“I go by three or four major things,” said Brant. “The mare's race record in terms of distance, speed, turn of foot, whether they don't have much of a turn of foot, if they're just stayers and gallopers. And then I do the same with the stallions, and then I nick them with the ones I have chosen. Some nick really well, and some don't. You have to handicap that really well; for example, if it's an American or European-bred stallion standing in Japan, there might not be any existing examples of that nick. So, I do the nicks, then I do the physicals–if the horse turns out, is weak behind, doesn't have a good shoulder, has a really good girth. I try to complement the type. The head and eye are very important. And then I hope for the best! You try to get the best stallion cross, get the very best mares to the very best stallions, and for the others, the ones who complement them more. For the best mares, we try to get to the very best stallions we can. We try to breed to the stallions we've raced–Raging Bull, Sottass, Demarchelier. The first year, we'll send them six or seven mares, the second year, maybe five; and the third year, sometimes more and sometimes less, depending upon what they need.”

“It takes a long time,” he continued. “I usually start working on it at Saratoga, and I finish right about now. But I think it's made a difference. If a mare is proven and I really like the horse she's thrown by that sire, I normally will go back to that sire.”

With all that in mind, here are Brant's matings for his mares in America. See today's TDN European edition for mating plans for his mares in Europe, or click here to read it online.

BOSTON POST ROAD (5, Quality Road-Lemon Bay, by Bernardini) to be bred to Life Is Good

We have just retired Boston Post Road this year. She's a dirt horse who won the Pumpkin Pie Stakes this fall. She's got a nice turn of foot. She's a great miler and I like to breed like kinds, miler to miler. Life is Good is a mile to a mile-and-an-eighth horse, and I like the cross with Into Mischief and Quality Road.

CAFE AMERICANO (7, Medaglia d'Oro-Roxy Gap, by Indian Charlie), will be bred to Into Mischief

She a horse with a lot of ability by Medaglia. She's a turf mare, and I normally would have chosen him for a dirt horse, but then we won the Queen Elizabeth with Gina Romantica (Into Mischief) and I see Into Mischief is getting good grass horses, too. And, the nick and the conformation complement each other.

DUNBAR ROAD (7, Quality Road-Gift List, by Bernardini) will be bred to Into Mischief

Dunbar Road was second in the Breeders' Cup Distaff in 2021, and she won the Alabama in 2019. She's a dirt mare, a mile-and-a-quarter mare, and I thought he would complement her.

ENCHANTED ROCK (19, Giant's Causeway-Chic Shirine, by Mr. Prospector) will be bred to Early Voting

Enchanted Rock is the dam of Verrazano and I wanted to breed her to a younger horse, so I'm breeding her to Early Voting. She's by Giant's Causeway, and that crosses well with Gun Runner (to whom she was bred in 2022). Early Voting won the Preakness, and he had a lot of speed, but also could carry it. She's 19, she's the dam of several stakes winners, King Ranch breeding, and I wanted a younger horse for her.

PAID UP SUBSCRIBER (m, 11, Candy Ride {Arg}-Shriek, by Street Cry {Ire}) to be bred to Quality Road

I have a filly out of Paid Up Subscriber by Quality Road who looks like our best two-year-old filly so far. Her name is Round Hill Road, so we're going back to him.

REGAL GLORY (7, Animal Kingdom-Mary's Follies, by More Than Ready) will be bred to Into Mischief

Regal Glory (last seen winning the GI Matriarch S. on Dec. 4) is retiring, and again I'm breeding like kind to like kind. She was a mile, mile-and-a-sixteenth, mile-and-an-eighth horse with a great turn of foot, great speed, great speed ratings, and a solid-looking, beautiful mare.  I was on the fence between Gun Runner and Into Mischief, and I went with him. I like both stallions a lot.

WOW CAT (8, Lookin At Lucky-Winter Cat {Chi}), by Cat Thief), to be bred to Gun Runner

She's a multiple Group 1 winner who was second in the Breeders' Cup Distaff and we really like her foals.

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REGAL GLORY
In discussing the rationale for keeping 'TDN Rising Star' Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom) in training for a 6-year-old campaign following her victory in Keeneland's GI Jenny Wiley S., trainer Chad Brown recalled a conversation with owner Peter Brant.

Said Brown, “I probably would have bred her and he said, 'No, she's in good form and I want to see her run another year. I have a feeling this is her year.”

It turned out to be the most prescient of comments when the chestnut mare outpointed her commonly owned stablemate and fellow 'Rising Star' In Italian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and War Like Goddess (English Channel) to take home the statuette. Regal Glory is a seventh female turf champ–the fifth in the last six years–conditioned by Chad Brown and a third for Brant, joining Just A Game (1980) and Sistercharlie (Ire) (2018).

