Breeders' Cup Classic

By all accounts, the undefeated GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Flightline was truly a once-in-a-generation horse. Like the legendary A.P. Indy, his great-grandsire who also stood at Lane's End, Flightline was a seven-figure yearling fashioned into a Horse of the Year, but it was the way he made very good horses look like ordinary mortals that cemented his acclaim. Flightline completed his first season at stud this year; will he also follow in A.P. Indy's footsteps and become a breed-shaping sire? "Flightline had an excellent start at stud, covering 152...

Santa Anita kicks off its Autumn meet in style this weekend, highlighted by eight graded stakes, including Saturday's GI Awesome Again S., a Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' for the Nov. 4 Classic. As is his custom, trainer Bob Baffert is armed with a slew of Classic prospects, however, he confirmed last week that one of the early Classic favorites--GI Pacific Classic scorer Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo)--would bypass this local Breeders' Cup Classic prep. Also missing this weekend's lineup, GI Haskell Invitational winner Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg})...

Making his first start since a history-making success in the G1 Dubai World Cup just over six months ago, Kenji Ryotokuji Holdings' Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) prepped for a possible appearance in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita Nov. 4 with a comfortable victory in Wednesday's Listed Nippon TV Hai at Funabashi Race Track near Tokyo. Yuga Kawada was at the controls when the 6-year-old rallied from last to become Japan's first World Cup winner on dirt, but settled the blinkered bay much closer to the pace...

Kenji Ryotokuji's Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), last seen recording a powerful victory over an international field in the G1 Dubai World Cup in late March, returns to the races in Wednesday's $456,960 Listed Nippon TV Hai at Funabashi Racecourse about 25 minutes east of Central Tokyo. The 1800-meter test will serve as his lone prep for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita in a little more than five weeks' time. The 6-year-old, bought for just under $220,000 as a foal at the 2017 JRHA Select Sale, made...

Sent off as the 2-1 favorite despite a below-par third behind the re-opposing Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the GI TVG.com Haskell S. July 22, Zedan Racing Stable's 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo) became the first 3-year-old since Shared Belief (Candy Ride {Arg}) in 2014 to best his elders in the GI FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic at Del Mar, earning a spot in the field for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita in the process. "Those two horses (Arabian Knight and Geaux Rocket Ride)...

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's lightly raced Bright Future (Curlin), a well-backed 7-2 in Saturday's GI Jockey Club Gold Cup S. at Saratoga, dug down deep beneath the ageless Javier Castellano to hold off Proxy (Tapit) by a nose and punch his ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita. "It was a good spot to try a Grade I and he delivered a big performance," winning trainer Todd Pletcher said. "In order to go to the next one, he's going to need to make another move...

A trio of highly regarded sophomores will take on their elders in a fantastic renewal of Saturday's GI FanDuel Pacific Classic S. at Del Mar, a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. The 5-2 morning-line favorite Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) leads the way for the 3-year-olds after defeating GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic) by 1 3/4 lengths in Monmouth Park's GI TVG.com Haskell S. July 22. He will look to follow in the hoofprints of his leading sire Candy Ride, who won...

C Two Racing Stable and Antonio Pagnano's White Abarrio (Race Day), a 6 1/4-length winner in Saturday's GI Whitney S. at Saratoga, exited his victory in good order, according to trainer by Rick Dutrow, Jr. Sunday morning. "I don't know if it's sunk in yet," said Dutrow, Jr. who celebrated his 64th birthday Saturday. "I kept anticipating another horse to come challenge him. I felt extremely comfortable when he broke good and was laying off the speed horse--I felt any time that he wanted him, he could have him. I...

Welcome back, Babe. Trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr., on the sidelines for more than 10 years after having his license suspended by New York State racing regulators, enjoyed by far his biggest win since returning in the spring courtesy of White Abarrio (Race Day), a jaw-dropping 6 1/4-length, stalk-and-pounce winner of Saturday's 'Win and You're In' GI Whitney S. at Saratoga. Zandon (Upstart) completed the exacta while the heavily favored Cody's Wish (Curlin), looking for his first career win beyond one mile while drawn widest of all in post six, had...

Gary and Mary West homebred West Will Power (h, 6, Bernardini--Wild Promises, by Wild Event) punched his ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Classic with a half-length victory over the streaking Rattle N Roll (Connect) in Saturday's 'Win and You're In' GI Stephen Foster S. at Ellis Park. The 2-1 favorite sat a perfect, stalking trip beneath Flavien Prat in second through fractions of :23.74 and :46.97. He hit the front right outside of the quarter pole, set sail for home and stayed on to hold the fast-finishing Rattle N...

2nd-Horseshoe Indianapolis, $34,000, Msw, 5-15, 2yo, 4 1/2f, :52.90, ft, 2 lengths. LAUGH NOW (c, 2, Vino Rosso--Little Pao, by Tiznow) had the last laugh here, and broke his maiden as well as tallied the first victory as a sire for Vino Rosso (by Curlin). The stallion also had  the third place finisher Zaino in the Royal Palm Juvenile S., a qualifier for Royal Ascot. Eighth last out at Keeneland Apr. 27 after breaking inward and tiring on that unveiling, conditioner John Ennis armed his colt with a pair of...

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA--Country Grammer (Tonalist) brings rock-solid credentials to the G1 Saudi Cup at Riyadh, according to his legendary rider Frankie Dettori, who says the Bob Baffert-trained 6-year-old can go one better than last year in Saturday's showpiece. Dettori also described Baffert's other runner in the race, the unexposed Taiba (Gun Runner), as a force to be reckoned with as the 52-year-old spoke alongside fellow luminary in the saddle, Joao Moreira, in the build-up to the world's richest race. "Country Grammer is very solid and never runs a bad race--touch...