There will be five Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” challenge races taking place this weekend, spread across the major summer circuits of Saratoga Race Track And seawith two 1 1/4-mile qualifiers on September 3rd, providing entry to the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) on November 5th Keeneland.
The first of those preparations for Saturday's Breeders' Cup Classic takes place at 5:45 p.m. ET at Saratoga, when the upstate Fresh York track has long hosted the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1). Belmont Park Race rescheduled to earlier in the year and to Spa from 2021. About three hours later, on Saturday, the TVG Pacific Classic (G1) takes place with the undefeated airline kicks off at 5:30 p.m. PT or 8:30 p.m. ET in Del Mar.
Although the Jockey Club Gold Cup has a top rating, it appears to be of lower quality than the Aug. 6 Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga, a race that Life is good one of the world's best dirt horses, emerged as the front runner Joyful saver And Heated Rod Charlie . Only Olympics He returns from the Whitney after a 28-day break and looks to bounce back from a impoverished showing when he was beaten 9 1/4 lengths when fourth, his only loss in six starts this year.
Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stable and LNJ Foxwoods' Speightstown Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the colt has already punched his ticket to the Breeders' Cup Classic by winning the WAYI Stephen Foster Stakes (G2). Churchill Downs Beginning of July. The appeal of the Jockey Club Gold Cup for its connections lies in the first-class prestige of Saturday's race; A Grade 1 victory is the most significant achievement missing from the stallion's racing record.
He expects to have a positive performance up close under Junior Alvarado, perhaps with a close result Tax inwards, in a race with circumscribed speed.
American Revolution Second in the Olympiad in the Foster, beaten 2 1/4 lengths, leads four Todd Pletcher trainees in the eight-horse field. With Olympiad having a subpar recent showing, Americanrevolution owns the best Equibase speed figure from last race, a 120.
Winner of the Cigar Mile Handicap presented by NYRA Bets (G1) in December at Aqueduct race trackin which he beat fourth-place finisher Olympiad by 4 1/2 lengths, Americanrevolution is one of many in the Jockey Club Gold Cup going 1 1/4 miles without a win. Active is the sole winner of the classic trip after narrowly defeating the other Jockey Club Gold Cup entries First captain And Untreated in the Suburban Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park from afar.
Olympiad and Americanrevolution have never attempted 1 1/4 miles. They are both two-stakes winners at 1 1/8 miles.
To the west, Flightline expanded even further, scoring a six-length victory in the one-mile Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Belmont on June 11. His three previous starts, also runaway results, similarly took place within a lap and were at a distance of six to seven furlongs.
His victory in the Metropolitan Handicap, a race called the Met Mile, earned him an automatic spot in the $1 million Gigantic Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), also on Nov. 5 at Keeneland – although that wasn't the case is the price his connections want. Trainer John Sadler and owners Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, Summer Wind Equine, West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing are aiming to win the Breeders' Cup Classic and Horse of the Year.
Country Grammer wins the Dubai World Cup in Meydan
With his brilliance overshadowing his lack of track experience, he is at 1-5 odds on the morning line for the Pacific Classic, where the competition will be led by another 2022 Class/Group 1 winner Country grammarian and 1st class winner Express train . The winners of the 2nd class this year Royal ship And Stilleto boy offer further challenges in a six-horse field rounded out by Longshot Additional hope who graduated from 3rd grade at Del Mar in 2020.
The Pacific Classic is one of three WAYI qualifiers at the California track this weekend. The others are two turf races, the Del Mar Handicap presented by the Japan Racing Association on Saturday (G2T) and the Green Flash Handicap on September 4 (G3T). The Del Mar Handicap offers a spot in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T), while the Green Flash Handicap advances its winner to the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T).
The remaining WAYI race this weekend is as part of the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga, where the Flower Bowl Stakes (G2T) serves as the starting pad for the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T).
War like a goddess last year's Flower Bowl winner and eventual third-place finisher with a long run in the 2021 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar, emerges as a priced favorite to repeat in the 1 3/8-mile Flower Bowl.
| Upcoming Challenge Races | |||
| Date | Missions | division | rail |
| September 3rd | Del Mar Handicap | Race | sea |
| September 3rd | Pacific classic | classic | sea |
| September 3rd | Jockey Club Gold Cup | classic | Saratoga |
| September 3rd | Flower bowl posts | Filly & Mare Turf | Saratoga |
| September 4th | Green Flash Handicap | Lawn sprint | sea |
