Road to Breeders’ Cup: Sneak Peek at Final Preps in New York, California, and France

While racing at Keeneland during the upcoming weekend takes the spotlight with eight “Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup races scheduled over its three-day Fall Stars weekend, there are 12 more qualifying preps on tap in New York, California, and France as well, which makes for a truly spectacular first full weekend of October in North American horse racing.

The winner of each Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series race receives an automatic berth to the corresponding World Championships event, with entry fees waived and travel expenses provided. The 41^st annual Breeders’ Cup is set for Nov. 1-2 at Del Mar in Southern California.

Santa Anita hosts three “Win and You’re In” preps on Saturday, while four more more are slated for Belmont at the Big A in New York from Friday to Sunday. In addition, there are five Challenge Series races scheduled on a huge Sunday card at Longchamp in France, headlined by the prestigious Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. 

Enjoy this final preview of “Win and You’re In” qualifiers and other big races for the weekend, as we continue to count down (only one month away!) to Breeders’ Cup 2024.

Champagne Stakes

Where: Belmont at the Big A (Aqueduct), Queens, N.Y.

When: Saturday, Oct. 5

How to watch: FS2

“Win and You’re In” for: FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance

Why it’s important: First held in 1867, the Champagne, currently contested at one mile, has been the key race for New York-based horses pointing to the Breeders’ Cup. Five juveniles have won both the Champagne and the BC Juvenile in the same year: Fly So Free (1990), Timber Country (1993), War Pass (2007), Uncle Mo (2010), and Shanghai Bobby (2012). On top of that, several also-rans in the Champagne improved to win the Juvenile in their next start – three examples being Rhythm in 1989 (runner-up in the Champagne), Good Magic in 2017 (ditto), and Fierceness in 2023 (see below).

Best winner during the Breeders’ Cup era: Uncle Mo gets a slight edge over War Pass among the five dual winners. The latter horse, owned by Robert LaPenta and trained by Nick Zito, was unbeaten and dominant at 2 but tailed off at 3 while only racing three times, and then died before establishing himself as a stallion. Uncle Mo likewise was hampered by health problems and could not fully realize his potential after a brilliant 2-year-old season, but he did win two more stakes races at age 3 and lost a third by a nose. His 2-year-old races were something to behold, as the Indian Charlie colt romped by 14 ¼ lengths in his Saratoga debut, routed the opposition in the Champagne by 4 ¾ lengths, and then was equally impressive in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs, coasting to a 4 ¼-length victory. Uncle Mo has since become one of the leading sires in North America.

Last year’s results: The 2023 Champagne Stakes was held on a sloppy, sealed track as rain pelted the New York City area. Fierceness was sent off as the 0.55-1 post-time favorite based on a dominant maiden win at Saratoga, but the colt never factored, finishing seventh of eight starters and 20 ¼ lengths behind winner Timberlake. However, the Repole Stable-owned colt rebounded in the FanDuel BC Juvenile at Santa Anita Park to romp by 6 ¼ lengths and earn the Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old male. He’s currently one of the favorites in next month’s Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic.

2024 field: Chancer McPatrick, unbeaten through two starts including a win in the Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga, headlines this year’s Champagne, which also features Mo Plex, unbeaten winner of the Sanford Stakes and Funny Cide Stakes, and Saratoga maiden winners Tip Top Thomas, Uncaged, and Executive Order. 

American Pharoah Stakes Presented by DK Horse

Where: Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, Calif.

When: Saturday, Oct. 5

How to watch: FanDuel TV

“Win and You’re In” for: FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance

Why it’s important: This race was first held in 1970 and has gone through three name changes to currently honor 2014 race winner and 2015 Horse of the Year American Pharoah. That budding superstar won what was at the time named the FrontRunner Stakes by 3 ¼ lengths but missed the Breeders’ Cup, while Texas Red, who finished third in the FrontRunner, dominated the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in his next start. Five horses in total have won the American Pharoah Stakes and the BC Juvenile in the same year, starting in the inaugural World Championships year of 1984 with Chief’s Crown. The others are Capote (1986), Nyquist (2015), Game Winner (2018), and Corniche (2021). Last year’s winner, Muth, finished second to Fierceness in the FanDuel BC Juvenile.

