Breeders' Cup

by Steve Sherack & J.N. Campbell  DEL MAR, CA - It's not too late to own a Breeders' Cup contender. The inaugural Keeneland Championship Sale, set to be held in Del Mar's paddock Wednesday evening, will feature 10 offerings (12 were catalogued), including interests in four horses entered in this weekend's Breeders' Cup. The catalogue includes: - A 50% ownership interest in impressive GIII Vosburgh Stakes winner and GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile contender Mufasa (Chi) (Practical Joke) (Hip 9). The interest is consigned by I. C. Racing, LLC, agent....

"Boy Trapped in Refrigerator Eats Own Foot." Well, that got your attention, didn't it? Devotees of a certain spoof disaster movie may recall the spinning front-page story--but few will be aware that it may yet, in a roundabout way, lead to genuine headlines at the Breeders' Cup. Bret Jones of Airdrie Stud was at a dinner a few years ago when someone passing behind his seat overheard him saying how much he enjoyed Airplane! "I was in that movie," said Billy Koch. On the face of it, it seemed unlikely....

Having created history at the Breeders' Cup with a pair of winners the last time the championships were held at Del Mar back in 2021, Japan comes into this year's event with an even stronger hand. Some 19 horses based in Japan have made the trip over, headed by GI Kentucky Derby third Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}, the third ante-post betting favorite for the $7-million GI Breeders' Cup Classic. It is no secret that for many years, Japanese breeders have shopped the U.S. bloodstock market, acquiring some of...

When Minaret Station (Instilled Regard) jogged back after his stunning upset victory in the GII Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland on Oct. 6, one of the first people to greet him was trainer Will Walden, followed immediately by Tyler Maxwell. The victory was not only poignant in what it represented, with the 2-year-old colt earning an automatic berth to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, but also in how it brought things full circle for Maxwell who, at one time, was seemingly a lost soul until he was saved by the...

Over a month ago, the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) and the University of Kentucky issued their respective reports into multiple alleged management and operational failures at the university's Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (UK-EACL) under the leadership of its former director, Scott Stanley. Earlier this month, Stanley issued a response through his attorney. He categorically denied falsifying results and claimed many of the allegations leveled against him were made without evidence. At the same time, Stanley criticized the logistical challenges of running a lab under HIWU's regulatory oversight, including...

Santa Anita Park is approaching its 90th anniversary Dec. 26 with the opening of the Classic Meet, and the track is calling on the public to vote for the 13 'top moments' in track history, it was announced via presser. Voting on those moments will be open until Friday, Nov. 8 at 5:00 p.m. PT with the top 13 vote-getters being featured in Santa Anita's wall calendar, which is provided to on-track patrons on opening day each year. There are 15 nominations to choose from, which were selected by a...

Nobody should have been to surprised when Tarifa (Bernardini) won Saturday's GII Mother Goose S. at the Belmont at the Big A meet, turning the tables on the favored Gun Song (Gun Runner). The same goes for Saturday's GII Fayette S. at Keeneland, won by the Cox-trained Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}). Starting one month ago, on Sept. 27, he's been on a tear, winning 12 of the 17 (70 % percent) stakes races he has entered in. Overall, Cox is 20-for-63 (32%) for the month of October. He ran...

Three-time Grade I winner Gina Romantica (Into Mischief) will miss an intended engagement in Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar, according to the organization's social media post on X Sunday. Bred by Machmer Hall and campaigned by Peter Brant, the $1.025 million Keeneland September purchase repeated on the GI First Lady Stakes at Keeneland in her most recent start on Oct. 5. Earlier this season, the Chad Brown trainee finished runner-up in Saratoga's GII Ballston Spa Stakes and third at that venue in the GI Diana Stakes. She...

Chad Brown was trackside Saturday to watch eight of his Breeders' Cup hopefuls breeze over the Belmont Park dirt training track, including GI Breeders' Cup Classic contender 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) and the dual Grade I-winning GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile contender 'TDN Rising Star' Chancer McPatrick (McKinzie). The four-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner is well positioned for more main-track success heading into next weekend's World Championships with Sierra Leone, Domestic Product (Practical Joke) (Dirt Mile), 'TDN Rising Star' Ways and Means (Practical Joke) (Filly & Mare Sprint), Raging...

A bevy of horses pre-entered in next weekend's Breeders' Cup at Del Mar worked Saturday at Santa Anita. Out in force were horses trained by Bob Baffert and Phil D'Amato, who combined pre-entered 18 horses to the 41st Breeders' Cup. D'Amato worked all eight of his Breeders' Cup pre-entrants. One Magic Philly (Good Magic) (Filly & Mare Sprint), winner of the GIII Chillingworth Stakes last out, and Vodka With a Twist (Thousand Words) (Juvenile Fillies), second in the GI Del Mar Debutante, worked in company. One Magic Philly was clocked...

Trainer Chad Brown sent out his two Keeneland-based pre-entrants in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile--'TDN Rising Star' Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and Chili Flag (Fr) (Cityscape {GB})--together for a half-mile breeze over the grass in :50.40 (1/3) Saturday morning. According to Keeneland clockers, their final quarter mile went in :22.80. "I thought it was a great work, very straightforward," said jockey Tyler Gaffalione, who rode Carl Spackler to a win in Keeneland's GI Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes Oct. 5. "He's really feeling good out there. He's a...

Siena Farm and WinStar Farm's Mullikin (Violence), perfect in four starts this term and one of the favorites for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, went a half-mile in :47.60 in the company of GII Amsterdam Stakes-winning 'TDN Rising Star' World Record (Gun Runner, :47.80) over the Keeneland main track Friday morning (see below). The 4-year-old colt, who demolished his rivals by 5 3/4 lengths in the GI Forego Stakes at Saratoga Aug. 24, was timed in fractions of :24.40 and :36.20 before galloping out five furlongs in 1:00.60. "That is...