Tag: Weekend Lineup

A trio of Grade 1 races highlight this weekend's action across the United States, two at Del Mar and one at Aqueduct.

The G1 Cigar Mile is Saturday's feature at Aqueduct, and brings together grizzled veteran Mind Control against rising sophomores Zandon and White Abarrio. On the same card are also a pair of prep races for the 2023 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, the Remsen and Demoiselle.

Saturday at Del Mar offers a trio of stakes contests; the feature is the matchup between a group of 11 turf sophomores in the G1 Hollywood Derby, five of whom shipped in from the East Coast.

The beachside track's Sunday highlight is the G1 Matriarch, also drawing five of its 10 starters from the East. Also on Sunday, Del Mar will offer a mandatory payout on the Pick 6.

Juveniles will take center stage with a pair of stakes at both Laurel Park and Tampa Bay Downs, while Woodbine's weekend offers two stakes Saturday and one Sunday.

Here's a quick look at some of this weekend's stakes:

Saturday

2:16 p.m. – Grade 2 Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct

Julia Shining, a full sister to Champion 3-Year-Old Filly and Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Malathaat, will make the step up to stakes company for her first try against winners in Saturday's Demoiselle. Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, who will look to win this event for the third consecutive year, Julia Shining was an impressive debut winner on Oct. 16 at Keeneland in a seven-furlong maiden special weight.

Julia Shining will look to follow in the footsteps of her accomplished sister Malathaat, who won the 2020 Demoiselle. Julia Shining and Malathaat would be the first siblings to capture the prestigious Demoiselle since full sisters Coquette [1914] and Celandria [1915] took back-to-back editions.

Pletcher will also saddle Repole Stable's stakes-winning New York-bred Gambling Girl, who won the Joseph A. Gimma against fellow state-breds on Sept. 23 at Belmont at the Big A. The daughter of Dialed In was last seen finishing a troubled fourth in the one-mile state-bred Maid of the Mist as the post-time favorite where she was bumped hard at the break and struggled to improve position when five-wide in the turn.

Demoiselle Entries

2:44 p.m. – Grade 2 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct

Undefeated Tuskegee Airmen will make his graded stakes debut for trainer John Servis in Saturday's Remsen, a nine-furlong main track test for juveniles. Tuskegee Airmen, a bay son of Street Sense, enters from an impressive 3 1/4-length score in the one-mile Rocky Run on Oct. 15 at Delaware Park where he showed a strong turn of foot under Paco Lopez to secure his first stakes win. The victory came three weeks after a dominant debut score sprinting seven furlongs in stalking fashion at Parx. He closed from eighth of 14 under Luis Saez to post the 5 1/2-length victory over next-out winner Didinger.

The Remsen offers 10-4-3-2-1 qualifying points for the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby to the top-five finishers.

Chester and Mary Broman's New York homebred Arctic Arrogance, a grey son of Frosted, enters from a dominant victory over returning rival Quick to Accuse in the state-bred Sleepy Hollow on Oct. 30 at Belmont at the Big A for trainer Linda Rice.

Rupp Racing's New York-bred Quick to Accuse will also make his first start outside state-bred company after finishing second to Arctic Arrogance in the Sleepy Hollow for conditioner Horacio De Paz. There, he rallied from fifth of 10 to make up considerable ground under regular pilot Manny Franco, but could not catch the runaway winner.

Graded stakes-placed Prove Right enters as the most seasoned horse in the field for trainer James Chapman, who co-owns the Justify colt with Stuart Tsujimoto. Prove Right was last seen finishing a close third 2 1/4 lengths behind the victorious Champions Dream in the Grade 3 Nashua on Nov. 6 at the Big A. He set the pace in the one-mile test but was collared by the winner and runner-up Full Moon Madness in the stretch, finishing eight lengths ahead of fourth-place American Speed.