Best winner during the Breeders’ Cup era: Nyquist dominated his 2-year-old season and extended an unbeaten streak all the way through the 2016 Kentucky Derby before checking in third in the Preakness Stakes – but that said, the best among the above quintet is Chief’s Crown. The son of Danzig first emerged in New York during summer 1984 with three stakes wins including the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga and the Grade 1 Cowdin Stakes at Belmont Park, and then shipped to California for a two-race visit that saw him win what was at the time called the Norfolk Stakes by 1 ½ lengths and then the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Hollywood Park by three-quarters of a length over Tank’s Prospect. The Roger Laurin trainee and Eclipse Award winner as 1984 champion 2-year-old male came back to win six of 12 starts at age 3 in 1985, including the Travers Stakes, and he competed in all three Triple Crown races, finishing third in the Kentucky Derby, second in the Preakness (by a head to Tank’s Prospect), and third in the Belmont Stakes.

Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe

Where: Longchamp Racecourse, Paris, France

When: Sunday, Oct. 6

How to watch: FS1, FanDuel TV

“Win and You’re In” for: Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf

Why it’s important: The Arc, Europe’s premier race for older horses, was officially made a Challenge Series race in 2019. It has been won by many legendary turf campaigners through the years, and many Arc entrants have made the trip overseas to compete in the Breeders’ Cup. Up until 2018, no horse had ever won the Arc and then a Breeders’ Cup race in the same year, but several Arc also-rans improved their lot once in North America, examples including Daylami (won BC Turf in 1999), High Chaparral (won BC Turf in 2002 and in 2003, the latter in a dead heat), Shirocco (won BC Turf in 2005), Conduit (won BC Turf in 2008 and 2009), and St Nicholas Abbey (won BC Turf in 2011).

Best winner during the Breeders’ Cup era: Juddmonte Farms’ Enable broke through to win the Arc and the Longines Turf in 2018, cementing her status as one of the best grass horses of the 21^st century. The John Gosden trainee had already won the English Oaks, Irish Oaks, and Arc as a 3-year-old in 2017. After her neck win over Sea of Class in the 2018 Arc, she shipped to Churchill Downs and defeated another sensational filly, Coolmore’s Magical, by three-quarters of a length under star jockey Frankie Dettori. Enable raced for two more years with continued success before retiring in 2020 having earned more than $14 million.

2024 field: Auguste Rodin, winner of the 2023 Longines BC Turf at Santa Anita, is entered in a strong field assembled for Sunday’s race that also includes Qatar Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) winner Look De Vega and Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner Los Angeles.

Frizette Stakes

Where: Belmont at the Big A (Aqueduct), Queens, N.Y.

When: Saturday, Oct. 5

How to watch: FS2

“Win and You’re In” for: NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies

Why it’s important: The companion race to the Champagne has been even more productive in sending winners on to Breeders’ Cup glory, as nine fillies have won both the Frizette and Juvenile Fillies in the same year, starting with Meadow Star in 1990 and followed by Flanders in 1994, Storm Song in 1996, Storm Flag Flying in 2002, Indian Blessing in 2007, My Miss Aurelia in 2011, Jaywalk in 2017, Echo Zulu in 2021, and Just F Y I last year. In addition, star performers Open Mind (1988) and My Flag (1995) ran second in the Frizette and then won the Juvenile Fillies.

Best winner during the Breeders’ Cup era: We’ll have to set aside the superior Personal Ensign from this discussion, as the Hall of Famer won the Frizette in 1986 but did not run in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, instead returning at age 3 and 4 to compile a perfect 13-for-13 career that ended with a win in the 1988 Distaff that is still talked and written about today. Among the nine listed above, it’s a tough call to pick between Meadow Star, Storm Flag Flying, Indian Blessing, My Miss Aurelia, and Echo Zulu. Had Meadow Star retired after her win in the 1991 Mother Goose Stakes – aka “the Mother of all Gooses” – she would be an easy choice as that win was the 11^th in her first 12 starts. But the Carl Icahn-owned filly would go winless in her final eight races, so with that in mind, we’ll go with 2007 winner Indian Blessing. The Bob Baffert trainee won all three races at 2 by a combined 13 ¼ lengths, and then racked up seven more graded stakes in 2008 and 2009, three of them Grade 1s. 

