The party is coming!
Some memories from this and past year:
Dirt
Breeders’ Cup Classic on dirt is the biggest race in this category. American Pharoah won it in 2015, Gun Runner in 2017. Last year it was Accelerate in real life and GCh. Bele (Starfish Stables) in Final Furlong. Bele did not win a race this year, but he finished 2nd in the Pegasus World Cup.
This year, among contenders for the Classic are Code of Honor (the Travers Stakes winner), and War of Will (the Preakness Stakes winner).
On Final Furlong Breeders’ Cup Qualifiers List, the current leader is GCh. Fading Colours (bred and owned by Stillwater Farms), who won two Grade 1 races this year. Number two is NCh. Fool To Be Smokin’ (Starfish Stables), the stud-qualified Pegasus World Cup winner with two Eclipse Awards. Bele is 6th on the list, and one of the alternates is Ch. Scion by my recently retired stallion NCh. Al Mundhir.
In other dirt races, the real life Mile winner was City of Light, who will retire to stud next year. In Final Furlong it was GCh. Dark Debate (Littlefield), who won Eclipse Award that year, for the Older Horse. Ch. Avoid the Bugs (Tall Oaks Estate) is first on the list at the moment. The Juvenile Fillies winner was a beautiful rose grey filly Jaywalk, and in the game - GCh. Wild Fool (Darkwood Stables). This year, number one on qualifiers list is Ch. Lipstickandmalice (Black Storm West). My filly Ch. Eerschay is 2nd on the list.
Turf
Last year, the Breeders’ Cup Turf winner was Enable and GCh. Flames of Passion (Littlefield). Enable ran in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe just yesterday, and finished 2nd. Right now, number 1 on the list is Ch. In The Stars (Littlefield), the Caulfield Cup and Tattersalls Gold Cup winner.
Among real life contenders for the Turf are Bricks and Mortar (the Pegasus World Cup Turf and Arlington Million winner) and Anthony van Dyck (the Epsom Derby winner).
The Juvenile Turf winner was Line of Duty and GCh. Palermo (Cricket Hill), who qualified for stud as a 2yo, and won three Eclipse Awards. Currently, the first on the list is Ch. Fiddler’s Green (Cricket Hill).
Juvenile Turf Fillies winner was Newspaperofrecord and GCh. Frau Holle (Cricket Hill) who won two Eclipse Awards. Now, the leader is Contrary Mary (Darkwood Stables), the Middle Park Park Stakes winner.
Steeplechase
Although there are no steeplechase races on official Breeders’ Cup website, we do have some interesting contenders in the game; for example, Final Furlong owned Massive Title, who won The Grand National this year. First on the list for SC Endurance is GCh. Vague Writer (Littlefield), the Ascot Gold Cup and Cheltenham Gold Cup winner. Last year, the SC Classic winner and Steeplechase Horse of the Year was Ch. HollywoodTreatment (Littlefield).