The biggest weekend of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series is days away, with 23 “Win and You’re In" races at Belmont Park, Santa Anita Park, ParisLongchamp in Paris, and Keeneland Racecourse, the site of the 43rd Breeders’ Cup on Oct. 30-31.
If you’re a handicapper, casual bettor, or simply a racing fan, now is a good time to get your favorite horses in a row – the $30-plus million, 14-race, two-day racing extravaganza awaits your wagers.
The prestigious fall meet at Keeneland opens Friday, with a trio of fees-paid Breeder’s Cup “Win and You’re In’’ races: the Darley Alcibiades (G1) for 2-year-old fillies; the Phoenix Stakes (G2) for 2-year-old sprinters; and the Jessamine Stakes (G2) on turf for 2–year-olds fillies.
On Saturday, there’s three more “Win and You’re In" races headlined by the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) for 2-year-olds. The others are the Coolmore Turf Mile (G1) and the Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) for fillies and mares.
There’s Sunday, too, at Keeneland’s traditional three-day blitz of Breeders’ Cup automatic qualifiers -- the Spinster Stakes (G1) for fillies and mares and the Bourbon Stakes (G2) for 2-year-olds on turf.
At the new Belmont Park, which will host the 2027 Breeders’ Cup, three postponed graded stakes with Breeders’ Cup implications are re-scheduled: the Vosburgh Stakes (G3) for sprinters; the Flower Bowl Stakes (G2) for fillies and mares; and the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1), which is not among the automatic Breeders’ Cup qualifiers.
On Saturday, it’s the Champagne Stakes (G1 for 2-year-olds, the Futurity (G2) for 2-year-old turf sprinters, the Miss Grillo Stakes (G3) for 2-year-old turf fillies, and the Pilgrim Stakes (G3) for 2-year-olds on turf.
At Santa Anita on Saturday, there’s the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) for 2-year-olds, the Oak Leaf Stakes (G2) for 2-year-old fillies and the Rodeo Drive Stakes (G2) for fillies and mares on turf.
And then there’s the biggest day of the year at Longchamp with the 105th running of the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe (G1) -- and an undercard of five other Breeders’ Cup automatic qualifiers.
And while we’re at it, five of these “WAYI" also are point qualifiers for the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Kentucky Oaks (G1). The three Derby preps are the Champagne, the Breeders’ Futurity and the American Pharoah. The Oaks preps are the Darley Alcibiades and the Oak Leaf. The Frizette Stakes (G1) at Belmont on Sunday also is an Oaks points qualifiers. Points are awarded on a 10-5-3-2-1 sliding scale for the top five finishers in these races.
But let’s get back to the racing.
The final “WAYI’’ race for the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic took place Sunday at Santa Anita, where Forged Steel won the $300,000 Goodwood Stakes (G1) over stablemate Caldera.
Automatic spots have been earned by Forever Young, Sovereignty, Magnitude, Forged Steel, Baby Vino, Skippylongstocking and Knightsbridge. Among others on their way to the Classic are Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Golden Tempo, Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Napoleon Solo and Pennsylvania Derby (G1) winner The Puma.
There are a few standout races to check out, from the three 2-year-old Derby preps and automatic Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) races, to the Spinster, which carries a “WAYI" pass to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) which carries a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1).
A field of six is entered for the 160th running of the 1-mile, $500,000 Champagne, which is back at the new Belmont Park after being held at Aqueduct the past four years.
The Champagne also awards the top five finishers 10-5-3-2-1 respective qualifying points towards the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in May at Churchill Downs.
U.S.S. Valor comes into the Champagne as the horse to beat after his 13 ¼-length romp in a 7-furlong maiden race at Saratoga on Sept. 5, his second start. He’s ridden by Manny Franco and trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey.
A War of Will bay colt, U.S.S. Valor earned a 105 Beyer Speed Figure, the highest of any 2-year-old this year.
His top rival Saturday could be Gaudreau, who defeated U.S.S. Valor (third) at Saratoga on Aug. 8 in the career debut for both. Chad Brown trains; Flavien Prat rides.
Also entered: Johnny Hockey; Raku; Club Reign; and Earth Song.
Summer Starlet, a 4 ¾-length winner of the Spinaway Stakes (G1) at Saratoga, tops a field of eight entered for the 75th running of the $650,000 Darley Alcibiades at 1 1/16 miles.
Also entered: Emphatic; For the Money; Ever Forward; Oh She Said Yes; Forever Carina; High Speed Reed and Elewene.
In the other two “WAYI" races Friday ...
Hymn and Nakatomi will be among the favorites in an 11-horse field for the $400,000 Phoenix Stakes (G2) at 6 furlongs. Hymm comes into the race off a win in the Forego Stakes (G1) at Saratoga; Nakatomi, a 7-year-old gelding, who last year’s Phoenix.
A field of 12 is entered for the $400,000 Jessamine Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles on the turf, led by Glycogen, winner of the P.G. Johnsn Stakes at Saratoga last out.
The 103rd running of the $650,000 Breeders’ Futurity looks like a short field likely to include Jaded, who won his career debut by a nose going 6 ½ furlongs on turf at Kentucky Downs on Aug. 30. Hall of Famer Mark Casse trains the 2-year-old chestnut son of Olympiad. Other starters could include American History, Q B Rocket and Gamerboy.
The winner of this 1-mile, $300,000 American Pharoah may just end up as one of the favorites for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), just based on recent history.
Three of the last eight BC Juvenile winners posted victories in the American Pharoah – and all were trained by Bob Baffert, who will send out undefeated Hughes as the favorite in Saturday’s edition.
Hughes, one of four Baffert 2-year-olds entered, is 3-for-3, with two graded stakes wins, the Best Pal (G3) and most recently the Del Mar Futurity (G1). Baffert’s other entries are Imperial Honor, Emancipate, and Domus.
Trainer Doug O’Neill has Dang Son, third in the Del Mar Futurity, entered and Antonio Garcia sends out Net Par.
Baffert pulled off the American Pharoah-BC Juvenile double with Citizen Bull in 2024, Corniche in 2021 and Game Winner in 2018.
Counting Stars, among the nation’s top 3-year-old fillies, is a likely starter in the 1 1/8-mile, $650,000 Spinster, which could also feature Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) winner Fully Subscribed and Eumonia, winner of the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1).
Counting Stars, trained by Mark Casse, won the Acorn Stakes (G1) and the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) before finishing third in the Alabama Stakes (G1).
The $4.4 million Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe, Europe’s richest dirt race, will likely see Daryz as the favorite to repeat his winning effort from last year. The 4-year-old France-bred colt is trained by Francis-Henri Gaffard.
Among other top-rated horses expected when final entries are official later in the week included Saddadd for trainer Roger Varian; Kalpana for trainer Andrew Balding; Diamond Necklace for trainer Aidan O’Brien; and Maltese Cross for William Haggas.
It’s rare that the winner of this 1 ½-mile race comes to America for the Breeders’ Cup Turf. Only England-bred Enable in 2018 went on to win the BC Turf after winning the Arc.
Richard Rosenblatt is an award-winning journalist and former Associated Press Horse Racing Editor. Currently, he serves as the news editor at US Racing, overseeing exclusive content from contributors worldwide.
