The upcoming weekend in horse racing is filled with necessary races on the highway to the 41st annual Breeders’ Cup World Championships, with six Problem Collection “Win and You’re In” preps scheduled Sept. 28-29. Santa Anita Park in California hosts its first big-event card, the California Crown, with two Problem Collection races scheduled, whereas three shall be held at Belmont on the Large A (Aqueduct) in New York and one at Churchill Downs in Kentucky. Del Mar is the host for the 2024 Breeders’ Cup, set for Nov. 1-2.
Along with the Problem Collection races, a number of different stakes are on the weekend calendar which have been traditionally important in sending individuals on to excel on the Breeders’ Cup, led by the historic Woodward Stakes and the Joe Hirsch Turf Basic Stakes.
Learn on for an summary of the upcoming “Win and You’re In” qualifiers and different key races.
California Crown Stakes Introduced by SirDavis American Whisky
The place: Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, Calif.
When: Saturday, Sept. 28
Easy methods to watch: FanDuel TV
“Win and You’re In” for: Longines Breeders’ Cup Basic
Why it’s necessary: This 1 1/8-mile race is the ultimate West Coast prep for the $7 million Longines Basic, and main contenders based mostly in California have typically used it to tune up for the large race going all the way in which again to the Eighties (it was named the Goodwood Stakes till 2012 after which the Superior Once more Stakes till its rebranding for 2024). 5 horses have received each races in the identical yr – Ferdinand (1987), Tiznow (2000), Pleasantly Good (2003), Mucho Macho Man (2013), and Speed up (2018) – and several other different Superior Once more winners have skilled on to hit the board within the Basic.
Greatest winner throughout the Breeders’ Cup period: Corridor of Famer Tiznow will get the sting among the many sturdy fivesome listed above as he received the Superior Once more and Breeders’ Cup Basic as a 3-year-old in 2000. The Jay Robbins-trained son of Cee’s Tizzy posted hard-fought wins in each races, defeating Captain Steve by a half-length at Santa Anita after which Europe’s “Iron Horse” Large’s Causeway by a neck within the Breeders’ Cup Basic at Churchill Downs. Tiznow then grew to become the one back-to-back winner of the Basic in 2001 when he outfought one other European star, Sakhee, at Belmont Park.
2024 discipline: Bob Baffert holds the all-time win document on this race with eight, and he’s received two main contenders amongst his three entrants lined up for Saturday’s race in 4-year-old a number of Grade 1 winner Nationwide Treasure and 3-year-old Muth. Muth missed some races and coaching time as a result of harm however returned with a pointy win in a listed stakes Sept. 1 at Del Mar and seems to be rounding into his greatest type. Baffert’s third entrant is Grade 1 winner Newgate.
Vosburgh Stakes
The place: Aqueduct, Queens, N.Y.
When: Saturday, Sept. 28
Easy methods to watch: FS2
“Win and You’re In” for: Breeders’ Cup Dash
Why it’s necessary: The Vosburgh was held at six furlongs from 2004 via 2021 earlier than being switched again to seven-eighths of a mile in 2022. No matter distance, it is a marquee race for sprinters and has a protracted affect on the Breeders’ Cup. Whereas solely two horses have received the Vosburgh and Breeders’ Cup Dash in the identical yr – Artax in 1999 and Elite Energy in 2022 – 5 also-rans within the Vosburgh rebounded to earn victories within the Dash weeks later. As well as, the 2003 Vosburgh winner was stretched out within the subsequent season by coach Bobby Frankel and have become among the best horses of this century, shining brightest at Lone Star Park when profitable the 2004 Breeders’ Cup Basic. His identify: Ghostzapper.
