A very worldwide affair turned much more worldwide this 12 months when the Breeders’ Cup assembly attracted a record-breaking 80 worldwide pre-entries Oct. 23, 20 greater than the earlier file.
Every Breeders’ Cup race has at the very least one worldwide pre-entry, although the Huge Ass Followers Breeders’ Cup Dust Mile is the second choice for possible Longines Breeders’ Cup Traditional runner Derma Sotogake.
USA Community and FanDuel TV will each televise the primary day of this 12 months’s World Championships with USA Community’s protection happening from 4-8 p.m. ET / 1-5 p.m. PT, concluding with the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Introduced by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. FanDuel TV protection will start at 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT and canopy the entire card. Peacock will probably be streaming all of the Breeders’ Cup races as properly.
On Saturday, USA Community and Peacock will air protection of 1 undercard race and the primary Breeders’ Cup race from 2 – 3:30 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. PT. NBC will air 4 Breeders’ Cup races from 3:30 – 6 p.m. ET / 12:30 – 3 p.m. PT, concluding with the Traditional, throughout a nationwide telecast that additionally will probably be streamed on Peacock. Reside protection continues on USA Community and Peacock from 6-8 p.m. ET/ 3-5 p.m. PT.
FanDuel TV will televise the primary three undercard races and all of Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup races, besides the Traditional, with BreedersCup.com additionally streaming dwell races all through the day. Breeders’ Cup within the UK and Eire will be discovered on ITV4, Sky Sports activities, and Racing TV; and racing followers in Japan can comply with the motion on Inexperienced Channel.
Earlier than the enjoyable kicks off, learn beneath to study a few of the worldwide horses you must take note of throughout the Breeders’ Cup.
Friday
$1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Dash
The Archie Watson-trained Aesterius appears to be an enormous risk on this race with all six of his begins coming on the similar distance with 4 wins. His solely non-top two end got here at Royal Ascot the place he completed fifth towards fellow European entrant Shareholder within the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes, however he’s clearly put that behind him with three stakes victories since that race. A query mark is that he has by no means run on floor as agency as he’ll be going through right here and his two losses each got here when he ran on floor labeled “good to agency,” which is even softer than he’ll discover in California.
Japan is cautious in what they ship to the Breeders’ Cup, so any horse entered needs to be taken critically. Ecoro Sieg is the nation’s consultant on this race and skilled by Hideyuki Mori, who has loads of expertise on the Breeders’ Cup with 9 entrants since 2000 – although none on this race and all however one approaching grime. Ecoro Sieg is flippantly raced with solely two begins, however each have been spectacular with a mixed margin of victory of 7 ½ lengths. He has solely raced at six furlongs as a substitute of the 5 right here, however together with his margins of victory, it doesn’t appear like a shorter distance needs to be an issue.
A small rivalry is brewing between Whistlejacket and Shareholder with every taking away a win from their two head-to-head conferences. Shareholder received the primary match up when he received the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes in June and Whistlejacket completed fourth. The duo met up within the six-furlong Group 1 Prix Morny in August with Whistlejacket taking residence the win and Shareholder ending ninth. Whistlejacket has way more expertise with seven begins to Shareholder’s three, although each have run simply twice at 5 furlongs – Shareholder received each of these and Whistlejacket has a win and a fourth on the distance. Firmer turf shouldn’t be an issue for Shareholder, however Whistlejacket’s solely two runs on good to agency floor have leads to losses.
$2 million NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies
American Bikini represents Japan right here, however her sire is a reputation most followers will acknowledge — 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. The filly is coming into the race off a 2 ½-length stakes victory in September going seven furlongs. That win got here one begin after profitable by seven lengths in a five-furlong maiden race. She will probably be stretching out an additional furlong and a half on this race, however with American Pharoah as her sire, the gap shouldn’t be an issue.
Otomena Shacho additionally has shipped in from Japan after breaking her maiden by 5 lengths in September going six furlongs. She has the identical distance questions herself, however her pedigree exhibits that she ought to have the ability to deal with it. Her dam (mom) is by Curlin, a two-time Horse of the Yr who received the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Traditional, whereas her sire Speightstown is understood to sire longer-distance runners as properly.
