1 of 3 | Economics wins the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes, a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Turf. Photo by and courtesy of Katsumi Saito
Sept. 16 (UPI) — With eight Breeders’ Cup spots up for grabs and major year-end races from France to Japan to Australia on the horizon, this weekend’s horse racing could hardly have been more global.
Let us hope to put the results into perspective by considering them as an international whole.
More parochially, the weekend also saw the first race of the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” series with several other major 2-year-olds pointed to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Juvenile Fillies.
Hold tight.
Turf
Saturday’s Group 1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown was arguably the most cosmopolitan event of the weekend, with entrants pointing to major races around the world.
The economy took the lead in the final stretch, racing alongside Auguste Rodin and eventually pulling away to win by a hard-fought neck. Japan’s Shin Emperor was third, another 3/4 of a length back and gaining at the end.
Economics, a 3-year-old Night of Thunder colt trained by William Haggis, improved to 4-for-4 this season while competing in his first Group 1. Auguste Rodin’s stablemates – Los Angeles, Luxemburg and Hans Andersen – came home like four. , sixth and last respectively out of eight.
Los Angeles and Shin Emperor are under consideration for next month’s Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Auguste Rodin is on his way to November’s Japan Cup. The race was a ‘Win and You’re In’ for the Longines Breeders Cup Turf, but Haggis appeared to be considering the Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot on October 19 for economy.
On Sunday at Longchamp in Paris, Iresine won the Group 1 Qatar Prix Foy by a short head over Zarir and Sosie scored a mild upset win in the Group 2 Prix Niel for 3-year-olds. Both were at 2,400 meters or about 1 1/2 miles.
Turf Mile
When an opening appeared along the rail at the top of the stretch in Saturday’s $1 million (Canadian) Grade I Rogers Woodbine Mile, favorite Naval Power and 13-1 longshot Win for the Money had every chance to take advantage.
It was the longshot who got the job done, roaring home straight to win by 1 1/2 lengths over the pacesetting Filo Di Arianna.
Win for the Money earned his first graded stakes win and a “Win and You’re In” spot in the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile.
Saturday’s Group 2 Toneybet Solonoway Stakes at Leopardstown produced another good one, and a potential international traveller, for trainer Aidan O’Brien. Diego Velazquez took charge in the final stretch to win by 1 1/2 lengths and O’Brien said he “could go to the Breeders’ Cup Mile or the Cox Plate.”
Filly & Mare Turf
Porta Fortuna was the heavy favorite in Saturday’s Group 1 Coolmore America Justify Matron Stakes at Leopardstown and never looked anything but the winner.
The Caravaggio mare made her move outside rivals when jockey Tom Marquand asked and won by 1 length. Trained by Donnacha Aidan O’Brien, Porta Fortuna finished second in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and earned a “Win and You’re In” spot for this year’s Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Stö & Mare Turf.
Full Count Felicia took a huge lead in Saturday’s $750,000 (Canadian) Grade I EP Taylor Stakes on the Woodbine turf and was not to be caught. At the end of the 1 1/4 miles, the 5-year-old War Front mare was still 3 1/2 lengths ahead of her nearest competition, Moira.
Also, Beautiful Love won Saturday’s $350,000 Grade III Belmont Oaks Invitational at Aqueduct and Bluestocking emerged victorious from a tough edition of the Group 1 Prix Vermeille for fillies and fillies Sunday at Longchamp.
Marathon
Kyprios continued his remarkable run through the European races with a score of 2 1/4 lengths in Sunday’s Group 1 Comer Group Irish St. Camps at the Curragh. He is now 5-for-5 this year and trainer Aidan O’Brien sounded as though he is considering an Arc bid with the Gold Cup specialist.
On Saturday at Doncaster in England, O’Brien saddled the first two finalists in the English St Leger with Jan Brueghel and Illinois. The result prompted the trainer to talk about the Melbourne Cup for the 1-2 finishers, with a slight nod to Arc: “The track of them could go to Melbourne,” the Racing Post quoted him as saying.
And yes, Ireland uses the period of St. Leger, while England does not.
Turf Sprint
Bradsell was too good for the other 17 in Sunday’s Group 1 Bar One Racing Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh.
Riding Holly Doyle, the 4-year-old Tasleet colt rolled home 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Believing and Ryan Moore. It was the same result as in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York on August 23 and gave Bradsell a ‘Win and You’re In’ place in the Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.
Now, those 2 year olds
The Road to the Roses (and the Breeders’ Cup)
Move Jonathan’s Way to the top of the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.
The Vekoma colt, trained by Philip Bauer, remained unbeaten after two starts with a 2 3/4-length victory in Saturday’s $300,000 Grade III Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs. The race was the first along this season’s “Road”.
Jonathan’s Way won his first start handily at Saratoga and seemed to have no problem advancing to the one-turn mile. “I’m still trying to put it all into perspective,” Bauer said. “We’re the favorites heading into the Kentucky Derby.”
Young mares
Trainer Mark Casse added to his stellar day at Woodbine with a victory in the $300,000 Grade III Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs Saturday as La Cara rallied far back in the big field to win by 3/4 lengths over Liam in the Dust. The favorite, Kimchi Cat, eased down the stretch and finished last.
La Cara, a Street Sense mare, ran 1 mile on a fast course in 1:37.82 under Ricardo Santana Jr. She made it two straight wins after taking four tries to find the winner’s circle.
Andrea, the odds-on favorite, took the early lead and extended it at every sight in Saturday’s $95,000 Hallandale Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park, eventually winning by 7 3/4 lengths.
The Kentucky-bred daughter of Thousand Words, trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., ran 1 mile over a good course in 1:38.38 and remained unbeaten after two trips.
Youth grass
Qatar Racing’s New Century earned a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” bid with a victory in Saturday’s $500,000 (Canadian) Grade I 365 Summer Stakes at Woodbine. He is likely to compete in that race.
Not so Green Impact, who won a Breeders’ Cup bid by upsetting Saturday’s Group 2 KPMG Champions Juvenile in Ireland. Trainer Jessica Harrington said the colt has Epsom Derby potential and will have the rest of this year off.
Scorthy Champ stepped up to win Sunday’s Group 1 Goffs Vincent O’Brien National for 2-year-olds at the Curragh.
Juvenile Fillies Turf
Lake Victoria rallied to win Sunday’s Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at the Curragh by 1 1/2 lengths, earning a “Win and You’re In” spot in the John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.
And One More Time earned a narrow win in Saturday’s $500,000 (Canadian) Grade I Natalma Stakes at Woodbine. She too received a “Win and You’re In” for the November 1 Breeders’ Cup race.
#Weekend #international #racing #lines #Breeders #Cup #Arc #yearend #UPI.com