Acquired by Brant for joint-best $925,000 out of the Paul Pompa dispersal at Keeneland January in 2021, Regal Glory closed the season with a win in the GI Matriarch S., but the best was yet to come. Having kicked off the year with a decisive victory in the GIII Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf, the chestnut made best work of her superior turn of foot to beat stablemate Shantisara (Ire) (Coulsty {Ire}) in the Jenny Wiley. Making her third straight appearance in the GI Just A Game S., Regal Glory powered home as much the best but was beaten into second when heavily favored in her next two–in the GI Fourstardave H. against the boys and to In Italian in the GI First Lady S. Fractionally disappointing when 10th to champion Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile, she turned in arguably the best performance of any turf distaffer when whooshing home by better than five lengths in the Matriarch, becoming the first since Flawlessly to repeat in the event.

Regal Glory has joined Brant's high-class broodmare band and is set to visit Into Mischief this season.

–Alan Carasso

MODERN GAMES (IRE)
One of the marks of an Eclipse Award winner is the ability to successfully take on older, more experienced company, and that is certainly what Modern Games did during his 3-year-old trans-Atlantic 2022 campaign when he was guided every step of the way by regular rider William Buick. Off his Del Mar Breeders' Cup victory in the GI Juvenile Turf, in which he ran only for purse money for trainer Charlie Appleby, the chestnut tuned up in mid-May at ParisLongchamp against his own age group in the G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains to win by 1 1/4 lengths.

In late July, after finishing second to the now-retired powerhouse Baaeed (GB) (See The Stars {Ire}) in the G1 Qatar Sussex S. at Goodwood, the colt shipped to the U.S. for the GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile in September. Taking on a well-matched field, Modern Games rallied for an impressive 5 1/4-length victory. Returning to the Breeders' Cup for the GI FanDuel Mile, this time at Keeneland, the Godolphin homebred angled out at the top of the lane and mounted a furious charge to secure a 3/4-length win in what was his final race of the year.

Modern Games is expected to return to racing as a 4-year-old.

“Next year, the Queen Anne [at Royal Ascot] is the obvious target,” said Appleby after the Breeders' Cup win. “He's getting fanfare around the world and it was great to see him applauded this year, not like last year, which was no fault of his own. We'll look to bring him back here [Breeders' Cup] next year.”

–J.N Campbell

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The Thoroughbred Daily News Staff that are members of the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters (NTWAB) submitted their selections this week and here is a rundown of the results from some of the categories, along with their 'strongest vote.'

Bill
Horse of the Year: Flightline
3-Year-Old Male: Taiba
3-Year-Old Filly: Nest
2-Year-Old Male: Forte
Male Sprinter: Elite Power
Female Turf Horse: Regal Glory
Older Dirt Female: Malathaat
Owner: Godolphin
Breeder: Godolphin
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Strongest Vote: Epicenter is a deserving champ, but with Taiba having three Grade I wins to Epicenter's one, I went for Taiba in the 3-year-old male division.

Alan
Horse of the Year: Flightline
3-Year-Old Male: Epicenter
3-Year-Old Filly: Nest
2-Year-Old Male: Forte
Male Sprinter: Jackie's Warrior
Female Turf Horse: Regal Glory
Older Dirt Female: Malathaat
Owner: Godolphin
Breeder: Godolphin
Trainer: Chad Brown
Strongest Vote: Though she stubbed her toe against the boys and even with a head-to-head defeat to her commonly owned stablemate In Italian, Regal Glory gets the slight nod for three very strong top-level scores in 2022.

Christina
Horse of the Year: Flightline
3-Year-Old Male: Epicenter
3-Year-Old Filly: Nest
2-Year-Old Male: Forte
Male Sprinter: Elite Power
Female Turf Horse: In Italian
Older Dirt Female: Malathaat
Owner: Godolphin
Breeder: Godolphin
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Strongest Vote: Looking at this year's Eclipse voting, TAP holds a strong hand with both fillies and colts, horses of varying ages and across several divisions. In my opinion, he is dominance personified.

Sara
Horse of the Year: Flightline
3-Year-Old Male: Epicenter
3-Year-Old Filly: Nest
2-Year-Old Male: Forte
Male Sprinter: Jackie's Warrior
Female Turf Horse: Regal Glory
Older Dirt Female: Malathaat
Owner: Godolphin
Breeder: Godolphin
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Strongest Vote: Malathaat is my top pick this year. She not only continued the momentum from her season as a champion 3-year-old, but built upon that success with an ultra-impressive blend of tenacity and heart, topped by a breathtaking performance in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff.

J.N.
Horse of the Year: Flightline
3-Year-Old Male: Modern Games (Ire)
3-Year-Old Filly: Nest
2-Year-Old Male: Forte
Male Sprinter: Cody's Wish
Female Turf Horse: Regal Glory
Older Dirt Female: Malathaat
Owner: Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, Summer Wind Equine, West Point Thoroughbreds
Breeder: Summer Wind Equine
Trainer: John Sadler
Strongest Vote: It was Flightline and Co.'s year, but lest we forget that Modern Games won a pair of Grade Is in North America against older (which included the Breeders' Cup Mile), which tells me this turf horse earned the bob in the hotly contested 3-year-old male division.