Remsen Entries

3:43 p.m. – Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct

Dual Grade 1-winner Mind Control will attempt to go out on top when he takes on a field consisting of three other Grade 1 winners in Saturday's Cigar Mile Handicap. Mind Control, conditioned by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, has garnered seven graded stakes victories, reaching that pinnacle every year since 2018 while boasting a record of 28-11-3-6 and field best earnings of $1,773,334. He has never been out of the money in seven starts at the Big A.

A dozen 3-year-olds have bested elders in the Cigar Mile throughout its 34-year-history. This year will see a pair of Grade 1-winning Triple Crown alumni seek to add to those numbers with Jeff Drown's Zandon and C Two Racing Stable and Antonio Pagnano's White Abarrio.

Trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winner and dual Cigar Mile winner Chad Brown, Zandon has never finished out of the money in eight lifetime starts and enters Saturday's test off a late-closing runner-up effort in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 24 at Parx Racing.

The Cigar Mile will be White Abarrio's first start going a one-turn mile since last October, when he defeated winners in an optional claimer at Gulfstream Park.

Cigar Mile Entries

7:30 p.m. – Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar

There are 11 well-respected 3-year-olds entered in the Hollywood Derby, but there are no standouts in the lineup. Five eastern-based horses, including three out of the barn of conditioner H. Graham Motion, will try their luck in the turf test and it appears likely that one of them may go postward the favorite.

A pair of Hall of Fame conditioners – Claude “Shug” McGaughey III and Todd Pletcher – have runners entered that may draw the most mutuel action in Stuart Janney III's Celestial City (McGaughey) and Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable and Gainesway Stable's Wit (Pletcher). Both well-bred colts are stakes winners in the east and, naturally, have drawn top local riders — Ramon Vazquez on Celestial City and Flavien Prat on Wit.

Hollywood Derby Entries

Sunday

6:30 p.m. – Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes at Del Mar

Trainer Chad Brown will start a pair in this one-mile turf contest for fillies and mares, including last year's winner Regal Glory. Though she finished 10th last out in the Breeders' Cup, the 6-year-old daughter of Animal Kingdom would be unlikely to ship cross-country unless she was ready to perform. Brown's other entrant is sophomore filly Dolce Zel, winner of the G3 Florida Oaks and G3 Lake George.

Also shipping in from the East Coast are the Christophe Clement-trained Pizza Bianca, Bill Mott trainee Wakanaka, and Graham Motion trainee Bipartisanship.

Matriarch Entries

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Led by the Grade 1 Clark that features the return to Churchill Downs of G1 Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike, the Thanksgiving holiday weekend offers 18 graded stakes throughout North America, with a little something for everyone.

The action begins on Thanksgiving Day, with Churchill Downs offering a pair of graded stakes and Del Mar beginning its Fall Turf Festival with the G3 Red Carpet over the testing distance of 1 3/8 miles.

Aqueduct gets into the swing of things on Friday with the G3 duo of the Long Island on turf and Comely on the main track while the G2 Mrs. Revere Stakes complements the Clark on the Friday program at Churchill Downs. That same afternoon, the G2 Hollywood Turf Cup is the highlight of Del Mar's nine-race program.

Five tracks – Aqueduct, Churchill Downs, Del Mar, Golden Gate Fields, and Woodbine – each card at least one graded stakes on Saturday. At Woodbine and Churchill Downs, the Saturday spotlight will be on 2-year-olds, with Woodbine offering the G3 pair of the Grey and Mazarine Stakes and Churchill carding the G2 duo of the Golden Rod and Kentucky Jockey Club. The latter two stakes highlight a 12-race program exclusively for 2-year-olds at Churchill Downs.

Here's a quick look at some of this weekend's stakes:

Thursday

3:53 p.m. – Grade 3 Falls City Stakes at Churchill Downs

It's getting late in the year and there are limited opportunities for fillies and mares who will be retired to the breeding shed in 2023 to earn graded stakes black type. Simon Callahan may have shipped the Empire Maker filly Bellamore from California with that in mind and Brendan Walsh-trained Moon Swag, a Malibu Moon filly, just missed winning a G3 in 2021 and looked good winning her comeback race last month at Keeneland. But the into Mischief filly Played Hard, who won on this track in the G3 Locust Grove in September, may have these over a barrel for Philip Bauer and Joel Rosario is on hand to ride.

