Breeders' Cup | Horse Racing Free Tips

Delgado Has Visions of Breeders’ Cup For The Critical Way

Trainer Jose Delgado was so impressed by what he saw from his speedy grass sprinter The Critical Way on Saturday at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J. that he immediately began plotting out a schedule that would get the 7-year-old gelding to the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint on Nov. 6.

It wasn't just that The Critical Way won the $75,000 Get Serious Stakes with ease, pulling away for a three-length victory. It was how he won the five-furlong grass feature.

Known for his blazing early speed, The Critical Way sat off the flanks of an even speedier French Reef, doing so through an opening quarter in a dazzling :20.11 and through a half in :43.34. Jockey Paco Lopez eased The Critical Way around French Reef entering the final turn and the son of Tizway took off, showing a finishing kick that can sometimes elude him when he is on the front end.

Final time for the five furlongs on a turf that was listed as “firm” was :55.19.

“We always think of this horse as being in front right out of the gate because he has a lot of speed,” said Delgado, who tops the Monmouth Park trainer standings with 11 wins. “But Paco Lopez told me he was very comfortable coming off the pace. That's a new dimension for him. We always think he's one way and it's go, go, go. Now we've seen he can sit behind the speed and make one move and he can win that way. I like that.

“We saw he can sit comfortably. That gives us a lot of options. He is very consistent. He gives you everything he has. We'll look at some serious things for him now. Maybe we'll try something in Saratoga, then one or two races at Parx and then if everything goes right we will try to take him to the Breeders' Cup. That's the plan. That's the hope.”

Lopez said The Critical Way “didn't break like he usually does.”

“Usually he is right out of the gate and on the lead,” said Lopez. “I think he got scared a little bit and jumped behind (French Reef). I know that horse from seeing him in Florida. That's a very fast horse. So I was behind that one but he was very comfortable, which surprised me because it is something new for him.

“I came in thinking I would make the lead but I had to go to Plan B. But the horse made it easy for me with how comfortable he was. He was close. It's not like he was far back. So when I did ask him he just took off.”

After being caught at the wire in his last start in the Turf Sprint Stakes at Pimlico on the Preakness Stakes card, The Critical Way notched his fourth stakes victory and eighth win overall in 25 career starts for Monster Racing Stables. He paid $3.80 to win.

French Reef held second, 1¼ lengths ahead of Francatelli.

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Diamond Jubilee Win Gives Dream Of Dreams Guaranteed Spot In Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint

Saeed Suhail's Dream Of Dreams (IRE) put the agony of two previous near-misses behind him to capture the six-furlong G1 $975,000 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot near London, England, and earned an automatic berth into this year's $1 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint 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.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for Dream Of Dreams to start in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, which will be run at five furlongs at Del Mar. 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.

Dream Of Dreams, a chestnut gelding by Dream Ahead out of the Dansili (GB) mare Vasilia (GB), and trained by Sir Michael Stoute, had experienced two defeats by a head in the Diamond Jubilee in the last two years. In 2019, he fell narrowly short of catching Blue Point (IRE), and, in 2020, finished just too late to catch Hello Youmzain (FR).

After last year's Royal Ascot defeat, Dream Of Dreams won three of his next four starts, which included his Group 1 breakthrough in the G1 Betfair Sprint Cup. Today, he doubled his Group 1-winning record, and made it four wins out of the last five, when mastering the front-running Glen Shiel (GB) inside the final furlong to win by a length, under jockey Ryan Moore.

Dream Of Dreams completed the 6 furlongs in 1:14.87 on a course listed as soft. Art Power (IRE) finished third. Prerace favorite Starman (GB) was a non-runner because of the ground conditions.

“Michael has been great to me throughout my whole career,” said Moore. “He's got this horse, who is 7 now, to perform three times in a row here. It's great that he's able to win today. He's been a great horse. He's got better every year. A stiff six with cut in the ground is perfect for him.”

Stoute gained his only other success in the race with Dafayna (GB) in 1985 when it was a Group 3 race known as the Cork And Orrery Stakes. His second triumph with Dream Of Dreams was the 82nd Royal Ascot victory for the meeting's winningest trainer. Dream Of Dreams also became one of only two 7-year-olds to win the race since 1946 and the joint oldest.

“The horse really deserves it,” said Stoute. “He's a top-class sprinter. In the previous two years, one more stride and he wins, but that's not what it's about, you've got to get there first. I am really happy for him today. He's a very untypical sprinter. He goes down so relaxed; he is almost pulling up. It's a great thrill.