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The January Sale catalog now is available online at Keeneland.com. Print catalogs are scheduled to arrive in the mail the week of Dec. 19.

“Because the January Sale is held at the crossroads of racing and breeding seasons, the auction is a terrific opportunity for horsemen to plan for the future, whether they are breeders who seek broodmares and broodmare prospects for the coming breeding season or owners and trainers focused on the track who want to obtain newly turned yearlings and horses of racing age,” Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said.

Denali Stud, agent, will handle 54 horses cataloged in the Dispersal of successful New York breeder Patricia Generazio. Among them are stakes winner Mischievous Dream (Into Mischief) along with Pure Bode (Bodemeister) and Marquet Legacy (Gio Ponti), who are all cataloged as racing or broodmare prospects.

The most recent graduate of the January Sale to excel at the highest level is Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom), who captured the GI Matriarch S. Sunday for her third Grade I win of the year. In addition, stakes winners of 2022 who were sold as yearlings at the January Sale include Grade I-winning juveniles And Tell Me Nolies (Arrogate) and Blazing Sevens (Good Magic) as well as MGSW Interstatedaydream (Classic Empire).

Each session of the January Sale begins at 10 a.m. ET. The schedule is as follows, with Book 1 settling Monday-Tuesday, Jan. 9-10 and Book 2 going Wednesday-Thursday, Jan. 11-12. The entire January Sale will be livestreamed at Keeneland.com and will be aired on the FanDuel Plus App. Scott Hazelton will report periodically on the first two sessions on FanDuel TV.

The January Sale catalog includes mares in foal to prominent stallions and emerging young sires. Among them is Charlatan, the leading covering sire at Keeneland's November Breeding Stock Sale. Additional covering sires include American Pharoah, Army Mule, Audible, Authentic, Bolt d'Oro, Constitution, Essential Quality, Girvin, Good Magic, Gun Runner, Hard Spun, Justify, Kitten's Joy, Knicks Go, Liam's Map, Medaglia d'Oro, McKinzie, No Nay Never, Not This Time, Quality Road, Sharp Azteca, Uncle Mo and Vekoma.

Among the sires of yearlings in the catalog are Audible, Authentic, City of Light, Constitution, Curlin, Good Magic, Gun Runner, Justify, Maclean's Music, McKinzie, Not This Time, Omaha Beach, Quality Road, Uncle Mo, Vekoma, Volatile and War of Will.

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Prohibitively favored off a 10th-place effort behind Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland Nov. 4, the blaze-faced chestnut was a bit tardy from the stalls and landed in fourth position as Hamwood Flier (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) was loose on the lead through a moderate opening couple of furlongs in :23.58, but she got aggressive beneath Mike Smith and covered an internal quarter-mile in a taxing :22.54.

Still as many as eight lengths clear as they raced around the turn, Regal Glory commenced her rally three wide with 2 1/2 furlongs to go, swallowed up the spent pacesetter with what has become her trademark turn of foot and sped clear. England's Rose (English Channel) took a three-way photo for second over course-and-distance GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). Hamwood Flier rounded out the superfecta.

“I had great respect for Mike's [Smith] filly, but there was nothing I could do about it then,” said the in-form Flavien Prat. “My mare had to run her race. Once she got going, I knew we were going to be all right.”

Brant acquired Regal Glory, theretofore a dual graded winner, for a joint sales-topping $925,000 out of the Paul Pompa dispersal at the 2021 Keeneland January sale and the mare earned back about half that investment at the races last year, capped by her season-ending victory in this event. Kept in training for a 6-year-old season, Regal Glory landed her seasonal debut in the GIII Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf in January, then outkicked favored stablemate Shantisara (Ire) (Coulsty {Fr}) to score by a length in Keeneland's GI Jenny Wiley S. in April.

“It was [Brant's] call to keep her in training this year,” Brown said after a record fifth Jenny Wiley that took him past Frankel and Bill Mott. “I probably would have bred her, and he said, 'No, she's in good form and I want to see her run another year. I have a feeling this is her year.'”

So much so that an Eclipse statuette just might be waiting for her in Florida come January.

To her Jenny Wiley, Regal Glory added the GI Just A Game S. and was second versus the males in the GI Fourstardave H. and again to the commonly owned, loose-on-the-lead stable companion 'Rising Star' In Italian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the GI First Lady S. ahead of her Breeders' Cup try.

Assistant trainer Jose Hernandez confirmed Regal Glory had run her last race.

“We're going to miss her. We've had a lot of nice moments, a lot of nice races,” he said.

Pedigree Notes:

Regal Glory's dam Mary's Follies won the 2009 GIII Boiling Springs S. for the late John Forbes and was acquired privately by Pompa, for whom she posted her best victory in that year's GII Mrs. Revere S. while under the care of Rick Dutrow.

