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Win And You’re In: Baaeed Faces Off With Palace Pier In Queen Elizabeth II

Rising one-mile star Baaeed will face by far the toughest test of his career to date when he bids to stretch his unbeaten run to six in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (sponsored by QIPCO), which on the tenth anniversary of Frankel's memorable QIPCO British Champions Day debut in the same race has attracted a line-up worthy of the occasion. The QEII is a “Win and You're In” race for the Breeders' Cup Mile on Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

The William Haggas-trained 3-year-old made his racecourse debut only four months ago but he is already a Group 1 winner in the Prix Du Moulin at ParisLongchamp and is disputing favoritism with last year's champion miler Palace Pier in a line-up which also includes last year's winner The Revenant, this year's QIPCO 2000 Guineas runner-up Master Of The Seas, and top-class fillies Alcohol Free, Lady Bowthorpe, and Mother Earth.

Haggas has been delighted with Baaeed and said: “With the likes of Palace Pier and Alcohol Free in the field it could be the race of the day, but Baaeed's preparation has gone well and he's in good shape. He's a nice horse and he's come a long way in a short space of time.”

John Gosden sounds just as pleased with Palace Pier, who is already a five-time Group 1 winner, including twice at Ascot, but met his only defeat in a ten-race career when third here 12 months ago.

He said: “It was frustrating when Palace Pier had to miss the Sussex Stakes with that blood disorder but he has since won the Prix Jacques Le Marois and it was always the intention after that to wait for this race.

“He's been training well and he'll appreciate what will hopefully be nicer ground than last year. A little over a week ago it was bottomless, and while we don't expect it to dry out to good to firm, it won't be like that.”

The Revenant is peaking at the right time once again judging from his fast-finishing short neck second behind Real World in the Prix Daniel Wildenstein at ParisLongchamp last weekend, when having his first race since May. However, drying ground could be a concern.

In an interview for QIPCO British Champions Series last week, trainer Francis-Henri Graffard said: “Two years ago on his first attempt he ran a fantastic race to finish second to a good horse (King Of Change), and when we went back last year we were very confident because he had come on a lot for his run at Longchamp. He had his ground and he was spot on, and he delivered, which was very good. If he has his ground again he will be ready to defend his title.”

The Coronation Stakes and Qatar Sussex Stakes winner Alcohol Free missed last weekend's Kingdom Of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes to wait for this, and if successful again here the prize money would provide a massive boost to Andrew Balding's hopes of winning a first trainers' title after he lost the lead to Charlie Appleby at Newmarket last weekend during the Dubai Future Champions Festival.

Balding said: “The QEII has always been the aim for Alcohol Free. We sidestepped the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket as we felt that it might be a bit tight going to Ascot oly two weeks later, and she seems in great form.”

Benbatl will also merit respect. Saeed Bin Suroor's globe-trotting seven-year-old has been a Group 1 winner at racecourses as far afield as Caulfield in Australia, Meydan in the UAE, and a little closer to home in Munich, Germany. His recent Newmarket Group 2 defeat of Pogo suggests his enthusiasm is undimmed.

The ten confirmations for the race are completed by Njord, who has been Group-placed on several occasions since winning the Balmoral Handicap (Sponsored By QIPCO) for Jessica Harrington on last year's card and 2019 Queen Anne Stakes winner Lord Glitters.

Full entries:

Benbatl (GB)
Lord Glitters (FR)
Njord (IRE)
Palace Pier (GB)
The Revenant (GB)
Baaeed (GB)
Lady Bowthorpe (GB)
Master of The Seas (IRE)
Alcohol Free (IRE)
Mother Earth (IRE)

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Addeybb On Course To Bid For Repeat In QIPCO Champion Stakes

Last year's winner Addeybb is firmly on course for a bid to become the second dual winner of the QIPCO Champion Stakes since it was moved to Ascot in 2011 as the centerpiece of QIPCO British Champions Day. The Champion Stakes is a “Win and You're In” for the Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 6.

Addeybb is set to face stellar opposition, with Cazoo Derby and King George VI & Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes winner Adayar still a possible runner, alongside Juddmonte International winner Mishriff and the winners of many more of the world's top middle-distance races.

William Haggas, who also plans to run the talented but frustrating Al Aasy and the supplemented three-year-old Dubai Honour, reports the popular 7-year-old “in as good shape as we could possibly have him”. If successful he would become the Champion Stakes' oldest winner since 1887, when Bendigo won a Newmarket running of the race at the same age.

