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Weekend Lineup Presented By Del Mar Ship & Win: Five Breeders’ Cup Berths On The Line At Belmont

This weekend's action is highlighted by five Breeders' Cup Challenge Series “Win and You're In” races taking place at Belmont Park, including the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup. The Belmont Park Breeders' Cup races will be televised on “America's Day at the Races” on either FS1 or FS2.

TVG will be live at Keeneland for a loaded card this Saturday featuring two graded stakes races including the Grade 1, $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup. In addition to Keeneland, the award-winning network will also be trackside at Santa Anita and Monmouth Park.

In addition to racing from Keeneland, Santa Anita and Monmouth Park, TVG will also be showing racing from Gulfstream Park West, Charles Town, Golden Gate and more.

Friday, Oct. 9

5:30 p.m.—$150,000 Grade 3 Buffalo Trace Franklin County Stakes at Keeneland on TVG

Gary Barber's multiple Grade 1 winner Got Stormy tops a field of 12 fillies and mares entered for the 24th running of the Franklin County going 5½ furlongs on the turf. Trained by Mark Casse, Got Stormy comes into Friday's race off a 3¼-length romp in the Grade 3 Ladies Sprint at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 12 going 6½ furlongs. The daughter of Get Stormy was an Eclipse Award finalist for champion turf female in 2019 after notching wins in the Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap over males and the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE100920USA9-EQB.html

Saturday, Oct. 10

1:58 p.m.—$250,000 Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park on FS1

J. Kirk and Judy Robison's Jackie's Warrior is a standout in the juvenile division with an unblemished record and will put his perfect resume on the line in the Champagne going a one-turn mile. Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Jackie's Warrior arrives at the Champagne off a 2 ¼-length victory in the Grade 1 Hopeful on Sept. 7 at Saratoga. In his prior effort, the bay son of Maclean's Music won his stakes debut in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special on Aug. 7 at the Spa by three lengths after displaying stalking tactics in his debut at Churchill Downs, which he won by 2 ½ lengths.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL101020USA4-EQB.html

2:30 p.m.—$250,000 Grade 1 Frizette Stakes at Belmont Park on FS1

Vequist proved she could dominate a Grade 1 field when she cruised to a 9 1/2-length score in her stakes debut in the Spinaway on Sept. 6 at Saratoga Race Course. She will look to show similar form on Saturday against a talented field of juvenile fillies in the Frizette contested at one mile on Belmont Park's main track. Gary Barber and Adam Wachtel purchased a 75 percent share from Swilcan Stable following Vequist's runner-up debut effort on July 29 at Parx when she ran a nose behind Niente. In her second start, the Butch Reid trainee was stretched out from 4 ½ furlongs to seven in the Spinaway.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL101020USA5-EQB.html

3:53 p.m.—$150,000 Grade 3 Monmouth Stakes at Monmouth Park on TVG

Shadwell Stable's Almanaar (GB) makes his first start since capturing last year's edition of the 1 1/8-miles Monmouth Stakes when he heads up a field of nine. Trained by Chad Brown, Almanaar displayed an affinity for the Monmouth course when he captured the Monmouth Stakes last May 25 but the son of Dubawi (IRE) has been on the shelf since.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/MTH101020USA8-EQB.html

4:14 p.m.—$250,000 Grade 1 Flower Bowl Stakes at Belmont Park on FS2

The top-four finishers in the Grade 2 Glens Falls last month at Saratoga Race Course will each vie for supremacy again in Saturday's rematch that highlights the Flower Bowl for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going 1 1/4 miles on the inner turf. Allen Stable's Civil Union, trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, outkicked the Chad Brown trainee My Sister Nat by one length in the Glens Falls going 1 3/8 miles on Sept. 5. Civil Union, a 5-year-old War Front mare, has won three in a row, starting with a 1 ¼-mile allowance tilt on the Belmont turf on June 21 before winning the River Memories on the same track going 1 1/2 miles on July 12.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL101020USA8-EQB.html

4:48 p.m.—$250,000 Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on FS2

Juddmonte Farms' three-time graded stakes-winning multimillionaire Tacitus will look to secure his first career Grade 1 triumph in the 102nd running of the Jockey Club Gold Cup going the classic distance of 1 ¼ miles. Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, a three-time Jockey Club Gold Cup winner, Tacitus was third in last year's edition and was most recently second as the favorite in the Grade 1 Woodward on Sept. 5 at Saratoga, where he chased a slow pace tracking a half-length off Global Campaign but was unable to catch the pacesetter, who strolled home a 1 ¾-length winner.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL101020USA9-EQB.html

