Tag: Breeders’ Cup

Thomas Brockley and Daryn Bedinotti's 2-year-old filly Brocknardini, who impressed earning her first stakes victory in Saturday's $150,000 Selima at Laurel Park, will be pointed to a potential start in the Breeders' Cup, trainer George Weaver said.

Brocknardini rolled to a popular 2¼-length triumph in the 1 1/16-mile Selima for juvenile fillies, which in 2019 produced subsequent Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) winner Sharing, who went on to win the Edgewood (G2) and Tepin in 2020 and retire a millionaire.

The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf will be run Nov. 3 at Santa Anita.

“I'll run her in the Breeders' Cup, if she can get in,” Weaver said of Brocknardini. “I don't know if she'll get in, but if she were to draw in I'll run her. Why not? There's a lot to gain and not a lot to lose.”

Under a patient ride in her third start and first under jockey Joe Rocco Jr., Brocknardini rated two wide while racing in fifth behind dirt stakes winner Carmelina, who was making her turf debut. Rocco tipped Brocknardini further out to launch her bid, surged to the lead in midstretch, and drew off under a hand ride to win in 1:47.45 over a turf course rated good.

It was reminiscent of Brocknardini's Aug. 16 debut going the same distance at Saratoga, where she took a commanding lead at the top of the stretch and cruised home a 4¾-length winner against fellow New York-breds. The effort earned her a trip to Woodbine for the one-mile Natalma (G1) Sept. 16, only to encounter a nightmarish trip after a belated start.

“I was glad to see her get back to what we thought first time out,” the New York-based Weaver said. “She showed promise the first time out at Saratoga, then went over to Woodbine and didn't really adjust well to the one turn.

“I know [Saturday's] race was a little easier, but she just didn't run her race at Woodbine,” he added. “It was great to see her come back, and I thought she won pretty stylishly.”

Brocknardini's victory continued to stellar year for Weaver, now 16-for-44 with 2-year-olds including 13-for-30 on the grass. Tops among them are three-time stakes winner No Nay Mets and Crimson Advocate, winner of the Queen Mary (G2) in June at Royal Ascot.

By Palace Malice out of the Bernardini mare Broad Stripes, Brocknardini fetched $35,000 during Fasig-Tipton's Midlantic sale of 2-year-olds in training at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium May 22.

Weaver was proud of the effort put forth by Brocknardini, who had all of her timed breezes at Saratoga and was coming back just 14 days following the Natalma.

“It's like a stock price. After she ran at Woodbine her stock went down, so we had to try to do something to get it back up,” Weaver said. “She delivered for us.”

Trainer Arnaud Delacour indicated following Saturday's $150,000 Laurel Futurity that Mark Grier's Air Recruit is also likely to be pointed to California for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) Nov. 3 following his 5½-length victory.

It was the first stakes win for Air Recruit, who stretched out around two turns for the first time after capturing his Aug. 5 unveiling by 1 ¼ lengths and running third behind No Nay Mets in the Sept. 9 Rosie's, both sprinting 5 ½ furlongs at Colonial Downs.

Both Shards and Cigale, who respectively ran second and third to Air Recruit in the maiden special weight, came back to win their next starts.

“You always wonder about the quality of the horses you beat when you break your maiden because there's a lot of 2-year-olds in North America,” Delacour said. “You always retrospectively find out what you have, as far as form, two or three months down the road. But it's obviously solid, which is great.”

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Adare Manor, in search of her fifth consecutive win and fourth graded stakes score, was dispatched as the prohibitive 1-9 favorite in Sunday's $200,000 Zenyatta Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita and she certainly ran to the betting, coasting to a facile 5¼-length score under Juan Hernandez in gate-to-wire fashion.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Adare Manor covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.70 and will be pointed to the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) Nov. 4 at the Arcadia, Calif. track.

Named in honor of North America's 2010 Horse of the Year, the Zenyatta is a key prep for the Distaff and is part of the Breeders' Cup “Dirt Dozen.”

