Two $1M Breeders' Cup Classic preps, Kentucky Downs opener on weekend racing slate - UPI.com (2024)

1 of 2 | Irish Aces wins the Tapit Stakes on opening day of the Kentucky Downs meeting. Photo by Curtis Coady/Coady Photography, courtesy of Kentucky Downs

A relatively slow weekend on the international front has the Grosser Preis von Baden in Germany's Black Forest and a Group 1 for sprinters in Australia.

Starting with ...

Classic

The older American horses pointing toward the Breeders' Cup Classic get a look in dueling $1 million Grade I races this weekend, both of them "Win and You're In" events for that big race -- Saturday's Pacific Classic at Del Mar and Sunday's Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga.

The Pacific Classic has nine entries including Adare Manor, a 5-year-old Uncle Mo mare who has won eight of her last 10 starts, all against fellow distaffers. The numbers say the Bob Baffert trainee has a good shot in this, but it's not a pushover field by any means.

The Jockey Club Gold Cup attracted seven with Arthur's Ride the 4-5 morning-line favorite. The 4-year-old Tapit colt won the Grade I Whitney in his last start Aug. 3 but that was the first stakes race he'd ever contested for trainer Bill Mott.

If he can't repeat, this race looks pretty much wide open with the likes of recent Grade III Monmouth Cup winner Tapit Trice and Grade III Blame winner Highland Falls.

Turf

Kentucky Downs, already offering eye-popping purses, has put on a full-court press this year to boost foreign competition at the all-turf track, including hiring the British-based International Racing Bureau to hustle horses.

It's paid off for the marquee race of the meeting, Saturday's $3.1 million Nashville Derby at Kentucky Downs.

As with the other KD races, horses bred outside Kentucky run for only half of the stated purse. But that was plenty good enough to attract Stromberg from Ireland and Bellum Justum and Sea the Thunder from England.

Sea the Thunder, trained now by Cherie DeVaux, runs for new owners who targeted this race for the Kingman colt. Bellum Justum is trained by Andrew Balding and Stromberg comes from the Joseph Patrick O'Brien yard.

Also, Navy Seal, now trained in America by Wesley Ward, formerly raced in Ireland for the Coolmore "lads."

The all-American contingent in the Nashville Derby is good enough to put the visitors on their toes, including last-out winners of the Grade I Saratoga Derby (Carson's Run) and the Audubon Stakes at Churchill Downs (Cugino), plus runners-up from the Grade II Hall of Fame (Lagynos), Kent Stakes (Nomos) and Grade I Belmont Derby (White Palomino).

Saturday's $300,000 Grade II Del Mar Handicap, a "Win and You're In" for the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, has a solid but familiar field. Most of the horses have been mixing it up against one another for more than a year.

Stay Hot and Formidable Man look hot and formidable, respectively, in Sunday's $300,000 Grade II Del Mar Derby. Curlin's Kaos won the Real Good Deal Stakes in his last. The other four, not so much.

Sunday's $150,000 Bernard Baruch at Saratoga has a field of seven plus two for main-track only. Running Bee is the morning-line pick on the in the main field. If it's rained off, look to MTO entries Film Star and Phileas Fogg.

Friday's $175,000 Grade III Saranac for 3-year-olds at Saratoga at 1 1/16 miles has six in the main field topped by West Hollywood and The Big Torpedo.

Already in the books: The Kentucky Downs meeting got off to a rousing start as Irish Aces, under Tyler Gaffalione, chased down pacesetting Nineeleventurbo in the late going to win the $500,000 Big Ass Fans Tapit Stakes by a head. Siege of Boston was third.

Irish Aces, a 4-year-old Mshawish gelding trained by Brendan Walsh, finished the 1 1/16 miles on firm going in 1:41.71.

Filly & Mare Turf

Saturday's $500,000 Grade II Flower Bowl at Saratoga is a "Win and You're In" for the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

War Like Goddess shows little sign of slowing down at age 7, having won the Grade III Robert Dick Memorial at Delaware Park in her last, and is the morning-line pick, just north of McKulick.

Turf Mile

A diverse field of 10 is set for Saturday's $300,000 Grade II Del Mar Mile. Du Jour, trained by Baffert for his wife, Jill, is the 8-5 morning-line pick.

Saturday's $1.5 million Grade III Ladies Turf at Kentucky Downs has a full and wildly contentious field with Mission of Joy the morning-line favorite at odds of 4-1.

Also, Saturday's $125,000 (Canadian) Toronto Cup for 3-year-olds at Woodbine and Sunday's $500,000 Tight Spot Handicap at Kentucky Downs

Turf Sprint

A dozen turf sprinters signed on for Saturday's $150,000 Grade III Green Flash Handicap at Del Mar, a "Win and You're In" for the Prevagen Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. Among them are Kentucky import No Nay Hudson and Connie Swingle, who tries to convert her success against fellow fillies and mares to open company.

Ruby Nell and Dontlookbackatall are morning-line favorites in another full field for Saturday's $1.5 million Grade II Ladies Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs.

Distaff

Saturday's $150,000 Grade III Torrey Pines for 3-year-old fillies at Del Mar, run at 1 mile, features some late-bloomers. Among them are Hope Road, winner of two straight, and Desert Rhapsody, both riding two-race win streaks.

Filly & Mare Sprint

Brightwork and Two Sharp figure in Saturday's $200,000 Grade III Prioress for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga

Juvenile Turf

Already in the books: Zulu Kingdom won a stretch duel with the favorite, Tenacious Leader, in Thursday's $175,000 Grade III With Anticipation at Saratoga. Tenacious Leader got to a narrow lead in the late going but surrendered at the end by a neck.

Juvenile Turf Sprint

Eleven are entered for Sunday's $1 million Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint at 6 1/2 furlongs and all but one of them won their last race.

Juvenile Fillies

Quiteside, a most impressive maiden winner at the Spa, and Grade III Adirondack winner The Queen's M G headline a competitive field of 11 in Saturday's $300,000 Grade I Spinaway at Saratoga.

Around the world, around the clock

Germany

Sunday's Group 1 Grosser Preis von Baden drew a field of only six. Trainer William Haggas invades with Dubai Honor, winner of the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud two starts back but well-beaten in the Group 1 King George in his last outing.

Australia

Mr Brightside is the bright side of an eight-horse field set for the Group 1 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield. The 7-year-old looks to reverse a dip in form that plagued the end of last season's efforts.