Breeders' Cup Win and You're In

DEL MAR, CA - With a tip on 2-year-old first-time starter Ocean Size (Maclean's Music), Jake Ballis watched with interest--and a win wager--on the fifth race at Colonial Downs Aug. 17. When Hidden Connection (Connect)--the co-second choice at 5-2 on the morning line for Friday's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies--ran away to a daylight score carrying the colors of Hidden Brook Farm with Ocean Size back in second, the frontman for the fledgling partnership Black Type Thoroughbreds quickly switched gears. "When she drew off at the eighth pole, I looked...

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...

Minutes after another easy win by Letruska (Super Saver), this time in the GI Juddmonte Spinster S. Sunday at Keeneland, trainer Fausto Gutierrez told reporters that the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff, and not the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, would be next for his 5-year-old mare. That was hardly a surprise. Gutierrez and German Larrea, the Mexican billionaire businessman who owns the horse, are looking to play it safe. Letruska is simply better than every other filly and mare in the sport and shouldn't have any problem winning the Distaff. The...

Hat Creek Racing's Averly Jane (Midshipman--Sh Sh Shakin', by Richter Scale) powered home a much-the-best winner in Keeneland's Indian Summer S., a 'Win and You're In' race for the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar Nov. 5. Undefeated in three prior starts for trainer Wesley Ward, including a commanding score in Saratoga's Skidmore S. Aug. 20, she was installed the 4-5 choice while facing the boys and getting blinkers off here. To the front like a shot, she rolled through opening splits of :21.64 and :44.50. Turning...

Jump Sucker Stable's Slipstream backed up a sharp maiden victory earlier in the meet with a score in the GIII Futurity S. Sunday at Belmont, a Win and You're In qualifier for the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. Debuting locally over six furlongs on grass, the $170,000 Keeneland September purchase ran an even fifth after hitting the gate at the start, then faced more early trouble in a Saratoga off-the-turfer July 30 before finishing a distant third. Cruising to a 5 1/4-length graduation going seven panels here Sept. 18,...

Prior to sending out Ivar (Brz) (Agnes Gold {Jpn}) to a victory in last year's GI Keeneland Turf Mile, a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile, trainer Paolo Lobo had not tasted Grade I success in 16 years dating back to Pico Central (Brz) (Spend a Buck)'s victory in the GI Met Mile in 2004. Jockey Alex Achard, 30 years of age, hadn't so much as ridden in a top-level event, but made the most of the opportunity Saturday afternoon, guiding In Love (Brz) (Agnes...

Bell's the One stamped her ticket to the Breeders' Cup with a gritty score in the TCA at Keeneland Saturday. Heavily favored here, the bay trailed the field through a :21.57 opening quarter. Making an eye-catching move on the backstretch, she launched a five-wide bid turning for home to put herself in contention and fought her way past her foes in mid-stretch, edging clear to score. "She's one of the best mares, if not the best horse, I've ever had," trainer Neil Pessin said. "The only thing I regret with...

Trainer Cipriano Contrereas and Andrew Knapczyk's Inthemidstofbiz (Fed Biz) faces five other fillies and mares in an attempt to defend her title in Saturday's GII Thoroughbred Club of America S., a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar Nov. 6. In two starts this term, Inthemidstofbiz won an Indiana optional claimer on the dirt May 20 before finishing fourth in the Aug. 30 Satin and Lace S. over Presque Isle Downs' synthetic surface, the same race she used as a prep...

Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Anne Marie O'Brien's Order of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}) returns to the scene of his biggest career win in Saturday's GI Keeneland Turf Mile and will attempt to earn a berth to this year's GI Breeders' Cup Mile. Sent off at a whopping 73-1 in last season's Mile contested at the Lexington oval, the bay came from just off the pace to prevail by a neck. Trained by Aidan O'Brien, Order of Australia arrived at Keeneland Tuesday afternoon after spending two days...

A robust field of 13 line in Saturday's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland, a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup TVG Juvenile at Del Mar Nov. 5. The sole black-type winner in the field is Phoenix Thoroughbred's Double Thunder (Super Saver), who comes into this off a narrow victory in Monmouth's one-mile Sapling S. Sept. 5. A confident 4 3/4-length winner second time out in Churchill's June 26 GIII Bashford Manor S., the Todd Pletcher trainee was a well-beaten fourth in the GII Saratoga Special S....

Godolphin's Althiqa (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) rides a two-race win skein in the U.S., but appears likely have to work for her third consecutive Grade I victory in of a competitive renewal of the GI First Lady S. at Keeneland Saturday, a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly&Mare Turf Nov. 6. On the board in all 11 career starts, the homebred posted her first win at the group level at Meydan in the G2 Cape Verdi S. in January before finishing third behind stablemate Summer Romance...

Off at a skinny 65 cents on the dollar--unsurprising given the incredible success of his stablemates over the weekend--Albahr (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) bombed the break in a way similar to the way Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}) did in the Natalma S. one race prior, and similar to that one, overcame that trouble to post a cozy victory in the GI Summer S. at Woodbine. The win gives Albahr an all-fees-paid berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar Nov. 5 and provides a potent 1-2 punch...