nominees To Pacific Classic

The nomination deadline passed at midnight on Thursday for the five major stakes a week from Saturday at Del Mar. And when the racing office had finished sorting them out this morning, there were 15 horses on the list for the summer season's signature Grade 1, $1 million TVG Pacific Classic.

Most were expected. But one not-exactly-expected name figures to generate interest and speculation leading up to next Tuesday's close of entries and post position draw. That would be Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World, trained by John Sadler for Hronis Racing, the connections who notched back-to-back TVG Pacific Classic wins with Accelerate in 2018 and Higher Power in 2019.

Sadler has indicated since the start of the meeting that Rock Your World, a 3-year-old son of Candy Ride, was being targeted for the Grade 2, $250,000 Del Mar Derby Presented by Caesars Sporsbook on Sept. 4, in what would be a return to turf after three starts on dirt – a victory in the Santa Anita Derby followed by Triple Crown event disappointments in the Kentucky Derby (17th) and Belmont Stakes (6th).

The Pacific Classic has been won by 3-year-olds over older horses five times. Best Pal's victory in the inaugural running in 1991 was followed by General Challenge (1999), Came Home (2002), Dullahan (2012) and Shared Belief (2014). Under race conditions, 3-year-olds carry 118 pounds while older horses tote 124.

Sadler did not immediately respond to a text inquiry regarding Rock Your World but had, earlier in the morning, confirmed another TVG Pacific Class entrant from the stable.

San Diego Handicap runner-up Tripoli went six furlongs in 1:12.80 this morning under exercise rider Cerapio Figueroa to Sadler's satisfaction in a final tune-up for the event.

Sadler said he had the son of Kitten's Joy, a $450,000 purchase at the Keeneland September sale in 2018 for Hronis Racing, galloping out to seven furlongs in 1:24.80.

“I was pleased with it, he's set for the Classic,” Sadler said. Tiago Pereira, aboard for the 4-year-old colt's last three starts since May, retains the mount.

Tripoli has three wins in 13 career starts and earnings of $211,960. The second-place result in the Grade II, $250,000 San Diego Handicap on July 17, beaten a half-length by Express Train, came in his stakes debut.

Other Pacific Classic nominees, with trainer's name in parentheses are: Chess Chief (Dallas Stewart); Cupid's Claws (Craig Dollase); Dr Post (Todd Pletcher); Express Train (John Shirreffs); Ginobili (Richard Baltas); Independence Hall (Michael McCarthy); Magic On Tap (Bob Baffert); Midcourt (John Shirreffs); Mo Mosa (Mike Maker); Royal Ship (Richard Mandella); Sherriff Brown (Todd Fincher); The Great One (Doug O'Neill), and Tizamagician ( Mandella).

Trainer Pletcher, from his Saratoga headquarters, indicated he's considering the coast-to-coast ship for Dr Post seriously.

“We're going to breeze him Saturday and if we're pleased with that, he's a go,” Pletcher said.

The 31st running of the TVG Pacific Classic is for 3-year-olds and up at the classic distance of a mile and one quarter. It is designated as a “Win and You're In” Challenge Race giving its winner a guaranteed all-fees-paid admission to the $6-million Breeders' Cup Classic, which will be run at Del Mar on Saturday, November 6.

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Pletcher-Trained Dr Post Likely To Ship West For Pacific Classic

Dr Post, a 4-year-old son of Quality Road trained by Todd Pletcher is a strong candidate to ship in from the East Coast to run in the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic at Del Mar a week from Saturday. The Pacific Classic is a “Win and You're In” race for the Breeders' Cup Classic in November.

Owned by the St. Elias Stable of Vincent Viola, whose sports-related endeavors include ownership of the National Hockey League's Florida Panthers, Dr Post has four wins in nine career starts and earnings of $700,635.

A $400,000 purchase at the Keeneland September sale in 2018, Dr Post ran once as a 2-year-old before going through a five-race campaign in 2020 that featured a victory in the $75,000 Unbridled Stakes at Gulfstream Park, runner-up to Tiz the Law in the Belmont Stakes – run as the first leg of the Triple Crown series – third to Authentic in the Haskell and fourth in the Jim Dandy.