Falls City Entries

4:29 p.m. – Red Carpet Stakes at Del Mar

Sister Otoole ships west for Graham Motion  for this 1 3/8-mile turf test and the Amira's Prince mare will try to repeat her effort from summer, when she made a successful invasion  of Del Mar to win the TOC/CTT Stakes at the same distance. Umberto Rispoli enters the holiday weekend on a cold streak (1-for-24) but rides this course as good as anyone. Victor Espinoza will try to steal it with Angel Nadeshinko for Patrick Gallagher, but she hasn't been tested at this class level yet.

Red Carpet Entries

Friday

3:14 p.m. – Comely Stakes at Aqueduct

Kathleen O. returns for the first time since closing to be fifth, beaten four lengths by Secret Oath, in the G1 Kentucky Oaks. Trainer Shug McGaughey is good at bringing horses back from lengthy layoffs and the daughter of Upstart should have a decent pace to close into with her late-running style. Bill Mott-trained Nostalgic won the G3 Gazelle over this surface in the spring and the Medaglia d'Oro filly just missed last out in the G3  Turnback the Alarm.

Comely Stakes Entries

5:56 p.m. – Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs

Brad Cox brings West Will Power to this spot off a big front-running win last out in the G2 Fayette at Keeneland, and the Bernardini colt could be the lone speed in this line-up if Injunction isn't sent early. Rich Strike has shown in his three races over this track that he likes the surface, and the 80-1 upset winner of the G1 Kentucky Derby may go favored for the first time in his 13th start. He comes back for trainer Eric Reed three weeks after a fourth-place finish behind Flightline in the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic.

Clark Stakes Entries

6:30 p.m. – Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar

None of the seven older runners entered here has won a graded stakes, so this is not the strongest Turf Cup field seen. The Grey Wizard travels to California for Graham Motion and his second behind Nations Pride in the G3 Jockey Club Derby Invitational in September at Aqueduct makes him a contender. Avenue scored a solid allowance win on the Del Mar turf going 1 3/8 miles last summer and the Quality Road colt should love the added distance to 1 1/2 miles, having finished a close third in the 1 3/4-mile, G3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes in June.

Hollywood Turf Cup Entries

Saturday

2:22 p.m. – Grey Stakes at Woodbine

Hal rolls into this G3 synthetic track test for juveniles unbeaten in two starts for Darwin Banach and the gelding from the first crop by Accelerate is the only stakes winner in the field, having won the Display Stakes three weeks ago. Saffie Joseph Jr. ships the English Channel colt Bluebirds Over up from Florida after a runaway win on the Gulfstream Park Tapeta surface. The always dangerous Mark Casse has two entered, both fillies by Quality Road.

Grey Stakes Entries

5:27 p.m. – Golden Rod Stakes at Churchill Downs

Tom Amoss-trained Hoosier Philly has a lot going for her in this spot. She's by leading sire Into Mischief out of a Tapit mare, is unbeaten in two starts, and has a win over the track at the same distance as the Golden Rod. That was on a sloppy track in the Rags to Riches and might not translate to the same kind of performance on dry footing. American Rockette has run decently in a pair of G1 stakes in New York, and trainer Bill Mott is known for his patience. There could be improvement for the American Pharoah miss as she stretches out around two turns for the first time.

Golden Rod Entries

5:56 p.m. – Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs

Red Route One and Instant Coffee both chased Forte home in the G1 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland last out and Forte came back to win the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile impressively. Red Route One, by Gun Runner, came back to be a troubled fifth in the G3 Street Sense run over a sloppy track at Churchill and picks up Tyler Gaffalione for the first time. Instant Coffee, by red-hot freshman sire Bolt d'Oro, drew a tougher post but has Luis Saez in the saddle to figure out a good trip.