4:57 p.m.—$200,000 Grade 2 Fayette Stakes at Keeneland on TVG

Parque Patricios Racing Stables' Mirinaque (ARG), a two-time Group 1 winner in Argentina, headlines a field of 10 runners for the 63rd running of the Fayette Stakes. Trained by Maria Munoz, Mirinaque finished fifth in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on Aug. 22 at Del Mar in his U.S. debut. Coming back for another try in the Fayette is Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister's Mr Freeze. Second in the race last year that was run over a sloppy track, the Dale Romans trainee exits a sixth-place finish in the Grade 2 Alysheba on Sept. 4 at Churchill Downs.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE101020USA8-EQB.html

5:20 p.m.—$150,000 Grade 2 Sands Point Stakes at Belmont Park on FS2

Trainer Chad Brown will saddle a pair of contenders led by multiple graded-stakes winner Selflessly and French-bred Tamahere as the four-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner looks to secure his fourth win in Saturday's Sands Point, a one-mile Widener turf test. Selflessly stumbled at the start of her seasonal debut when fifth in the Grade 3 Wonder Again on June 20 at Belmont, but returned to form last out when a nose winner of the one-mile Grade 3 Lake George at Saratoga on Aug. 28, when besting multiple graded-stakes winner Sweet Melania.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL101020USA10-EQB.html

5:30 p.m.—$500,000 Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes at Keeneland on TVG

Lael Stables' Magic Attitude (GB) headlines a field of nine for the 37th running of the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup going 1 1/8-miles. Trained by Arnaud Delacour, Magic Attitude comes to Keeneland off a 2¼-length victory over Antoinette in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational in her U.S. debut. Antoinette, owned and bred by Godolphin, won the Saratoga Oaks in her start prior to the Belmont Oaks.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE101020USA9-EQB.html

Sunday, Oct. 11

4:12 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Futurity Stakes at Belmont Park on FS1

Ironhorse Racing Stable and Secure Investments' Momos will look to build on a third-place effort last out in his graded stakes debut when he tries turf for the first time in the Futurity for 2-year-olds going six furlongs on Belmont Park's Widener course. Momos won his debut for trainer Christophe Clement with a 6 1/2-length maiden win going 5 ½ furlongs on July 18 over Saratoga Race Course's main track. Returning just three weeks later, the Distorted Humor colt ran third in the six-furlong Grade 2 Saratoga Special, finishing behind winner and eventual Grade 1 Hopeful victor Jackie's Warrior.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL101120USA7-EQB.html

5:20 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Matron Stakes at Belmont Park on FS1

Three Chimneys Farm's Royal Approval will seek to parlay an impressive maiden victory into graded stakes company when taking on seven other juvenile fillies in the 111th running of the Matron going six furlongs over the Widener turf. Trained by Wesley Ward, who saddled Happy Like a Fool to victory in the 2017 Matron, Royal Approval arrives off her best performance yet when besting a maiden special weight field going 6 ½ furlongs at Kentucky Downs, where she drew off to a 6 ¼ length victory.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL101120USA9-EQB.html

5:42 p.m.—$125,000 Grade 3 Durham Cup Stakes at Woodbine on TVG

Armistice Day, owned by Bruce Lunsford and Lansdon Robbins, faces six rivals in the Durham Cup, a 1 1/16-mile main track test. Bred in Kentucky by Glenvale Stud, four-year-old Armistice Day, the son of Declaration of War-Harmony Lodge, will chase his second stakes score and first graded stakes title on Sunday. Campaigned by trainer Barbara Minshall, Armistice Day, who took last year's Toronto Cup, has compiled a 3-2-2 record from 15 starts.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO101120CAN9-EQB.html

The post Weekend Lineup Presented By Del Mar Ship & Win: Five Breeders’ Cup Berths On The Line At Belmont appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Fayette: Wet Track Could Be Problematic For Tax Off The Layoff

The only time Tax has run at Keeneland was two years ago in a $50,000 maiden claiming race. The stakes will be much higher Saturday when the now 4-year-old gelding goes postward in the 63rd running of the $200,000 Hagyard Fayette (G2).

“He's doing well,” said trainer Danny Gargan, who claimed Tax out of that Keeneland race. “I gave him three months off (after the May 2 Oaklawn Handicap-G2) because he really hadn't had a break.”

Now owned by the partnership of R. A. Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Hugh Lynch and Corms Racing Stable, Tax won the Jim Dandy (G2) and the Withers (G3). He also finished second in the Wood Memorial (G2) and Discovery (G3).

“I had targeted this race (Hagyard Fayette) because I like the mile and an eighth (distance),” Gargan said. “I didn't want to go a mile and a quarter right off the bench.”

One concern of Gargan's for Saturday is the strong possibility of rain most of the day and the chance for an off track. In Tax's only off-track race, he was 14th in last year's Kentucky Derby (G1) Presented by Woodford Reserve.

