Ms. Susan Lynas' Santosha (IRE) will bid to get her season back on track in Friday's Shadwell Rockfel Stakes (G2) at Newmarket. She is one of five 2-year-old fillies in the 7-furlong contest, which offers a guaranteed fees-paid berth into the US$1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) as part of the ”Win and You're In” international Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.
The Breeders' Cup Challenge is a series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into corresponding races of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, on Nov. 6-7.
Santosha provided young trainer David Loughnane with the biggest win of his career when landing the Princess Margaret Stakes (G3) at Ascot in July and Loughnane believes her latest run, an eighth-place finish in the Sky Bet Lowther Stakes (G2) on Aug. 20, can be ignored.
Loughnane said: “The Lowther was just one race too many for her. She got very wound up in the paddock before and then fell asleep a bit in the stalls and missed the kick. She has had a nice break since York. We feel that she has every right to be here and hopefully we can get her season back on track.”
When asked whether Santosha could head to Keeneland for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, Loughnane said: “Every race is on the table for her but we'll take it one race at a time. We certainly wouldn't turn our noses up at the Breeders' Cup if it was the right option for her.”
Aidan O'Brien has won the Shadwell Rockfel Stakes three times in his career, most recently with Just Wonderful, who won the 2018 renewal before going on to finish fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Churchill Downs. He relies on Ballylynch Stud/Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes listed winner Monday, bred in Kentucky by Chelston, Orpendale & Wynatt, in Friday's contest. Monday is the first foal out of Group 1-winning juvenile Ballydoyle (IRE). She will be ridden by Ryan Moore.
Isabella Giles (IRE), a 7-length winner of the Ladbrokes Prestige Stakes (G3) at Goodwood last time, has won three of her four career starts, with her only defeat coming at the hands of Santosha in the Princess Margaret Stakes. She is trained by Clive Cox and will be ridden by Adam Kirby.
Last year's Rockfel winner, Daahyeh (GB), went on to finish second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita. Her trainer Roger Varian, saddles Nazuna (IRE), a Kodiac (GB) filly who was second on her latest start at Doncaster.
The field is completed by Alba Rose (GB), a decisive winner of a novice stakes race over 7-furlongs at Thirsk. Mark Johnston trains the daughter of Muhaarar (GB), who will once again be ridden by Joe Fanning.
As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, the Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the winner of the Shadwell Rockfel Stakes to start in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, which will be run at 1-mile over the Keeneland turf course. Breeders' Cup also will provide a travel allowance of $40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must already be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of Oct. 26 to receive the rewards.
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