$1 million John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf
When you’re searching for a horse to complete second at this 12 months’s Breeders’ Cup, Fiery Lucy could also be your woman. The filly broke her maiden again in June and has been constant in her races since then, however presumably irritating for her homeowners as properly. She comes into the Breeders’ Cup off of three straight runner-up finishes, together with on the one-mile distance that she’ll run right here. In actual fact, Fiery Lucy has completed second in 4 of her six begins general and is never far behind the winner as she’s been inside 1 ½ lengths of the winner in these 4 runner-up finishes.
Undefeated Lake Victoria is seeking to give Aidan O’Brien his second win on this race after he received in 2022 with Meditate. It received’t be a shock if Lake Victoria leads to the winner’s circle right here. She hasn’t taken a step improper with a pair of Group 1 victories on her file in her final two begins. The one query circling her previous performances is that if the one-mile distance will work for her. She hasn’t given any indicators that a further furlong from the seven furlongs she’s already tackled can be an issue, however that additional furlong between dash distances and the mile has proved a problem for different profitable sprinters.
$2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Introduced by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance
Japan has a robust contingent headed to the Breeders’ Cup this 12 months and fields two runners within the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
Ecoro Azel is the extra skilled of the 2 with two begins. He does come into this race off a fifth-place end by which he completed behind Juvenile Fillies entrant American Bikini, however he received his profession debut in July by 2 ½ lengths. He’s by a Breeders’ Cup runner-up in 2019 Breeders’ Cup Dash second Shancelot, so the gap could also be an issue, however his dam did win at simply over a mile, so she offers him some added stamina.
Shin Consider would be the most inexperienced runner within the World Championships with only one begin, however that one race was a powerful one. The colt bred in Kentucky broke his maiden at a fair farther distance than this race, and he did it profitable by 5 lengths. Shin Consider is the one horse pre-entered on this race to stretch previous the Juvenile distance.
$1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf
Aomori Metropolis is certainly one of two pre-entries for Godolphin on this race as they search for their fourth Juvenile Turf victory, the newest coming with Fashionable Video games in 2021. This Oasis Dream colt will probably be stretching out to a mile for the primary time, however he did win a Grade 2 at seven furlongs two begins in the past. His first try at a Group 1 win got here final out when he was fourth, however Godolphin appears to be keen to place that behind him and entered him alongside Al Qudra, who was second within the Grade 1 bet365 Summer season Stakes going a mile final out at Woodbine.
Extremely regarded in Europe, Henri Matisse wasn’t a fan of soppy floor final out when he completed exterior the highest two for the primary time in his fifth race. The colt completed second in his first Group 1 try earlier than that however had registered wins in every of his first three begins to kick off his marketing campaign. This will probably be his first try at a mile, however that shouldn’t be a fear as his sire received this race final 12 months with Unquestionable.
New Century comes into this race with a bonus over different European runners. He received the Grade 1 Summer season Stakes in Canada final out to get each expertise and a victory in a North American race. If he’d been focused right here even with out that begin, he would have been an fascinating prospect as a result of he already had a win at a mile on firmer turf in Europe. This is also the subsequent installment of a budding rivalry between this runner and Al Qudra. Al Qudra completed second to him within the Summer season Stakes, however had defeated him each instances they confronted one another in England.
Noriyuki Hori-trained Satono Carnaval is the Japanese consultant on this race and comes into it off a four-month break. He’s an fascinating entrant as a result of he will probably be going previous seven furlongs for the primary time. He confirmed lots in his debut going seven furlongs with a seven-length win in June earlier than profitable by 1 ¼ lengths within the Grade 3 Hakodate Nisai Stakes on July 13, prevailing as the favourite in each begins.
Saturday
$1 million Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash
The constant Believing remains to be trying to find her first Grade/Group 1 victory and is hoping to search out it right here. The George Boughey trainee has had loads of possibilities to interrupt via on the high stage this 12 months with six Group 1 runs and has been second in two of her final three makes an attempt however simply hasn’t been capable of break via. Sadly for her, the horse who beat her each instances she was second, Bradsell, can be working right here.
One other horse who beat Believing this 12 months is Huge Evs, who’s seeking to win his second Breeders’ Cup race after a victory within the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Dash final 12 months. If he pulls off the double, he’ll be the second Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Dash-Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash winner after Golden Pal in 2020 and 2021. Huge Evs has made 4 begins this 12 months with two victories and a third-place end. His solely unplaced end got here final out when he was eighth behind fellow pre-entrants Bradsell, Believing, and Starlust.