Addeybb, who was also second to Magical two years ago, is among 14 possibles for the race, 10 of whom are already winners at Group 1 level.

Haggas said: “We are very pleased with Addeybb's condition. We'd like rain for him, and the more the better, but it doesn't look as if we are going to get it. I'd be surprised if it was quick ground though, as it was so wet there at the last meeting, and he'll run.

“I'd have loved him to have had a run, as it's a top, top race, but he goes well fresh and he can win off a lay-off. His last two weeks have been really good.”

He added: “Dubai Honour is a nice young horse who has won two Group 2s. He's doing very well physically and he's a pretty useful horse. This will be a big rise in class for him but we've got nothing to lose. I'm running Al Aasy too, and he's not without hope, dropping back in trip. Everyone questions him bar me, but he's a very, very talented horse.''

Mishriff was down the field 12 months ago but has had a massive year, taking his earnings past the £11m mark with wins in the Saudi Cup, the Dubai Sheema Classic and the Juddmonte International as well as places behind St Mark's Basilica in the Coral-Eclipse and Adayar in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes.

John Gosden, who is now in partnership with son Thady and is looking to add to his two runaway wins with Cracksman, has freshened Mishriff up since his stunning six-length defeat of Alenquer and Love in the Juddmonte International at York and is pleased to see the ground drying up.

Gosden said: “We've been happy with Mishriff since York and we are looking forward to running him again. It's always one race at a time, but we wanted to space his races in case we go on to run later in the year, possibly at the Breeders' Cup.

“It looks like being a good race and we should get better ground than last year, when he really didn't like it. He can handle soft, but last year it became specialists' ground. Full marks to all of the winners that day, but it's hard to quicken on that stuff.”

A decision upon the participation of Adayar is unlikely to be made until later in the week, but the Charlie Appleby-trained Qatar Prix De L'Arc De Triomphe fourth would be a fascinating contender for Godolphin, who were last successful with Farhh in 2013. Only Sir Ivor (1968) and New Approach (2008) have won both the Derby and the Champion Stakes in more than 50 years.

Aidan O'Brien, who won with Magical two years ago, can choose between two outstanding fillies in Love and Snowfall, both of whom are dual Classic winners, but they have also been confirmed for the QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes. O'Brien has also confirmed his Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes winner Bolshoi Ballet.

Other possibles include the Irish 2000 Guineas winner Mac Swiney and the high-class French three-year-old Sealiway, who was one place behind Adayar in the Arc, having won a Group 1 on the same weekend 12 months previously, plus Qatar Nassau Stakes winner Lady Bowthorpe, who has also been confirmed for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (sponsored by QIPCO).

Full Entries

Addeybb (IRE)
Al Aasy (IRE)
Euchen Glen (GB)
Helvic Dream (IRE)
Mishriff (IRE)
Lady Bowthorpe (GB)
Love (IRE)
Adayar (IRE)
Bolshoi Ballet (IRE)
Dubai Honour (IRE)
Foxes Tales (IRE)
Mac Swiney (IRE)
Sealiway (FR)
Snowfall (JPN)

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Breeders’ Cup Foal Nominations Close Friday

The deadline to nominate weanlings of 2021 to the Breeders' Cup at the one-time regular nomination rate of $400 will end Friday, Oct. 15 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The $400 nomination will provide lifetime eligibility to the Breeders' Cup World Championships and the Breeders' Cup Racing Programs. All foals by a fully nominated North American stallion are eligible to nominate at the weanling rate. In addition to race benefits and eligibility, Breeders' Cup foal nominators in 2021 have received a $10,000 nominator award for each Breeders' Cup Challenge series “Win and You're In” victory. Breeders' Cup starters are eligible to earn additional awards for their nominators. Visit members.breederscup.com to nominate.

The post Breeders’ Cup Foal Nominations Close Friday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Letruska Dominates in Keeneland’s Spinster

Popular star distaffer Letruska (Super Saver) took another step toward a potential Horse of the Year trophy Sunday at Keeneland, rolling to her fourth Grade I victory and sixth graded stakes win overall on the year as a heavy favorite in the GI Juddmonte Spinster S.

