There is just over four weeks to Thoroughbred racing’s blockbuster day, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, this year being the 27th edition and it will be held at Keeneland without fans.
An early look at some of the Canadian-based or bred horses who will be in action in the two-day, 14-race event suggests there will be many to cheer for despite the continued COVID-19 pandemic that makes traveling difficult.
Woodbine’s leading trainer MARK CASSE, who happens to be in the U.S. and won’t himself have the travel/quarantine issues of the Canadian-based trainers, has his horses in Ontario with his assistants David Adams and Katheryn Sullivan and has told media he hopes to have seven starters.
Among those is Ontario-bred GRETZKY THE GREAT, winner of the Grade 1 Summer Stakes for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber at Woodbine, a Win and You’re In Race. Gretzky the Great is by Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist from the Bernardini mare Pearl Turn.
Bred by David Anderson in St. Thomas, Gretzky the Great is one of the top contenders for the Juvenile Turf which is on Friday, Nov. 6.
Anderson purchased the mare Pearl Turn carrying her first foal by Pioneer ofthe Nile for $310,00 in 2016. Gretzky the Great was a $295,000 RNA as a yearling and later purchased by Eclipse and Barber.
Casse also has a new face in his barn. Woodbine Cares Stakes winner DIRTY DANGLE, unbeaten in two races for Ralph and Mary Biamonte and Carmen DiMizio, will point to the Juvenile Turf Sprint. The daughter of Not This This was a $25,000 purchase by Biamonte in March, pre-pandemic.
For the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, Casse plans to send War of Will, who finished ninth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic. Since then, he has not run on dirt, exclusively going one mile on turf.
In his last race, the 4-year-old son of War Front out of Visions of Clarity, by Sadler’s Wells, finished third in the Woodbine Mile on Sept. 19. His last win came July 10 in the Maker’s Mark Mile (G1) at Keeneland.
For the Turf Sprint, Casse will enter Got Stormy, who will race in this week’s Franklin County at Keeneland. She ran in last year’s Turf Mile, finishing second, and will drop in distance this year.
In the Mile, March to the Arch, who finished second in the Woodbine Mile, is expected to try his first Breeders’ Cup.
Reigning Canadian Horse of the Year STARSHIP JUBILEE, winner of the 2020 Woodbine Mile, earned a ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Mile with that win and is Breeders’ Cup bound for hometown trainer Kevin Attard and American owners Blue Heaven Farm. She could take part in the Mile or the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
CHANNEL MAKER, the amazing Ontario-bred by English Channel, just won another Grade 1, the Joe Hirsch at Belmont last weekend, and is headed to the Breeders’ Cup Turf. The win was Channel Maker’s second of the year and first on firm turf since the Grade 1 Man o’ War at Belmont in May of last year. His robust bankroll eclipsed the $2.5 million mark with the winner’s share of the purse of $137,500, and he returned $7.60 on a $2 win wager as the second choice in the wagering. He was bred by Ivan Dalos.
HARD NOT TO LOVE, the one-eyed Grade 1 winner in California bred by Anderson Farms in Ontario, will be a last minute decision for the Breeders’ Cup. The Hard Spun gal, trained by John Shirreffs could compete in the 7 furlong Filly and Mare Sprint or the Distaff.
37th Breeders’ Cup World Championships
Future Stars Friday, November 6
TVG Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance
Juvenile Fillies Turf
Juvenile Fillies
Juvenile Turf
Juvenile Turf Sprint
Saturday, November 7
Longines Classic
Longines Turf
Longines Distaff
FanDuel Mile presented by PDJF
Sprint
Maker’s Mark Filly & Mare Turf
Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile
Turf Sprint
Filly & Mare Sprint
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