The events of the first 48 hours of Keeneland’s fall meet had trainer Mark Casse pondering a start in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile for Conquest Big E, if the colt can get in the field.
Making his debut Sept. 11 at Churchill Downs, Conquest Big E broke in the air, pulled his way up toward the lead, and was unable to resist a late charge by Brody’s Cause, who won the one-mile race by 1 1/4 lengths.
ARCADIA, Calif. – No Silent, who won his first graded stakes Saturday in the Grade 3 Eddie D Stakes at Santa Anita, could start in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland on Oct. 31 if the gelding can earn a berth in the field.
Trainer Gary Mandella said he is making plans to take No Silent to Kentucky but expressed reservation the BC Turf Sprint could oversubscribe.
“If we can get in, we’d like to try it,” he said.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Ashleyluvssugar, winner of two Grade 2 stakes for turf marathoners at Santa Anita in the spring, has been turned out for a rest, trainer Peter Eurton said Sunday.
Ashleyluvssugar left the Eurton stable at Santa Anita on Sunday morning for nearby Bradbury, Calif., where he will be based on a farm this fall.
Eurton had considered starting Ashleyluvssugar at the Del Mar November meeting.
ARCADIA, Calif. – As many as three runners from Saturday’s Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship may start in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland on Oct. 31.
Wild Dude and Kobe’s Back, the first two finishers, and Masochistic, fourth as the beaten favorite, are under consideration for the BC Sprint.
Wild Dude earned an automatic berth for the BC Sprint through the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In program. Wild Dude was not nominated to the Breeders’ Cup as a weanling and must be supplemented to the program for $100,000 to be eligible for the BC Sprint.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Tonalist, who was sensational winning the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup, and Honor Code, who was subpar running third in the $400,000 Kelso Handicap on Saturday at Belmont Park, remain on course for a meeting in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on Oct. 31, their connections said Sunday.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Kent Desormeaux was fined $2,500 by Santa Anita stewards Sunday for being under the influence of alcohol while riding July 29 at Del Mar.
In a one-page ruling, stewards Scott Chaney, Kim Sawyer, and Tom Ward issued the fine and gave Desormeaux a 30-day suspension for the infraction. The suspension will be stayed unless Desormeaux has another violation for an alcohol-related infraction through the term of his current riding license, which runs through Feb. 2, 2018.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Trainer Richard Mandella was formulating plans Saturday at Santa Anita for stable star Beholder and potential star Lucky Folie, a 2-year-old filly who won her debut impressively Sept. 6 at Del Mar.
Beholder, who will take on American Pharoah and other males in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Oct. 31, will ship to Keeneland on Oct. 19, Mandella said. He said Beholder will work twice more at Santa Anita before flying to Kentucky and will have her final work for the BC Classic at Keeneland.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Championofthenile, who finished third as the favorite in last Sunday’s Bertram F. Bongard Stakes for New York-breds here, likely will make his next start in the $200,000 New York Breeders’ Futurity at Finger Lakes on Oct. 17, trainer Linda Rice said Friday.
Championofthenile earned a 94 Beyer Speed Figure when he won a maiden race for New York-breds by six lengths on the front end. In the Bongard, Championofthenile broke outward and found himself off the pace. He couldn’t run down Sudden Surprise, who went gate to wire.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Even as he spends the next few weeks preparing three top contenders for the Breeders’ Cup, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin has a lot to look forward to beyond racing’s championship days.
McLaughlin’s high-priced and high-powered-pedigree juvenile crop has started cranking out winners of late, led by the $2.2 million yearling purchase Mohaymen and the $600,000 2-year-old-in-training buy Annual Report.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – As rain came down amid the chill, virtually everyone at Keeneland was hoping that this isn’t the way the month will end.
The fall meet opened Friday with nasty conditions but an upbeat mood: the 32nd Breeders’ Cup will be run here Oct. 30-31, and hopefully, the famously fickle Kentucky weather will have turned nice by then. After an incredibly busy summer here, signs of the Breeders’ Cup are everywhere at Keeneland, from towering chalets and additional grandstand seating to BC ballcaps and outerwear.
