Three Breeders’ Cup World Championship ‘Win and You’re In’ races were run at Kenilworth in South Africa on January 10, with the headline being the 165th L’Omarins King’s Plate (G1).
In a four-horse blanket finish, Khaya Stables (Pty) Ltd.’s homebred gelding The Real Prince (SAf) prevailed by a nose over Questioning to win the prestigious turf race in Cape Town, South Africa.
With the victory, The Real Prince, trained by Dean Kannemeyer and ridden by Craig Zackey, earned an automatic starting position into the $2-million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In.
Woodbine jockey Ryan Munger and his mount Dave the King set a strong pace early in the Plate, but faded to 13th. The following day, however, Munger was back at his home base of Turffontein and won the Juvenile Plate, race 2, aboard Spirit of Gabz.
Earlier on Saturday’s Kenilworth program, three-year-old filly Wish List won the Paddock Stakes (G1) to earn a free berth into the $2-million Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1), and Kingdundee won the Cape Flying Championship (G1) to gain an automatic starting position into the $1-million Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1).
Sent off at odds of 12-1 in a 14-horse field, The Real Prince broke well and settled into eighth place in the early going, saving ground along the rail while Dave the King opened up a six-length lead heading into the far turn. With a half-mile remaining, Zackey steadily worked The Real Prince into contention along the inside. While Dave the King faded, Legal Counsel briefly grabbed the lead, just ahead of Sail the Seas, with 50-1 Questioning poised in position on the outside. But The Real Prince had the most fight of all and forged ahead to get his nose in front at the finish line over Questioning. See It Again came on strong to finish third, followed by Sail the Seas.
Lady Christine Laidlaw, owner and breeder of The Real Prince, was overwhelmed by horse’s victory and quipped post-race, “I’m going to get drunk.”
In winning for the sixth time in 13 starts, The Real Prince, a son of Gimmethegreenlight (AUS) out of the top mare Real Princess by American sprinter Trippi, completed the one mile in 1:37.
In the 1 1/8-mile Paddock Stakes, Main Chance Farm’s Wish List, off at 9-1, exhibited a burst of speed along the rail in the final 150 yards to prevail by a length over Reet Petite. Ridden by Andrew Fortune for trainer Justin Snaith, the daughter of Legislate completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.70.
In the five-furlong Cape Flying Championship, Kingdundee led from start to finish, posting a three-quarters of a length victory for his fourth straight win. Ridden by Calvin Haub, and trained by Dean Smith, the C.P. Murphy homebred, by The United States (IRE), completed the race in :57.91. This is the first year that the Cape Flying Championship is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series.
In other ‘Win and You’re In’ news, last week Stud Los Trico’s three-year-old Herr Kitten prevailed by a nose over heavily-favoured Si Senor to win the Jan. 6 Gran Premio Pedro Piñeyrúa (G3) at Hipodromo Maronas in Uruguay going one mile. The victory gave Herr Kitten an automatic berth into the $1-million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1). Herr Kitten, by Camelot Kitten, completed the mile in 1:34.81. The Gran Premio Pedro Piñeyrúa joined the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series this year.
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series is an international series of stakes races, the winners of which receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the 2026 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, scheduled to be held Oct. 30-31 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.
As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders’ Cup will pay the entry fees for the winners of all Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series races to start in the World Championships. Breeders’ Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 19, 2026, in order to receive the rewards.
-with files from Breeders’ Cup
More News
