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Breeders’ Cup Contenders Work At Churchill Downs Saturday

Following overnight rain in the Louisville area, several Breeders' Cup contenders had their regular training schedules altered Saturday morning because of a “sloppy” track at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

However, three World Championships-bound juveniles recorded their final works prior to shipping to Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., including Lucky Seven Stable's $2 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile hope Rattle N Roll, who worked five furlongs in 1:02.40. More than three hours after Rattle N Roll breezed, Dawn and Ike Thrash's $1 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf contender Turnerloose worked five furlongs in 1:02.20 outside of Donegal Racing's $1 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf possible Ready to Purrform.

Rattle N Roll, trained by Kenny McPeek and owned by the Louisville-based Mackin family, worked at 5:40 a.m. through early fractions of :13, :25.40, and :37.20. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:16. McPeek had a busy morning with Rattle N Roll breezing at Churchill Downs while Juvenile Turf runner Tiz the Bomb and $2 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf contender Reina de Mollendo (ARG) were scheduled to work at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.

Trainer Brad Cox altered the originally-scheduled works of $6 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic top choices Essential Quality and Knicks Go to Sunday along with $2 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff contestant Shedaresthedevil.

“I think the track will dry out pretty well (Saturday) afternoon,” Cox said. “These three have an extra day in their schedule compared to Ready to Purrform and Turnerloose.”

Turnerloose and Ready to Purrform worked over the sloppy conditions for Cox at 9 a.m. through early fractions of :12.60, :24.60, and :49. Ready to Purrform needs one defection from the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf pre-entries in order to make the field.

All of the local Breeders' Cup hopefuls are scheduled to van to Indianapolis on Monday at noon (all times Eastern) for a 4 p.m. flight.

The post Breeders’ Cup Contenders Work At Churchill Downs Saturday appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Essential Quality, Medina Spirit, Letruska & Malathaat Top Breeders’ Cup Pre-Entries

Champion Essential Quality (Tapit), GI Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit (Protonico), MGISW turf star Domestic Spending (GB) (Kingman {GB}), defending GI Breeders' Cup Turf heroine Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal), top distaffer Letruska (Super Saver) and GI Kentucky Oaks victress Malathaat (Curlin) are among the 196 horses entered in the Nov. 5-6 Breeders' Cup World Championships to be held at Del Mar. This will be the second time the SoCal venue plays hosts to the Breeders' Cup, with the first being in 2017. The 56 international horses are a record number of international pre-entries for the Breeders' Cup and span seven countries: Great Britain (26), Ireland (17), Japan (8), France (2), Argentina (1), Peru (1) and South Africa (1).

Medina Spirit has already proved he could defeat his elders when dominating the GI Awesome Again S. Oct. 2, while last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Essential Quality faces them for the first time as the likely top two betting choices in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. They take on the likes of MGISW Knicks Go (Paynter), who dominated the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile last year; GI Jockey Club Gold Cup victor Max Player (Honor Code); and GI TVG Pacific Classic winner Tripoli (Kitten's Joy).

Letruska will be the bettors' top choice in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff off five straight victories, most recently taking the GI Juddmonte Spinster S. Oct. 10. Malathaat leads the sophomore filly division with three wins from four starts this season, including Saratoga's GI Alabama S. last out Aug. 21. They are joined by 2020 Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil), who enters off back-to-back wins in the Aug. 1 GI Clement L. Hirsch S. and Sept. 18 GIII Locust Grove S.; GII Zenyatta S. one-two Private Mission (Into Mischief) and As Time Goes By (American Pharoah); and six others.

A total of 22 horses were entered in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf with 14 making the body of the field, topped by last year's winner Tarnawa. Domestic Spending tops the U.S. contingent with a pair of Grade Is this year and a last-out second in the GI Mr. D. S. Aug, 14. Other top American contenders include MGISW Gufo (Declaration of War) and MGSW United (Giant's Causeway). Exactly half of the field hails from overseas, six from Europe and one from Japan, including the Aidan O'Brien-trained Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and the Charlie Appleby/Godolphin duo of Walton Street (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).