Kentucky Jockey Club Entries

6:30 p.m. – Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar

Phil D'Amato saddles a trio here – Masteroffoxhounds, Hong Kong Harry, and Lincoln Hawk – and all three appear to have a solid chance. Irish-bred Hong Kong Harry is 4-for-5 this year since being imported from the UK and was overpowering in his G2 Del Mar Mile win last summer. Flavien Prat rides him back. Santin just missed in last year's G1 Hollywood Derby for Brendan Walsh, who sends the Distorted Humor west once again. His best is good enough, he draws the rail and gets Umberto Rispoli in the saddle.

Seabiscuit Entries

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This weekend marks the opening of the winter meet at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La., celebrated with six restricted stakes races as a preview for next month's Louisiana Champions day. Three stakes for state-bred fillies will be held on Friday, and three for males on Saturday.

Del Mar's Bing Crosby meet offers up a stakes doubleheader on Saturday, as does Gulfstream Park, with the former also carding the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes for juveniles on Sunday's card.

Among those tracks expecting to be hit hard by frigid temperatures this weekend:

Churchill Downs' weekend feature is a filly and mare matchup over a one-turn mile in the Grade 3 Chilukki on Saturday's card.

Woodbine's highlight for the weekend is in Sunday's Grade 2 Kennedy Road Stakes, which could carry Sovereign Award implications.

Aqueduct will put on three stakes, one Saturday and two Sunday, to highlight the New York racing action.

Coming up on Monday is the $250,000 Steel Valley Sprint for 3-year-olds at Mahoning Valley, which drew a field of 11 topped by Grade 2 winner Scaramouche.

Saturday

5:35 p.m. – Grade 3 Chilukki Stakes at Churchill Downs

Kueber Racing's two-time stakes-winning filly Coach will attempt to collect her first victory in graded stakes company as the headliner in Saturday's $300,000 Chilukki Stakes (Grade 3) at Churchill Downs.

Chilukki Entries

Sunday

4:58 p.m. – Grade 2 Kennedy Road Stakes at Woodbine

Secret Reserve will chase his second graded stakes crown when he goes postward in Sunday's Grade 2, $175,000 Kennedy Road, at Woodbine.

Trained by Mike Mattine for Carlo D'Amato and Stacey Van Camp, Secret Reserve will take on 10 rivals in the 6-furlong main track race for 3-year-olds and up. The Ontario-bred heads into the Kennedy Road with a 5-1-2 mark from 11 starts. This season, the 4-year-old son of Giant Gizmo is 1-0-2 from four starts.

In his most recent effort, in the Grade 3 Vigil on September 25, Secret Reserve endured a difficult trip, where he was blocked and then steadied at the 3/16th pole, winding up third, 1 ½ lengths behind the winner, Lucky Score, who is also set to contest the Kennedy Road.

Kennedy Road Entries

7:00 p.m. – Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes at Del Mar

Trainer Bob Baffert has entered a trio in this seven-furlong contest for 2-year-olds, with Newgate perhaps having the top credentials after a fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland last out. Newgate pressed the pace early and faded late, so the cutback in distance should work in his favor. Also flattering his effort is that the winner of that race, Forte, went on to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

The trainer's other entrants are: Havnameltdown, most recently ran second in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity, and Hard To Figure, who broke his maiden last out in the listed Capote Stakes at Los Al.

Perhaps best of the other four entrants is Practical Move for trainer Tim Yakteen. The Practical Joke colt broke his maiden via DQ last out, but could rebound with the help of the shorter distance here.

Bob Hope Entries

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So many intriguing questions as the horses prepare to take to the racetrack at Keeneland for the 39th annual Breeders' Cup world championships. All Breeders' Cup races will be televised on FanDuel TV (formerly TVG), with the USA Network picking up some of the action on Friday and Saturday afternoon and Saturday's $6-million Classic broadcast on NBC.