Greatest winner throughout the Breeders’ Cup period: If strictly reserved for Vosburgh winners who subsequent received the race they earned a bid for – the BC Dash – then Elite Energy narrowly edges Artax based mostly on his higher profession document (9-for-13 vs. 7-for-25) and the truth that he got here again to win one other BC Dash in 2023 (after skipping the Vosburgh). Nonetheless … final yr’s Vosburgh winner honestly takes prime honors regardless of utilizing the race as a springboard to a different Breeders’ Cup occasion. Cody’s Want went off as an amazing 0.15-1 favourite within the Vosburgh regardless of having completed third in his prior race, the Whitney Stakes, and regardless of breaking slowly, he validated these odds with a facile 1 ½-length win. That set the fan favourite up for a repeat bid within the Large Ass Followers Breeders’ Cup Grime Mile Nov. 4 at Santa Anita, the place he outfinished Nationwide Treasure for an emotional victory celebrated by the Dorman household and plenty of, many extra. Cody’s Want was voted 2023 Horse of the Yr on the Eclipse Awards two months later.
2024 discipline: Corridor of Famer Invoice Mott, coach of Cody’s Want, is represented by two starters within the seven-horse discipline for Saturday’s Vosburgh: Child Yoda and Scotland.
Ack Ack Stakes
The place: Churchill Downs, Louisville, Ky.
When: Saturday, Sept. 28
Easy methods to watch: FanDuel TV
“Win and You’re In” for: Large Ass Followers Breeders’ Cup Grime Mile
Why it’s necessary: The Ack Ack, held at a one-turn mile at Churchill, was added to the Problem Collection in 2022. Since its first working in 1991, only a few Ack Ack runners have gone on to compete with distinction on the Breeders’ Cup. One which did was $3.4 million earner Looking for the Soul, who received the Ack Ack by 1 ¼ lengths in 2018 after which, just a little greater than a month later, ran once more underneath the Twin Spires and completed second to Metropolis of Gentle within the Grime Mile for coach Dallas Stewart.
2024 discipline: A bunch of seven is entered in Saturday’s Ack Ack, a part of a “Downs After Darkish” night card. Saudi Crown is the morning-line favourite at 4-5 odds coming in off of a blazing 1 ¾-length win in a listed stakes Aug. 11 at Ellis Park.
Metropolis of Hope Mile Stakes Introduced by MyRacehorse
The place: Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, Calif.
When: Saturday, Sept. 28
Easy methods to watch: FanDuel TV
“Win and You’re In” for: FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile Introduced by PDJF
Why it’s necessary: The Metropolis of Hope Mile Stakes was added to the Breeders’ Cup Problem Collection this yr, changing the Shoemaker Mile held at Santa Anita Park in late spring. The race was a significant steppingstone to the World Championships 20-25 years in the past however has misplaced a lot of its luster in recent times. Turf stars Silic, Warfare Chant, and Val Royal received this race after which the BC Mile in 1999, 2000, and 2001, again when the Metropolis of Hope was referred to as the Oak Tree Breeders’ Cup Mile Stakes. Extra lately, Clearly received the Metropolis of Hope Mile in 2012 after which the Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash a yr later.
2024 discipline: Saturday’s renewal shapes up as an awesome race for bettors and followers, with a number of achieved horses entered, together with Johannes (unbeaten in three begins this yr, all graded stakes) and Trikari (who’s received three graded stakes in 2024 and ships west for coach Graham Movement).
Pilgrim Stakes and Miss Grillo Stakes
The place: Aqueduct, Queens, N.Y.
When: Saturday, Sept. 28 (Pilgrim) and Sunday, Sept. 29 (Miss Grillo)
Easy methods to watch: FS2
“Win and You’re In” for: Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (Pilgrim) and John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (Miss Grillo)
Why they’re necessary: These two turf races for juveniles have been terribly influential on the World Championships over the previous 15 or so years. Three males have received each the Pilgrim and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf in the identical calendar yr – Oscar Efficiency (2016), Structor (2019), and Hearth At Will (2020). Fillies exiting the Miss Grillo have accomplished even higher, with 5 twin winners: Maram (2008), Woman Eli (2014), New Cash Honey (2016), Newspaperofrecord (2018), and Onerous to Justify (2023). All 5 of these fillies had been skilled by Chad Brown, and Maram offered Brown with the primary of what’s at the moment 18 Breeders’ Cup wins.