Also overdrawn by two is the GI Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup F/M Turf with 14 in the field and two on the outside. Audarya (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) is back to defend her title and is joined by six other Europeans. The Japanese have one representative and the rest of the field represents the home team, including GI Flower Bowl S. heroine War Like Goddess (English Channel) and GI Rodeo Drive S. victress Going to Vegas (Goldencents). Tarnawa is entered both here and against the boys with first preference being a title defense in the Turf.

Twenty-four horses were entered for the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile with 14 in the body and 10 outside. Eight of those are domestic runners and six foreign, including MG1SW Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). Defending winner Order of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}) was entered, but his retirement was announced later in the day. The Chad Brown-trained pair of Blowout (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and Raging Bull (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) lead the American runners.

With Knicks Go headed to the Classic, the GI Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile will be headlined by GII Kelso H. hero Life is Good (Into Mischief) and GI Met Mile winner Silver State (Hard Spun).

Grade I-winning “savage” Firenze Fire (Poseidon's Warrior) looks to close out his career on a high note before moving to Japan for his stallion career in the GI Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint S. He will have his work cut out for him with the likes of MGISWs Dr. Schivel (Violence) and Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music); and GII Vosburgh S. hero Following Sea (Runhappy) signed on.

Gamine (Into Mischief) looks to defend her title in the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint S. and will be heavily favored to do so facing just six rivals. Her top competition will likely come from fellow GI Longines Test S. winner Bella Sofia (Awesome Patiot) and MGISW Ce Ce (Elusive Quality), who was fifth in the Distaff last year.

Completing the nine Breeders' Cup races on Saturday's card is the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, which drew 19 entries. Wesley Ward saddles three of the 12 horses in the body of the field last year's GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint S. winner Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), whose dam Lady Shipman (Midshipman) came up a neck short in this event back in 2015. He is joined by stablemates Kimari (Munnings), who has not been seen since winning the GI Madison S. back in April, and Arrest Me Red (Pioneerof the Nile), winner of the GIII Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational S. Oct. 2.

The GI TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile highlights the “Future Stars Friday” card at Del Mar. Fourteen 2-year-olds are entered in this stallion-making event, topped by undefeated Grade-I winning 'TDN Rising Stars' Jack Christopher (Munnings) and Corniche (Quality Road).

Undefeated MGISW Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) looks to complete a banner year for her freshman sire as the favorite in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. She faces eight challengers, including Grade I winners Juju's Map (Liam's Map) and Ain't Easy (Into Mischief).

Fourteen horses will line up for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf with six more on the outside looking in. Eleven juveniles represent America, including unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Annapolis (War Front) and GIII Futurity S. winner Slipstream (More Than Ready). Charlie Appleby saddles two of the five European runners in Albahr (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).

The GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf drew a full field of 14 with four on the sidelines. Americans dominate yet again with eight of the entries, including GII Miss Grillo S. winner Sail By (Astern {Aus}) and GIII Matron S. heroine Bubble Rock (More Than Ready).

Rounding out the quintet of juvenile races is the only Breeders' Cup races that is not yet a Grade I, the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. Wesley Ward has won two of the previous three renewals and has two chances to repeat in Averly Jane (Midshipman) and Twilight Gleaming (Ire) (National Defense {GB}). This race was also oversubscribed with 19 entries. Of the 12 that will make up the body of the race, it is an even split between America and Europe.

The post Essential Quality, Medina Spirit, Letruska & Malathaat Top Breeders’ Cup Pre-Entries appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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No Change In Top Three Of NTRA Thoroughbred Poll; Knicks Go Leads Two Weeks Ahead Of Breeders’ Cup

There was no change in the top three positions in this week's NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll as Korea Racing Stable's 5-year-old horse Knicks Go retained his top ranking for the twelfth consecutive week in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll with 23 first place votes and 339 points. Knicks Go is expected to be sent off the favorite in the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

St. George Stable's 5-year-old mare Letruska remained in second place in the poll with six first place votes and 313 points. Trained by Fausto Gutierrez, Letruska is a leading contender for the Grade 1, $2 million Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff.