Her foal of 2012, Night Prowler carried the Pompa colors to a pair of scores at the graded level for Pompa and Brown, and Regal Glory's half-brother Cafe Pharoah did his part with a pair of Group 3 victories in Japan as a 3-year-old in 2020. Mary's Follies's current 2-year-old is the colt Ready To Connect (Connect), a maiden winner at Ta'if, Saudi Arabia, in his second career start this past July.

Mary's Follies was purchased by the BBA Ireland for $500,000 out of the aforementioned dispersal after aborting her Curlin foal and produced a full-brother to Cafe Pharoah this past February before visiting Into Mischief.

Sunday, Del Mar
MATRIARCH S.-GI, $401,500, Del Mar, 12-4, 3yo/up, f/m, 1mT, 1:33.60, fm.
1–REGAL GLORY, 123, m, 6, by Animal Kingdom
1st Dam: Mary's Follies (MGSW, $338,889), by More Than Ready
2nd Dam: Catch the Queen, by Miswaki
3rd Dam: Wave to the Queen, by Wavering Monarch
'TDN Rising Star'. ($925,000 5yo '21 KEEJAN). O-Peter M.
Brant; B-Paul P Pompa (KY); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Flavien Prat.
$240,000. Lifetime Record: 23-13-6-0, $2,619,134. *1/2 to
Night Prowler (Giant's Causeway), MGSW, $535,682;
Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah), MG1SW-Jpn, $3,414,646.
Werk Nick Rating: A++.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–England's Rose, 123, m, 6, by English Channel
1st Dam: Gingham and Lace (SP), by Kris S.
2nd Dam: In the Till, by Mr. Prospector
3rd Dam: Silent Account, by Private Account
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($35,000 RNA Wlg '16 KEENOV; $140,000
Ylg '17 KEESEP). O-Mercedes Stables LLC, West Point
Thoroughbreds, Scott Dilworth, Dorothy & David Ingordo &
Steve Mooney; B-St. George Farm LLC (KY); T-John A.
Shirreffs. $80,000.
3–Pizza Bianca, 120, f, 3, by Fastnet Rock (Aus)
1st Dam: White Hot (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
 2nd Dam: Gwynn (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)
 3rd Dam: Victoress, by Conquistador Cielo
($3,450,000 RNA 3yo '22 FTKNOV). O/B-B. Flay Thoroughbreds
(KY); T-Christophe Clement. $48,000.
Margins: 5 1/4, NO, HD. Odds: 0.60, 17.50, 13.00.
Also Ran: Hamwood Flier (Ire), Avenue de France (Fr), Dolce Zel (Fr), Bipartisanship (GB), Eddie's New Dream. Scratched: Gold for Kitten, Wakanaka (Ire).
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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With both War Like Goddess (English Channel) and stablemate In Italian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), her two main rivals for the Eclipse, done for the season, Regal Glory, winner of this race last term, enters off a 10th-place finish in the GI Fanduel Breeders' Cup Mile behind Europe's best males, including winner Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Despite being one of only two 6-year-olds in the field, Regal Glory has already a pair of Grade I wins this year and was a narrow second to Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) in the GI Fourstardave H. at Saratoga Aug. 13 in her first try against males.

Last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) will look to return to the form that saw her earn a trip to Royal Ascot earlier this summer. A stakes winner already this season in Pimlico's Hilltop S. May 20, Pizza Bianca suffered an abysmal trip in the G1 Coronation S. at Ascot and didn't return stateside until a last-out fourth in the

GII Sands Point S. at Belmont's Aqueduct meeting Oct. 15, where she matched her career high 85 Beyer Speed Figure.

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So, I decided I'd share my opinions on who has stood out this week with our TDN readers as well. Quick disclaimer: I have not seen every single Breeders' Cup horse, but I have seen many of them.

It is the World Championships, so, of course, every horse here looks fantastic. This list is just a few of the horses who have really caught my eye in the mornings based on physical condition, mental composure and/or movement over the racetrack. It is purely based on trackside impressions, not on past performances.

• FLIGHTLINE (Tapit) – Classic

As expected, the unbeaten sensation Flightline looks as good as he runs. I had the privilege of watching the GI Breeders' Cup Classic favorite grow up from the time he was a young foal until he sold at Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga Sale thanks to his wonderful breeder Jane Lyon. This was the first time I had seen him since and he certainly did not disappoint. Everything about the striking bay just screams athlete. He gobbles up ground in an effortless manner and the only indication of the amount of pure force and power being exerted is his rider Juan Leyva's tight hold and defensive stature in the saddle as he tries to rein in what trainer John Sadler referred to as a hurricane. Flightline is all business both on the track and when touring the barn or paddock. He has the cat-like walk all bloodstock agents and paddock analysts look for and never turned a hair despite the throng of media following his every move all week. In short, Flightline is exactly as advertised.