Greatest winners throughout the Breeders’ Cup period: Oscar Efficiency has the sting amongst Pilgrim winners as he skilled on to win 5 extra graded stakes in his profession for coach Brian Lynch, together with three Grade 1 races. And on the Distaff facet, it’s clearly Woman Eli. That fan favourite received six races in a row to start out her profession (the Miss Grillo and Juvenile Fillies Turf had been numbers two and three) however then was sidelined for greater than a yr and almost misplaced her life when growing laminitis. Amazingly, Woman Eli returned in summer time 2016 and received 4 extra stakes races into fall 2017, together with three Grade 1s, whereas additionally ending second by a nostril to Queen’s Belief within the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf.
Final yr’s outcomes: Pilgrim winner Agate Highway completed a stable fifth, defeated by 2 ½ lengths, within the BC Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita, however Miss Grillo winner Onerous to Justify did a lot better than that for the abovementioned Chad Brown. The daughter of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify posted a sport half-length win within the Miss Grillo after which received the Juvenile Fillies Turf by the identical margin, with Flavien Prat within the irons for each races.
Different notable races:
Along with the official “Win and You’re In” preps on the calendar, a handful of different graded stakes slated for this weekend have had a significant influence on leads to the Breeders’ Cup. Chief amongst them is Saturday’s historic Woodward Stakes, which was held at Saratoga for many of this century earlier than shifting to Belmont Park in 2021 after which quickly to Aqueduct as a part of the Belmont on the Large A meet in 2022. 5 horses have received the 1 1/8-mile Woodward and the Longines Breeders’ Cup Basic in the identical yr: Alysheba in 1988, Cigar in 1995, Ghostzapper in 2004, Saint Liam in 2005 and Gun Runner in 2017. Not coincidentally, every of them was voted Horse of the Yr. In addition, two different greats received the Woodward and BC Basic in several years, Skip Away and Curlin. These illustrious names are a short indication of how important this race has been in figuring out year-end honors in Thoroughbred racing.
Though it’s not a Problem Collection race, the 1 ½-mile Joe Hirsch Turf Basic Stakes at Belmont on the Large A has been arguably an important home prep race for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf because the World Championships launched in 1984. Six, rely ’em, six horses have received each races in the identical yr, beginning with Manila in 1986 and adopted by Theatrical in 1987, Tikkanen in 1994, Illinois-bred Buck’s Boy in 1998, English Channel in 2007, and Most important Sequence in 2014. Different Joe Hirsch winners have actually made their mark on the World Championships with out profitable a marquee race, together with present star Warfare Like Goddess. That standard racemare skilled by Invoice Mott has received the previous two editions of the Joe Hirsch Basic and has run properly twice in three Breeders’ Cup begins, ending third within the 2021 Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf and third within the 2022 Longines Turf. She’s nonetheless going sturdy at age 7 and goals for a three-peat within the Hirsch this Saturday, which might be the primary on this race’s historical past.
Among the many remaining graded stakes on faucet for this weekend, Kotashaan and Northern Spur received Santa Anita’s California Crown John Henry Turf Championship Stakes Introduced by 1/ST BET and the Longines Turf in the identical yr, again in 1993 and 1995, respectively. Kotashaan was named the Horse of the Yr for his 1993 marketing campaign.
The California Crown Eddie D Stakes Introduced by FanDuel, a grass dash at Santa Anita that often sends horses to the Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash, was received thrice in 4 years by California Flag (2008, 2009, 2011). California Flag received the ’09 Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash as properly, and Stormy Liberal grew to become the second horse to tug off the Eddie D-Turf Dash double in 2018, taking the latter race for the second consecutive yr.
Lastly, the Lukas Basic Stakes at Churchill Downs, named after the legendary coach referred to as “The Coach,” was the ultimate prep for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Basic in 2021 for Knicks Go, who had already received the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes and Whitney Stakes earlier within the yr for coach Brad Cox. Knicks Go received the 1 1/8-mile Lukas Basic by a straightforward 4 lengths after which pulled off a near-repeat effort towards harder competitors within the Longines Basic at Del Mar, romping by 2 ¾ lengths. He was a straightforward selection as Horse of the Yr and champion older dust male amongst Eclipse Award voters.
