With so many implications toward the Breeders’ Cup, there is an incredible amount of energy building toward the opening Fall Stars Weekend at Keeneland, where the 17-day meet begins Friday.
“Everybody’s pumped – the horsemen, fans, our staff,” said racing secretary Ben Huffman.
Angela Renee and Conquest Eclipse put in as close to perfect preps as you can get for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 1 by finishing first and second in Saturday’s Grade 1 Chandelier at Santa Anita.
The Chandelier is run at the Juvenile Fillies distance of 1 1/16 miles over the Breeders’ Cup host track. Angela Renee earned a Win and You’re In fees-paid berth in the Juvenile Fillies for her 1 1/2-length victory.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Cigar Street will return Wednesday to trainer Bill Mott’s main base at Belmont Park to prepare for a possible run in the Breeders’ Cup Classic after his stirring victory Saturday in the Homecoming Classic, the highlight of closing weekend of the 12-day September meet at Churchill Downs.
Making his second start following a 17-month layoff, Cigar Street earned a 101 Beyer Speed Figure in his 1 3/4-length triumph over Departing in the 1 1/8-mile race. Shaun Bridgmohan was aboard the 2-1 second choice.
ARCADIA, Calif. – The comeback victory by Beholder on Saturday at Santa Anita was not the most impressive of her career. It did not need to be.
Racing for the first time in 112 days, Beholder won the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes by three-quarters of a length to re-establish herself as a top contender for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Beholder earned a 99 Beyer Speed Figure.
“It’s going to put her right where she ought to be,” trainer Richard Mandella said a day later. “She looks like a million bucks. That ought to put her in perfect shape.”
Lady Eli gave trainer Chad Brown his third straight win in the Grade 3, $200,000 Miss Grillo at Belmont Park on Sunday, and Brown hopes she can give him a second win in the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita on Oct. 31.
Brown won the inaugural running of the Juvenile Fillies Turf in 2008 with Maram, who was coming off a narrow win in the Miss Grillo. Maram paid $24.20 for her win in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. Following her three-length win over 50-1 longshot Margaret Reay in the Miss Grillo, Lady Eli will be a much shorter price this year.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Itsmyluckyday, third as the 3-5 favorite in Saturday’s Grade 2 Kelso Handicap at Belmont, will not be supplemented to the Breeders’ Cup and instead will make his next start in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct on Nov. 29, trainer Eddie Plesa said Monday.
Itsmyluckyday was to leave Monmouth Park by van Monday and ship to Calder, where he will train. The Cigar Mile is expected to be Itsmyluckyday’s final start before he goes to Spendthrift Farm to stand at stud.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Barbara Minshall celebrated another stakes victory in Sunday’s Classy ’n Smart Stakes at Woodbine with Strut the Course, but the 4-year-old filly’s younger half-sister Bambarra Bold also could make a name for herself in the near future.
Bambarra Bold has reeled off three straight wins in Ontario-sired allowance company, saving her best race for her most recent start over seven furlongs Sept. 17, when she won by 5 3/4 lengths and earned a 74 Beyer Speed Figure.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – U S Marshal closed to be third in the Grade 2 Summer Stakes on Sept. 13 at Woodbine and now has several options for his next start. Trainer Ian Black said U S Marshal could run in the Grade 3, $150,000 Grey Stakes for 2-year-olds here Sunday or a maiden allowance over seven furlongs on turf here Saturday. U S Marshall also could be sent to Keeneland for the Grade 3, $250,000 Bourbon Stakes on Sunday.
“We’re probably leaning toward staying here,” Black said. “I’d like to put him in a winning situation.”
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Muskoka Stakes winner Brooklynsway and runner-up Quidi Vidi appear poised for a rematch in Sunday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Mazarine Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Woodbine.
Trainer John Ross said he was pleased with Brooklynsway’s 1 1/4-length victory in the Muskoka on Aug. 27, when she sat behind horses before driving clear in the stretch.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Don’t count Rajiv Maragh out of the Breeders’ Cup just yet.
According to his agent, Tony Micallef, Maragh has been told by doctors that his broken right arm could heal in time allow him to ride in the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita on Oct. 31-Nov.1.
“The doctor said the bone will heal in two weeks, and he wants to see him again in two weeks,” Micallef said Monday morning.
“There is a chance he could ride the Breeders’ Cup, the doctor said.”
