10 Breeders' Cup slots allocated in weekend horse racing
· Yahoo Sports
Sept. 13 (UPI) -- It was a horse racing weekend for enjoying the now and anticipating the future as 10 "Win and You're In" slots were allocated for October's Breeders' Cup races, and Churchill Downs kicked off the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" series with a race its own front yard.
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Godolphin had a nice weekend at Woodbine and Bob Baffert enjoyed himself in Louisville.
The Road to the Roses
Salahudin won the first official "Road to the Kentucky Derby" race for trainer Baffert and owner Amr Zedan, taking Saturday's $300,000 Grade III Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs by 1/2 length as the odds-on favorite.
The Uncle Mo colt missed the break and rated at the back of the field, took a wide turn into the stretch and won a battle with He Is No Lie to earn the first 10 Kentucky Derby points. He now is 3-for-3.
Notable Speech wins Saturday Grade I Woodbine Mile for the second year in a row and qualifies for a repeat try in the Breeders' Cup Mile. Photo by Michael Burns, courtesy of WoodbineOn Sunday morning, Baffert, who is focused on snagging a record seventh Derby win, dodged the question of a possible swing at the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Oct. 30 at Keeneland.
"I'm not even really thinking about that right now," he said. "He's still growing and still learning. ... He's a true mile-and-a-quarter kind of horse." That, of course, is the Derby distance.
Juvenile fillies
Manuka Honey, the odds-on favorite, left it until late in Saturday's $300,000 Grade III Pocahontas at Churchill Downs, but once jockey Luis Saez got the Upstart filly rolling, she easily took the lead and won off by 2 lengths.
The Brian Lynch trainee improved to 3-for-3. Her first two wins both were margins of 7 lengths or more, including the Ellis Park Debutante on Aug. 9.
Turf mile
Saturday's $1 million (Canadian) Grade I Woodbine Mile shaped up as a showdown between last year's winner, British invader Notable Speech, and North American star Deterministic.
Deterministic, as expected, led the way, but had no answer when Notable Speech ranged up on his outside in the stretch run. The Charlie Appleby trainee went on to win by 1 1/4 lengths.
A year ago, Notable Speech, a 5-year-old son of Dubawi, followed with a win the Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar. Saturday's win earned the Godolphin runner a chance for a double in that race through the "Win and You're In" Challenge program.
Filly & mare turf
Gimme a Nother took the lead in the stretch in Saturday's $750,000 (Canadian) Grade I E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine and held on to win a four-way photo by a neck. She ran 1 1/4 miles in 2:02.81 for jockey John Velazquez, now has three wins in a row and earned a "Win and You're In" spot in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
Miss Mary Nell opened a daylight lead early in the stretch run in Saturday's off-the-turf $100,000 Ginger Punch Stakes at Gulfstream Park and held on to win by 3/4 length.
Turf sprint
Alogon found an inside seam in the stretch run of Saturday's $100,000 Laurel Dash, slipped by pacesetter Victory Achieved and won by 3/4 length. In the companion Sensible Lady Turf Dash, Gift of Gab started last and finished first by 3/4 length ahead of Somnium.
Mattingly rallied from last of eight to win Saturday's $100,000 Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint at Gulfstream Park by a neck over the favorite, Thought Control.
Classic
Quarry returned from three starts in Canada's western provinces to win Saturday's $250,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs by 1/2 length over Sav'n Money. The odds-on favorite, Trendsetter, who previously was third in the Ohio Derby and second in the West Virginia Derby, settled for third again.
Distaff
Splendora, the prohibitive favorite, made short work of three rivals in Saturday's $400,000 Grade II Fasig-Tipton Locust Grove Stakes at Churchill Downs. Leading all the way, the Baffert-trained 5-year-old drew off in the final furlong to win by 5 1/4 lengths, gaining her seventh win from her last eight starts.
Lupa won Saturday's $175,000 (Canadian) Grade III HPIbet Ontario Matron at Woodbine by 3 1/4 lengths from the favorite, Fantastical.
Sprint
Built, the odds-on favorite, won Saturday's $300,000 Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes at Churchill Downs by 1 1/2 lengths.
Heavy Pour popped up to win Saturday's $175,000 (Canadian) Grade III Branded Cities Vigil Stakes at Woodbine by 1 length.
Filly & mare sprint
Usha, the favorite, found room on the rail in the final furlong of Saturday's $300,000 Open Mind Stakes at Churchill Downs, pushed through and prevailed by 3/4 length over Look Forward. With Flavien Prat up for trainer Baffert, the 4-year-old Tiz the Law filly ran 6 furlongs in 1:10.55.
Baffert also trains Dainey, who remains undefeated after winning Saturday's $100,000 Becca Taylor Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Los Alamitos.
Kerry's Kiss earned a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" spot with a front-running victory in Saturday's $225,000 Grade III Princess Rooney at Gulfstream Park.
Juvenile turf
Al Hudaiba contributed to Godolphin's successful visit to Canada with a stretch-running, 1 3/4-length victory in Saturday's $500,000 (Canadian) Grade I Summer Stakes at Woodbine. The Dark Angel colt earned a "Win and You're In" spot in the Breeders' Cup.
Juvenile fillies turf
Voyager also earned a "Win and You're In" Breeders' Cup pass with a rallying victory in Saturday's $500,000 (Canadian) Grade I Natalma Stakes at Woodbine.
Around the world, around the clock
Ireland
Saturday's Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown returned a shock result, as Hotazhell nosed out Wimbledon Hawkeye for the victory and a "Win and You're In" bid to the Breeders' Cup Turf. The solid favorite, Constitution River, finished third.
On the same card, odds-on favorite Blue Bolt easily drew away from the competition in the final furlong of the Group 1 Matron and won by 2 1/4 lengths over City of Memphis, gaining a "Win and You're In" bid to the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
On Sunday at the Curragh, Comanche Brave earned a "Win and You're In" spot in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint with a 1 1/4-length victory in the Group 1 Flying Five Stakes and Scandinavia continued to dominate the stayer ranks with a 2-length victory in the Group 1 Irish St. Leger.
It also was a testing weekend for 2-year-olds on the Emerald Isle.
Folsom Blues qualified for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf with a 6-length thrashing of the favorite, Monogram, in Sunday's Vincent O'Brien National Stakes. Sun Goddess got the "Win and You're In" nod for the Juvenile Fillies Turf, winning Sunday's Moyglare Stud by 4 lengths.
England
Highwayman ran down the middle of the course past the tiring leaders to win Saturday's 250th running of the Group 1 St Leger at Doncaster, the last of the British Classics, by 2 1/2 lengths over Enceladus.
Jockey Saffie Osborne piloted Highwayman to become the first woman jockey to win a British Classic, while trainer Joseph Patrick O'Brien celebrated a 1-2 finish.