Breeders' Cup Juvenile

Led by last term's hard-fought GII Remsen S. winner Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo), a deep field of nine will line up for Saturday's GIII Holy Bull S. at Gulfstream Park. Owned by Donegal Racing and trained by Todd Pletcher, Mo Donegal outslugged Zandon (Upstart) by a nose after a roughly run stretch drive while making his stakes debut in that aforementioned 1 1/8-mile affair at Aqueduct last time Dec. 4. "We decided that the Holy Bull was the right starting point," Pletcher said. "It gives us plenty of options. If...

'TDN Rising Star' Essential Quality (Tapit--Delightful Quality, by  Elusive Quality), a leading Eclipse Award finalist for champion 3-year-old colt, heads to the breeding shed with an impressive line-up of mares for his first season at stud at Darley's Jonabell Farm in Kentucky. The 2020 champion 2-year-old colt and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner continued to add to his loaded resume at three, capturing the GI Belmont S. and GI Runhappy Travers S. He concluded his career with a third-place finish against his elders in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. The...

Presumptive 2-year-old champion male and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile hero Corniche (Quality Road) will be freshened briefly at WinStar Farm in Kentucky this winter before returning to Bob Baffert's barn, according to a report in Daily Racing Form. Marette Farrell, who purchased the $1.5-million colt for Speedway Stable, said Corniche was sent to Kentucky last Wednesday. "It's time to give him a little bit of a break," Farrell told DRF. "Speedway likes to use WinStar for lay-ups. He can be turned out, graduate to a paddock, and they have a...

Jack Christopher (Munnings), expected to go off the favorite in the GI TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile but scratched by the track veterinarians the day prior to the race, has had a screw inserted in his left shin due to a stress fracture, according to his ownership group's racing manager, Bradley Weisbord. The news was first reported by the Blood-Horse. "Jack Christopher saw Dr. Larry Bramlage the Wednesday following the Breeders' Cup," said Weisbord. "He had a full examination, including a bone scan. A couple of areas lit up, mainly the...

It was a blustery autumn day last week when champion Essential Quality (Tapit - Delightful Quality, by Elusive Quality) stepped out of his new stall in Darley's eminent stud barn to make his paces in front of onlooking breeders for his first stallion show, but the regally-bred grey didn't so much as bat an eye as the winds picked up and the surrounding crowd grew thicker. "I think what has been evident about Essential Quality from the get-go has been his class and his mind," said Darley's Sales Manager Darren...

DEL MAR, CA -- Unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Jack Christopher (Munnings), the 9-5 morning-line favorite for Friday's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar, was scratched on the advice of the veterinarians at the Breeders' Cup, according to Bradley Weisbord of BSW Bloodstock, who serves as Jim Bakke's racing manager. "(Trainer) Chad (Brown) called me at 6:00 last night to say he had gutting news. He said, `They're not going to let him run.' I just said, `What's wrong?' and he said, `they said he's got a left shin.' For...

DEL MAR, CA -- Unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Jack Christopher (Munnings), the 9-5 morning-line favorite for Friday's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar, was scratched on the advice of the veterinarians at the Breeders' Cup, according to Bradley Weisbord of BSW Bloodstock, who serves as Jim Bakke's racing manager. "(Trainer) Chad (Brown) called me at 6:00 last night to say he had gutting news. He said, `They're not going to let him run.' I just said, `What's wrong?' and he said, `they said he's got a left shin.' For...

Apparently, 'Jacks' are wild where it comes to the GI Champagne S., in the last couple years, at least. Twelve months after Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) put on a show in the 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Presented by TAA, 'TDN Rising Star' Jack Christopher (Munnings) turned in a dazzling performance of his own, racing away to a 2 3/4-length success to stamp himself as one of the favorites on Breeders' Cup Friday, Nov. 5. Accorded 'Captain Obvious' Rising Star status after covering...

'TDN Rising Star' Corniche (c, 2, Quality Road--Wasted Tears, by Najran), the $1.5-million OBS April topper earlier this spring and a jaw-dropping debut winner going 5 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar Sept. 4, led them every step of the way to run to the money as the 2-5 favorite in Friday's 'Win and You're In' GI American Pharoah S. at Santa Anita. Pappacap (Gun Runner), winner of the GII Best Pal S., was second; third out maiden winner Oviatt Class (Bernardini) was third. Corniche is the 10th winner of the...

Arazi (Blushing Groom {Fr}-Danseur Fabuleux, by Northern Dancer), whose five-length victory in the 1991 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs is regarded as one of the greatest performances ever at the Breeders' Cup, has died at 32 at Stockwell Thoroughbreds in Victoria, Australia. In a feat rarely seen nowadays, Arazi traveled to the Breeders' Cup in 1991 to take on the best American colts on the dirt. The chestnut was favoured even though he had never run on the surface and despite the presence of leading American 2-year-old Bertrando,...

Godolphin's Essential Quality (Tapit) breezed a sharp five furlongs in :59.80 at Churchill Downs Saturday morning. The move was the fifth fastest of 40 horses at the distance. The grey worked in company with 5-year-old graded stakes winner Night Ops (Warrior's Reward) through early fractions of :24.20 and :47.60, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols. Named the juvenile champion colt following a victory in last fall's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland, trained by Brad Cox-trained colt won the GIII Southwest S. and GII Toyota Blue Grass S. before...

'TDN Rising Star' Essential Quality (Tapit) looks to maintain a spotless record as he stretches out to nine furlongs for the first time while facing a field of nine in this Saturday's GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland. If this 3-5 morning line favorite were to score a win this weekend, he would, by most accounts, be considered a top choice heading into the GI Kentucky Derby as an undefeated dual Grade I winner. And yet, history would still be working against the Godolphin homebred come the first Saturday...