Woodward Stakes (Grade 1)

IT was a big week of preparation for the Breeders’ Cup last weekend with a host of graded races across the US.

The big Grade 1s in Santa Anita and Belmont Park went to Medina Spirit and Art Collector, while current Breeders’ Cup Classic favourite Knicks Go consolidated his position with an impressive win in the Grade 3 Lukas Classic Stakes at Churchill Downs, beating two decent performers in Independence Hall and Tacitus.

The one common denominator of the three winners is that they go from the front. Add in Hot Rod Charlie and the Classic looks one hot race, with Essential Quality likely to be sitting off the front runners.

Knicks Go remains the top-ranked horse in the US and, after leading five rivals on easy fractions, he was still able to extend his advantage under a hand ride by Joel Rosario through the final furlong.

Despite being eased, Knicks Go won by four lengths and finished the nine furlongs on the fast track in 1m 47.85 secs, a half a second over the track record set in 1999 by Victory Gallop. That was despite an opening half-mile in a slow 47.27secs.

“We got exactly what we were looking for as a prep for the Breeders’ Cup,” said trainer Brad Cox after his Lukas Classic victory.

The extra distance in Del Mar is still a slight concern, but Cox said: “That’s his trip. That’s what we’re going to do – take it to ‘em and see if it works.”

Art Collector had looked set for a big season last year when he powered away from Swiss Skydiver in the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes in Keeneland in July but he was still hunting for his first Grade 1 heading into the Woodward.

He managed fourth in the Preakness but was well-beaten in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. The son of Bernadini came to Belmont off two wins, one in Grade 2 Charlestown Classic last time.

Bill Mott’s colt took the lead and never looked back under jockey Luis Saez in capturing the Grade 1 $500,000 Woodward Stakes by a length and a half over Godolphin’s favourite Maxfield.

Maxfield had been four and a half lengths behind Knicks Go in Saratoga’s Whitney.

“It was a wonderful race. I had a lot of confidence in my horse. He always comes with a run and finishes with run and today he ran his race,” Luis Saez said, though he is most likely to ride Godolphin’s Essential Quality in the Classic.

Art Collector too must step up a furlong for the Classic in Del Mar. “I don’t know what we have to lose. I’ll run him a mile and a quarter. A mile and an eighth hasn’t been a problem for him. I’m not afraid,” said Mott, who took over training the colt this year.

Two year-old stars

Belmont’s two juvenile Grade 1s over a mile produced two top-class performances. Chad Brown’s Jack Christopher had created a big impression with an easy debut win in Saratoga but he had a classy rival to overcome in Steve Asmussen’s Gunite, winner of Saratoga’s Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes.

Gunite went forward to lead chased by Jack Christoper to a half in 46.49secs until that one took it up wider on the turn and was too strong for Commandperformance as Gunite faded.

The white-faced son of Munnings looks the best two-year-old colt in the US.

Chad Brown said: “He’s just been brilliant in every work. There was some buzz around him before he ran, and he lived up to it.” He looks a bargain at $135,000 from 2020 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearlings Sale.

Asmussen had better luck in the Grade 1 Frizette Stakes last Sunday. Another of Gun Runner’s first crop, Echo Zulu followed up her debut win and Spinaway Stakes win with a comprehensive seven-and-a-quarter-length success under Ricardo Santana, making all on fast early splits to the half mile in 45.98secs, before moving away in the stretch.

She was purchased at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling sale for $300,000 by Winchell Thoroughbreds.

“I’m extremely proud of her. We’re very fortunate to have an obviously special horse,” Asmussen said of his filly who earns a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.