Breaking sharply and in firm control throughout, Adare Manor had a 2½-length lead on Desert Dawn leaving the quarter pole, whereupon Hernandez took a peek back to his left and from there, the 4-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo widened away to victory while well within herself.

A winner of a pair of Grade 2 stakes here this past spring, the Santa Maria and the Santa Margarita, Adare Manor was most recently a one-length winner of the Clement L. Hirsch (G1)  at Del Mar going Zenyatta distance on Aug. 5.

With no show wagering, she paid $2.20 for the win.

Owned by Michael Lund Petersen, Adare Manor, who is out of the Giant Gizmo mare Brooklynsway, picked up $120,000 for her effort, increasing her lifetime earnings to $981,600 from an overall race record of 13-7-4-0. She was bred in Kentucky by Town & Country Horse Farms LLC and Gary Broad, and sold to Donato Lannie for $375,000 at the OBS June Two-Year-Olds in Training and Horses of Racing Age Sale, where Julie Davis consigned her.

Consistent Arizona-bred Desert Dawn, trained by Phil D'Amato, was clearly second best on the day, finishing 6¼ lengths in front of Micro Share in third.

Fractions on the Zenyatta were 23.71, 47.91, 1:11.96, and 1:37.04.

ZENYATTA STAKES QUOTES

JOCKEY JUAN HERNANDEZ, ADARE MANOR, WINNER: “Today all the credit goes to my filly, to Bob (Baffert) and his team they brought her ready. She broke a little slow the last couple of times, but today she broke on her own, I didn't even have to push her. She was just galloping around on the lead and I didn't do much today.”

TRAINER BOB BAFFERT, ADARE MANOR, WINNER: “She had been training really well. Morgan who gets on her in the morning said she couldn't get any better. She just keeps improving and we wanted to see something like this to see if we were going to take a crack at the Breeders' Cup. So I think if she comes out of it well, we will go for it.”

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Favored at 2-1 in an 18-horse field, Highfield Princess (FR) looked an unlikely winner at the halfway stage of the Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp Longines (G1) Sunday at ParisLongchamp on the Qatar Prix de l'Arc card, but rallied to gain the advantage under jockey Jason Hart. The John Quinn trainee gained an automatic berth into the $1-million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) in November at Santa Anita.

Taking advantage of the rail, George Boughey's Perdika (GB) set a strong pace. But as Perdika began to lose her advantage, Highfield Princess surged, and the 6-year-old daughter of Night Of Thunder (IRE) was able to hold on strongly to win by one length, with Perdika in second.

The Aidan O'Brien-trained Aesop's Fables (IRE), the Clive Cox-trained Get Ahead (GB) and the rapidly improving Tom Clover-trained Rogue Lightning (IRE) were finishing fast, and took the third, fourth, and fifth, respectively.

Highfield Princess, owned by Trainers House Enterprises Ltd., completed the five furlongs in :55.07 to earn her ninth career win. She finished fourth in last year's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland.

Opera Singer Dominates Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac

Opera Singer delivered a standout performance in the Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac – Criterium des Pouliches (G1), galloping clear to a five-length victory under jockey Ryan Moore.

Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, and Westerberg's Kentucky-bred daughter of Justify was very responsive when Moore asked her to quicken near the two-furlong marker, having led most of the way in the 1-mile affair, and left Rose Bloom (IRE) in second, followed by Les Pavots (IRE) in third.

Opera Singer, bred by the late Evie Stockwell, completed the mile in 1:36.40 and gained an automatic berth into the $1-million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).

Trainer Aidan O'Brien, who saddled his fifth Marcel Boussac winner, said: “We've been excited with her. Ryan said she was very straightforward and she really appreciated the step up to a mile like we thought she would. I thought she was very strong all the way to the line and it was an impressive performance. Being on nicer ground helped her put in that performance.”

On a trip to the Breeders' Cup, he added: “It's very possible, obviously it will depend on what the lads [ownership connections] want to do, but she is by Justify and has plenty of experience if they want to go there.”

