Oleksandra To Point For Troy, Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint Before She Is Offered At Auction

Team Valor International's Oleksandra came out of her Grade 1 victory over males in the Grade 1 Jaipur Stakes in good shape, except for a nick on a lower front limb as a result of runner-up Kanthaka bearing into her at the break.

Trainer Neil Drysdale has decided to leave her at Belmont Park instead of returning her to Southern California. She will point for the Grade 3 Troy Stakes going 5 1/2 furlongs on grass for a $200,000 purse on the Travers Stakes undercard on Aug. 8 at Saratoga.

The 6-year-old daughter of Animal Kingdom may have one more race before contesting the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland.

“That will be her last race for Team Valor,” said Barry Irwin of Team Valor International. “She will be offered for sale after the BC at an auction in Kentucky with an as-yet undetermined agent.”

William Nader of the Hong Kong Racing Club tendered an invitation to the mare for “the world's richest turf sprint on December 13” so it is possible the mare's new owner could race her there or in Dubai over the winter before sending her off to the breeding shed.

Oleksandra became the first Australian-bred to win a Grade 1 in North America since the Pattern Race scheme went into being in 1974.

Her 101 Beyer Speed Figure was bettered on Saturday's Belmont Stakes card only by runaway Grade 1 Acorn Stakes winner Gamine.

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Australian-Bred Oleksandra Flies Late, Defeats Males In Jaipur

Team Valor International's Australian-bred mare Oleksandra made a last-to-first rally in the final quarter mile under Joel Rosario to beat males in Saturday's Grade 1 Jaipur Stakes, overtaking longshot Kanthaka in the final strides of the Win and You're In” Breeders' Cup Challenge Series race for the Turf Sprint division.

Kanthaka, who opened a lead in mid-stretch, held second, with Texas Wedge third and Stubbins fourth in the field of eight older runners.

Trained by Hall of Famer Neil Drysdale, Oleksandra covered six furlongs on firm turf in 1:06.80 and paid $6.50 to win.

Oleksandra is a 6-year-old mare by Animal Kingdom, who won the Kentucky Derby and Dubai World Cup for Team Valor. She was bred in Australia by her owner and produced from the Caesura mare, Alexandra Rose.

Pure Sensation, the 2016 Jaipur winner making his fourth appearance in the race as a 9-year-old, broke slowly and rushed to the front early, setting fractions of :21.33 and :43.62 for the opening half mile. Stubbins, in close pursuit, moved to the lead at the top of the stretch but after five furlongs in :55.10 was overtaken by Kanthaka.

Oleksandra was last as the field rounded the final turn, swung wide and overtook Kanthaka nearing the wire.

 

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Oleksandra Mows Down the Boys in the Jaipur

OLEKSANDRA (AUS) (m, 6, Animal Kingdom-Alexandra Rose {Saf}, by Caesour) got the best of the boys and secured a spot in the gate at the Breeders’ Cup with a late-rallying victory in the GI Jaipur S. at Belmont. Trailing the field early, Oleksandra bided her time as Pure Sensation (Zensational) zipped through opening splits of :21.43 and :43.52. Launching a three wide big at the top of the lane, she was still left with plenty to do as Kanthaka (Jimmy Creed) took over in the final sixteenth, but Oleksandra kept on finding to mow down her male competitors in the final strides and win by a head. Lifetime Record: 15-7-3-3.

O/B-Team Valor International (Aus); T-Neil Drysdale.

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Triple Crown News Minute Presented By Kentucky Equine Research: Mining The Belmont Stakes Undercard

Saturday's 152nd Belmont Stakes highlights a 12-race card at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., which has an 11:45 a.m. ET first post. The Belmont itself, now the opening leg of the Triple Crown and run at nine furlongs instead of its traditional mile and one-half, goes as the 10th race, with a scheduled post time of 5:42 p.m. ET, and will offer qualifying points for the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby on the basis of 150-60-30-15 to the first four finishers.

The Belmont can be seen on NBC, which will also be airing the final day of the Royal Ascot meeting on Saturday morning beginning at 9 a.m. ET

Prior to the NBC telecast, many of the Belmont undercard races can be seen on “America's Day at the Races” on the FOX Sports networks.

In today's Triple Crown News Minute, Ray Paulick and news editor Chelsea Hackbarth look at some of the horses competing in the five other graded stakes on the Belmont card, including the 9-year-old gelding Pure Sensation, making his fourth appearance in the now-Grade 1 Jaipur Stakes, a race he won in course record time in 2016.

Watch today's Triple Crown News Minute below:

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