The primary weekend of August hosts two necessary races which might be a part of the Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Problem Collection. At Saratoga, the 97th working of the Whitney Stakes will go on Saturday, Aug. 3, and is a qualifier for the Nov. 2 Longines Breeders’ Cup Basic at Del Mar. Later that night on the Breeders’ Cup’s host observe, main grime fillies and mares will compete within the 54th Clement L. Hirsch Stakes Offered by Oak Tree Racing Affiliation, providing an computerized berth to the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 2.
Earlier than these two signature occasions happen, an abroad prep can be held as a part of the boutique Wonderful Goodwood meet in England. On July 31, a number of the finest grass milers will contest the Qatar Sussex Stakes, which is a Problem Collection qualifier for the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile Offered by PDJF on Nov. 2.
Along with these races, a number of different graded stakes on faucet this week within the U.S. have influenced the Breeders’ Cup via the years. Let’s look forward …
Whitney Stakes
The place: Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
When: Saturday, Aug. 3
The best way to Watch: FOX
“Win and You’re In” for: Longines Breeders’ Cup Basic
Why it’s necessary: The Whitney, held at 1 1/8 miles, continues to exist as probably the most prestigious races within the sport simply because it did for many years earlier than the Breeders’ Cup was conceived. It boasts arguably probably the most spectacular listing of previous winners within the pantheon of North American grime races, together with such legends as Discovery, Battle Admiral, Kelso, and Dr. Fager. Because the first Breeders’ Cup in 1984, seven horses have gained the Whitney and Breeders’ Cup Basic in the identical yr: Superior Once more (1998), Invasor (2006), Blame (2010), Fort Larned (2012), Gun Runner (2017), Knicks Go (2021), and White Abarrio (2023). As well as, two fillies who gained the Whitney in the course of the Nineteen Eighties – Corridor of Famers Girl’s Secret in 1986 and Private Ensign in 1988 – educated on to win the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
Finest winner in the course of the Breeders’ Cup period: Lifeless warmth between Invasor and Gun Runner, with Blame a head again in third. Invasor didn’t lose a race within the U.S. after relocating from Uruguay, going 5-for-5 with $3.99 million in earnings. His win within the Whitney was really the hardest, nonetheless, as he overcame a poor begin to edge Solar King by a nostril. The Kiaran McLaughlin trainee then defeated champion Bernardini by a rallying size within the Breeders’ Cup Basic at Churchill Downs and gained two extra races in 2007, topped by the Dubai World Cup, earlier than retiring.
Gun Runner’s accomplishments are brisker in reminiscence, and his dominance at age 4 was a sight to behold certainly. The Sweet Journey colt gained all 5 of his begins within the U.S. that yr, together with his solely blemish coming abroad as runner-up to Arrogate within the Dubai World Cup. He pulverized six opponents within the Whitney by 5 ¼ lengths regardless of carrying a free horseshoe entangled in his tail, and two begins later simply dispatched Arrogate and 9 different foes within the Basic at Del Mar, scoring by 2 ¼ lengths. Gun Runner will enter the Racing Corridor of Fame someday earlier than this yr’s Whitney, and he’s already turn out to be probably the most sought-after sires in North American breeding.
Final yr’s winner: As famous above, White Abarrio grew to become the seventh twin Whitney-BC Basic winner, scoring an upset within the Whitney at odds of 10.20-1 after which coaching as much as the Basic, which he gained as the two.60-1 favourite towards a robust discipline. The grey or roan horse has underachieved to date in two begins this yr at age 5 and can bypass the Whitney.
2024 starters: This yr’s renewal drew a really aggressive 12-horse discipline led by latest Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap winner Nationwide Treasure and in addition together with 9, rely ‘em, 9, different graded stakes winners.
Clement L. Hirsch Stakes Offered by Oak Tree Racing Affiliation
The place: Del Mar Thoroughbred Membership, Del Mar, Calif.
When: Saturday, Aug. 3
The best way to Watch: FanDuel TV
“Win and You’re In” for: Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff
Why it’s necessary: It could not have the identical historic status, however just like the Whitney the 1 1/16-mile Clement Hirsch has additionally been a constant affect on year-end championships within the grime feminine division ever for the reason that Breeders’ Cup launched in 1984. That August, Princess Rooney captured what was then named the Chula Vista Handicap by 2 ½ lengths because the even-money favourite, after which gained two extra races simply earlier than taking the inaugural Distaff at Hollywood Park by seven lengths. Since then, three extra fillies/mares have achieved the Clement Hirsch-Breeders’ Cup Distaff double, and like Princess Rooney, all are within the Corridor of Fame: Bayakoa (1990), Azeri (2002), and Zenyatta (2009). Beholder, who was inducted into the Corridor of Fame two summers in the past, gained the 2015 Clement Hirsch, completed second in 2016, after which gained the Longines Distaff that yr over Songbird in probably the most thrilling races of this century.