• MALATHAAT (Curlin) – Distaff

To sum it up in one word, Malathaat is a queen. She oozes class in everything she does. Between her big white blaze, beautiful physical and eager gallop, the Shadwell colorbearer immediately grabs the attention of anyone in her presence. Trainer Todd Pletcher has been sending her out with the pony this week as rider Amelia Green said the filly knows the race is near and has been ready to roll in the mornings. The bay has been quite pleased with her sidekick and bounds off readily as soon as she is turned free from him. Her perfect record at Keeneland already indicates her love for this surface and she skipped over it with ease each morning.

• NEST (Curlin) – Distaff

I have had a hard time trying to decide whether I prefer the aforementioned champion Malathaat or her year-younger stablemate Nest, who has been nothing short of phenomenal this year. Unfortunately, seeing them both in the flesh did not help me choose as Nest is also quite eye-catching on the racetrack. If Malathaat is the queen, then Nest is certainly the princess. She bounces out alongside the pony and stands at attention as she waits to be let loose. Once given the signal, the bay leaps into action and coasts long on cruise control. Like her barnmate, Nest could not look any better in flesh, coat or movement.

• CAVE ROCK (Arrogate) – Juvenile

Cave Rock is another whose physical certainly matches up with his strong performances. Despite his plain brown wrapper, the Bob Baffert runner immediately attracts the eye when he enters the track. He is very good-minded, especially for a 2-year-old who has never raced outside of California. He remained focused as he jogged backwards alongside assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes and kept that focus during his gallops and even during his paddock tour Wednesday. The paddock was full with media awaiting Flightline and Cave Rock strolled along beside his groom like a dog out for a walk, never turning a hair. His calm and cool attitude is reminiscent of his late, great sire. Back to his gallops, the dark bay is very light on his feet and travels over the Keeneland surface quite nicely.

• CARAVEL (Mizzen Mast) – Turf Sprint

While she is a longshot on paper, Caravel could not look better in the mornings. The petite gray travels like a freight train, charging around the Keeneland oval like a mare on a mission with her neck bowed and back nice and round. When I saw her in the paddock later on, Caravel walked along with her head low and relaxed, quite the contrast from her on-track persona.

• MODERN GAMES (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}) – Mile

   Modern Games just looks like the happiest horse on the planet. He always has his ears pricked and a very pleasant expression on his face, no matter what he is doing. The chestnut, who seeks his second World Championships win, thunders over the track powerfully, ensuring he is not missed by any onlookers. The European invader's chestnut coat gleams like a new penny and he is fit as a fiddle.

• REGAL GLORY (Animal Kingdom) – Mile

    Regal Glory is just an extremely cool horse in every sense of the word. The flashy chestnut has the presence to match her accomplishments when she enters the track. Training late when the track is quieter, Regal Glory jogs onto the track with enthusiasm every morning, head held high and ears at full attention as she takes in her adoring fans. She sails over the dirt with ease and will only look better on the turf course. The Peter Brant colorbearer is another who could not look better as far as coat and muscle condition.

• EPICENTER (Not This Time) – Classic

If his morning appearance is any indication, Epicenter looks ready to rumble. The bay is a big ball of muscle with a gleaming coat to match. The sophomore has been under a snug hold by his rider and/or attached to a pony at his trainer's side each morning, which is an indication of his readiness. Epicenter travels over the track with big, powerful strides and is quite at home over the Lexington oval.

• HONORABLE MENTIONS: Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) (Sprint), Arrest Me Red (Pioneerof the Nile) (Turf Sprint), Laurel River (Into Mischief) (Dirt Mile), Taiba (Gun Runner) (Classic), Atomically (Girvin) (Juvenile Fillies), Forte (Violence) (Juvenile), Order of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}) (Mile), Life Is Good (Into Mischief) (Classic), Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) (Classic), Oxymore (Astern {Aus}) (Juvenile Turf Sprint), and Andthewinneris (Oscar Performance) (Juvenile Turf).

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“I told Juan to go in a minute and change and out [seven-eighths] in 1:26, and that's what he did,” trainer John Sadler said. “Juan's a great work rider. It was not about going fast today, just getting around there happy today.”

Flightline arrived at Keeneland Sunday from his Santa Anita home base.

“He's had a good week and gotten settled in, and the track is a little similar to Del Mar,” Sadler said, noting that Flightline's schedule for next week will include returning to the track to jog Monday, gallop Tuesday through Friday and not go to the track the morning of the Classic.

Life Is Good Tops Pletcher Workers

Classic contender and 'TDN Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into Mischief) worked five furlongs in 1:00.60 on his own at Keeneland Saturday with fractions of :12, :24.60, :49, 1:00.60 then out six furlongs in 1:13.20, seven-eighths in 1:25.80 and the mile in 1:39.80.

“He is a superior work horse,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “Today was typical of what we have seen his whole career.”

Pletcher is confident his charge will get the 10-furlong distance this time after a failed effort in the G1 Dubai World Cup.