This race would be the swansong for Bradsell, who will retire to stud after the Breeders’ Cup. Bradsell has been among the best sprinters in Europe this 12 months with two Group 1 victories in three Group 1 begins this 12 months and three wins from 4 begins general. He’s coming into this race off a second-place end in a French Group 1, however that was on smooth turf — one thing he nearly definitely received’t see in California — so will be simply forgiven.
$2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff
Japan is an ideal one-for-one on winners to starters within the Breeders’ Cup Distaff and this 12 months their Superior Outcome holds first choice within the race. A daughter of Justify, Superior Result’s following her sire’s lead by staying undefeated and is aiming to maintain that file intact after Saturday’s race. Superior Outcome has raced solely in stakes since final November and received all 4 of these – together with a five-length victory within the Breeder’s Gold Cup to spherical out her Breeders’ Cup prep.
Japan additionally has Alice Verite holding second choice right here and first within the Maker’s Mark Filly & Mare Turf. The 4-year-old filly has made all her begins on the turf and comes into the Breeders’ Cup with three wins and two seconds in six begins this 12 months – together with a two-length victory within the Group 3 Mermaid Stakes two begins in the past.
$5 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf
Emily Upjohn was initially given first choice within the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, however coach John Gosden introduced that she’d compete within the Turf as a substitute because of race distance. Emily Upjohn isn’t a stranger to the 1 ½ miles she’ll be tackling, she’s raced on the distance in 9 of her 15 profession begins with 5 top-three finishes at it. Taking over males additionally received’t be a priority for the 5-year-old Sea The Stars mare, who received towards them in a Group 1 at this distance in Europe.
Luxembourg is a kind of horses who can present up with an enormous win … when he’s within the temper. However even when he’s not, you may normally depend on him to complete properly. The 5-year-old has completed within the high three in 11 of 18 begins and has received a Group 1 in every of his 4 seasons on the observe, together with his win this 12 months coming on the similar distance because the Breeders’ Cup Turf. Luxembourg has a coach with loads of expertise on this race: Aidan O’Brien has received seven editions of the Breeders’ Cup Turf, together with final 12 months with Auguste Rodin.
After lacking the Turf final 12 months, 2022 winner Insurgent’s Romance returns searching for one other win. Now a 6-year-old, the Dubawi gelding has been simply nearly as good as ever in 2024 with Group 1 wins coming in three totally different nations and a third-place end coming in a fourth for his solely 2024 defeat. Insurgent Romance will probably be making his fourth U.S. begin right here – and first in 2024 – however will probably be tackling California turf for the primary time, though that shouldn’t be an issue.
$7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Traditional
Aidan O’Brien has despatched 17 totally different horses to the Breeders’ Cup Traditional and are available near profitable it with just a few of them, however nonetheless has but to go to the winner’s circle on this race. The coach is taking one other shot at it with Metropolis of Troy. He’s final 12 months’s European champion 2-year-old colt and has raced solely on turf, however he’s by 2018 U.S. Triple Crown winner Justify. He hails from a household that is filled with turf runners, although it does embrace 2008 Santa Anita Handicap winner Heatseeker, who sarcastically is by the O’Brien-trained Breeders’ Cup Traditional runner-up Big’s Causeway.
Without end Younger’s solely profession defeat got here within the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby Introduced by Woodford Reserve just a few months in the past when he was third and he’s again to avenge that loss right here. Solely a head away from profitable the Derby, Without end Younger obtained an extended break after the race and got here again on Oct. 2 to knock off the rust. That race was a victory with Without end Younger profitable the Japan Dust Traditional by 1 ¼ lengths. Japan has had 5 Breeders’ Cup Traditional starters however has but to safe a win within the race, nevertheless, they proceed to deliver horses higher and higher suited to this race and Without end Younger matches the mould
Ushba Tesoro is one other Japanese runner and has raced all around the world this 12 months. He’s taken on a few of the greatest grime races on the earth within the Saudi Cup, Dubai World Cup, and most not too long ago the Nippon TV Hai, ending second in all three. He was additionally a Breeders’ Cup Traditional runner final 12 months, ending fifth by 3 ¼ lengths after taking an analogous path with a win within the Nippon TV Hai as his ultimate prep after profitable the 2023 Dubai World Cup.
