Officials at the Breeders’ Cup have cleared the way for trainer BOB BAFFERT to race horses in the World Championships at Del Mar, November 5 and 6.
The Breeders’ Cup said in a statement Oct. 17 that “in the interest of fairness,” Baffert was able to participate in its review of the trainer who has had horses fail five post-race drug tests since May of 2020.
“Based on the totality of the circumstances, Breeders’ Cup has decided to require all horses trained by Mr. Baffert to undergo enhanced out-of-competition, pre- and post-race testing, and other security protocols, at his own expense,” the statement said.
As for the 38th Breeders’ Cup World Championships, there are 14 races worth $31 million in purses and awards will take place over two days, with the grand finale, the $6 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at 1 ¼ miles, headlined by the Brad Cox-trained stablemates KNICKS GO and ESSENTIAL QUALITY in a field brimming with talent and the Horse of the Year title on the line.
Unfortunately, it does not appear that there are any Canadian representatives in this year’s Breeders’ Cup, as far as Canadian-bred or based horses.
Pre-entries for all 14 Breeders’ Cup World Championship races will be announced live on Wednesday, Oct. 27 at 8:30 a.m. PT/ 11:30 a.m. ET on TVG and streamed on BreedersCup.com. Friday’s World Championships races will be shown on NBCSN, TVG and BreedersCup.com from 2-6 p.m. PT, while Saturday’s races will be on NBCSN and TVG from 11:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. PT and on NBC from 5-6 p.m. PT.
Cox, who used four Breeders’ Cup wins last year at Keeneland as a springboard to his first Eclipse Award as Outstanding Trainer, has a big chance to win his first Classic as Korea Racing Authority’s Knicks Go and Godolphin’s homebred Essential Quality — two of his Breeders’ Cup winners last year — are all but assured of being the first two betting choices.
Knicks Go wired the $1 million Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) last year and has used that style with aplomb this year as well, as he ran the field off their feet in Saratoga’s “Win and You’re In” Whitney (G1) in August to earn an automatic starting berth into the Classic. The 5-year-old son of Paynter is 9-for-23 lifetime and prepped for the Classic with a win in Churchill Downs’ Oct. 2 Lukas Classic (G3).
Essential Quality was voted 2-year-old champion last year on the basis of his win in the $2 million TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1), and like his stablemate, he hasn’t missed a beat this year, winning 5 of 6 starts. The son of Tapit suffered his only career defeat when fourth in the Kentucky Derby (G1) but rebounded to win the Belmont (G1) in June and Saratoga’s Aug. 28 Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) in his most recent start. Essential Quality is 8-for-9 lifetime.
The rest of the prospective Classic field is extremely formidable and includes three “Win and You’re In” automatic qualifiers. The group includes Zedan Racing Stable’s MEDINA SPIRIT, who qualified for the Classic when he won Santa Anita’s Oct. 2 Awesome Again by 5 lengths for trainer Bob Baffert, and George Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbred Corp.’s MAX PLAYER, who earned his free berth when he won Saratoga’s Sept. 4 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) for trainer Steve Asmussen, while Hronis Racing’s TRIPOLI won Del Mar’s TVG Pacific Classic (G1) in August for trainer John Sadler.
Classic contention runs deep, aside from the favourites and “Win and You’re In” qualifiers, with Roadrunner Racing, William Strauss, Boat Racing and Gainesway Stable’s HOT ROD CHARLIE leading the way for trainer Doug O’Neil off his win in Parx Racing’s Sept. 25 Pennsylvania Derby (G1) and his game second to Essential Quality in the Belmont, while Bruce Lunsford’s homebred ART COLLECTOR impressed when wiring a strong group in Belmont’s Oct. 2 Woodward (G1) for trainer Bill Mott. California-based runners EXPRESS TRAIN, IDOL and STILLETO BOY also are potential starters in the $6 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Letruska Imposing Favorite in Longines Distaff
Should both Knicks Go and Essential Quality fail to fire in the Classic, St. George Stable’s homebred LETRUSKA could wrestle away Horse of the Year if she were to win as the heavy favourite in the $2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) at 1 1/8 miles.
Letruska has been a true superstar and a bit of a throwback this year for trainer Fausto Gutierrez, as she’s already started seven times, with six wins, and enters off four straight scores in “Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup Distaff automatic qualifiers; Belmont Park’s Ogden Phipps (G1) and Churchill Downs’ Fleur de Lis (G2) in June, Saratoga’s Personal Ensign (G1) in August, and Keeneland’s Oct. 10 Juddmonte Spinster (G1). The 5-year-old daughter of Super Saver is 17-for-22 lifetime, which includes a win over two-time Distaff winner Monomoy Girl in Oaklawn Park’s April Blossom (G1) in April.
A trio of “Win and You’re In” Distaff automatic qualifiers are lining up to face Letruska, with Baoma Corporation’s PRIVATE MISSION coming in off a win in Santa Anita’s Oct. 3 Zenyatta (G2) for trainer Bob Baffert, while Flurry Racing Stables, Qatar Racing Limited and Big Aut Farms’ SHEDARESTHEDEVIL earned her berth in the local Clement L. Hirsch (G1) in August for trainer Brad Cox. Haras Cachagua and S.A.Y. Haras Pozo De Luna’s BLUE STRIPE (ARG) offers some foreign intrigue, as she qualified off a win in Hipodromo Argentino De Palermo’s May 1 Gran Premio Criadores (G1). She now is trained by Marcelo Polanco.
The biggest potential threat to Letruska is likely Shadwell Stable’s MALATHAAT, the likely 3-year-old filly champion who won the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Saratoga’s Aug. 21 Alabama (G1) for trainer Todd Pletcher, while Peter Brant’s DUNBAR ROAD and W.S. Farish’s homebred ROYAL FLAG both ran well this year against Letruska for trainer Chad Brown. AS TIME GOES BY, CLAIRIERE, HOROLOGIST and MARCHE LORRAINE (JPN) also are potential starters in the $2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
– with files from Breeders’ Cup
More previews can be found here.
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