The fields for the 14 races that comprise the Breeders’ Cup World Championships actually start to come back into focus in summer time and fall. This common function will provide a snapshot profile of one of many earlier weekend’s standout stars, often a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Problem Collection winner, and exploring their probabilities to win a focused race Nov. 1-2 at Del Mar.
On Aug. 3, flippantly raced Arthur’s Trip aced a major class check by dominating the $1 million, Grade 1 Whitney Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. The 4-year-old Tapit colt, making his stakes debut, bested 9 opponents – eight of them graded stakes winners – and earned a starting-gate spot within the $7 million, Grade 1 Longines Breeders’ Cup Traditional held Nov. 2.
Accomplishments: Arthur’s Trip debuted in the course of the summer time 2022 Saratoga meet, competing in two maiden particular weight races held at seven furlongs in opposition to a number of different extremely regarded 2-year-olds. He completed second to runaway winner Disarm in early August after which second once more – by solely three-quarters of a size – in his follow-up race to Instantaneous Espresso, with Crupi ending third in each races. Every of these winners in addition to Crupi would go on to seize graded stakes, and Crupi and Disarm completed second and fourth, respectively, in final Saturday’s Whitney.
In his first, and because it turned out solely, begin at age 3, Arthur’s Trip resurfaced in a one-turn mile maiden particular weight race at Gulfstream Park in February 2023. He set a contested tempo and had lots in reserve to win by 1 ½ lengths over Dreamlike, who would prepare on to run second within the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby later within the yr. Sadly, Arthur’s Trip was sidelined after his maiden win as a consequence of a tendon pressure, and didn’t make his fourth begin till March 16 of this yr at age 4, when he returned to compete in an allowance non-compulsory claiming race on the identical observe and on the similar distance as his maiden win 13 months earlier.
The bodily putting grey or roan colt confirmed no results of the layoff, dominating by 7 ½ lengths with jockey Junior Alvarado within the irons for the primary time, and the ensuing buzz was ample sufficient to make him a 1.53-1 favourite in his subsequent begin seven weeks later, a one-turn mile allowance non-compulsory claimer on the Could 3 Longines Kentucky Oaks undercard at Churchill Downs. In his solely dud effort thus far, Arthur’s Trip pale to complete ninth of 11 runners beneath the dual spires, in a race held on a sloppy observe.
Arthur’s Trip returned in a 1 ¼-mile allowance non-compulsory claiming race held June 7 in the course of the Belmont Stakes Racing Pageant at Saratoga, and one thing clicked when he stretched out to 2 turns for the primary time as he took management of the tempo on the outset and was by no means challenged in a 12 ¾-length romp. That win on the traditional distance satisfied proprietor Karl Glassman of Glassman Racing and Corridor of Fame coach Invoice Mott to enter Arthur’s Trip within the Whitney Stakes, an formidable transfer to say the least.
Within the Whitney, 6.90-1 shot Arthur’s Trip conceded stakes expertise to all of his opponents, however Junior Alvarado rode his mount as if the other was true, aggressively urging him to safe the lead heading into the primary flip of the 1 1/8-mile race, which was held on a muddy observe. Projected pacesetter, three-time Grade 1 winner, and post-time favourite Nationwide Treasure by no means challenged Arthur’s Trip for the lead, and he opened up on the sector by 5 lengths in early stretch. Alvarado saved Arthur’s Trip centered via the ultimate eighth of a mile, and he had sufficient stamina in reserve to simply end 2 ¼ lengths away from a rallying Crupi. The colt confirmed he nonetheless has maturing to do by swerving and unseating Alvarado within the gallop-out, however all in all his Whitney win was some of the spectacular to date in 2024, and that’s backed up by…
Velocity Figures: Since Arthur’s Trip has stretched out to 2 turns, his velocity figures have elevated to an elite degree. He earned a 115 Equibase Velocity Determine in his June allowance win going a mile and 1 / 4 – a 19-point enchancment over his earlier excessive again in March – and repeated that quantity within the Whitney. Arthur’s Trip earned a 111 Beyer Velocity Determine in his June victory on the Spa, which is the very best for any horse racing a mile or longer on the principle observe this yr. He then tallied a 110 BSF within the Whitney, which is tied for second on the identical Day by day Racing Kind chart with Fierceness’ quantity earned again in March when successful the Curlin Florida Derby Offered by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm at Xalapa.
Wanting Forward: Invoice Mott informed David Grening of Day by day Racing Kind that Arthur’s Trip seems to have come out of the Whitney in nice form and that absent any setbacks the plan is to enter him within the 1 ¼-mile Jockey Membership Gold Cup Stakes Sept. 1 at Saratoga. Just like the Whitney, the Jockey Membership Gold Cup is a $1 million, Grade 1 stakes providing a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Longines Breeders’ Cup Traditional in November.
Profitable each of these historic races in the identical yr can be a monumental feat, however those that expressed skepticism about this colt’s possibilities of stepping up at school and dealing with the primary project final Saturday (blush) had been silenced in about one minute and 49 seconds. Little question about it, Arthur’s Trip has entered into the highest echelon of 2024 BC Traditional contenders, and his excessive cruising velocity is his greatest asset. He set swift early fractions within the Whitney and though tiring a bit late nonetheless completed with intent, and he’s already confirmed able to excelling at a mile and 1 / 4.
There are a few 3-year-olds at the moment progressing to a doable begin within the BC Traditional who’ve related operating types to Arthur’s Trip and pedigrees full of stamina – gritty Belmont Stakes and NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes winner Dornoch and intriguing Indiana Derby and West Virginia Derby winner Dragoon Guard – though they nonetheless have floor to make up on the Whitney winner when it comes to velocity figures. It is going to be fascinating to see how this burgeoning star will reply if/when he matches up in opposition to a racehorse who has the velocity and fortitude to problem him on the lead. There’s an opportunity, although, that such an opponent doesn’t exist this yr, and that makes Arthur’s Trip a particular “purchase” as a possible BC Traditional winner. Racing followers and horseplayers can solely hope for good well being and regular coaching for the entire contenders within the months forward.