“I was pretty hopeful from two furlongs out because he finishes well. He's actually a very effective horse over seven furlongs as well. He won a Group 1 last year and he's won Group races but it's been very frustrating he's been beaten so narrowly.

“As he's got older and more mature, he has relaxed more and got better. The team has done a great job with him. He has been pretty consistent, getting beaten a head two years running. He doesn't run too many below par races.”

Dream Of Dreams left Archie Watson, trainer of Glen Shiel, standing in the runner-up spot for a second day after a Royal Ascot Group 1.

On Friday, Watson's Dragon Symbol (GB) had been demoted to second after being found to have caused interference to the U.S. challenger Campanelle (IRE), trained by Wesley Ward, when finishing first past the post in the G1 Commonwealth Cup.

“Glen Shiel has probably put in a career-best performance today,” he said. “He got closer to the winner than he did at Haydock last year. I'm delighted he has backed up his Group 1 win [in the G1 British Champions Sprint ] with another very solid run at this level. He's shown that that wasn't a one-off and he can now go through the rest of the year in these six-furlong Group 1s and we can be confident he'll run well in them.”

Dream Of Dreams joins Casa Creed, winner of the Grade 1 Jaipur Stakes at Belmont Park on June 5, as the first two runners to earn automatic starting positions into this year's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

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Maxfield Headlines Stephen Foster on Churchill Downs’ Closing Day

With five days remaining in the 2021 Spring Meet at Churchill Downs, next Saturday's closing day stakes spectacular is beginning to take shape. The 11-race program is scheduled to be headlined by Godolphin's Grade I winner Maxfield in the featured $600,000 Grade 2 Stephen Foster Handicap, one of seven stakes events on the card.

Maxfield, trained by Brendan Walsh, recorded his final work prior to the 1 1/8-mile Stephen Foster on Saturday at Churchill Downs with an easy half-mile move in :48.80 at 5:30 a.m. Maxfield enters the Stephen Foster following a convincing 3 ¼-length win in the $400,0000 Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes presented by Sentient Jet.

The talented son of Street Sense is slated to be joined in the gate by fellow graded stakes winners Chess Chief (trainer Dallas Stewart), Silver Dust (Bret Calhoun), and Warrior's Charge (Brad Cox). All three horses completed their major Stephen Foster preparation Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Virginia-bred Chess Chief, owned by the Estate of James Coleman Jr., worked a half-mile in :48.20. The four-time winner is scheduled to be ridden by John Velazquez in the Stephen Foster.

Owned by Tom Durant, Silver Dust breezed a half-mile in :49 under regular rider Adam Beschizza. The striking gray son of Tapit continued to gallop out past the wire and completed five furlongs in 1:01.20.

Ten Strike Racing and Madaket Stables' Warrior's Charge worked a half-mile in :48.20 at 7:30 a.m. Florent Geroux is scheduled to ride.

Other runners expected to take part in the Stephen Foster are Empty Tomb (Mike Maker) and possibly Visitant (Bill Morey), according to assistant racing secretary and stakes coordinator Dan Bork.

The Stephen Foster is a “Win and You're In” race for the $6 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 6 at Del Mar. The winner receives an all entry fees paid berth to the season-ending championship event.

Here are the other probable runners for the six undercard races to the Stephen Foster, according to Bork:

$300,000 Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Stakes, run at 1 1/8 miles for fillies and mares 4-year-olds and up, Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Distaff Division: Dreamalildreamofu (Brad Cox); Envoutante (Kenny McPeek); Point of Honor (Shug McGaughey); Singita Dreams (Phil Bauer); Spice Is Nice (Todd Pletcher); and Vault (Brad Cox).

$300,000 Grade 2 Wise Dan Stakes, run at 1 1/16 miles on turf for 4-year-olds and up: Field Pass (Mike Maker); In Love (BRZ) (Paulo Lobo); Ride a Comet (Mark Casse); Set Piece (GB) (Brad Cox); and Somelikeithotbrown (Mike Maker). Possible: Spooky Channel (Jason Barkley)

$150,000 Grade 3 Bashford Manor Stakes, run at six furlongs for 2-year-olds: Double Thunder (Todd Pletcher); Glacial (Norm Casse); Kavod (Jimmy Chapman); Landsdowne (Dallas Stewart); Red Run (Steve Asmussen); Vodka N Water (Steve Asmussen); Whatstheconnection (John Ennis); and Whistlewhileyoumow (Jon Arnett).

