Tag: Weekend Lineup

There may be up to half an inch of rain expected on Saturday at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Penn., but the track's biggest card of the year awaits with $1 million purses on the line for 3-year-olds of both genders.

The Pennsylvania Derby drew a field of 11 led by Bob Baffert-trained Reincarnate, while the Cotillion drew nine entrants led by Kentucky Oaks winner Pretty Mischievous for trainer Brendan Walsh.

The Pennsylvania Derby and Cotillion headline Saturday's card that also includes the $400,000, Grade 2 Gallant Bob Stakes for 3-year-olds at six furlongs; the $300,000 Parx Dirt Mile Stakes for 3-year-olds and up; the $250,000 Grade 3 Turf Monster Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at five furlongs on the turf; and the Grade 3, $200,000 Greenwood Cup for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/2 miles.

The card also features a pair of $150,000 events for Pennsylvania-bred and sired 2-year-olds in the Imply Stakes and Prince Lucky Stakes; and the $100,000 Plum Pretty Stakes for Pennsylvania-bred fillies and mares 3-year-olds and up, and $100,000 Alphabet Soup Stakes for Pennsylvania-bred 3-year-olds and up.

Also on Saturday are the G3 Noble Damsel Stakes at Aqueduct, and a trio of listed stakes on tap for Churchill's Downs After Dark card.

On Sunday, a field of thirteen 3-year-olds will contest the $400,000 Oklahoma Derby (G3), the headline event of 10 races at Remington Park on a program that also includes the Remington Park Oaks (G3) and six other stakes.

Saturday

4:35 p.m. – Grade 2 Gallant Bob Stakes at Parx Racing

The six-furlong Gallant Bob drew a field of 10 for the 2023 edition, led by G3 Chick Lang Stakes winner Ryvit for trainer Steve Asmussen. The son of Competitive Edge will be looking to find his way back to the winner's circle after two off-the-board finishes.

Second choice on the morning line is Damon's Mound for trainer Michelle Lovell. The son of Girvin won the Robert Hilton Memorial Stakes at Charles Town last out, and may be regaining the form that saw him win the G2 Saratoga Special as a juvenile.

Third choice is Saffie Joseph, Jr. trainee Nautical Star, who broke his maiden at Gulfstream in February before finishing ninth after a bad start in the G1 Florida Derby. The Dixie Chatter colt returned from a four-month layoff to win an allowance race at Gulfstream over seven furlongs on Aug. 18, and could be formidable if he can get a clean trip.

Gallant Bob Entries

5:20 p.m. – Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes at Parx Racing

Pretty Mischievous looks to move a step closer to the 3-year-old filly championship for 2023 when she takes on eight others in Saturday's $1 million Cotillion. Pretty Mischievous drew post three and was installed as the 2-1 favorite. Trained by Brendan Walsh, Pretty Mischievous comes into the Cotillion with three consecutive Grade 1 victories. The daughter of Into Mischief upset the Kentucky Oaks at odds of 10-1, won the Grade 1 Acorn five weeks later at Belmont Park, and added the Grade 1 Test Stakes at Saratoga Race Course after Maple Leaf Mel broke down in the final strides.

Trainer Ken McPeek sends out Grade 1 winner Defining Purpose, the 4-1 second choice on the morning line. The daughter of Cross Traffic won the Grade 3 Indiana Oaks two starts back at Horseshoe Indianapolis and finished third, beaten 5 ½ lengths, last time out in the Grade 1 Alabama. Seventh in the Kentucky Oaks, Defining Purpose scored a 20-1 upset of the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes in early April at Keeneland Race Course.

Trainer Doug O'Neill ships 5-1 third choice Ceiling Crusher in from Southern California for the Cotillion. The California-bred daughter of Mr. Big exits a six-length victory in the Grade 1 Torrey Pines Stakes Sept. 2 at Del Mar. She's won four of five starts, all as the favorite, by a combined 39 lengths, and drew post three for the Cotillion.

Occult, winner of the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks last time out; and Hoosier Philly, a Grade 2 winner at 2 who topped leading 3-year-old Wet Paint two starts back in the Monomoy Girl Stakes at Ellis Park, are co-third choices at 6-1. Grade 3 Iowa Oaks runner-up Imonra, Cathryn Sophia winner Foggy Night, Saratoga allowance winner and Wilton Stakes runner-up Just Katherine, and Cathryn Sophia third Majestic Creed complete the field.

Cotillion Entries

6:10 p.m. – Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing

Bob Baffert will be looking for his record fifth victory when he sends out favored Reincarnate in the 43rd running of Saturday's $1 million Pennsylvania Derby. Reincarnate was installed as the 3-1 morning-line favorite in the Pennsylvania Derby, despite drawing the far outside post in the field of 11. The son of Good Magic last raced July 8 when he won the Los Alamitos Derby gate-to-wire by 2 1/2 lengths.

Saudi Crown, trained by Brad Cox, is the 7-2 second choice on the morning line. The son of Always Dreaming has been idle since a gutty second-place finish behind Forte in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga on July 29. He was also second in the Grade 3 Dwyer May 21 at Belmont Park. He will be ridden by Florent Geroux.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will saddle Magic Tap, the 5-1 third choice on the morning line. The lightly raced son of Tapit will be making his stakes debut in the Derby after winning an allowance race by a neck at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 13. Magic Tap, who will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, has two wins and two seconds in his four career starts, all of them this year.