“That one probably shouldn't count because it was more like a swamp,” Gargan said.

The post Fayette: Wet Track Could Be Problematic For Tax Off The Layoff appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Looking for ‘Magic’ in the QEII

Newcomer Magic Attitude (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) marked her U.S. debut with an emphatic score in the Sept. 19 GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. and will try to remain undefeated at the highest level in this country in Saturday’s GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. at Keeneland. A winner of one of three starts in France for trainer Fabrice Chappet and owner Haras du Saubouas, the English-bred returned off an eight-month layoff to take ParisLongchamp’s G3 Prix Vanteaux in May before finishing runner up in the G1 Prix Saint Alary at Chantilly in June. Transferred to her new trainer Arnaud Delacour following a fifth in the July 5 G1 Prix de Diane, the Lael Stables runner overcame a wide trip to win the 10-furlong Oaks Sept. 19 and will reunite with Javier Castellano, who was aboard for her U.S. unveiling.

Fellow Grade I-winner Red Lark (Ire) (Epaulette {Aus}) also tries to add another top tier tally to her record. Winless in three starts in Ireland last term, the Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners runner won her second U.S. start going nine furlongs on the Santa Anita turf in February before finishing off the board in her next two black-type appearances at that Arcadia oval. Second in the GIII Wilshire S. June 20, the Paddy Gallagher trainee was third–beaten a length–in a Del Mar optional claimer July 12 before attaining a career high in the GI Del Mar Oaks Aug. 22.

One of two fillies by Triple Crown hero American Pharoah in the field, Sweet Melania kicked off the season with a wire-to-wire win in Belmont’s one-mile GIII Wonder Again S. June 20 before getting nipped in the Aug. 28 GIII Lake George S. at Saratoga. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the Robert and Lawana Low representative already has registered a win over the surface, having taken last fall’s GII Jessamine S. at Keeneland.

Also, sired by American Pharoah, Harvey’s Lil Goil tries to recapture the form that saw her win the nine-furlong GIII Regret S. at Churchill Downs. Third returning to the dirt for the 10-furlong GI Alabama S. at Saratoga Aug. 15, the Bill Mott pupil just missed by a neck in the Dueling Grounds Oaks over 10 1/2 furlongs at Kentucky Downs Sept. 10. Mott also saddles Belmont Oaks runner-up Antoinette (Hard Spun).

The post Looking for ‘Magic’ in the QEII appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Vekoma Training Up to Breeders’ Cup

After missing an intended start in the GI Forego S. at Saratoga in late August with a foot abscess, the talented Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}) is training up to next month’s Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland.

The chestnut punched his ticket(s) to Lexington with eye-catching victories at Belmont Park in the ‘Win and You’re In’ GI Runhappy Carter H. June 6 (GI Sprint) and GI Runhappy Metropolitan H. last time July 4 (GI Dirt Mile). He kicked off his 4-year-old campaign with a sharp win in Gulfstream’s Sir Shackleton S. Mar. 28.

A perfect five-for-five in starts around one turn, Vekoma earned a career-best 110 Beyer Speed Figure in the seven-furlong Carter, the co-second fastest rating earned up to one mile on dirt in 2020.

So what will it be, the Sprint or Dirt Mile?

“I think we’re leaning toward the Sprint, but that’s not written in stone,” Weaver replied. “It’s not the easiest decision in the world. I think he could win both races. There’s a lot of factors going into it–the competition, what it means for him as far as Eclipse Awards, etc. I kind of lean toward the Sprint right now, but the [owners] Gatsas Stables and Randy Hill and I will get together as we get closer and nail that decision down.”

Vekoma has posted four breezes at Weaver’s Saratoga base since early September, most recently working five furlongs over the Oklahoma training track in 1:02.65 (5/9) Oct. 2.

“The horse is training well,” Weaver said. “He had a nice work [Oct. 2]. He’s really coming along well. Probably got three more breezes and we’ll be ready to roll.”

The $135,000 KEESEP yearling purchase, also the winner of the GIII Nashua S. at two and GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at three, suffered his lone off-the-board finish crossing the wire 13th in the slop in the GI Kentucky Derby. He’s been perfect in three attempts since.

“He’s always been a star,” Weaver said. “He trained like a really good horse before he ever ran. We gave him some time off [following the Derby] to bring him back as a 4-year-old and we were just hoping he’d come back and show how good he really was. He’s a May baby, and he’s really filled out and matured quite a bit. He’s a beast of a horse now.”

It was announced in July that B. Wayne Hughes’s Spendthrift Farm had acquired the breeding rights to Vekoma. Bred in Kentucky by Alpha Delta Stables, he is out of the GISW Mona de Momma (Speightstown).

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