“He is hard to pull up at the end [of his workouts],” the conditioner said. “We are eager to run on a real track not like in Dubai, which was really deep that night. I think that played against him.”

Pletcher's other Classic pre-entrant Happy Saver (Super Saver) had what the trainer called a “spirited gallop” in lieu of a timed breeze.

“We let him two-minute clip the whole way around,” Pletcher said. “We are going to do similar to what we did before the [GI Met Mile]: just one breeze two weeks out. He tends to run better when he is fresh. He'll have a few more strong gallops. He won't breeze again.”

Also working this morning on the main track for Pletcher were GI Breeders' Cup Distaff runners Nest (Curlin) and Malathaat (Curlin). In company with recent maiden winner Inventing (Union Rags), Nest worked a half-mile in :50.40. Malathaat worked a half-mile in :49.60 with the 3-year-old maiden Old Point (Curlin).

Working on the grass together were GI Shadwell Mile winner Annapolis GI (Mile) and GII Pilgrim S. victor Major Dude (GI Juvenile Turf), who were timed in :50.40 for a half-mile.

Charlie Puts in Final Classic Prep

Gutsy GII Lukas Classic winner Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) also had his final breeze ahead of the BC Classic Saturday in Lexington, going six panels in company in 1:12.80.

“He looked good and I got him in 1:12 4/5,” trainer Doug O'Neill said.

Other O'Neill BC workers included Awake At Midnyte (Nyquist) (5f, 1:01.20, Distaff), Slow Down Andy (Nyquist) (5f, 1:00.40, GI Dirt Mile), Vegas Magic (Good Magic) (5f, 1:02.20, GI Juvenile Fillies) and Sharp Aza Tack (Sharp Azteca) (5f, 1:01 on the training track, GI Juvenile Turf Sprint).

Brown Breezes BC Contingent

Jack Christopher | Coady

Trainer Chad Brown sent out a dozen of his Breeders' Cup pre-entrants, with seven working on the dirt and five on the turf at Keeneland Saturday.

Working a half-mile on the dirt were MGISW Jack Christopher (Munnings) (:48.60, GI Sprint or Dirt Mile), Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper) (:47.80, GI Filly and Mare Sprint), Blazing Sevens (Good Magic) (:47.20, GI Juvenile) and working in company I'm Very Busy (Cloud Computing) and Oxymore (Astern {Aus}) (:49.60 Juvenile Turf).

Working five furlongs on the dirt were Search Results (Flatter) (1:01.20, Distaff) and Pipeline (Speightstown) (1:01, Dirt Mile).

On the turf, which was rated as good, were Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom) (4f, :49.80, Mile) in company with Rougir (Fr) (Territories {Ire}) (4f, :49.80, GI Filly and Mare Turf), In Italian (GB) (4f, :50.80, Filly and Mare Turf) and Virginia Joy (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) (5f, 1:02.60, Filly and Mare Turf) in company with Domestic Spending (GB) (Kingman {GB}) (5f, 1:02.60, Mile).

“We did great,” a beaming Brown said following the works.

Other Keeneland BC Workers Saturday

On the main track were Kimari (Munnings) (5f, 1:01.40, Sprint or Filly and Mare Sprint) and Chi Town Lady (Verrazano) (5f, 1:01.80, Filly and Mare Sprint) in company for Wesley Ward; Willy Boi (Uncaptured) (4f, :49.20, Sprint) for trainer Jorge Delgado and Simplification (Not This Time) (5f, 1:00.40, Dirt Mile) for Antonio Sano.

Working on the turf course were Reckoning Force (Air Force Blue) (4f, :50.40, Juvenile Turf) and Cazadero (Street Sense) (4f, :50.40, Turf Sprint) for Brendan Walsh; Arrest Me Red (Pioneerof the Nile) (5f, 1:03.60, Turf Sprint) and Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) (5f, 1:03.80, Turf Sprint) for Wesley Ward; Private Creed (Jimmy Creed) (3f, :39, Juvenile Turf Sprint) for Steve Asmussen; Tyler's Tribe (Sharp Azteca) (3f, :38.20, Juvenile Turf Sprint) for Tim Martin and Caravel (Mizzen Mast) (4f, :51, Turf Sprint) for Brad Cox.

BC Workers at Churchill Downs

MGISW Cyberknife (Gun Runner) put in his final work for the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Churchill Downs Saturday, covering five furlongs in :59 flat. With regular rider Florent Geroux in the saddle, Cyberknife started his work about two lengths behind stablemate Forza Di Oro (Speightstown) and finished even at the completion of his work.

“With a week out from the Breeders' Cup it was the right move we wanted to see,” trainer Brad Cox said. “Both of these horses are really good work horses and I think matching up Cyberknife with him he'd get a lot out of his work. We ended up choosing to run in the Dirt Mile instead of the [GI Breeders' Cup] Classic because we thought it would be the most likely race he could win. The Classic came up a very deep field and even though Cyberknife is going to cut back in distance we feel he can handle the two-turn mile at Keeneland.”