Godolphin's 3-year-old standout colt Essential Quality, who like Knicks Go is trained by 2020 Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox, remained in third place in this week's poll with seven first place votes and 299 points. Essential Quality also is being pointed for the Breeders' Cup Classic.

The lone change in this week's poll saw Roadrunner Racing, William Strauss, Boat Racing and Gainesway Stable's Hot Rod Charlie, another leading Classic contender, jump one spot to fourth place in this week's poll with 163 points. Kirk and Judy Robison's Jackie's Warrior, a leading contender for the Grade 1, $2,000,000 Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint, fell to fifth place in the voting with 159 points.

Michael Lund Petersen's Gamine, who is being pointed for the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, was sixth in the poll with 130 points. Zedan Racing Stable's Breeders' Cup Classic hopeful, Medina Spirit (122 points), remained in seventh-place, followed by Bruce Lunsford's Art Collector (92 points), George Hall's Max Player (83 points) and Klaravich Stable's Domestic Spending (70 points).

Click here for this week's complete poll results.

The post No Change In Top Three Of NTRA Thoroughbred Poll; Knicks Go Leads Two Weeks Ahead Of Breeders’ Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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No Shortage Of Pace In BC Classic If Knicks Go, Medina Spirit Start

If everything holds together and all things being equal, one thing seems certain: the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic won't be lacking for pace.

With committed front runners Medina Spirit, Knicks Go, and Art Collector all pointing to the mile and one-quarter Classic at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., Nov. 6, Vegas books might ponder offering a prop bet on which one takes the lead, if they haven't already.

Private clocker and bloodstock agent Gary Young, with an opinion usually at the ready on any racing question, was tactfully terse when asked for an analysis of the Classic now less than two weeks hence.

“There's speed in the race, but I don't know if there's Knicks Go-type of speed,” said Young, his vested interest aside since it was he who recommended owner Amr Zedan purchase Medina Spirit for the bargain price of $35,000 at last year's Ocala Two-Year-Old In Training Sale.

“Obviously, Medina's a fast horse, and Hot Rod Charlie's not a slow horse, but Knicks Go is a very fast horse. You couldn't ask for Medina Spirit to be in better hands than Johnny V's (regular rider John Velazquez).

“Medina Spirit ran well in the Sham against Life Is Good (second all the way, beaten three-quarters of a length in the one-mile race on Jan. 2), so I don't think he needs the lead to run well.

“There are some who point out he's four for four when he makes the lead, and gotten beat every time he doesn't make the lead (in three races; he did lead after bobbling in the Preakness, eventually finishing third by 5 ½ lengths).

“But I find it hard to believe a horse with his desire to win has to have the lead to do it. Usually, he's fast enough to be in front.”

Asked if speed would benefit a proven stretch runner like Essential Quality, Young said, “It all depends on how the pace plays out. I suppose the pace could be fast, but let's not forget this:

“The only other time they ran the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar (in 2017), Gun Runner, Collected and West Coast pretty much ran around there one, two, three (in the Classic). Medina Spirit seems to be doing very well, but we'll see what happens.”

Addressing Horse of the Year, despite his affinity for Medina Spirit, Young feels that all but a vacuous effort by the brown or dark bay colt would warrant the prestigious award.

“If he wins the Breeders' Cup Classic and they don't give him Horse of the Year, they might as well throw the trophy away,” Young said. “That said, he could win the Breeders' Cup Classic by five lengths and there are still going to be some haters who will not vote for him.

“But if he wins the race, I don't know how you cannot vote him Horse of the Year, I really don't.”

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