His 2021 campaign has been comprised of wins in two Grade 3 events – the Westchester Stakes at Belmont Park in May and Monmouth Cup in July – around a fifth in the Metropolitan Mile Handicap in June at Belmont Park. The TVG Pacific Classic will be the first race west of New Jersey for Dr Post, who has been training at Saratoga, and also his first at the 1 ¼-mile distance.

Del Mar vice president, racing and racing secretary David Jerkens said that the first likely confirmation of an out-of-state shipper for the signature event of the summer meeting – trainer Dallas Stewart has shown interest in sending 5-year-old Chess Chief in from Saratoga – was good, but not surprising, news.

“He's been under consideration all along,” Jerkens said.

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Golden Pal, Suesa On Course For York Clash In Nunthorpe Stakes

Connections of Golden Pal and Suesa have confirmed that the respective sprint stars are pleasing in their preparations ahead of the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York on Friday, Aug. 20.

American ace, Golden Pal, ships from Indianapolis tonight ahead of arriving at the Knavesmire late tomorrow before his participation in this British Champions Series Sprint.

French filly, Suesa, is currently in Deauville before travelling across the Channel for the £400,000 (about US$470,000) Group 1.

Festival sponsors, Sky Bet can't split the 5/2 joint-favorites for the five-furlong blitz that could also see fellow 3-year-old speedsters, Dragon Symbol and Winter Power, in action.

The Nunthorpe is a “Win and You're In” race for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint this fall at Del Mar.

Trainer Francois Rohaut considers his charge Suesa to be one of the “new generation” after Battaash – winner of the last two showcase sprints on the Knavesmire – who retired at the end of last month.

And Suesa certainly looked as if she'll be at the forefront of the sprinting ranks for some time to come, when winning the Group 2 King George Stakes by three lengths at the Qatar Goodwood Festival.

Rohaut said: “It was fantastic. We didn't expect such a nice win. She showed that day that she's a top-class filly. The going was perfect for her – and the strong pace. It was really fantastic for everybody.”

Now Rohaut, whose main base is in Paul in the south-west of France is fine-tuning his new stable star for the step up to Group 1 company at York. It's a course that Rohaut has been to before but not for several decades.

He explained: “I went when I was working in Newmarket but it was 43 years ago. I was a pupil with Sir Mark Prescott and Harry Wragg.

“Sir Mark is fantastic. I saw he won a Group 1 (with Alpinista) on Sunday in Germany. I am always very pleased to see him winning a good race.”

It's a feeling that's reciprocated as Prescott sent Rohaut a congratulatory text after Suesa's Goodwood triumph. If Suesa wins on Friday, Rohaut will likely receive another message from his old boss.

And all the signs are positive in the build-up to the eagerly-anticipated sprint clash.

Rohaut said: “The filly is okay, so the plan is to come. It's very exciting and we are very happy to be in this race.

“She had a good canter on Tuesday in Deauville where she's staying. Everything is okay. I am very happy with her. I walked her (on Wednesday afternoon) and she was jumping everywhere and was very fresh and happy to be in Deauville. And I hope she'll be happy to go and to be in York.”

Like Suesa, Golden Pal will also head to York on the back of winning form. He ran out a comfortable three-length winner of a Grade 3 at Saratoga in mid-July on his seasonal return. He was an impressive two-year-old, winning the Grade 2 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, as well as finishing second in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot.

And his trainer Wesley Ward believes Golden Pal is an even better prospect in his three-year-old campaign.

Ward said: “He's bigger, stronger, faster. I think we're in good shape.”

He also outlined how Golden Pal pleased in a spin on Wednesday morning. Ward added: “He breezed on the grass at Keeneland – a really nice workout, a final piece of fast work. We're ready to go. Everything's going to plan.”

Ward has found only one too good on his two previous attempts to land the Coolmore-sponsored Nunthorpe Stakes. In 2015, Acapulco was beaten two lengths by Mecca's Angel and then in 2017 Lady Aurelia went down by a mere nose to Marsha in a thrilling photo-finish.

Ward, who will fly in for the race, said: “This time we're hoping to get lucky!”

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