$2 million Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf
Cinderella’s Dream is without doubt one of the racehorses Charles Appleby had based mostly within the U.S. this summer time and that marketing campaign has labored out properly for her and her connections. The Shamardal filly wintered in Dubai, the place she continued a four-race win streak that began in Might of 2023 in England, earlier than aiming for the Group 1 One Thousand Guineas in England. That race was the primary defeat for Cinderella’s Dream, who completed seventh. She then headed to the U.S, the place she proved to be a drive towards her personal age group with wins within the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes and Fasig-Tipton Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes. She’ll be going farther than she ever has earlier than on this race, however that shouldn’t be an excessive amount of of a fear with what she’s proven already within the U.S.
Soprano’s first race within the U.S. was a second within the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Problem Cup Introduced by Dixiana final month, though she did end six lengths behind the winner. The filly was third by simply 1 ½ lengths in her earlier begin in Eire earlier than coming right here, however an enormous fear could also be that the Queen Elizabeth was her first begin previous a mile and he or she’ll be going an additional quarter-mile farther than that race the Filly & Mare Turf.
Aidan O’Brien’s entries on this race embrace Wingspan, who’s searching for her first Group/Grade 1 victory. She isn’t the strongest runner O’Brien has delivered to Filly & Mare Turf, however she all the time runs a stable race. Her file features a pair of seconds in two powerful races her final two begins to tie up a file that has seen her end off the board simply as soon as in six races. O’Brien has run 19 horses on this race however has solely received it with one: Tuesday in 2022.
$2 million Cygames Breeders’ Cup Dash
Don Frankie comes into the Dash off a half-length victory within the Cluster Cup in August as certainly one of three begins in 2024. The 5-year-old by Daiwa Main began his season stretching out to a mile for the primary time in an experiment that didn’t go properly with a ninth-place end earlier than transport to Dubai. There, he completed second within the Grade 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen — granted, it was 6 ½ lengths behind the winner — earlier than being given an almost five-month break. His final two begins have been each on the six-furlong distance of the Dash, a distance he has had loads of success at with three wins and two seconds in 5 begins.
Lani turned a fan favourite when he came visiting from Japan for the 2016 Triple Crown. Eight years later, his son Remake is making his U.S. debut within the Breeders’ Cup Dash. A constant runner with 14 high three finishes in 18 begins, Remake has received two of his three begins this 12 months and was fourth in his solely loss. This would be the fourth nation he’s traveled to in 2024 with wins coming in Grade 3 races in Saudi Arabia and Korea and a fourth in Dubai.
$2 million Fanduel Breeders’ Cup Mile Introduced by PDJF
After two off-the-board finishes in his final three begins, this 12 months’s Two Thousand Guineas winner Notable Speech is seeking to get again to his profitable methods on this race. Regardless of these two off-form performances, Notable Speech is a robust contender for Godolphin because the winner of 5 of his seven profession begins. These begins even included a Street to the Kentucky Derby factors race earlier this 12 months, however his connections opted for the aforementioned British traditional as a substitute of Kentucky. The three-year-old has raced solely at a mile in varied circumstances, so no matter he faces in California shouldn’t be a difficulty.
Among the finest 3-year-old fillies in Europe is Porta Fortuna, whose solely misstep this 12 months was a second by a neck within the One Thousand Guineas to start out her 12 months. That runner-up efficiency got here in her first begin after ending second in final 12 months’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and because the One Thousand Guineas she’s been good. Coach Donnacha O’Brien has run her solely in Group 1 races since August of final 12 months and the filly has by no means completed worse than third with three straight victories coming into the Breeders’ Cup MIle.
Japanese Group 1 winner Ten Glad Rose appears to get her second Group 1 win in her final three begins. The 6-year-old mare’s connections dropped her down to 6 furlongs for her ultimate Breeders’ Cup prep in a race that may in all probability be seen as a real prep due to the gap and the truth that she misplaced by solely three lengths in her first begin in 17 weeks. Ten Glad Rose solely has one win at a mile, however she has completed within the high three in 4 of her eight tries on the distance, so it wouldn’t be too large of a shock to see her end within the high three.
