Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint

With a long-term eye on a title defense in this fall's GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar, Patricia's Hope LLC's Nobals (Noble Mission {GB}) has begun gearing up for his 2024 campaign. The gelded 5-year-old has posted four breezes at trainer Larry Rivelli's Hawthorne base this spring, most recently stopping the timer for four furlongs in :52.60 (50/51) May 19. "He's doing good, real good," Rivelli said. "I gave him time just for no reason. I haven't really picked out anything yet (for his return); within his next...

It's been a year of ups and downs for trainer Larry Rivelli, who saddled the very talented Two Phil's (Hard Spun) to a runner-up effort in the GI Kentucky Derby and subsequent victory in the GIII Ohio Derby before a premature retirement to stud. The conditioner was dealt another blow this week when One Timer (Trappe Shot) was ordered scratched from a potential appearance in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, but the gelded Nobals (Noble Mission {GB}) parlayed a ground-saving trip into a 12-1 upset in the five-furlong dash...

Hollie Doyle, named to ride G1 King's Stand S. scorer Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita Nov. 4, has appealed a seven-day suspension and will have to face the British Horseracing Authority disciplinary panel next week to determine if a trip to America is in the offing. Doyle incurred the ban aboard the Jonathan Portman-trained Rose Light in the 11-furlong Unibet More Boosts In More Races Fillies' H. at Kempton Monday. According to the stewards report, "Doyle was suspended for seven days...

"He's one of my all-time favorites," said trainer Wesley Ward. "He was an awesome horse. Extremely talented, super quick, and agile: that was really his biggest attribute. When the first jump opened, he was explosive. He would open up effortlessly. He pulled the heart away from the other horses a little bit. "He was a joy to train, a highly intelligent horse. I really appreciated the time at the barn with him every day, because based on his accomplishments I knew that our time would be limited with him and he'd...

Stormy Liberal is one of a select number of Breeders' Cup winners to repeat the feat. Always dead game, the former claimer's final half-dozen career victories had connections and fans regularly holding their collective breaths as his biggest margin was just a neck. The tough and classy veteran raced on three continents, earned an Eclipse as champion turf male in 2018, and retired to Old Friends after his 2019 season. "When owner David Bernsen retired Stormy to us, I was thrilled," said Michael Blowen, president of Old Friends. "The two-time...

Anthony Fanticola's Motorious (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) rallied smartly through the final furlong and half to prove a much-the-best winner of Saturday's GIII Green Flash H. at Del Mar, sewing up a fees-paid berth into the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint up the road at Santa Anita in early November in the process. Sent off the 13-5 favorite with Geovanni Franco replacing the injured Umberto Rispoli in the irons, Motorious raced in about seventh position of the 12 runners down the backstretch, but not terribly far off the pace disputed by...

In Keeneland's second consecutive race Saturday with a Breeders' Cup-winning mare from last November returning to the scene of her greatest triumph for her 2023 debut, CARAVEL (m, 6, Mizzen Mast-Zeezee Zoomzoom, by Congrats) won the Lexington oval's GII Shakertown S. She was last seen taking the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint over this course and distance Nov. 5. It was deja vu, as just like last November, when Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper) won the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint in the race immediately preceding the Turf Sprint on...

In the final Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred/The Racing Biz poll of 2022, GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint heroine Caravel (Mizzen Mast) was named 2022's top Midlantic-bred. The honor marks the fifth straight year the Top Midlantic-bred was also a Breeders' Cup winner. In addition to her Breeders' Cup triumph, the Pennsylvania-bred daughter of Zeezee Zoomzoom (Congrats) racked up a record of 8-5-0-0 for earnings of $930,983, which included wins in the GIII Franklin County S. and GIII Intercontinental S. She is the sixth Pennsylvania-bred to win a Breeders' Cup race, joining Go...

Edited Press Release Elizabeth M. Merryman, who bred Caravel (Mizzen Mast), winner of the $1-million GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Nov. 5 at Keeneland Race Course, has been named the 2022 recipient of the John Deere Award, in recognition of the breeders who participated this year in the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In and in the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The John Deere Award, presented by Breeders' Cup Limited and NTRA Advantage, emphasizes the contributions of breeders to the Breeders' Cup program. The industry's breeders and nominators...

LEXINGTON, KY - Gutsy Pennsylvania-bred mare Caravel (Mizzen Mast) took the field wire-to-wire and just held off Emaraaty Ana (GB) (Shamardal) with Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) closing powerfully late to give Godolphin the two-three in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Saturday at Keeneland. The gray mare, dismissed at 42-1, shot out to the early lead as favored Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), who had been expected to set the pace, was off to a slow start after jumping at the break. The favorite was rushing up through the field,...

LEXINGTON, KY--Godolphin's Mischief Magic (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) started off the Breeders' Cup action on an unseasonably warm and picture perfect day at Keeneland Friday in style with a late-rallying victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. Dispatched at 6-1 in this 5 1/2-furlong event, the homebred was off slowest of all, leaving him trailing the field early. Meanwhile Speed Boat Beach (Bayern) and previously unbeaten Tyler's Tribe (Sharp Azteca) sped out to the early lead, dueling through a :21.65 opening quarter. American Apple (American Pharoah), a 51-1...

Two main-body entrants in Saturday's Breeders' Cup races, Laurel River (Into Mischief) and Bran (Fr) (Muhaarar {GB}) were announced as vet scratches Friday. The former, a Juddmonte homebred conditioned by Bob Baffert, was set to ride a three-race win streak into the GI Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. He was last seen annexing the GII Pat O'Brien S. at Del Mar Aug. 27 with a career-best 108 Beyer Speed Figure and was the 9-2 co-third choice on the morning line. Hronis Racing's Bran, meanwhile, was 15-1 in a...