A dual Group 1 winner in Mexico for Fausto Gutierrez in 2019, Letruska stamped herself as a horse to watch with an impressive wire-to-wire score in last summer's GIII Shuvee S. at Saratoga and, after disappointing when finishing a well-beaten fourth in Belmont's GII Beldame S., added open-lengths graded stakes successes in the GIII Rampart S. and GIII Houston Ladies Classic S. over the winter. A narrow second in the GII Azeri S. at Oaklawn, the 5-year-old sent a seismic shock through the racing world when improbably re-rallying to stun dual champion Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) in the GI Apple Blossom H. Apr. 17 in Hot Springs. She then added a 2 3/4-length conquest of the GI Ogden Phipps S. and came back three weeks later for a 5 3/4-length romp in the GII Fleur de Lis S. before fighting off a host of challengers to annex the GI Personal Ensign S. last out Aug. 28 at Saratoga.

Away with all the money on to keep it rolling in this first career start at Keeneland, the bay broke as cleanly as Gutierrez could have asked for and established command in the first handful of strides under regular rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. Shaking loose from her nearest pursuers with ears pricked heading into the clubhouse turn, Letruska clicked off moderate fractions of :24 flat and :47.89 while moving easily in the clear. Crystal Ball (Malibu Moon) tried her best to take a run at the chalk as three-quarters went up in 1:12.52, but was always under more pressure than Letruska and dropped away by the top of the lane. Distant second choice Dunbar Road (Quality Road) began to make up marginal ground passing the eighth pole, but was never a realistic threat, and Letruska bounded past the wire a victress for the 17th time in her remarkable 22-race career.

“This is a horse to change the life of any person,” said Gutierrez. “She's a superstar and she proves [it] every second, every race. She shows her game, her ability at Churchill, at Oaklawn, at Saratoga. She's a racehorse.”

“She's doing so good right now,” added Ortiz. “I think she has great condition, a good trainer. She's doing unbelievable right now. She was just moving smooth out there. She didn't go that fast today but she did it easy, relaxed, and whenever I asked her she was there for me.”

Pedigree Notes:

One of 32 stakes winners, 16 graded stakes winners and seven Grade I winners for 2010 GI Kentucky Derby hero Super Saver, Letruska is the third black-type performer and second black-type winner from seven foals to race out of GSP Magic Appeal, a half-sister to GISW and sire J P's Gusto (Successful Appeal) and the dam of dual Canadian champion Miss Mischief (Into Mischief). Second dam Call Her Magic (Caller I. D.) was an eight-time winner in 14 career starts and ran a 107 Beyer when airing in a turf sprint stake by 6 3/4 lengths at Delaware in 2000. She is also a half-sister to the dam of 2008 GI Kentucky Oaks winner Proud Spell (Proud Citizen). Magic Appeal, a $100,000 Keeneland November pickup by Letruska's owner/breeder in 2015, has an unraced 2-year-old Hard Spun colt named Ocotzingo, a yearling colt by Arrogate and a weanling filly by Malibu Moon. She was bred to Curlin this spring.

Sunday, Keeneland
JUDDMONTE SPINSTER S.-GI, $500,000, Keeneland, 10-10, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/8m, 1:49.01, ft.
1–LETRUSKA, 124, m, 5, by Super Saver
                1st Dam: Magic Appeal (GSP), by Successful Appeal
                2nd Dam: Call Her Magic, by Caller I. D.
                3rd Dam: Malibu Magic, by Encino
O/B-St. George Stables, LLC (KY); T-Fausto Gutierrez; J-Irad
Ortiz, Jr. $300,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. 3yo Filly-Mex,
22-17-1-1, $2,236,459. *1/2 to Trigger Warning (Candy Ride
(ARG)), MSW & GISP, $555,378. Werk Nick Rating:
   Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Dunbar Road, 124, m, 5, by Quality Road
                1st Dam: Gift List, by Bernardini
                2nd Dam: Private Gift, by Unbridled
                3rd Dam: Private Status, by Alydar
($350,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP). O-Peter M. Brant; B-Jeffery J.
Drown (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $100,000.
3–Bonny South, 124, f, 4, by Munnings
                1st Dam: Touch the Star, by Tapit
                2nd Dam: Willstar, by Nureyev
                3rd Dam: Nijinsky Star, by Nijinsky II
O/B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $50,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 2 1/4, 2HF. Odds: 0.40, 4.60, 6.10.
Also Ran: Crystal Ball, Envoutante, Town Avenger. Scratched: High Regard. 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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