On Day 2 of Future Stars Weekend at Keeneland, another trio of Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series “Win and You’re In" races tops Saturday’s stellar 11-race card packed with five graded stakes.
The fees-paid, automatic berths into corresponding Breeders’ Cup races are the $1.25 million Coolmore Turf Mile (G1), the $650,000 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1), and the $400,000 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (G2).
On Sunday, Keeneland offers two more “Win and You’re In’’ races, the $650,000 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (G1) featuring reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna, and the $400,000 Castle & Key Bourbon Stakes (G2).
Here’s some handicapping tips for those who bet horse racing. Best of luck.
With a clear focus on the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) next month, Irish training whiz Aidan O’Brien sends Diego Velazquez to America for the $1.2 million Turf Mile.
A full field of 12 is entered, with Diego Velazquez the 7-2 morning-line favorite over trainer Chad Brown’s Program Training at 9-2.
Both have Group/Grade 1 victories on their resumes as does 6-1 Howard Wolowitz for trainer Jose DeAngelo.
A 4-year-old son of Frankel, Ireland-bred Diego Velazquez has been almost unbeatable in winning four of his last five races, most recently the Prix Jacques Le Marois (G1) at Deauville on Aug. 17 – by a head over Notable Speech.
The colt arrived at Keeneland this week and will make his first start in the U.S. with Frankie Dettori aboard for the first time.
The Turf Mile winner earns a fees-paid, automatic berth in the BC Mile on Nov. 1.
It’ll be a tough task for Diego Velazquez, but a solid effort will likely be enough to move on to the Breeders’ Cup.
O’Brien has one BC Mile victory – and a memorable one it was. In 2020, 73-1 longshot Order of Australia led a 1-2-3 sweep for O’Brien, with Circus Maximus (11-1) second and Lope Y Fernandez (18-1) third. For those who bet horse racing, a .50 trifecta of 15-1-3 returned $4,393.
Program Trading, meanwhile, is out to avenge a neck loss to Donegal Momentum (12-1) in the Bernard Baruch Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 29. Considering that was Program Trading’s first race in more than a year, a winning effort Saturday should not be a surprise, especially with top rider Flavien Prat aboard.
The 5-year-old ridgling has won five of eight starts with two runner-up finishes.
Others to consider include Mint Millions (G3) winner Epic Ride at 20-1 and Wise Dan Stakes (G2) winner Brilliant Berti at 8-1 for trainer Cherie DeVaux.
1 Donegal Momentum (John Velazquez, Tom Morley), 12-1
2 Quatrocento (Julien Leparoux, Fausto Gutierrez), 15-1
3 Howard Wolowitz (Emisael Jaramillo, Jose D'Angelo), 6-1
4 Diego Velazquez (Frankie Dettori, Aidan O'Brien), 7-2
5 Woodshauna (Tyler Gaffalione, Frans-Henri Graffard), 5-1
6 Mercante (Joe Ramos, Brian Knippenberg), 20-1
7 Epic Ride (Edgar Morales, John Ennis), 20-1
8 Program Trading (Flavien Prat, Chad Brown), 9-2
9 Rhetorical (Irad Ortiz, Jr., Will Walden), 8-1
10 Brilliant Berti (Jose Ortiz, Cherie DeVaux), 8-1
11 Beach Gold (Keith Asmussen, Patrick Biancone),
12 Jonquil (Dylan Davis, Andrew Balding),
Four of the seven 2-year-olds come into the Futurity undefeated, albeit they’ve only run once or twice.
Nonetheless, the race that awards a fees-paid, automatic berth to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) on Oct. 31 features three graded stakes winners – Hopeful Stakes (G1) victor Ted Noffey (the 4-5 morning-line favorite), Saratoga Special (G2) winner Ewing at 9-2 and Iroquois Stakes (G3) winner Spice Runner at 12-1.
Ted Noffey, trained by four-time Breeders’ Futurity winner Todd Pletcher, rolled to an 8 ½-length victory in the 7-furlong Hopeful at Saratoga on Sept. 1 and it looks as if he can easily stretch out to 1 1/16 miles. Ted Noffey is a son of top sire Into Mischief.
Big Dom, trained by Tom Amoss (also a racing analyst for several networks), is the 4-1 second choice after winning his career debut by a neck at Saratoga on Aug. 23. Irad Ortiz, Jr., rides.
Also 2-0 is Ewing, trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse. A Knicks Go colt, Ewing leaves from post 7 under Jose Ortiz.
Looking for a longshot? Take a gander at 20-1 Diciassette, 2-for-2 at Gulfstream Park for trainer Patrick Biancone. Big question is whether the son of sprinting champion Mitole can stretch out to 1 1/16 miles.
1 Blackout Time (Cristian Torres, Keny McPeek), 10-1
2 Big Dom (Irad Ortiz, Jr., Tom Amoss), 4-1
3 Diciassette (Jonathan Ocasio, Patrick Biancone), 20-1
4 Spice Runner (Tyler Gaffalione, Steve Asmussen), 12-1
5 Litmus Test (Flavien Prat, Bob Baffert), 8-1
6 Ted Noffey (John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher), 4-5
7 Ewing (Jose Ortiz, Mark Casse), 9-2
Zeitlos returns looking to make it two in a row in this 6-furlong sprint that awards the winner a fees-paid, automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) on Nov. 1.
Zeitlos, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, opened her 5-year-old campaign by winning the Skipat Stakes at Pimlico on May 17. She’s 0-for-3 since and goes off at 9-2 odds in a field of seven fillies and mares. After her win in this race, Zeitlos ran seventh in the BC Mile.
She is up against some stiff competition on Saturday.
Vahva, a Grade 1 winner trained by Cherie DeVaux, is the 7-5 morning-line favorite but has been somewhat inconsistent this year in three starts. Irad Ortiz, Jr., has the call from post 5.
Vodka With a Twist, at 4-1 for trainer Phil D’Amato, adds some intrigue to this one, and looks to be in top form leading up to a return to the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar – a track she knows well. Last year, the Thousand Words filly finished second to Immersive in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Del Mar.
1 Taxed (Luan Machado, R L Morse), 20-1
2 Long Neck Paula (Jose Ortiz, Wesley Ward), 7-2
3 Halina's Forte (Dylan Davis, Phil Bauer), 8-1
4 Vodka With a Twist (Tyler Gaffalione, Phil D'Amato), 4-1
5 Vahva (Irad Ortiz, Jr., Cherie DeVaux), 7-5
6 Praying (John Velazquez, Robert Medina), 12-1
7 Zeitlos (Flavien Prat, Steve Asmussen), 9-2
