This weekend has serious implications for the upcoming 2012 Breeders Cup World Championships in early November at Santa Anita. As part of the Win and You’re In Challenge Series, there are a combined total of 14 races across the United States and Europe. Super Saturday at Belmont Park includes five Grade 1 races and one Grade 2, Santa Anita has five Grade 1 races on Saturday, Newcastle has a Group 1 race on Friday and Group 2 on Saturday and finally Curragh has a Group 1 race on Sunday.
SUPER SATURDAY AT BELMONT PARK
The Beldame Stakes (G1) is for fillies and mares three year olds and up going 1 1/8 miles on the dirt. The winner receives an automatic bid to the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (G1). Included in this field is reigning three year old female champion Royal Delta and five-time graded stakes winner It’s Tricky. Both are coming off mediocre performances by their standards in the Personal Ensign Handicap (G1) on August 26 at Saratoga. See if one or both can rebound and regain their form. Royal Delta already has an automatic bid for the Ladies’ Classic with her win in the Delaware Handicap (G2) at Delaware Park on July 21. Click here to learn more about the BC Ladies’ Classic and the other current challenge winners.
The Flower Bowl Invitational (G1) is for fillies and mares three year olds and up going 1 1/4 miles on the turf. The winner receives an automatic bid to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1). The competitive field of nine older females includes seven-time Group and Graded stakes winner Zagora (FR), Beverly D. Stakes winner I’m a Dreamer (IRE), Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes (G3) winner Starformer and BC Filly & Mare Turf runner-up from 2011, Nahrain (GB). I’m a Dreamer (IRE) is the only one from this race who has qualified for the Filly & Mare Turf with the win in the Beverly D. Stakes at Arlington Park. Click here to learn more about the BC Filly & Mare Turf and the other current challenge winners.
The Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (G1) is for three year olds and up going 1 1/2 miles on the turf. The winner receives an automatic bid to the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1). A short field of six features the Shug McGaughey trained Point of Entry who has won five of his last six races including a four race winning streak in 2012. His last two wins came in the Man O’War Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park and the Sword Dancer Invitational at Saratoga. Little Mike comes into the Joe Hirsch off a triumphant gate to wire win in the Arlington Million. He also won the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs on Derby day. The European threat comes from the Aidan O’Brien barn. Treasure Beach (GB) has not been the same since capturing the Secretariat Stakes (G1) at Arlington last August. In six races since, he has yet to finish in the top two. Little Mike has already qualified for the Turf with the Arlington Million victory. Click here to learn more about the BC Turf and the other current challenge winners.
The Vosburgh Invitational (G1) is for three year olds and up going 6 furlongs on the dirt. The winner receives an automatic bid to the Breeders’ Cup Xpressbet Sprint (G1). A full field of 10 includes Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) winner Poseidon’s Warrior, True North Handicap (G2), Jerome Stakes (G2) winner The Lumber Guy and Sean Avery, winner of six of his last seven races including his only start of 2012, the Affiliate Stakes at Belmont Park. This after missing 13 months. No horse in this field has qualified for the Xpressbet Sprint. Click here to learn more about the BC Xpressbet Sprint and the current challenge winners.
The Kelso Handicap (G1) is for three year olds and up going one mile on the dirt. The winner receives an automatic bid to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1). The nine horse field includes 2011 Preakness Stakes (G1) and 2012 Churchill Downs Stakes (G2) and Met Mile winner Shackleford, six-time graded winner To Honor and Serve and West Virginia Governor’s Stakes winner Tapizar. Shackleford has already received an automatic bid for the BC Dirt Mile with his win in the Metropolitan Mile Handicap (G1) at Belmont Park on May 28. Click here to learn more about the BC Dirt Mile and the other current challenge winners.
The TVG Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) is for three year olds and up going 1 1/4 miles on the dirt. The winner receives an automatic bid to the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). This race feature Santa Anita and Stephen Foster Handicap winner Ron the Greek, Whitney Invitational Handicap winner Fort Larned, Donn Handicap winner Hymn Book, last year’s Belmont Stakes winner Ruler on Ice and last year’s winner of this event Flat Out. Ron the Greek and Fort Larned have already qualified for the BC Classic. Click here to learn more about the BC Classic and the other challenge winners and contenders.
SUPER SATURDAY AT SANTA ANITA
On Saturday, the FrontRunner Stakes (G1) is for two year olds going 1 1/16 miles on the dirt. The winner receives an automatic bid to the Breeders’ Cup Grey Goose Juvenile (G1). The 11 horse field is missing Del Mar Futurity winner and Bob Baffert trained Rolling Fog, but it does include the runner-up from that race and Best Pal Stakes (G2) winner Know More. The race also features Cape Bastone, 4th place finisher in the Futurity as the second choice, three other Bob Baffert trained colts in Power Broker, Den’s Legacy and Carving. Rolling Fog was the only horse to qualify so far. Everyone else has a chance with a win here. Click here to learn more about the BC Juvenile and the other current challenge winners and contenders.