Can the lightly raced but brilliant Flightline extend his perfect record to six wins from as many starts for John Sadler, a trainer who brings a 1-for-54 Breeders' Cup record to this year's event in Lexington, Ky.? Flightline, the 3-5 morning line favorite for the  Classic, faces his toughest test yet against a top-class field that features early speed (Life Is Good) and strong closers (Epicenter, Rich Strike).

Can Nest, the leading 3-year-old filly in the nation, defeat last year's champion 3-year-old filly, Malathaat, in a Grade 1 Distaff that is deep in quality.

Can trainer Bob Baffert become the all-time leading trainer by Breeders' Cup wins? He's saddled 18 winners, two fewer than D. Wayne Lukas, and has solid contenders in several races, including the Grade 1 Juvenile on the Future Stars Friday program for 2-year-olds. Baffert also has Taiba entered in the Classic, a race he has won four times, including the two previous runnings at Keeneland, with American Pharoah in 2015 and Authentic in 2020.

Can Lukas add to his own record of 20 wins when he saddles Secret Oath in the Grade 1 Distaff? All but one of those 20 victories came in the original seven Breeders' Cup races and before the event was expanded to two days and 14 races.

Can Charles Appleby continue his remarkable string of success in the Breeders' Cup, where he's won with six of 11 starters? He arrives with another solid group of runners for the high-flying Godolphin.

Can ageless Mike Smith add to his record 27 Breeders' Cup riding victories? He's only got two mounts, including Taiba for Baffert, but you can never count him out of big money races.

Those questions and many more will be answered on the racetrack over the next two days as the world's best horses and most successful horse people gather at this annual extravaganza that, by virtue of the big, competitive fields, offers horseplayers the best two days of racing each year.

Here's a quick look at some of this weekend's stakes:

Future Stars Friday

3:00 p.m. – Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland

Trainer Wesley Ward has saddled the winner of this race the past three years and this time has the second choice on the morning-line at 4-1 in Love Reigns (IRE) for the 5 ½-furlong test that drew a field of 12 plus three also-eligibles. Irad Ortiz Jr. will have the mount on Love Reigns and breaks from post position two.

Another filly, The Platinum Queen (IRE), is the morning line favorite at 7-2. She comes into Friday's test off a victory against older horses in the Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp Longines (G1). Trained by Richard Fahey, The Platinum Queen will be ridden by Hollie Doyle and break from post position 12.

Juvenile Turf Sprint Entries

3:40 p.m. – Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland

Chocolate Gelato is the lukewarm 7-2 favorite for the $2 million NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) that drew a field of 14. Winner of the Frizette (G1) in her most recent start, Chocolate Gelato is trained by Todd Pletcher and will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. from post 10.

Wonder Wheel (5-1) and Chop Chop (9-2), who finished a nose apart in the Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland on Oct. 7, are the next two choices. Mark Casse trains Wonder Wheel, who has won three of four starts with Tyler Gaffalione aboard and who will break from post five. Brad Cox trains Chop Chop, whose Alcibiades start was her initial main track test. Joel Rosario has the mount from post seven.

Juvenile Fillies Entries

4:20 p.m. – Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland

Meditate (IRE) is the 4-1 morning line favorite in the field of 14 plus two also-eligibles entered for the 1-mile test. Trained by Aidan O'Brien, who is seeking his first victory in the race, Meditate brings a 6-4-2-0 record to Keeneland with three Group victories and runner-up efforts in her past two starts in Group 1 tests. Ryan Moore has the mount and will break from post position 10.

Co-second choices on the line at 6-1 are Delight and Free Look.

Trained by Jonathan Thomas, Delight scored a 5-length victory in the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine (G2) here in Oct. 7 going 1 1/16 miles over the course. Luis Saez has the mount and will break from post position nine.

Free Look, trained by Chad Brown, enters the race off a runner-up effort in the Miss Grillo (G2). Flavien Prat has the mount and will break from post four.

Juvenile Fillies Turf Entries

5:00 p.m. – Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland

Undefeated Cave Rock is the 4-5 favorite for the $2 million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance that drew a field of 10 for the 1 1/16-mile main track test. Trained by Bob Baffert, Cave Rock will be ridden by Juan Hernandez and breaks from post position three.