Scotland,trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, will attempt to build off his sixth in the Grade 1 Travers Aug. 26 at Saratoga Race Course as he makes his first start since with regular rider Junior Alvarado. He is the 6-1 fourth choice on the morning line.

Il Miracolo (8-1) comes into the Derby after winning the Grade 3 Smarty Jones Stakes Aug. 22 at Parx for trainer Antonio Sano.

Gilmore was fourth in the Grade 2 Amsterdam July 28 at Saratoga and then won an allowance at the Spa Aug 30. The Brendan Walsh-trained son of Twirling Candy is 10-1 on the morning line and will be ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, who rode him in his first start nine races ago.

Dreamlike, trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, is 10-1 on the morning line and is coming off a pair of Saratoga races. The son of Gun Runner broke his maiden July 14 and was fifth in an allowance Aug. 13. Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride.

Completing the field are Daydreaming Boy, conditioned by Parx trainer Louis Linder and to be ridden by Dexter Haddock, who was third in the Smarty Jones; West Coast Cowboy, who was second in the Grade 3 West Virginia Derby and is from the barn of Saffie Joseph Jr. and keeps rider Tyler Conner; Crupi, also from Pletcher, won an Aug. 18 allowance on a muddy track at Saratoga; and maiden Modern Era from the barn of Parx regular Uriah St. Lewis, who will be making his stakes debut after eight maiden starts.

Pennsylvania Derby Entries

Sunday

8:48 p.m. – Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park

Thirteen 3-year-olds drew into the $400,000 Oklahoma Derby (G3); the field is the largest for the Oklahoma Derby since 14 started in the 1 1/8-mile race in 2014.

Hit Show has been made the morning-line favorite at 3-1 odds and will leave the gate from the outside post 13. Trained by Brad Cox, Flavien Prat will ride. Hit Show won the Grade 3 Withers at Aqueduct on Feb. 11 before running second in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial in April. He eventually finished fifth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and then fourth in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes. Hit Show most recently was fifth in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes in July at Saratoga in upstate New York.

West Virginia Derby (G3) winner Red Route One is the second choice on the morning-line at 7-2 odds. Trained by Steve Asmussen, he will be guided by Joel Rosario. The colt by Gun Runner, owned and bred by Winchell Thoroughbreds, was second in the Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park in February. Red Route One was fourth in the Preakness Stakes (G1) and then eighth in the Belmont Stakes (G1) before scoring in West Virginia. Red Route One competed in the Dueling Grounds Derby (G3) at Kentucky Downs at 1 5/16 miles over turf on Sept. 3, finishing eighth in his most recent start.

Oklahoma Derby Entries

The post Weekend Lineup Presented By Sky Racing World: 3-Year-Olds Storm Into Pennsylvania appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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A trio of automatic Breeders' Cup berths are on the line as compelling editions of the Woodbine Mile (G1T), Summer Stakes (G1T), and Natalma Stakes (G1T) headline Saturday's Turf Champions Day card of racing at Woodbine in Ontario.

The six-horse field for the $1 million Woodbine Mile is led by Shirl's Speight, runner-up in last year's FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile (G1); local turf star War Bomber (IRE); and trainer Charlie Appleby's Master of the Seas, who returned from a 3 1/2-month layoff with a rousing 4-length victory in the July 15 Fred Crowley MBE Memorial Summer Mile Stakes (G2) at Ascot.

The Roads to the Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oaks kick off this Saturday at Churchill Downs, with the G3 Iroquois and G3 Pocahontas each offering 10 points to the winner. Nine 2-year-olds have been entered in each contest. The card will also feature the $400,000 Locust Grove (G3), $300,000 Open Mind (Listed), and $300,000 Louisville Thoroughbred Society.

Other highlights from this weekend's live Thoroughbred racing action are the G3 Jockey Club Oaks Invitational at Aqueduct and the G3 Baltimore-Washington International Turf Cup at Pimlico.

Seven 3-year-old fillies headline the Jockey Club Oaks, the final leg of the Fasig-Tipton Fillies Turf Triple series.

The 17th running of the one-mile BWI Turf Cup drew a field of seven with two main-track only entrants. It is the highlight of an 11-race program featuring six stakes, three each scheduled for grass and dirt, worth $650,000 in purses on the penultimate weekend of Pimlico's boutique nine-day fall meet.

Saturday

3:50 p.m. – Grade 3 Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs

Saturday's 55th running of the $300,000 Pocahontas features an ultra-competitive group of nine 2-year-old fillies.

Hot Beach broke her maiden by two lengths in the Ellis Park Debutante under jockey Declan Cannon. The Brian Lynch-trained daughter of Omaha Beach defeated fellow Pocahontas rivals Riperton and Youalmosthadme one month ago in the seven-furlong race. Jockey Flavien Prat will pick up the mount on Hot Beach in the Pocahontas from post No. 9.

Chief among Hot Beach's rivals in the Pocahontas is Youalmosthadme, who returns to Churchill Downs where she demolished her rivals in the Kentucky Juvenile by 8 ¾ lengths. Trained by Brad Cox, Youalmosthadme stumbled badly at the start of the Ellis Park Debutante but recovered to finish third as the heavy 4-5 favorite. Tyler Gaffalione, who was in the saddle for the Kentucky Juvenile, will have the call in the Pocahontas from post 7.