Rosallion Impresses In Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere

An eye-catching winner following a disappointing run in the Sept. 16 Betfred Champagne Stakes (G2) at Doncaster, Rosallion (IRE) provided jockey Sean Levey with his first international group 1 victory when he landed the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (G1) for 2-year-old colts and fillies.

The Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, and Michael Tabor-owned Henry Adams (IRE) set the pace in the day's opening race, with Ballymount Boy (IRE) close behind. The Aidan O'Brien-trained Unquestionable (FR) was in third and the Richard Hannon-trained Rosallion and Philippe Allaire & Haras D'Etreham's well-fancied Beauvatier (FR) were held up towards the rear.

Beauvatier moved to the outside at the 3-furlong marker and made a move 2 furlongs out but was no match for Rosallion, who made impressive headway and pulled clear in the final stages to win by a length with Unquestionable second and Beauvatier third.

Rosallion gained an automatic berth into the $1-million Prevagen Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1). The Blue Point colt completed the seven-furlong contest in 1:18.23 over a course listed as good to soft.

Trainer Richard Hannon said: “It was very sticky ground at Doncaster and he hated it, but I was so disappointed – I couldn't believe he got beat. We scoped him afterwards and everything was fine and the only thing I can put it down to was the ground. Today was a recovery mission and you don't generally come to the Lagardere on a recovery mission as it takes an extremely good horse to win it, but he showed today that he's the horse we thought he was.”

Blue Rose Cen Dominates Prix de l'Opera Longines

The Christopher Head-trained Blue Rose Cen (IRE), last year's winner of the Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac-Criterium des Pouliches (G1), scored a neck victory over Jackie Oh (IRE) to win the 1 1/4-mile Prix de l'Opera Longines (G1) for fillies and mares. Owned by Yeguada Centurion SL, Blue Rose Cen earned an automatic berth into the $2-million Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf (G1).

The Michael O'Flynn-owned daughter of Saxon Warrior (JPN) Lumiere Rock (IRE) was prominent throughout, and held the lead until the 400-meter mark before the Aidan O'Brien trained Jackie Oh surged in front with Blue Rose Cen ranging to her outside.

The pace quickened inside the final 2 furlongs where the leading group battled it out until Blue Rose Cen edged away and crossed the line in front by a neck with Jackie Oh in second. Lumiere Rock finished third.

Blue Rose Cen completed the 1 1/4 miles in 2:03.71.

Winning trainer Christopher Head said: “You never know if they can be running in the Prix Vermeille [Sept. 10 prep race at ParisLongchamp] and still get it back in the Opera – what a filly. For sure she will stay in training at four. She's nominated for the Breeders' Cup, but we will have to discuss that.”

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the winners of the Challenge Series races to start at this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance 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. 23 to receive the rewards.

The post Arc Undercard: Highland Princess, Opera Singer Among Four To Earn Breeders’ Cup Berths appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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After enduring a frustrating start to his 4-year-old campaign with three runner-up finishes in as many starts, Jeff Drown's Zandon made a shining return to the winner's circle when he gunned down Film Star in the final furlong to capture the 70th running of Sunday's $400,000 Woodward (G2) for 3-year-olds and upward going 1 1/8 miles at Belmont at the Big A.

Winless in eight starts since capturing last year's Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland, Zandon was last seen finishing 6 1/4 lengths in arrears of White Abarrio in the Whitney (G1) on August 5 at Saratoga Race Course. The dark bay Upstart colt also posted second-place efforts in the Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap (G1) on June 10 at Belmont Park, beaten 3 1/4 lengths by Cody's Wish after making his 2023 debut in Belmont's  Westchester (G3) on May 5, finishing 5 1/4 lengths behind Repo Rocks.

“He's been a horse that's been knocking on the door and he's had a little bit of bad luck running into really, really top horses in some of these races. I felt a little bad for him because he's run such fast numbers in defeat that would have been good enough to win a lot of these races any other year when you really look at it,” said trainer Chad Brown. “He's always run into really top class horses along the way. Like I've said before, one thing I'll always point out is even in a lot of runner-up finishes, look at the horses that were behind him. I mean, he's beat a pile of good horses in those valiant runner-up races. This horse is a really consistent horse and has been a pleasure to train.”