$150,000 Debutante Stakes, run at six furlongs for 2-year-old fillies: Bandits Warrior (John Robb); Classiness (Jason Barkley); Mi Estrella (Genaro Garcia); Mollie Kate (John Ennis); Ontheonesandtwos (Norm Casse); She'sgotattitude (John Ennis); Sommer Velvet (Kevin Boniface); Take the Backroads (Tom Amoss); Tizplenty (Steve Asmussen); and Wicked Halo (Steve Asmussen).

$150,000 Tepin Stakes, run at one mile on turf for 3-year-old fillies: Adventuring (Brad Cox); Arm Candy (Steve Asmussen); Barista (Jimmy Baker); Bullseye Beauty (Andrew McKeever); Commanders Palace (Mark Casse); Fairchild (Mark Casse); Invincible Gal (GB) (Graham Motion); and New Boss (Bret Calhoun).

$150,000 War Chant Stakes, run at one mile on turf for 3-year-olds: Accredit (Pavel Matejka); Dyn O Mite (Keith Desormeaux); Helium (Mark Casse); and Royal Prince (Brad Cox).

Entries for Saturday's card take place Wednesday.

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Win And You’re In: Starman, Dream Of Dreams Headline Saturday’s Diamond Jubilee At Royal Ascot

David Ward's Starman (GB), a winner of four of five races, and Saeed Suhail's Dream Of Dreams (IRE), runner-up in this race the last two years, headline Saturday's 6-furlong US$975,000 Diamond Jubilee Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot. The winner of the Diamond Jubilee Stakes will earn an automatic berth into this year's US$1million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the Diamond Jubilee winner to start in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, which will be run at 5 furlongs at Del Mar. 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 October 25 to receive the rewards.

The Diamond Jubilee is the fourth of four Breeders' Cup Challenge Series “Win and You're In” races to be conducted during the Royal Ascot meeting. The race will be televised live on NBC, TVG, ITV and Sky Sports.

In his 2021 debut, Starman, trained by Ed Walker, won York's 6-furlong Duke of York Clipper Logistics Stakes (G2) on May 12. The bay son of Dutch Art (GB) took the lead in the final furlong and held off Nahaarr (IRE) by a neck for his fourth win, all at the 6-furlong distance.

“He is a massively exciting horse,” said Walker of the 4-year-old Starman. “He is a big imposing horse with that presence, a real head-turner in the string. He's obviously very good as well. Everything has gone well since York.”

After winning his first three races last year, Starman finished 13th in the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes (G1) at Ascot over a soft course. Oisin Murphy has the mount on Starman.

The 7-year-old chestnut gelding Dream Of Dreams, trained by Michael Stoute, has finished second by a head in the last two runnings of the Diamond Jubilee, losing the 2019 race to Blue Point (IRE), and in 2020 to Hello Youmzain (FR). But following last year's defeat, Dream Of Dreams returned on Aug. 15 at Newbury and romped home a 7-length winner in the Unibet Hungerford Stakes (G2). That win set him up for his biggest score yet, when he captured the Group 1 Betfair Sprint Stakes at Haydock by 1 ¼ over Glen Shiel (GB) in September.

In preparation for this year's race, Dream Of Dreams won the listed Weatherbys ePassport Stakes at Windsor on May 17. He will be ridden Saturday by Ryan Moore.

Sheikh Ahmed al Maktoum's 5-year-old Nahaar has won six races for trainer William Haggis, including three last year. A bay son of Dark Angel (IRE), Nahaar just missed taking his first Group stakes race in his gallant runner-up effort in the Duke of York.

Another son of Dark Angel is Power Racing's 4-year-old Art Power (IRE), who won last year's Palace Of Holyroodhouse Handicap at Royal Ascot by 3 ¼ lengths, defeating 20 rivals. Trained by Tim Easterby, Art Power followed that win by taking the Lacken Stakes (G3) at Naas. Stepping into Group 1 competition in his next two starts, Art Power finished fourth in the Haydock Sprint and fourth in British Champions Sprint Stakes. He had a disappointing 2021 debut in the Duke of York Stakes when he started awkwardly and finished fifth. Silvestre De Sousa has the mount on Art Power.

Hambleton Racing's Glen Sheil is seeking his ninth win. Trained Archie Watson, the 7-year-old chestnut gelding by Pivotal (GB) finished first or second in eight of nine starts last year. In addition to his British Champions Stakes win, Glen Sheil captured the Phoenix Sprint Stakes (G3) at the Curragh. He made his 2021 debut in the Wetherbys Ireland Greenland Stakes (G2), finishing fourth at the 9-5 favorite. Hollie Doyle will ride Glen Sheil.

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