Another intriguing filly that entered the Pocahontas is V V's Dream, who finished second to future Grade 1 winner Brightwork in the Debutante Stakes at Ellis Park. Trained by Kenny McPeek, V V's Dream has been on the sidelines since her runner-up effort 10 weeks ago. Prior to the Debutante Stakes, V V's Dream convincingly won her debut at Churchill Downs by 6 ¼ lengths. Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. will be aboard from post 6.

McPeek is not a stranger to winning the Pocahontas. The veteran conditioner previously won the race with Fun and Feisty (2022), Daddys Lil Darling (2016) and Dothraki Queen (2015).

Pocahontas Entries

3:57 p.m. – Grade 1 Summer Stakes at Woodbine

My Boy Prince, who turned plenty of heads with his runaway victory in Woodbine's Simcoe Stakes, will look to boost his status in Saturday's bet365 Summer Stakes (G1T). The Ontario-bred has raced three times, all on Woodbine's Tapeta surface, graduating impressively in his second appearance before his 14-length romp in the 6 ½-furlong Simcoe for yearling sales graduates on August 27.

Woodbine's perennial leading trainer has captured four previous runnings of the Summer, the most recent with Gretzky the Great in 2020. He also has entered Souper Attentive, Go With Gusto, Golden Canary and King of the Track for the Summer. Go With Canary and Go With Gusto are cross-entered in Saturday's Grade 1 Natalma for 2-year-old fillies.

Carson's Run has been solid in his two career starts at Saratoga and looms a serious threat for the barn of trainer Christophe Clement. Both outings came over 1 1/16 miles of grass and include a game maiden win on August 6 and a second-place finish in a competitive renewal of the Grade 3 With Anticipation on August 31.

Trainer Kevin Attard has entered Bucyk, Bold Enoree and Airosa for the Summer with the latter-named pair also entered in the Natalma. Airosa captured the Catch A Glimpse, a 6 ½-furlong turf race for fillies, for her second straight win after finishing fourth in her debut.

The winner of the $500,000 Summer, a one-mile turf race for 2-year-olds, will earn a fee-paid berth for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, a one-mile race which will be run at Santa Anita on November 3.

Summer Entries

4:55 p.m. – Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs

The Road to Kentucky Derby 150 will begin Saturday at Churchill with nine 2-year-olds that entered the 42nd running of the $300,000 Iroquois Stakes.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will attempt to win his fourth-career Iroquois with his trainees Risk It and Edified. Risk It, a precocious 2-year-old son of Gun Runner, dominated a six-furlong maiden special weight contest on Aug. 19 at Saratoga by 4 ½ lengths under jockey Tyler Gaffalione. Risk It earned a solid 91 Brisnet speed rating for his debut win. Gaffalione will be back aboard in the Iroquois from post No. 8.

Asmussen's second entry in the Iroquois, Edified, broke his maiden on July 1 at Ellis Park by a widening 3 ½ lengths at odds of 9-1. The runner-up in that race, Liberal Arts, returned to break his maiden at Ellis Park and will once again face Edified in the Iroquois. Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. will have the mount on Edified from post 4.

Asmussen previously won the Iroquois with Lucky Player (2014), Astrology (2010) and Capt. Candyman Can (2008).

Another visually impressive maiden special weight winner that entered the Iroquois is Patriot Spirit. Trained by Mike Campbell, Patriot Spirit powered clear to a six-length victory on debut at Colonial Downs. The son of Constitution arrived to Churchill early Monday morning in preparation for Saturday's race. He'll once again be ridden by veteran Jesus Castanon from post 9.

Iroquois Entries

5:07 p.m. – Grade 1 Natalma Stakes at Woodbine

Trainer Charlie Appleby has a remarkable record at Woodbine, with his last seven starters heading back to England with Grade 1 victories. On Saturday, Appleby will be looking for his third success in the G1 Natalma Stakes when he sends out Dazzling Star (GB) in the $500,000, one-mile turf race. The daughter of Blue Point and Dancing Sands has seen action three times, all in six-furlong races, with the two most recent being straightaway turf runs.

The Natalma also is a “Win and You're In” for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, a Grade 1 race over the same distance which will be run at Santa Anita on November 3. Fifteen fillies have been listed with four cross-entered for Saturday's bet365 Summer Stakes.

Ozara (IRE), a maiden winner over 1 1/16 miles of “good” Saratoga turf in her only career start on August 6, will be stepping into stakes company for trainer Christophe Clement.

Trainer Mark Casse will be looking for his eighth victory in the Natalma, the most recent coming with Victory to Victory in 2016 and has entered a quartet of Golden Canary, Go With Gusto, Ready to Jam and Dancing Duchess.

Natalma Entries

5:42 p.m. – Grade 1 Woodbine Mile at Woodbine

Under the terms of the Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Challenge Series, the Woodbine Mile winner will be entitled to a fees-paid berth for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile, to be run on Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.

Trainer Charlie Appleby's Master of The Seas will be making his first appearance in North America after prosperous performances in both England and the United Arab Emirates. The 5-year-old son of Dubawi (IRE)-Firth of Lorne (IRE), who sports a record of 6-2-2 from 13 starts, is a five-time group winner along with a second and third at the G1 level.

Master of The Seas arrives at the Mile off a score in the one-mile Group 2 Fred Cowley MBE Memorial Summer Mile Stakes on July 15. ​ ​

Dual hall of fame conditioner Mark Casse, who won consecutive editions of the Mile, in 2016 with Tepin and one year later with World Approval, has three chances to add a third victory.