2023 results: Just F Y I skipped through the slop to win the Frizette by 3 ¾ lengths for owner George Krikorian and Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. Four weeks later, she overcame the far outside post to win the NetJets Juvenile Fillies by a neck over longshot Jody’s Pride and was appropriately honored as champion 2-year-old filly of 2023 at the Eclipse Awards last January.

2024 field: As with the Champagne, 2-year-olds exiting the Saratoga meet headline the Frizette, starting with Chad Brown-trained Senza Parole, who romped by 7 ¾ lengths in her 6 ½-furlong debut race in late August.

Oak Leaf Stakes Presented by Oak Tree

Where: Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, Calif.

When: Saturday, Oct. 5

How to watch: NBC/Peacock and FanDuel TV

“Win and You’re In” for: NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies

Why it’s important: This 1 1/16-mile race for 2-year-old fillies was named the Oak Leaf Stakes until 2012, changed to the Chandelier Stakes, and now has been changed back to its original designation. It’s the final West Coast prep for 2-year-old females en route to the Juvenile Fillies, and six fillies have won both the Oak Leaf and Juvenile Fillies in the same year: Pleasant Stage (1991), Phone Chatter (1993), Halfbridled (2003), Sweet Catomine (2004), Stardom Bound (2008), and….

Best winner during the Breeders’ Cup era: Easily the best dual winner, Songbird exploded on the racing scene in 2015 – first at Del Mar where she posted a dominant maiden win and then another blowout in the Del Mar Debutante. Then in the Chandelier/Oak Leaf, she toyed with seven opponents in a 4 ½-length romp. Sent to Keeneland for a tougher assignment in the Juvenile Fillies, the Rick Porter-owned filly made it look just as easy, leading from gate to wire and winning by 5 ¾ lengths. Songbird trained on to win her first seven starts at age 3 before suffering her first career defeat by a nose in the 2016 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff to the great Beholder, truly a finish for the ages. Carrying credentials of 13 wins in 15 starts and over $4.6 million in earnings, Songbird joined the Racing Hall of Fame two months ago as one of the very best female dirt horses of the modern era.

Miss Grillo Stakes

Where: Aqueduct, Queens, N.Y.

When: Sunday, Oct. 6 (postponed from Sept. 29) 

How to watch: FS2

“Win and You’re In” for: John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf 

Why they’re important: Fillies exiting the Miss Grillo have done very well in the Juvenile Fillies Turf, with five dual winners: Maram (2008), Lady Eli (2014), New Money Honey (2016), Newspaperofrecord (2018), and Hard to Justify last year. All five were trained by Chad Brown, and Maram provided Brown with the first of what is currently 16 Breeders’ Cup wins.

Best winners during the Breeders’ Cup era: Among that quartet, the winner is clearly Lady Eli. The fan favorite won six races in a row to start her career (the Miss Grillo and Juvenile Fillies Turf were numbers two and three) but then was sidelined for over a year and nearly lost her life when developing laminitis. Amazingly, Lady Eli returned in summer 2016 and won four more stakes races into fall 2017, including three Grade 1s, while also finishing second by a nose to Queen’s Trust in the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

Last year’s results: Miss Grillo winner Hard to Justify prevailed by a half-length over Life’s an Audible in New York and shipped west to Santa Anita Park where she defeated Porta Fortuna, a winner this year of three Group 1 races in Europe, by the same margin in the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Rodeo Drive Stakes

Where: Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, Calif.

When: Saturday, Oct. 5

How to watch: FanDuel TV

“Win and You’re In” for: Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf

Why it’s important: This turf race for fillies and mares has sent a handful of runners to good showings in the Breeders’ Cup, but to date no winner has gone on to capture the Filly & Mare Turf – or the Breeders’ Cup Mile or Turf, for that matter.