Forte, a two-time Grade 1 winner who features a victory over the track, is the second choice at 4-1. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Forte will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. and break from post position four.

Juvenile Entries

5:40 p.m. – Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland

Two-time Group 3 winner Silver Knott (GB) is the 3-1 morning line favorite to give trainer Charlie Appleby his fourth victory in the one-mile race. Appleby and Godolphin won last year's running at Del Mar with Modern Games (IRE) who was ridden by William Buick, who will go for a double in the race on Silver Knott. Silver Knott drew post position four.

Leading the U.S. contingent and second choice on the line at 5-1 is I'm Very Busy. A winner of one of two starts for trainer Chad Brown, I'm Very Busy will be ridden by Flavien Prat and breaks from post eight.

Juvenile Turf Entries

Championship Saturday

11:50 a.m. – Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Keeneland

The $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) matches last year's winner Ce Ce and 2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) winner Echo Zulu in the seven-furlong test that drew a field of 13.

However, the morning line favorite at 3-1 is Goodnight Olive, who has won her past five starts for trainer Chad Brown. Irad Ortiz Jr., who has been aboard for the past four victories, has the mount Saturday and will break from post eight.

Ce Ce, the 4-1 second choice on the morning line, has won three of six starts this year for trainer Michael McCarthy and will be ridden by Victor Espinoza from post position four.

Echo Zulu (6-1, co-third choice), six for seven lifetime, including last year's NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and perfect in two starts at seven furlongs, is trained by Steve Asmussen and will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr. from post 13.

Filly & Mare Sprint Entries

12:29 p.m. – Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland

Defending champion Golden Pal is the 2-1 morning line favorite for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) that drew a field of 14 and two also-eligibles going 5 ½ furlongs on the grass.

Golden Pal will be closing out his career over a course on which he is four for four including a score in 2020 in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2). Trained by Wesley Ward, Golden Pal will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. and break from post eight.

Second choice on the line at 7-2 is the mare Highfield Princess (FR), who brings a three-race Group 1 winning streak into the race. Trained by John Quinn, Highfield Princess will be ridden by Jason Hart and break from post position six.

Turf Sprint Entries

1:10 p.m. – Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland

Cody's Wish, winner of six of his past seven starts with the most recent coming in the Forego (G1), is the 5-2 morning line favorite for the $1 million Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) that drew a field of 11. Trained by Bill Mott, Cody's Wish will be ridden by Junior Alvarado and break from post seven.

Second choice on the line at 7-2 in Gunite, who has won four of his past five starts with the most recent coming in the Perryville at Keeneland on Oct. 22. Steve Asmussen trains Gunite, who will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione and break from post five.

Dirt Mile Entries

1:50 p.m. – Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland

Nashwa (GB) is the 5-2 morning line favorite for the Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf that drew a field of 12 for the 1 3/16-mile test. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Nashwa has two Group 1 victories this year and will be partnered by Hollie Doyle from post position three.

Trainer Chad Brown has three entrants headed by the Peter Brant-owned duo of In Italian (GB) (the 7-2 second choice) and Virginia Joy (GER) (10-1) as well as Rougir (FR) (12-1), who is co-owned by Brant and Michael Tabor. Joel Rosario, who has ridden In Italian to victories in her past two starts, has the mount Saturday and will break from post 11. Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride Virginia Joy out of post 10 and Flavien Prat rides Rougir from post nine.

Above the Curve (9-2) finished a nose behind Nashwa in the Prix de l'Opera, her most recent start for trainer Joseph O'Brien, and is the third choice. John Velazquez has the mount from post four.

Filly & Mare Turf Entries

2:30 p.m. – Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland

The $2 million Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), that drew a field of 11, is headlined by champion Jackie's Warrior, who is the 4-5 morning line favorite. Sixth in last year's race at Del Mar that he exited with an injury, Jackie's Warrior is trained by Steve Asmussen and will break from post nine under Joel Rosario.