Ice Chocolat, a 5-year-old Brazilian-bred son of Goldikovic-Amor Chocolat, brings a record of 5-5-2 from 18 starts into his latest engagement. The multiple graded stakes-placed dark bay took the Group 3 Grande Prêmio Federação Internacional de Autoridades Hípicas at Brazil's Hipódromo da Gávea on Nov. 7, 2021, in his final start of the campaign. The gelding, bred by Haras Niju, made his North American debut with a fifth-place effort in his first start of 2022 and then contested his next seven starts at Woodbine.

He arrives at the Mile off a third-place effort in the Fourstardave Handicap (G1) which saw Ice Chocolat carried six- to seven-wide and then steadied before regrouping to close stoutly, missing the top spot by 1 ¼ lengths. Joel Rosario will be aboard on Saturday.

Ultra-consistent Lucky Score, a 5-year-old son of Lookin At Lucky-Miss Matzo, is 6-3-4 from 17 starts and has finished in the top three over his past seven starts. The bay gelding earned his second graded stakes victory after taking the six-furlong Highlander (G2) on July 1 at Woodbine. One year earlier, in September, he won the Vigil (G3). Sahin Civaci, who has partnered Lucky Score in all his starts this year, once again gets the call.

Casse's third Mile hopeful comes in the form of My Sea Cottage. The 5-year-old son of Shalaa-Shim Sham has compiled a record of 3-1-6 from 16 starts. The bay gelding is no stranger to Woodbine, having contested three races here, including the 2021 Toronto Cup Stakes (fifth). His most recent outing was a fourth to Casa Creed in the Fourstardave Handicap (G1). Dylan Davis will ride.

A five-time winner, along with a second and two thirds, from 17 starts, Shirl's Speight rhymed off three straight trips to the winner's circle from Jan. 15 to April 15 last year, capped off by a nose triumph in the Makers Mark Mile (G1). Under the tutelage of dual Hall of Fame trainer Roger Attfield, the 6-year-old son of Speightstown-Perfect Shirl won his debut, a seven-furlong race over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, on July 4, 2020, by eight lengths.

The bay, who was fourth in this May's Dubai Turf (G1) at Meydan, finished fourth in last year's Mile and second, at 55-1, to Modern Games in the 2022 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1). John Velazquez, who has a record five Woodbine Mile victories, including back-to-back (2012-13) triumphs with Wise Dan, will be in the irons.

Trained by Norm McKnight, War Bomber (IRE), a 5-year-old son of War Front-Sun Shower (IRE), heads into his second Mile (he was ninth last year) off a stellar winning performance in the King Edward Stakes (G2T) on Aug. 19 at Woodbine. The gelding, claimed by Schickedanz for $25,000 in August 2021, brings a mark of 7-2-2 from 19 starts into Saturday's race. Last August, War Bomber sprung an 18-1 upset in the Seagram Cup (G3), run at 1 1/16 miles on the Woodbine Tapeta. Rico Walcott, aboard for the past two outings, gets the call on the Coolmore-bred bay.

Woodbine Mile Entries

The post Weekend Lineup Presented By Sky Racing World: Woodbine Turf Champions Day, 2-Year-Olds Step Out At Churchill appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Closing weekend from Del Mar's summer meet and two of the final three days of racing from the rich Kentucky Downs oval are among the upcoming highlights on Saturday and Sunday, with a pair of “Win and You're In” Breeders' Cup Challenge races on the docket as well.

Both Challenge contests are at Kentucky Downs on Saturday, part of a card featuring six graded stakes races at the all-turf boutique racing festival. The day's highlight is the Grade 2 Kentucky Turf Cup, a “Win and You're In” for the Breeders' Cup Turf, featuring four Grade 1 winners and a trio of Grade 2 victors.

Closing weekend at Del Mar is topped by a pair of Grade 1 races for 2-year-olds: the Debutante for the fillies on Saturday, and the Futurity for the colts on Sunday. Perhaps the most exciting entrant in either race is Tamara, the juvenile daughter of champion racemare Beholder, taking on the Debutante field for trainer Richard Mandella.

Saturday is also Virginia Derby day at Colonial Downs, featuring six stakes worth a combined $1.3 million; while Woodbine offers a pair of graded turf stakes in the G2 Canadian and G3 Singspiel.

Three additional Breeders' Cup berths will be on the line in Ireland Saturday; the headlining matchup is between King of Steel and Auguste Rodin in the Irish Champion Stakes. Two more berths will be on offer at The Curragh on Sunday to round off Irish Champions Weekend.

Saturday

4:40 p.m. – Grade 2 Franklin-Simpson Stakes at Kentucky Downs

Saturday's seventh running of the $1 million Franklin-Simpson Stakes at  Kentucky Downs is an equine battle of the sexes. However, trainer Wesley Ward, whose filly Playlist is taking on eleven 3-year-old colts in the 6 1/2 furlong sprint, doesn't think it's that big of a deal. Ward has enjoyed Kentucky Downs success when running fillies vs. colts in the past. He won the first two runnings of the $500,000 Juvenile Turf Sprint Stakes by beating the boys with Moonlight Romance in 2018 and Cambria in 2019.

Playlist has won three of four starts this year for owners Westerberg Limited, Mrs. John Magnier, Jonathan Poulin, Derrick Smith and Michael B. Tabor. The daughter of Uncle Mo is on a three-race winning streak and will be making her stakes debut with Hall of Famer John Velazquez in the saddle.