The Rodeo Drive Stakes (G1) is for fillies & mares three years old and up going 1 1/4 miles on the turf. The winner receives an automatic bid to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1). The large of field of 13 includes Nassau and Dance Smartly Stakes (Woodbine) winner Marketing Mix, John C. Mabee Stakes (G2) winner City to City, three year old filly and Honeymoon Handicap (G2) winner My Gi Gi and Del Mark Oaks (G1) runner-up Stormy Lucy. No horse from this field has qualified for the BC Filly & Mare Turf. Click here to learn more about the BC Filly & Mare Turf and the current challenge winners.
The Zenyatta Stakes (G1) is for fillies & mares three years old and up going 1 1/16 miles on the dirt. The winner receives an automatic bid to the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (G1). This on paper seems to be the most competitive race of the entire weekend. The field of nine includes local favorite and four-time graded winner of 2012 Include Me Out. She’s won four of five races this year including the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1) and Santa Margarita Invitational Stakes (G1). Trainer Todd Pletcher elects not to press his luck and go against Royal Delta and It’s Tricky again. The Personal Ensign winner Love and Pride defeated the two star fillies once, but to do it again would be quite the feat. He doesn’t get that much of an easier task in SoCal. The Chilean bred filly Amani from the Neil Drysdale barn returns to racing against the girls after a decent effort against the boys in the Pacific Classic. She finished 6th. She is a nine-time Group winner in Chile. Multiple graded winner Joyful Victory tries to regain her 2011 form by heading to Southern California. The always dangerous Switch is in this race as well. The tiny mare always runs with heart and has already won the A Gleam Handicap (G2) in 2012. Both Include Me Out and Love and Pride have qualified for the Ladies’ Classic. Click here to learn more about the BC Ladies’ Classic and the other current challenge winners.
The Awesome Again Stakes (G1) is for three year olds and up going 1 1/8 miles on the dirt. The winner receives an automatic bid to the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). The field includes current and former Bob Baffert trained horses. Game on Dude finished a hard fought 2nd to Dullahan in the TVG Pacific Classic (G1). He’s already won the Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap (G1), Californian Stakes (G2) and San Antonio Stakes (G2) in 2012. The seven year old Richard’s Kid, who was sold a week prior to the Pacific Classic is now under the training of Leandro Mora (Doug O’Neill). He won the Cougar II Handicap (G3) on July 27. Game on Dude has already qualified for the BC Classic with the win in the Hollywood Gold Cup. Click here to learn more about the BC Classic and the other current challenge winners.
The Chandelier Stakes (G1) is for two year old fillies going 1 1/16 miles on the dirt. The winner receives an automatic bid to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). The field of 11 fillies includes undefeated Executiveprivilege for Bob Baffert, winner of all four races. The last being the Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1) at Del Mar. Beholder returns to try and tackle Executiveprivilege after missing by a nose in the Debutante. Renee’s Queen comes back to dirt after winning the Oak Tree Juvenile Fillies Turf Stakes at Del Mar. Butterfly Soul has a 2 for 2 record with wins at Golden Gate and Fairplex. No one else qualified for the Grey Goose Juvenile Fillies yet. Click here to learn more about the BC Juvenile Fillies and other contenders.
CHALLENGE SERIES AT NEWCASTLE
On Friday, the Shadwell Fillies’ Mile (Group 1) is for two year old fillies going one mile on the turf. The winner receives an automatic bid to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1). Unbeaten Certify trained by Mahmood Al Zarooni aims to win her 4th race. The American bred filly by Elusive Quality has already scored in the Group 2 Barrett Steel May Hill Stakes at Doncaster earlier this month as well as the Group 3 Sweet Solera Stakes at Newmarket in August. Also in the race is another undefeated American bred trained by Mick Channon. The Stormy Atlantic filly comes off a win in the Group 3 Prestige Stakes at Goodwood in August. Looking to dethrone these undefeated fillies is Roz, the British bred filly trained by Harry Dunlop. After a terrible debut, she returned to win her next two races including the Star Stakes at Sandown in July. No horse from this race has qualified for the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf. Click here to learn more about the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf and the current contenders.
On Sunday, the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (Group 2) is for two year olds going one mile on the turf. The winner receives an automatic bid to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1). Havana Gold (IRE) will headline this large field of 18 colts and geldings. He is a perfect 3 for 3 if you throw out the race where his saddled slipped off and unseated his rider. His last win was the The Ascendant Stakes at Haydock on September 8. Trainer Sir Henry Cecil enters Al Waab (IRE), the colt by Danehill Dancer (IRE). After winning his first two races, he finished 2nd losing a head to Havana Gold in the Ascendant. Steeler comes into the Royal Lodge off a win in the Peter Willett Stakes at Goodwood on September 4th. In four career races, the son of Raven’s Pass has won twice and finished 2nd the other two times. None of these horses have qualified for the BC Juvenile Turf. Click here to learn more about the BC Juvenile Turf and the contenders.
CHALLENGE SERIES AT CURRAGH
On Sunday, the Juddmonte Beresford Stakes (Group 2) is for two year olds going one mile on the turf. The winner receives an automatic bid to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1). First Cornerstone comes into the race on a two race winning streak that includes the Group 2 Futurity Stakes at Curragh on August 26. In the next day or two, we will know who else. Click here to learn more about the BC Juvenile Turf and the contenders.
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