Cox also worked GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint contender Lady Rocket (Tale of the Cat). She went five furlongs in 1:00.60 outside 3-year-old filly Girl With a Dream (Practial Joke). Cyberknife and Lady Rocket, along with Cox juveniles Chop Chop (City of Light) and Verifying (Justify), are scheduled to ship to Keeneland Monday.

Also on the Churchill worktab Saturday was GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint runner Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed), who went a half-mile in :47.80 outside of a stablemate.

Taiba Has Final Classic Work at Santa Anita

GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner Taiba (Gun Runner) had his final major workout for the Breeders' Cup Classic Saturday, going six furlongs at Santa Anita this morning in 1:13 flat under Juan Ochoa in company with Messier (Empire Maker), who was also clocked in 1:13.

“He went well,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “He's not a great work horse, so he went with Messier. I was happy with it. He'll ship tonight for Kentucky].”

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Given a 4-1 chance in this field of five, the rail-drawn Casa Creed dropped back early and trailed in fifth as longshot Get Smokin (Get Stormy) led through fractions of :24.01 and :47.94. Locked and loaded on the far turn, he was tipped out widest of all at the top of the stretch, and, after shifting in around the three-sixteenths marker and getting subsequently corrected by Luis Saez, came flying over the top with massive strides to get the money. Regal Glory, who was attempting to become the third female winner of the race in the last four years, was second best.

A solid third in this race last year, Casa Creed came within a neck of capturing the G3 Turf Sprint Cup in Saudi Arabia in his 2022 lidlifter Feb. 26. Freshened after finishing fifth in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan Mar. 26, the bay successfully defended his Jaipur title on the GI Belmont S. undercard last out June 11.

“He's in great form and won two Grade I's since coming back [from Dubai], so scrap that theory that they can't travel and do good,” winning Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said. “We've always felt he was capable of going a mile and I think it's a matter of getting his run timed properly and having the right trip, and he did it today. He's run good races at a mile before and got very good speed figures, and today he got his picture taken.”

Casa Creed has taken two previous swings at the GI Breeders' Cup Mile, finishing 12th at Keeneland in 2020 and eighth at Del Mar last year. He earned a fees-paid berth into this year's GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint via his win in the Jaipur and added a free trip to the GI Breeders' Cup Mile with his win in the Fourstardave.

Where will we see Casa Creed land at the Championships this fall?

“We'll talk about that,” Mott said. “We're already hashing that over, but we'll see. I think six-to-seven [furlongs] is probably his best–he's somewhere in between. But he was drawing away going a mile today. I guess it depends on the trip and how he's doing on the day.”

Pedigree Notes:

The lone Grade I scorer and one of four graded winners for the under-appreciated Jimmy Creed, Casa Creed is out of an unraced daughter of four-time graded winner Wild Heart Dancing (Farma Way), the dam of MSPs Unbridled's Heart (Unbridled's Song) and Leopard Rock (Speightstown). Third dam Star of Wicklow was responsible for GISW Man From Wicklow (Turkoman). Achalaya is the dam of Jimmy Creed's 2-year-old half-brother by Distorted Humor, a yearling by Omaha Beach and a filly by Horse of the Year Authentic foaled Apr. 15. She was bred back to Curlin. Bellamy Road is the broodmare sire of two graded winners.

Saturday, Saratoga
FOURSTARDAVE H.-GI, $485,000, Saratoga, 8-13, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:34.20, fm.
1–CASA CREED, 122, h, 6, by Jimmy Creed
                1st Dam: Achalaya, by Bellamy Road
                2nd Dam: Wild Heart Dancing, by Farma Way
                3rd Dam: Star of Wicklow, by Fast Play
($15,000 Ylg '17 OBSWIN; $105,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP). O-LRE
Racing LLC & JEH Racing Stable LLC; B-Silver Springs Stud, LLC
(KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Luis Saez. $275,000. Lifetime Record:
27-7-4-4, $1,703,308. *1/2 to Chess's Dream (Jess's Dream),
GSW, $185,715. Werk Nick Rating: A++.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Regal Glory, 119, m, 6, Animal Kingdom–Mary's Follies, by
More Than Ready. ($925,000 5yo '21 KEEJAN). O-Peter M.
Brant; B-Paul P Pompa (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $100,000.
3–Masen (GB), 123, g, 4, Kingman (GB)–Continental Drift, by
Smart Strike. O/B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd. (GB); T-Chad C.
Brown. $60,000.
Margins: 1HF, HF, 3/4. Odds: 4.20, 0.50, 3.55.
Also Ran: Get Smokin, Front Run the Fed.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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The two-time Grade I winner is unbeaten in three starts this year and is likely to go off as the favorite in the field of five signed up for the one-mile turf event. This will be her first try against males in a distinguished career with trainer Chad Brown that has produced 12 victories from 19 starts and earnings of $2,111,009.