Ward won the inaugural running of the Franklin-Simpson with Master Merion in 2017.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen watched Mike McCaty's Private Creed win the $500,000 Juvenile Sprint at Kentucky Downs last year. He is hoping the son of Jimmy Creed can add another trophy from the FanDuel Meet at Kentucky Downs.

Private Creed won the Juvenile Sprint at 6 ½-furlongs, the same distance as the Franklin-Simpson. He is winless this year in five starts but is coming off a rallying second-place finish in the Mahony at 5 1/2-furlongs at Saratoga on Aug. 13. Private Creed, who has won three of seven career starts on firm turf, will be ridden by Joel Rosario.

Private Creed went off at 11-1 odds in the Mahony and his upset bid was thwarted by another longshot in Closethegame Sugar, who is co-owned (along with Edwin Diaz) and trained by Adam Rice. This lightly raced son of Girvin has won two of three career starts and was second in the other try. Jose Lezcano gets the call to ride.

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., fresh off his fifth riding title at Saratoga, will ride the Rusty Arnold-trained Sweet Cherry Pie for the first time for owner BBN Racing. The son of Twirling Candy will be making his grass debut after two wins in five starts on dirt.

BBN Racing will also be represented by Mo Stash for trainer Vicki Oliver. The early speed horse finished sixth in her last try, the Grade 2 Secretariat at Colonial on Aug. 12. The son of Mo Town gets Rafael Bejarano in the saddle.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will be looking for a better effort from Starlight Racing and Harrell Ventures' Bat Flip in this spot. When last seen, the son of Good Magic finished eighth of nine in the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame at Saratoga, which was run over good turf.

That was his first start since November. On firm ground, he has won two of three. Hall of Famer Javier Castellano will ride.

Defending riding champion Tyler Gaffalione will be the pilot of Talla Racing, Rockingham Ranch and David A. Bernsen's Behind Enemy Lines for trainer Jack Sisterson. The son of Sioux Nation was last seen finishing fifth in the Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga.

Also entered are C&H Diamond Racing's Frosted Departure for trainer Kenny McPeek and jockey Brian Hernandez; St. George Stable's Mounsieur Coco for Fausto Gutierrez and Martin Chaun; BG Stables' Lugan Knight for Michael McCarthy and Florent Geroux; Barry and Joni Butzow's Golden Bandit for Coty Rose and Adam Beschizza and K&R Racing Stable and Town Branch Racing's Two of a Kind for Brian Lynch and Declan Cannon.

Franklin-Simpson Entries

5:54 p.m. – Grade 2 Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs

The $1 million Turf Sprint for 3-year-olds and up atKentucky Downs has Breeders' Cup implications. The race is a “Win and You're In” event and the victor gets a fees-paid spot in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Sprint.

The top two finishers from the Grade 3 Troy Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 5 will line up next to each other in the starting gate in the six-furlong Turf Sprint. Cogburn, the winner of the Troy, lines up in post position seven and Nobals, who was second by three-quarters of a length, is next door in No. 8.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Cogburn, owned by Clark O. Brewster and L. William and Corinne Heligbrodt, is unbeaten in his last three starts, his first three on grass. Before the Troy win, the son of Not This Time won a pair of ungraded stakes at Lone Star. Ricardo Santana has the mount.

Trained by Larry Rivelli, Nobals, owned by Vince Foglia's Patricia's Hope, will try to dictate pace, which he has done most of his career. Gerardo Corrales will ride.

Rivelli also has One Timer, owned by Foglia and Richard Ravin. The son of Trappe Shot won the Grade 2 Franklin-Simpson at Kentucky Downs last year at odds of just under 20-1. E.T.Baird, who rode him that day, has the call here.

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse sends out late-running Olympic Runner, a son of Gio Ponti. Owned by Gary Barber, Olympic Runner has one win in four starts this year, that coming in his last start, an allowance at Colonial on Aug. 5. Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano will ride.

Irad Ortiz Jr. takes over the riding chores for trainer Chad Brown's Dr. Zempf, who starts from post 12. Since coming to Brown's barn from Europe, the son of Dark Angel, who is owned by Ibrahim Rachid's Rachid's Racing, has a win in three starts. He was fourth in the Grade 1 Jaipur when last seen in June.

Six-year-old Gear Jockey, winner of the Grade 3 Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs in 2021, has only raced once this year, that being a sixth-place finish in the Van Clief Stakes at Colonial on July 22. He is trained by Rusty Arnold, owned by Calumet Farm and will be ridden by Jose Lezcano.

Also entered are George A. Sharp's Front Run the Fed for trainer Caio Caramori and jockey Reylu Gutierrez; Bad Beat Brian, owned by Marsico Brothers Racing, trained by Brittany Vanden Berg and to be ridden by her husband, Chris Emigh; Three Diamond Farm's Anaconda for Joe Sharp and Joel Rosario; Robert Cotran's Eamonn for Joe Orseno and John Velazquez; Exline-Border Racing, SAF Racing, Richard Hausman and Stonestreet Stables' Dream Shake for Michael Stidham and Tyler Gaffalione and Calvin Nguyen and Joey Tran's Noble Reflection for George Papaprodromou and Florent Geroux.

Turf Sprint Entries

5:56 p.m. – Grade 2 Canadian Stakes at Woodbine

Irish-bred Fev Rover, fresh off a victory in the Beverly D. (G1T), is back to defend her title in the $200,000 Canadian Stakes. Owned by Tracy Farmer, Fev Rover heads into the about 1 1/8-mile turf race for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, off an authoritative score in the in the $500,000 Beverly D. Taking command early with Javier Castellano aboard, the well-travelled mare set modest fractions and then fired home to notch a 3 ½-length triumph in the 1 3/16-mile race. ​

Casse will also send out Talbeyah, another Irish-bred owned by Farmer. The 5-year-old daughter of Lope de Vega (IRE)-Thai Haku (IRE) is 3-0-0 from 13 starts.

