Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Michael Hernon and Gary Barber's Spanish Loveaffair leads Wednesday's JPMorgan Chase Jessamine (G2) for 2-year-old fillies on turf at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., live on NBCSN at 4 p.m. ET. The winner of the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine, which drew 11 starters, will earn an automatic berth into the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.
Wednesday's telecast, produced in association with TVG, marks the 11th and final program in this year's “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 37th Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland, scheduled for Nov. 6-7 and airing on NBC and NBCSN. The complete series TV schedule can be accessed here.
Reporting and commentary for the telecast will be provided from Keeneland by TVG's Todd Schrupp, Matt Bernier, Caton Bredar, Gabby Gaudet, Britney Eurton and Caleb Keller. Simon Bray will be providing commentary from home.
Spanish Loveaffair, a bay daughter of 2014 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) winner Karakontie (JPN), has won both her starts at Gulfstream Park. Spanish Loveaffair is trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, who won this race in 2016 with La Coronel. After breaking her maiden at 1 mile by an eye-popping 11 lengths on July 23, Spanish Loveaffair returned on Aug. 29 to win the 1-mile Sharp Susan Stakes by 1 ¼ lengths as the 1-2 favorite. Tyler Gaffalione has the mount on Spanish Loveaffair and will break from post position 10.
Among the challengers to Spanish Loveaffair is the Brad Cox-trained Aunt Pearl (IRE). In her lone start on Sept. 1 at Churchill Downs, Aunt Pearl, a bay daughter of Lope de Vega (IRE), set the early pace in a 1-mile race and drew off by 5 lengths. Owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Peter Deutsch, Michael Kisber and The Elkstone Group, Aunt Pearl will be ridden by Florent Geroux from post 7.
Another impressive debut winner is Don Alberto Stable's Ingrassia. Trained by Chad Brown, who has won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf three times, Ingrassia overcame a bumpy start in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight at Saratoga on Aug. 19 and steadily worked her way to the front to win by a nose. A daughter of Medaglia d'Oro, Ingrassia will be ridden by Javier Castellano from post 5.
Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen sends out Ben Rollins and Shelia Rollins' Beautiful Star, a daughter of two-time Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Tiznow, who was fifth in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies on Sept. 7. Adam Beschizza has the mount and will break from post position 4. Asmussen also will send out Kentucky Downs debut maiden winner Arm Candy for the partnership of Bradley Thoroughbreds, Tim Cambron, Anna Cambron and Kurz Equine Investments. Ricardo Santana Jr. will ride from post position 6.
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