Leaving from post 3 under Flavien Prat, Zandon was in tight entering the first turn, just to the outside of a rank Law Professor, as his 43-1 stablemate Pipeline set the tempo through an opening quarter-mile in :23.43 and a half-mile in :46.66 over the fast main track. Film Star sat just off the flank of the pacesetter in second with Zandon four lengths back in sixth.

Around the far turn through three-quarters in 1:10.52, Zandon began to advance position and made a sweeping five-wide move with Film Star to catch as Pipeline dropped out of contention. Under Prat's right-handed encouragement, Zandon moved past Film Star and powered home a 4 1/4-length winner in a final time of 1:48.48. Film Star held second a neck ahead of an advancing Law Professor, who finished second in last year's Woodward.

Completing the order of finish were Charge It, O'Connor, Tyson, Costa Terra and Pipeline. Algiers and Un Ojo were scratched.

Prat said the run into the first turn was a bit of a scramble.

“We were all trying to be in the same position, pretty much,” Prat said. “I was trying to get position, but my horse didn't want to be there so we went to 'Plan B.' I grabbed a hold of him and got him to settle down and from there I was traveling super. A bit worried when we hit the turn, it looked like he wasn't going anywhere and then as soon as he got into a rhythm, he kicked on well.

“From the five-sixteenths to the quarter pole he was really grabbing the bridle and making a nice move,” Prat continued. “As soon as I tipped him out and he swapped leads, he really made another good move.”

Brown admitted having some anxious moments heading into the first turn.

“Law Professor ducked out right next to him and kind of took him wide and then Flavien had to take back,” Brown said. “He then got him in a nice, comfortable spot, but I just thought potentially all that commotion and being pitched a little wide in the first turn would discourage the horse. I'll tell you, his consistency really came through. He was able to get up in through the dirt and out in the clear and once he did, he just really grabbed the bit finally and really powered home. I loved the way he finished the race.”

The well-traveled Zandon has never finished worse than fourth while contesting over seven different racetracks, including a game third-place finish in last year's Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs.

“I'm really proud of this horse and I'm just so happy for him. He's showed up every week breezing for us, he has a well-traveled history – running in the Kentucky Derby and nearly winning it, and a bunch of other races in between that he's taken us to all over,” Brown said. “The Met Mile, the Whitney, and winning a race like the Blue Grass. This horse has really taken us to some great races. This horse has always showed a lot of heart and battled to the wire, win or lose.”

Zandon will soon take up stallion duty at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington but will likely race one more time in the $6-million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) on Nov. 4 at Santa Anita according to Brown, who added that a Woodward win was important for the horse's reception at stud.

“He'll probably have his last career start in the Breeders' Cup Classic,” Brown said. “Obviously, it's going to be a much, much tougher race than today, but at least we're going in off of a decisive victory and a horse that's had a very consistent year. That's all you can ask for and anything can happen in a horse race.

“I'm so happy for [owner] Jeff Drown and his family. They love this horse and he's been so important to them,” Brown added. “They've always thought highly of this horse, win or lose, and they've never been overly disappointed with some of those close calls. Spendthrift Farm, who really invested in this horse last year to get him before the [Kentucky] Derby, I'm happy that he's got another graded win, and he looks like a really exciting prospect next year. We couldn't be happier he's going over there. With one start to go, hopefully he goes out on the highest note of all. We'll see.”

Zandon, who returned $4 for a $2 win wager as the even-money favorite, improved his overall record to 13-3-6-3 and bankroll to $2,140,000 after earning $220,000 for Saturday's win.

Bred in Kentucky by the late Brereton C. Jones, Zandon was purchased for $170,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and is out of the Creative Cause mare Memories Prevail, a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winner Cairo Memories.

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