Regal Glory has been with Brown throughout her five seasons on the track, but in an unusual twist, she has been owned by two of his clients, her breeder Paul Pompa and Brant. Three months after Pompa died at the age of 62 in October 2020, Brant purchased Regal Glory in the disbursement sale for $925,000. Since he acquired her, Regal Glory has won six of eight races and earned over $1.3 million.

“The reason that I bought her was because I ran against her a number of times and she always beat me,” Brant said. “I had a lot of respect for her. And I bought her because I thought Paul was a really great guy and a lucky guy. I just said to myself, 'I'm buying something from him.'”

Brant said that Brown recommended that he consider Regal Glory going into the sale, but felt he had paid too much for a 4-year-old filly without a Grade I win on her resume.

“He didn't think at that time that she would win,” Brant said. “It's really not a question that some horses make fools of you. They do what they do. Some of them, if you give them a little bit more time, they excel. She was good from the very beginning and she just got really good at six.”

Brown smiled and shook his head at the suggestion that he encouraged Brant to go after the filly at the sale.

“He always thought she was a great racehorse who had even further potential to develop as years went on,” Brown said. “I wasn't so sure. I knew she was talented, but he loved her pedigree and he loved everything about her. Mr. Brant is really an outstanding horseman. He knows horses physically. He knows the form of horses in races very well and he was adamant about trying to buy this horse and keep her going racing. He was right.”

Regal Glory had a solid 2021 season, but came up a half-length behind Brant's Brown-trained Blowout (Dansili (GB)) in the GI First Lady S. at Keeneland Oct. 9. Sent to Del Mar for the Bing Crosby meet, she led from gate to wire in the GI Matriarch S.

“She's just one of those fillies that improved a tremendous amount at five and six,” Brant said. “Some fillies at six they don't want to run anymore. They're a little tired, they've had a lot of battles, and they've just run out of steam, but she seems to be at her best.”

With the Grade I in the bank, Brant was planning to have her change careers and join his broodmare band. Before sending her to Kentucky, Brant and Brown decided to enter her in the inaugural running of the $500,000 GIII Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf. She came from well off the pace in her first start beyond a mile in two years to take the 1 1/16-mile race by 2 1/2 lengths.

“I was going to retire her at the end of the 5-year-old year, and then she ran that race down at Gulfstream and she blew everybody out,” Brant said. “I was talking that day to Walker Hancock, because I keep my most of my mares at Claiborne Farm, and he looked at me and said, 'I guess she's not coming back to the farm.'”

Regal Glory's retirement was put on hold and she stayed in training. She won the GI Jenny Wiley S. at Keeneland in April and rolled to a decisive 3 1/2-length victory in the GI Just A Game S. at Belmont Park in June.

“Oh, yeah, she's really exceeded my expectations, Brant said. “I thought maybe I'd win a Grade I with her.”

Now she is a multiple Grade I winner for Brant and is taking on males in the Fourstardave. She would be the second female to win the race, following Got Stormy (Get Stormy), who was first at the wire in 2019 and again last year.

“I've been pointing for this race for a while,” Brown said. “I like keeping her to a mile distance. I like the spacing from her last race, the Just A Game. It appears right now that she is the leader of the division and I think giving her new challenges to face at this stage of her career, now that she is six, seems like the appropriate thing to do. A try against the boys in a very prestigious race. I just think she deserves the opportunity.”

Despite his dominance at Saratoga, where he has won four of the last six meet titles–and leads again this season–powered by his elite stable of grass runners, Brown, 43, has yet to win the Fourstardave. It hasn't been for lack of trying: he has four seconds and one third from 13 starts. With Regal Glory and Juddmonte's Masen (GB) (Kingman (GB)), Brown will have multiple entries for the fourth-straight year.

Brown said there are a number of elements to consider before sending a female in against males: “Scheduling. Distance of race. What kind of form she is in. Trying to manage a campaign to potentially win an Eclipse Award. All those things. Factor in what weight she is going to carry. It's all a careful decision in what we want to do and I think the time is right.”
Brown said Regal Glory is doing great.

“She has never looked better or trained better,” he said.

The Fourstardave is the first step in a plan to carry Regal Glory to the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland to face what is usually a mostly male field on Nov. 5. A victory in the Fourstardave would give her a guaranteed berth in the Mile through the Breeders' Cup's “Win and You're In” program. Brown said he would consider the GI Woodbine Mile S. but said the First Lady at Keeneland was a more likely spot after the Fourstardave before the Breeders' Cup.

Since the Fourstardave is a handicap, Regal Glory will carry 119 pounds, four less than stablemate Masen, the top weight. Brant figures she should be getting more of a break because of her gender, but the racing office had to take her success into account when making the assignments.

“She's really carrying top weight running against the boys,” Brant said. “I'm not so keen about it, but that's where Chad wants to run her and I think I'll be watching very anxiously.”

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