1 of 3 | Idiomatic wins Sunday’s Grade I Spinster at Keeneland. Photo courtesy of Keeneland
Oct. 7 (UPI) — A weekend full of final auditions for next month’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships turned up plenty of prospects from France to California.
Among them were top 2-year-old contenders whose continued development will stamp them as 2025 Kentucky Derby and Oaks prospects.
Distaff
Just hours after taking out the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in France, Juddmonte also landed Sunday’s $600,000 Grade I Spinster at Keeneland, a race the organization sponsors.
Reigning division champion Idiomatic led all the way under Florent Geroux to win by 6 1/2 lengths, returning to the winner’s circle for the seventh time in her last nine starts.
The race was a “Win and You’re In” for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff, which Idiomatic also won last year, also after winning the Spinster.
At Aqueduct on Sunday, Raging Sea took a late lead in the $250,000 Grade II Beldame Stakes and held off Batucada to win by a head as the 1-10 favorite.
Turf
At Longchamp in Paris, Bluestocking won Sunday’s Group 1 Pix de l’Arc de Triomphe, also a “Win and you’re In” race. It’s unlikely the Juddmonte filly will follow in the footsteps of Enabled and try the Arc-Breeders’ Cup double as she’s had a tough season already.
Carson’s Run rallied five-wide to get the lead in Saturday’s $500,000 Jockey Club Derby Invitational at Aqueduct and got home first by 3/4 length over Deterministic.
Filly & Mare Turf
Hang the Moon came from last of seven to upset Saturday’s $200,000 Grade II Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita, rallying five wide and clearing late to win by 1 1/2 lengths over Aspen Grove.
South African import Beach Bomb was a good third, followed by the favorite, Iscreamuscream.
Hang the Moon, a 4-year-old Uncle Mo filly, now owns a “Win and You’re In” ticket to the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
Also: La Mehana rallied from last of six to win Friday’s $200,000 Grade III Waya Stakes at Aqueduct by a neck over Immensitude.
Mouffy passed most of her rivals in the lane en route to a head victory over fellow deep-closer Nadette in Saturday’s $200,000 (Canadian) Grade II Dance Smartly Stakes at Woodbine.
Turf Mile
Chad Brown-trained horses finished 1-2-3 in Saturday’s $750,000 Grade I First Lady Stakes on the Keeneland turf with Gina Romantica leading the parade by 2 lengths over Chili Flag, who was another 2 lengths better than Fluffy Socks. The race was a “Win and You’re In” for the Coolmore Breeders’ Cup Mile.
Carl Spackler, the even-money favorite, drew off in the stretch to a 1-length victory in the $1.25 million Grade I Coolmore Turf Mile at Keeneland, earning a “Win and You’re In” berth in the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile on Nov. 2 at Del Mar.
Turf Sprint
Our Shot won Saturday’s $350,000 Grade II Woodford Stakes at Keeneland, Senbei took Saturday’s $200,000 Grade III Belmont Turf Sprint and Patches O’Houlihan won Saturday’s $250,000 (Canadian) Grade II Nearctic Stakes at Woodbine.
Sprint
Federal Judge broke on top in Friday’s $350,000 Grade II Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix at Keeneland and was not threatened, winning by 5 1/2 lengths to earn a “Win and You’re In” spot in the Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Both he and runner-up Nakatomi are likely for the big race.
Filly & Mare Sprint
Zeitlos rallied from last of six to win Saturday’s $350,000 Grade II Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes at Keeneland. Zeitlos earned a “Win and You’re In” Spot for the PNC Bank Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.
Juvenile
Three classy colts by three top trainers earned “Win and You’re In” spots in the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in Grade I heats Saturday.
Chancer McPatrick ran his undefeated streak to three with a last-to-first rally in the $500,000 Grade I Champagne Stakes at Aqueduct.
East Avenue, a Golphin homebred colt by Medaglia d’Oro, got out to a big lead in the $600,000 Grade I Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland and wasn’t for catching winning by 5 1/4 lengths.
At Santa Anita, Citizen Bull shot to the early lead in the $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes and kept right on going to a 2-length victory. Getaway Car, a stablemate in the Bob Baffert barn, was second all the way.
Juvenile Turf
Minaret Station came like a house afire in the stretch run to win Sunday’s $350,000 Grade II Castle & Key Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland by 1 1/2 lengths from Golden Afternoon. The race was a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.
Juvenile Fillies
There were three key preps for the 2-year-old fillies, too, all leading to the NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 1.
Baffert did his 1-2 finish in the American Pharoah one better earlier on the program, saddling the first three finishers in the $200,000 Grade II Oak Leaf Stakes, headed by Non Compliant.
Godolphin homebred Immersive remained undefeated with a 1 1/4-length victory in Friday’s Grade I Darley Alcibiades at Keeneland.
Scottish Lassie kicked free in the stretch in Saturday’s $400,000 Grade I Frizette at Aqueduct and won by 9 lengths in a hand ride by Jose Lezcano.
Juvenile Fillies Turf
May Day Ready, with Frankie Dettori up, won a tight three-way photo at the end of Friday’s $350,000 Grade II Jessamine Stakes at Keeneland, earning a “Win and You’re In” berth in the John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Scythian drew off in the final sixteenth to capture Sunday’s $200,000 Grade II Miss Grillo Stakes at Aqueduct, also earning a Breeders’ Cup ticket.
Juvenile Turf Sprint
Mentee took command inside the final furlong of Friday’s $175,000 Grade III Futurity at Aqueduct and won the 6-furlongs dash by 3 1/2 lengths. The race was a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.
Pali Kitten edged Smash it by a neck in Saturday’s $100,000 Speakeasy Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at 5 furlongs on the Santa Anita turf. Mi Bago bagged Saturday’s $175,000 Algonquin Stakes at Woodbine by a neck.
Governor Sam won Sunday’s $250,000 Indian Summer Stakes at Keeneland. Abientot, a Not This Time filly trained by Mark Casse, rallied from last of 12 to win Sunday’s $175,000 Matron at Aqueduct.
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