Moira, Canada's reigning horse of the year, 2023 Dance Smartly (G2T) winner Miss Dracarys, graded stakes winner Skims (GB), multiple graded stakes winner Atomic Blonde (GER), and graded stakes-placed Ready Lady will also go postward.

Canadian Stakes Entries

6:30 p.m. – Grade 2 Ladies Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs

Wakanaka has hooked some of the toughest turf horses in North America — including competing at various distances and racing against the boys — and could be the one to beat in the $1 million AGS Ladies Turf Sprint's field of nine.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the 5-year-old Irish-bred Wakanaka comes into the Grade 2, 6 1/2-furlong Ladies Turf Sprint off a second-place effort in Saratoga's Grade 3 Caress at 5 1/2 furlongs. Before that, she was third in Belmont Park's Grade 1 Just A Game at a mile. A multiple stakes-winner in Italy before coming to the United States last year, Wakanaka won Woodbine's Grade 2 Dance Smartly last year as well as the $350,000 Fall Harvest Stakes on Breeders' Cup weekend at Keeneland.

Bridlewood Farm's Bay Storm is back a year after she lost the Ladies Turf Sprint by a nose to the highly accomplished Campanelle. The 5-year-old Bay Storm earned a free berth in the Ladies Turf Sprint by virtue of winning the $200,000 prep at Ellis Park.

Trainer Mark Casse as a strong contender in Our Flash Drive, a multiple graded-stakes winner on turf and synthetic at Woodband winner of Saratoga's De La Rose Stakes last year.

Other contenders: multiple stakes-winner Train to Artemus; California invaders Unbridled Mary and Tony Ann; Saratoga allowance winner Gal in a Rush; and Quaria Comet, a Kentucky Downs maiden-winner last year who was second by a neck in the Ellis Park prep for the Ladies Sprint.

Ladies Turf Sprint Entries

7:05 p.m. – Grade 2 Kentucky Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs

Headed by four Grade 1 winners and a trio of Grade 2 victors, an overflow field of 16 was entered for Saturday's $1.7 million FanDuel Kentucky Turf Cup. The Grade 2 stakes at 1 1/2 miles is a “Win and You're In” Challenge Series race for the $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita.

Twelve horses can start, with another four entries on the “also-eligible” list needing scratches in order to run.

Mike Maker, Kentucky Downs' all-time winningest trainer, entered four horses in pursuit of a record sixth victory in the Kentucky Turf Cup. That includes last year's winner Red Knight, who returns at age 9 as a Grade 1 winner after taking Belmont Park's Man o' War in May. Maker also is running Therapist, who at age 8 earned his first Grade 1 victory when he took Monmouth Park's United Nations in his last start, a race in which Red Knight was a late-running third.

The only horse in the body of the race who isn't a graded-stakes winner is the Maker-trained Me and Mr. C, who got into the overflow field by virtual of capturing the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Cup at Ellis Park. Even so, Me and Mr. C is a five-time stakes winner. Maker's fourth entrant, Grade 2-placed Red Run, needs four scratches to get into the starting gate.

Trainer Brendan Walsh entered two-time Grade 1 winner Santin and Keeneland's Grade 2 Elkhorn winner Verstappen. Santin, winner of last year's Grade 1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic and the Arlington Million staged at Churchill Downs, comes into the Kentucky Turf Cup off a second-place finish in the 2023 Arlington Million, which was relocated to Virginia.

Paulo Lobo, who teamed with jockey Joe Talamo to win the Kentucky Turf Cup two years ago with the Argentine-bred Imperador, returns to the 1 1/2-mile stakes with Nautilus, a Grade 1 winner last year in his native Brazil. Nautilus won an off-the-turf Ellis Park allowance race by a nose in his last start.

Other graded-stakes winners include Spooky Channel and Never Explain. Trainer Chris Block brings Another Mystery back for another crack at the Kentucky Turf Cup after the horse finished third last year by a nose and a neck. Kitodan, winner of last year's Dueling Grounds Derby (G3), will run back in the Turf Cup after finishing seventh in the meet's opening-day FanDuel Tapit Stakes.

The horse to catch could be the Mark Casse-trained Get Smoking, who finished second by a neck in the Grade 2 Wise Dan at Ellis Park and then was fourth by a total of a length in the Ellis Park prep for the Kentucky Turf Cup.

A Kentucky-bred winner of the Kentucky Turf Cup will bring home $1 million; a non-Kentucky-bred winner will still earn about $800,000.

Kentucky Turf Cup Entries

7:29 p.m. – Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes at Del Mar

The horse to beat in the six-strong Mabee is Harris Farms' homebred Closing Remarks, home first in the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Handicap here on August 12. Trainer Carla Gaines gave rider Rispoli a leg up that afternoon and she'll do the same on Saturday.

Neige Blanche will shorten up two furlongs for trainer Lonny Powell, following a third-place run last out in the CTT and TOC Stakes.

Phil D'Amato enters a pair: graded stakes-winning Turnerloose, most recently fifth in the G2 Yellow Ribbon off a 10-month layoff, and last-out allowance winner Oakhurst.