Best winners during the Breeders’ Cup era: Marketing Mix, a versatile and well-traveled Medaglia d’Oro mare owned by Glen Hill Farm, won the 2012 Rodeo Drive and then finished three-quarters of a length behind Zagora in the Filly & Mare Turf, also held at Santa Anita. Four years later, Avenge won the first of two consecutive editions of the Rodeo Drive and in her next start set the pace and had enough left to finish just a length behind 1-2 finishers Queen’s Trust and Lady Eli (separated by a nose) in the Filly & Mare Turf, again at Santa Anita.

Futurity Stakes

Where: Belmont at the Big A (Aqueduct), Queens, N.Y.

When: Friday, Oct. 4

How to watch: FS2

“Win and You’re In” for: Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint

Why it’s important: This turf dash for juveniles was added to the Challenge Series in 2018, the same year the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint was first held.

Best winner during the Breeders’ Cup era: Four Wheel Drive is the only horse so far to win both the Futurity and the Juvenile Turf Sprint. The Wesley Ward trainee won the Futurity at Belmont Park by three lengths and then the Juvenile Turf Sprint at Santa Anita by three-quarters of a length, with Irad Ortiz Jr. in the saddle for both races.

2024 field: Under Who’s Radar is the 5-2 morning-line favorite in a field of eight juveniles. The Mike Maker trainee won his debut on dirt at Saratoga in July and then finished first going 6 ½ furlongs on turf in the National Thoroughbred League Juvenile Sprint Stakes at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 1, only to be disqualified to second for interference in the stretch.

Breeders’ Cup preps in Europe:

On the Oct. 6 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe undercard at Longchamp, four other Challenge Series races will be run: the Prix de l’Opera Longines, a prep for the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf; the Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp Longines, a prep for the Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint; the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, a prep for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf; and the Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac, a prep for the John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Of these four races, the Prix de l’Opera has had the most influence on Breeders’ Cup results. 2020 winner Tarnawa shipped to Keeneland but ran against males in the Longines Turf instead of in the Filly and Mare Turf and defeated them by a length. On the same card that day, Prix de l’Opera third-place finisher Audarya posted an upset win in the Maker’s Mark Filly and Mare Turf. The 2022 Filly and Mare Turf was also won by a filly exiting the Prix de l’Opera, as sixth-place finisher Tuesday scored impressively at Keeneland for Coolmore partners and Aidan O’Brien.

Among the three other Group 1 stakes, horses of note include Karakontie, who won the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere in 2013 and a year later scored an upset in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, and Unquestionable, who finished second in last year’s Jean-Luc Lagardere and in his next start won the Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita. Found and Wuheida won the Prix Marcel Boussac in 2014 and 2016, respectively, and then like Karakontie took Breeders’ Cup races the next year at age 3, in this case the 2015 Longines Turf for Found and the 2017 Filly and Mare Turf for Wuheida. Earlier in this century, Six Perfections won the Prix Marcel Boussac in 2002 and the BC Mile in 2003.

The Prix de l’Abbaye was won by Glass Slippers in 2019, who a year later was also part of a dominant 2020 Breeders’ Cup Saturday for Europeans along with Tarnawa and Audarya. The filly shipped to Kentucky off of a runner-up finish in the Prix de l’Abbaye and won the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint by a half-length.

Other important weekend races:

The Beldame Stakes for fillies and mares held at 1 1/8 miles on dirt at Belmont at the Big A is not a Challenge Series qualifier for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff, but its history is deeply intertwined with that World Championships event. Nearly every year, it seems, a filly or mare comes out of the Beldame and hits the board in the Distaff, and four females have won both races in the same year: Lady’s Secret (1986), Personal Ensign (1988), Beautiful Pleasure (1999), and Royal Delta (2012). What a quartet! And the connection remained strong last fall as Beldame winner Randomized ran a very good second to champion Idiomatic in the Longines Distaff.

The Jockey Club Derby Invitational Stakes, also at Belmont at the Big A, was first held in 2019 as part of the New York “Turf Triple” series, and in 2021 3-year-old Godolphin-owned gelding Yibir shipped over from England to win the 1 ½-mile race (held at Belmont Park) by a comfortable 2 ½ lengths. Trainer Charlie Appleby kept Yibir in the U.S. for a start in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar, and was rewarded with a win at odds of 8.50-1 after the gelding rallied from 13^th of 14 runners to prevail under William Buick.