Finest winner in the course of the Breeders’ Cup period: A queen amongst lesser royalty, Zenyatta stands out. The daughter of Road Cry gained the Clement L. Hirsch for 3 consecutive years – 2008, 2009, and 2010 – for wins seven, 12, and 18 of what can be a 19-race profitable streak to start out out her profession. In 2008, Zenyatta adopted her Clement Hirsch rating with a win in what was then known as the Breeders’ Cup Girls’ Basic at Santa Anita Park. A yr later, she did even higher by utilizing the Clement Hirsch as a prep to tackle – and defeat – males within the Breeders’ Cup Basic, additionally at Santa Anita. All of these wins, in addition to the 2010 Clement Hirsch, got here on synthetic surfaces, and in 2010 Zenyatta misplaced her bid for a repeat within the Breeders’ Cup Basic when ending a head behind the abovementioned Blame on Churchill Downs’ grime observe, her ultimate begin. Zenyatta gained arguably as a lot devotion from followers in her solely defeat as she did in her prior dominant wins, and nobody who witnessed her unbelievable expertise and braveness on the observe will ever overlook it.
Final yr’s winner/this yr’s discipline: Bob Baffert-trained Adare Manor gained the Clement Hirsch by a size and additional cemented her standing because the main West Coast grime feminine with a win within the Zenyatta Stakes final fall, solely to fizzle within the Longines Distaff and end seventh of 9. The now 5-year-old mare has come again sturdy in 2024, profitable the Apple Blossom Handicap and the Santa Margarita Stakes after ending second in her seasonal bow, and he or she is slated for a repeat bid in Saturday’s Clement Hirsch.
Qatar Sussex Stakes
The place: Goodwood Racecourse, Chichester, United Kingdom
When: Wednesday, July 31
The best way to Watch: FS2
“Win and You’re In” for: FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile Offered by PDJF
Why it’s necessary: The Sussex grew to become a “Win and You’re In” race in 2015 however didn’t ship a winner to compete within the World Championships till 2018. A number of top-class European horses that gained the Sussex previous to 2015 did make their mark on the Breeders’ Cup, most notably 2000 winner Large’s Causeway, aka the “Iron Horse,” who shipped to Churchill Downs to run within the Breeders’ Cup Basic on grime and misplaced by a neck to Tiznow. As well as, 2008 Sussex 1-2 finishers Henrythenavigator and Raven’s Cross reversed these positions in that fall’s Basic when it was held on an artificial observe at Santa Anita Park. No horse has gained the Sussex Stakes and the Breeders’ Cup Mile in the identical yr since this race was added to the Problem Collection.
Finest horse since this race was added to the Breeders’ Cup Problem Collection: Fingers down, Fashionable Video games. The Godolphin homebred simply took the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar after transport in from England, though he was declared a non-betting curiosity as a consequence of beginning gate misfortune, a call that angers bettors nonetheless. The colt then gained the French Two Thousand Guineas at age 3 earlier than going off type and ending third and fifth in Group 1 stakes previous to a begin in final summer time’s Sussex, during which he ran a strong second behind the very best miler in Europe on the time, undefeated Baaeed. That set Fashionable Video games up for a stellar fall season throughout which Fashionable Video games shipped to Woodbine and gained the Ricoh Woodbine Mile, went again to England and ran a great second within the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, after which got here proper again to North America and rallied to a three-quarter-length win within the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile Offered by PDJF at Keeneland. (Final yr, Inspiral completed final of 5 within the Sussex, which coach John Gosden attributed to the tender turf at Goodwood. She then gained three consecutive races to shut out 2023, topped by a rating within the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita.)
Different weekend races:
The seven-furlong Check Stakes Offered by Ticketmaster Saturday at Saratoga for 3-year-old fillies is one other of many races on the Spa that carries a formidable roll name of winners. In back-to-back years, two of them – Covfefe in 2019 and Gamine in 2020 – parlayed wins within the Check into triumphs within the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Dash. Each obtained the Eclipse Award as champion feminine sprinter.
No 3-year-old horse has gained the one-mile Nationwide Museum of Racing Corridor of Fame Stakes on the Spa after which captured a Breeders’ Cup race later within the season, however a number of race winners made their mark on the World Championships in one other season, most notably Bricks and Mortar. That Chad Brown trainee earned his first stakes win within the 2017 Nationwide Museum of Racing Corridor of Fame and, after an prolonged break as a consequence of accidents, returned in late 2018 to win seven races in a row topped by the 2019 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita Park. He was voted Horse of the Yr and for that 2019 season.
The Glens Falls Stakes at Saratoga, set this yr for Aug. 2, has despatched a number of winners on to shine on the Breeders’ Cup, maybe the very best being present star Battle Like Goddess. George Krikorian’s prize mare gained the 1 ¼-mile Glens Falls in 2021 and 2022 and completed second by a neck final yr. On a much bigger stage, Battle Like Goddess ran third by a half-length within the 2021 Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Del Mar after which third by three lengths towards males within the 2022 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland. She continues to be in coaching for Corridor of Famer Invoice Mott however will bypass the Glens Falls this yr and as an alternative level to the Aug. 31 Flower Bowl Stakes on the Spa, a “Win and You’re In” for the Maker’s Mark Filly & Mare Turf, per Day by day Racing Type.
The Troy Stakes, a 5 ½-furlong turf sprint at Saratoga, has had crossover with the Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash in recent times, as 2021 BC Turf Dash winner Golden Pal gained the Troy a yr later and final summer time, Nobals checked in second to Cogburn within the Troy after which educated on to win the BC Turf Dash at Santa Anita. This yr, Cogburn is anticipated to be a heavy post-time favourite for the Troy on Saturday, and is the present chief within the turf dash division pointing to the World Championships in November.
Lastly, the 6 ½-furlong Adirondack Stakes at Saratoga served because the springboard for 2011 champion 2-year-old filly My Miss Aurelia, who subsequently gained the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Churchill Downs.