Mabee Entries

8:59 p.m. – Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante at Del Mar

The deep Debutante field has a sparkling threesome who should draw the majority of the action in the extended dash – Dan Eplin's Dreamfyre, Repole Stable's Pushiness and Spendthrift Farm's Tamara.

All three of those runners are last-out winners, and in the case of Dreamfrye and Pushiness they are last-out stakes winners.

Dreamfyre was impressive in wiring the field in the Grade 3 Sorrento Stakes here on August 12. The daughter of the Scat Daddy sire Flameaway is now two-for-two after her earlier victory in a minor stakes at Pleasanton in her debut on July 9. She's trained by O.J. Jauregui and again will be ridden by Hector Berrios.

Pushiness outran six rivals in the CTBA Stakes at Del Mar on August 6. She fires out of the barn of Mike McCarthy and will be handled once more by Umberto Rispoli.

Tamara comes into the stakes off a first-out triumph at Del Mar on August 19, a six and a half-furlong straight maiden affair where she came running late to score smartly. She's got some serious connections going for her: She's a daughter of multiple champion Beholder; she's trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, and she'll once again by guided by Hall of Famer Mike Smith.

Del Mar Debutante Entries

Sunday

8:59 p.m. – Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity at Del Mar

Seven 2-year-olds have been entered for the seven-furlong Del Mar Futurity, led by 2-5 morning-line favorite Prince of Monaco for trainer Bob Baffert. The son of Speightstown has won both his career starts, including the G3 Best Pal, and will be partnered by Flavien Prat.

Trainer Tim Yakteen will send out Rothschild, a son of Uncle Mo who broke his maiden at second asking on Aug. 25, while Doug O'Neill has entered Best Pal third-place finisher Raging Torrent (Maximus Mischief).

Not to be overlooked in 2-year-old races, trainer Keith Desormeaux has entered 12-1 morning-line chance Next Level. The maiden son of Vino Rosso was second last out after setting the pace in a six-furlong maiden race, and will get the services of Kent Desormeaux in the irons.

Del Mar Futurity Entries

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There will be five Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In races scheduled for this Saturday, Sept. 2, highlighted by a pair of contests offering automatic starting positions to the $6 million Classic.

One Classic prep is offered on each coast: the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York, and the $1 million FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar in Del Mar, Calif.

Proxy and Rattle N Roll are the New York headliners, while 3-year-olds Geaux Rocket Ride and Arabian Knight take on nine other rivals on the West Coast.

Saratoga will also host the Flower Bowl (G2), which provides the winner a free spot into the $2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1). Then, 2-year-olds are in the spotlight at The Spa on Sunday and Monday in the G1 Spinaway and G1 Hopeful.

Also at Del Mar on Saturday, the winner of the Del Mar Handicap presented by Japan Racing Association (G2) will gain an automatic starting position into the $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1), and the winner of the Green Flash Handicap (G3) will earn a “Win and You're In” for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

Saturday and Sunday will also feature live racing action from Kentucky Downs' boutique grass meet.

Saturday

6:18 p.m. – Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga

Grade 1 winner Proxy will make his Empire State debut in Saturday's $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup going 10 furlongs. Proxy, a son of Tapit, is a six-time winner over four different ovals and enters from a victory in the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup on July 22 going nine furlongs, where he led from start-to-finish.

Trainer Kenny McPeek will saddle Grade 1 winner Rattle N Roll, who was last seen posting a runner-up effort in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster on July 1 at Ellis Park. The 4-year-old Connect colt earned his Grade 1 accolade in his stakes debut, when conquering the Breeders' Futurity in October 2021 at Keeneland. He entered the Stephen Foster from a string of three graded stakes triumphs over as many racetracks, each of which produced a triple-digit Beyer. Rattle N Roll captured the Grade 3 Ben Ali on April 22 at Keeneland [101] before shipping to Pimlico Race Course to take the 1 3/16-mile Grade 3 Pimlico Special on May 19 [101], followed by a triumph in the Grade 3 Blame on June 3 at Churchill Downs [100].

Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher will seek his second Jockey Club Gold Cup triumph when saddling Bright Future [post 8, Javier Castellano]. Bright Future defeated second-level winners by 4 3/4 lengths last out on July 21 traveling nine furlongs over the local going, where he earned a career-high 100 Beyer. The three-time winning son of Hall of Fame inductee Curlin, who won the Jockey Club Gold Cup in 2007-08, made his lone stakes performance in the Grade 2 Brooklyn on June 10 going 12 furlongs at Belmont Park. He finished a distant eighth in his lone off-the-board placing.

Trainer Josie Carroll will bring a pair of formidable contenders by way of Canada in last out graded stakes-winners Tyson [post 6, Manny Franco] and Duke of Love [post 7, Luis Contreras].

Completing the field are Grade 2 Suburban second and third-place finishers Clapton [post 5, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] and Unbridled Bomber [post 2, Dylan Davis], as well as three-time winning stakes-placed Warrior Johny [post 3, Junior Alvarado].

Jockey Club Gold Cup Entries

6:28 p.m. – Grade 3 Mint Millions Stakes at Kentucky Downs

The first stakes offering a $2 million purse in Kentucky Downs history is all set as the Grade 3 mile Mint Millions headlines Saturday's 11-race card at the FanDuel Meet.