Kimari is the second choice 4-1 for trainer Wesley Ward. The 5-year-old mare has won two of her three dirt starts at Keeneland, winning by 15 lengths on debut in 2019 and in 2021 winning the Madison (G1). Jose Ortiz has the mount and will exit post two.

Back to defend his title is Aloha West (12-1) who comes into the race off a four-month layoff for trainer Wayne Catalano. Luis Saez will take the mount from post nine. Catalano also will send out Manny Wah (30-1) who will be ridden by Corey Lanerie and break from post one.

Sprint Entries

3:10 p.m. – Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland

Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby have the morning line favorite for the $2 million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) presented by PDJF in Modern Games (IRE) in the field of 14 and two also-eligibles. Winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) last year, Modern Games was a 5 ¼-length winner of the Woodbine Mile (G1) in his return to North America in September, and earned a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series berth into the Mile. Buick has the mount and will break from post four.

Second choice on the morning line is Kinross (GB) (9-2). Trained by Ralph Beckett, Kinross brings a four-race win streak comprised of two Group 1s and two Group 2s into his United States debut. Frankie Dettori, who has been aboard for all of those victories, has the mount Saturday and will break from post position 13.

Also in the field of 14 is Order of Australia (IRE). Trained by Aidan O' Brien, Order of Australia won this race at Keeneland at odds of 73-1. He is 12-1 on the morning line and will be ridden by Ryan Moore from post position 10.

Mile Entries

3:55 p.m. – Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has the two favorites for the $2 million Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) which drew a field of eight in Nest (9-5), the leading 3-year-old in the country, and Malathaat (3-1), who was third in this race last year.

Irad Ortiz Jr. rides Nest, who won her only Keeneland start in the Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1) and will exit post position six. John Velazquez has the mount on Malathaat, who is three-for-three at Keeneland, and will break from post position one.

Fellow Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen counters the Pletcher duo with a strong hand of his own with Clairiere (4-1), fourth in this race last year, and Society (6-1). Joel Rosario has the mount of Clairiere, who will break from post position four, and Florent Geroux rides Society, who will break from post position eight.

Distaff Entries

4:40 p.m. – Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland

The Godolphin duo of Rebel's Romance (IRE) and Nations Pride (IRE) top the morning line for the $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) that drew a field of 13. Charlie Appleby trains both runners with Rebel's Romance (3-1) entering the race with four consecutive victories. James Doyle has the mount on Rebel's Romance and will break from post five.

Nations Pride (4-1) is riding a two-race win streak into Saturday with victories coming stateside in The Jockey Club Derby Invitational (G3) and the Saratoga Derby Invitational (G1). William Buick, who rode Yibir (GB) to victory in this race last year for Godolphin and Appleby, has the mount and will break from post seven.

Third choice on the morning line is the 5-year-old mare War Like Goddess (9-2). Two-for-two at Keeneland for trainer Bill Mott, War Like Goddess comes into the Turf off a victory over males in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (G1). Joel Rosario has the mount and will break from post two.

Turf Entries

5:40 p.m. – Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland

Trained by John Sadler, the undefeated Flightline (3-5) has won his five starts by a combined 62 ¾ lengths with Flavien Prat aboard for all the victories. Flightline will break from post position four.

The eight runners in the Classic have combined for a record of 84-43-17-9 with almost $20.9 million in earnings. In all, the entrants have accounted for 14 Grade 1 victories and 12 Grade 2s.

Epicenter, the front-runner for the Eclipse Award as the nation's top 3-year-old, is the second choice on the morning line at 5-1. Runaway winner of the Travers (G1) in his most recent start, Epicenter is trained by Steve Asmussen and will be ridden by Joel Rosario from post position six.

Third choice on the line at 6-1 is Life Is Good. A four-time Grade 1 winner trained by Todd Pletcher, Life Is Good won last year's Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) by 5 ¾ lengths and enters the Classic on a three-race win streak. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount and will break from post position two.

Classic Entries

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