7.00 PNC Bank Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (Grade 1) 7f
Start off slow and build up. Tamara was the rage of the Breeders’ Cup way back in 2023. The daughter of champion Beholder flopped that day, made just one start in 2024 and has made just one appearance this year. She’s back after a scintillating score in a Grade 3 stakes a month ago. Mike Smith and Richard Mandella, once more around the maypole.
Selection: 1 Hope Road, 2 Tamara, 3 Praying
7.41 Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (Grade 1) 5f
Charlie Hills adds blinkers to Khaadem. The nine-year-old makes his 43rd start and will help send off Frankie Dettori into (another) retirement. Ag Bullet missed by a neck in this last year and has won her last two.
Arizona Blaze was an unfortunate late scratch. Motorious is 4-for-5 at Del Mar, his only loss coming by a neck in last year’s renewal.
An Easter egg hunt of alacrity and luck.
Selection: 1 Ag Bullet, 3 Governor Sam, 3 Motorious
8.21 Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint (Grade 1) 6f
Does Straight No Chaser still have what it takes to win the toughest six furlongs in the world? Last year’s winner went world travelling afterward, freshened up and finished third on his return. Bentornato, runner-up last year, has one win in one start since. Mullikin, third last year, has lost five in a row since. Richard Mandella rolls out four-year-old filly Kopion (to avoid Tamara…?) and six-year-old horse Big City Lights.
Selection: 1 Straight No Chaser, 2 Bentornato, 3 Big City Lights
9.01 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (Grade 1) 1m 1f
Wide open affair without Thorpedo Anna. The winner and Horse of the Year last year has been retired.
If there was ever a storybook ending, this would be it. Ignacio Correas IV unveils Argentine star Sarawak Rim and adds blinkers for her American debut and to close out his stellar training career. Interesting to see Irad Ortiz Jr. taking that call.
Surely, Scylla has a big one in her, she stretches her speed here for Bill Mott. Seismic Beauty rolls into this for Bob Baffert, the daughter of Uncle Mo has wired rivals in her last three starts, including the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch at Del Mar. Dorth Vader, a tough-beat second to Thorpedo Anna at Saratoga, travels east for trainer George Weaver.
“She’s been a star of our stable,” Weaver said. “She is very athletic and always has been. She covers ground easily - a very forward filly. She has matured over time. Early on, she was a little edgy and could get nervous about things.
“She’s really settled into a nice groove now as she’s gotten older and it’s shown in her races. She has been able to show how much she can run.”
Trouble is, in the Breeders’ Cup, they can all run.
Selection: 1 Seismic Beauty, 2 Scylla, 3 Dorth Vader
11.05 Fanduel Breeders’ Cup Mile, Presented by PDJF (Grade 1) 1m
Grab another pint or another cup of tea, three to go.
Wow, you could go 10 deep in here and still feel exposed.
Notable Speech returns to what he does best, a sharp mile in North America. The son of Dubawi overcame a slow break to win his prep in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile for Godolphin, Charlie Appleby and William Buick and needs to find three-quarters of a length from last year.
“He’s coming in this year with more experience under his belt, being a year older, obviously, and you can’t beat the experience he has behind him,” Appleby said.
“He’s taken on the best European and American horses, and he’s had a nice prep there at Woodbine around the tight inner track, so he goes there in good order and with his head in front last time, which he deserved to. The reason we went to Woodbine was to give him that much more experience on that kind of track, as well as to give him a little bit of confidence with a win immediately under his belt and that’s what he got.”
Into form
The Lion In Winter is gradually rounding back into form. Sahlan has won his last two for Francis Graffard. Jonquil broke from the parking lot at Keeneland and finished fourth, he’s out there again this time.
Rhetorical represents the best of America and he’ll put his free-travelling, swift-moving stride to good use here. And everyone is trick or treating in Johannes’ neighbourhood.
The California-based five-year-old just missed last year and showed he’s at his best with a Grade 2 stakes score in his most recent start.
“If we see another effort like that, like last year’s effort, he’s going to be right there,” trainer Tim Yakteen said. “There’s no reason he shouldn’t be able to do that. He’s given me all the signs that he’s doing really well. And we should see that same effort that he put out last year.”
Selection: 1 The Lion In Winter, 2 Notable Speech, 3 Rhetorical.
11.45 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (Grade 1) 1m
Two more. Stay strong.
We picked Full Serrano third and he won at 13/1 last year. He won’t be that price, but he should win. The Argentine-bred has a one-race target each year and trainer John Sadler has followed the same plan this year. Two preps and pounce. Joel Rosario returns for the first time since last year.
“He’s doing just as well as last year. He’s been here longer now, so he’s a little more seasoned. He’s ready,” Sadler said. “He’s followed the same pattern as last year. He just had a different prep.
“He was second in the Pacific Classic last year and this year he was second in the Goodwood. We think he can go farther. He was just second best to a very good horse in the Goodwood. This is a very good Classic. After the Goodwood, we made the decision that the Dirt Mile was probably the best race for him.”
Continuing the international presence, Touch Of Destiny makes his American debut after going 6-for-6 in Uruguay, the son of Midshipman has looked strong in a string of stout breezes for trainer Michael McCarthy.
Selection: 1 Full Serrano, 2 Nysos, 3 Touch Of Destiny
12.25 Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (Grade 1) 1m 3f
Don’t touch that dial. Last one. John Velazquez is the best there’s ever been at making decisions. He makes them definitively and defiantly. The Hall of Famer will need to do both here as he breaks from 13 aboard five-time Grade 1 winner She Feels Pretty.
The daughter of Karakontie freshened up by design after winning the E.P. Taylor at Woodbine on August 16th and makes her final start in the finale. Trained by Cherie DeVaux, the four-year-old usually breaks sharply and stalks and she should be able to clear enough to her inside to find a sweet spot in a deep race.
“She’s doing great. I’ve only been fortunate enough to come here a few times and my career is young,” DeVaux said.
“Last year, we came here and won with More Than Looks, so it’s a little different. The pressure is off - there’s always pressure and stress, but not that added thought of, ‘Am I going to win the race?’
“She’s going to run her race and try her hardest. To come in with a filly like this where no matter where she finishes, she’ll put in her best run, that gives you all the confidence to go over there.”
Cinderella’s Dream just missed in this race last year and has two wins and four losses since. Is she as good this year? She’ll need to be, if not better. Stablemate Diamond Rain pushed She Feels Pretty to the line in the Taylor. Is this the next notch on Billy Loughnane’s belt?
Seems fitting for Francis Graffard to add another Grade 1 to his 2025 haul, don’t sleep on Gezora.
Selection: 1 She Feels Pretty, 2 Diamond Rain, 3 Gezora