A capacity field of 12 older horses was entered in the Mint Millions, with California-based multiple graded-stakes winner Cabo Spirit expected to scratch out of Thursday's opening-day $500,000 FanDuel Tapit Stakes to run for the bigger money. Money talks, and the Mint Millions attracted the entry of British's Group 1-placed Ancient Rome, trained by Charlie Hills with European standout jockey Jamie Spencer named to ride.

Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher entered Annapolis, winner of last year's Grade 1 Coolmore Turf Mile against older horses, in what would be a three-week turnaround from the colt's close second in Saratoga's Grade 1 Fourstardave.

Among the favorites for the Mint Millions figures to be the Greg Foley-trained Stitched, winner of the Grade 2 Wise Dan held at Ellis Park.

Kentucky Downs' all-time leading trainer Mike Maker, who finished 1-2 in the last year's stakes with Somelikeithotbrown and Atone, comes back with Atone and adds Max K. O.

Winning the Ellis Park prep to earn a fees-paid berth in the Mint Millions was the Rodolphe Brisset-trained Hozier, who in his prior start was a very good fourth in the Grade 2 Wise Dan run at Ellis Park.

At age 8, Gray's Fable is back for another crack at the Mint Millions. The gelding finished a close fifth last year race after winning the prep race at Ellis Park. He returned to the Kentucky Downs Preview Mint Millions four weeks ago, rallying to finish fourth but beaten 1 1/4 lengths.

Others entered in the Mint Millions: multiple Grade 1-placed Get Her Number as trainer Peter Miller ships in from California, Saratoga's Lure winner Smokin' T, Canadian-based Churchtown and Dhabab.

Mint Millions Entries

9:00 p.m. – Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar

A pair of 3-year-olds – Geaux Rocket Ride and Arabian Knight – were on top of the list for the Pacific Classic's morning line with the former – winner of the $1-million Haskell Stakes vs. 3-year-olds at Monmouth Park in New Jersey last out on July 22 – penciled in as the favorite at 5-2 and his 3-year-old rival, who finished third in the Haskell, next in line at 3-1.

Geaux Rocket Ride, who will be ridden once again by Hall of Famer Mike Smith, drew Post 1, while “Knight” has Del Mar's former top rider, Flavien Prat, in the tack and they'll start from Post 9.

The third soph – Skinner, stakes-placed in his last three outings – is 10-1 in the morning line and he and rider Hector Berrios will come out of Post 11.

The top threat among the older runners in the bunch is also trained by Baffert in Defunded, a four-time Graded stakes winner who will go off at 4-1 in the morning line under Del Mar's top rider, Juan Hernandez.

Besides its rich purse and Grade 1 prestige, the Pacific Classic is also a “Win and You're In” race for this year's $6,000,000 Breeders' Cup Classic, which will be contested at Santa Anita on Saturday, November 4. The Pacific Classic winner is guaranteed a spot in the starting gate for the country's richest race with all fees paid for entry.

Pacific Classic Entries

Sunday

5:10 p.m. – Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga

Brightwork brings a perfect 3-for-3 record into Sunday's $300,000 Spinaway for 2-year-old fillies going seven furlongs. Brightwork, by fourth-crop sire Outwork, announced her presence as a major force to be reckoned with in the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 3 Adirondack on August 6 at Saratoga. She stalked a swift pace in between horses from third down the backstretch before tipping out wide around the far turn en route to an easy five-length score.

Four-time Eclipse Award winning trainer Chad Brown will send out highly impressive maiden winner Ways and Means. Jockey Flavien Prat, who retains the mount from post 8, was described as “poised like a statue in the irons” by the Equibase chart as Ways and Means strolled home a 12 3/4-length winner while earning a 90 Beyer for the win.

Hall of Famer Bill Mott will saddle Sugar Hi [post 3, Junior Alvarado], who impressed in her Opening Day debut at the Spa with a six-length win. The daughter of Twirling Candy earned an 80 Beyer from her first-out graduation going 5 1/2 furlongs, where she sat a close second off a pace set by returning rival Lady Moscato before dueling with her foe in upper stretch and kicking clear to victory.

Trainer Kenny McPeek will saddle Wonder Ride [post 7, Julien Leparoux] following a winning debut on August 13 at Saratoga. There, the daughter of leading third-crop stallion Gun Runner rated a close third down the backstretch and won by a half-length in an effort which garnered a 72 Beyer.

Gary Contessa, who trained 2018 Spinaway winner Sippican Harbor, will send out Becky's Joker [post 5, Javier Castellano], who won her career debut at 21-1 odds in Opening Day's Grade 3 Schuylerville going six furlongs. There, Becky's Joker raced from one length off the pace down the backside and pounced to a 3 1/4-length score. The daughter of Practical Joke was a lackluster seventh in the last out Grade 3 Adirondack, where she finished 15 1/4 lengths back off Brightwork.

Hall of Famer and three-time Spinaway winner Steve Asmussen will saddle Closing Act [post 4, Jose Lezcano] following a third-place finish in the Schuylerville. The Texas homebred Munnings chestnut previously captured the Astoria on June 11 at Belmont Park following a triumphant neck score on debut on May 11 at Churchill Downs.

Completing the field are Miz Sense [post 1, Manny Franco] for Hall of Famer and six-time Spinaway winner Todd Pletcher; Lady Moscato [post 2, John Velazquez] for Hall of Famer and six-time Spinaway winner D. Wayne Lukas; the Tom Amoss-trained Alys Beach [post 6, Dylan Davis]; and Lemorian [post 10, Fernando De La Cruz] for conditioner Michelle Elliott.

Spinaway Entries

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