IT’S another big pre-Breeders’ Cup weekend in the US and the Keeneland autumn season kicks off with some Grade 1 turf action and some European interest.
Suedois travels for the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile, a race he won in 2017, with Van Beethoven and Just Wonderful set to give some Irish interest for Ballydoyle in the two Grade 1s.
Keeneland Saturday
Leading trainer Chad Brown will go after two more Grade 1s when he sends out the unbeaten Valid Point in the Shadwell Turf Mile and Rushing Fall and Uni in the First Lady.
Valid Point, a son of Scat Daddy won the Secretariat (Grade 1) at Arlington with Van Beethoven a length back in second. He attempts to be only the fourth three-year-old to win the Shadwell Turf Mile.
Suedois is joined by Charlie Appleby’s Vintager and Harry Dunlop’s Robin Of Navan in the 14-runner field. The four-year-old Vintager comes off two group wins in France and Germany and should make a bold bid for the Europeans as Suedois was a bit disappointing when only fourth in the Boomerang Stakes in Leopardstown.
Next Shares won this last year but has been well below that form since a Grade 2 win at Santa Anita in January.
The First Lady Stakes over a mile on turf has a field of 14 fillies and mares including European challengers Just Wonderful (Wayne Lordan/Aidan O’Brien) and Awesometank (James Doyle/William Haggas) and Indian Blessing (Jamie Spencer/Ed Walker).
Just Wonderful’s third in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown put her right in the mix.
Brown’s Rushing Fall is a perfect four-for-four in her career here, while west coast raider invader Vasilika brings strong Grade 1 winning credentials from Santa Anita.
Belmont Saturday
Bricks And Mortar apart, top male turf horses are thin on the ground in the US and a field of seven line up for the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, a mile and a half contest. Last year’s winner Channel Maker returns, as well as the consistent six-year-old Sadler’s Joy, who was third in 2018 and fourth in 2017.
Channel Maker bids for back-to-back Joe Hirsch wins off a string of three fourth-place finishes.
As well as two placings in this race, Sadler’s Joy was third in the Breeders’ Cup Turf behind the Qatar Prix d l’Arc de Triomphe winner Enable.
Todd Pletcher’s Channel Cat, another son of English Channel, comes of a third in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga dividing Sadler’s Joy (second) and is another in the reckoning.
The Grade 1 Champagne Stakes is the two-year-old highlight and two wins from two including a Saratoga Grade 2 by over three lengths see the James Jerkens-trained son of Hard Spun, Green Light Go the favourite.
Santa Anita Saturday
One of the most intriguing races of the weekend is the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship on the west coast which see the one time Kentucky Derby leading fancy Omaha Beach back in action against the exciting Shancelot.
The later has only had four runs, winning three and dazzled at Saratoga in the Grade 2 Amsterdam Stakes over six and a half furlongs, motoring home over 12 lengths clear. Returning to that track in late August for the Grade 1 H Allen Jerkens Stakes over half a furlong further, he was disappointing at odds-on over half a furlong further, being overhauled in the final furlong.
Omaha Beach won the Rebel and the Arkansas Derby (eventual Derby winner Country Hose was third) on the Kentucky Derby trail and was favourite the week before he was scratched with an entrapped epiglottis that required minor surgery. The son of War Front has won up to a mile and half a furlong.
Keeneland Sunday
Grade 1 winners Elate and Dunbar Road headline a high-class Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes tomorrow night.
Elate comes into the race off a nose defeat to division leader Midnight Bisou in the Personal Ensign (Grade 1) at Saratoga. A two-time Grade 1 winner in her 17-race career, Elate has posted victories in the Grade 2 Delaware Handicap and Grade 2 Fleur de Lis this year from five starts.
Chad Brown’s Dunbar Road, the only three-year-old in the field, has won four of five career starts and is coming off a two-and-three-quarter-length victory in the Grade 1 Alabama.
Blue Prize scored her biggest US win in this last year and tries to become the fourth horse to win it in consecutive years but she has been behind Elate on two runs this year.
Belmont Sunday
It could be a fantastic day for owner Peter Brant as his brilliant turf mare Sistercharlie, Sottsass’s half-sister, will face six rivals, and they will be hard-pressed to stop her winning streak in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl Stakes. The only one with a graded stakes win is Mrs. Sippy who won a Grade 3 in Saratoga.