DEL MAR, Calif., Nov. 4 (UPI) — One of the best things about 3-year-olds dominating the big races at the Breeders’ Cup World Championship races is the likelihood many of them will race on around the world in 2025.
They will, of course, be joined by some of their successful elders. But with the first three finishers from the $7 million Classic and the dominant winner of the $2 million Distaff apparently headed to continued competition, the future is bright.
“Everything’s all good” with upset winner Sierra Leone, assistant trainer Baldo Hernandez said after parading the colt for the media Sunday morning on the Del Mar backstretch. He said Sierra Leone will head for Kentucky and then “maybe Florida after that.”
Runner-up Fierceness could be on a similar itinerary, assuming he checks out OK in a post-season veterinary exam, trainer Todd Pletcher said.
“We’ll see how the physical goes. Then the Pegasus is in play, the Saudi Cup is in play, the Dubai World Cup is in play. A lot of options,” Pletcher added.
And the third-place finisher in the Classic, Japan’s Forever Young, also seems headed for a continued career.
“All good and we would like to come back next year,” a stable representative said Sunday morning. Forever Young also was third in the Kentucky Derby, a nose behind Sierra Leone, after winning the Group 3 Saudi Derby and Group 2 UAE Derby.
Reading between the lines, all three could be headed for another faceoff in the $20 million Grade I Saudi Derby in February. They also may be joined by relative senior citizens Soul of an Angel, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, and Full Serrano, winner of the Dirt Mile.
Distaff winner Thorpedo Anna, a lock for champion 3-year-old filly honors and a leading candidate for 2024 U.S. Horse of the Year, will get an extended break at trainer Kenny McPeek’s farm in Lexington, Ky., before any decisions are made about 2025 targets.
“I am just really proud of her,” McPeek said. “There were certainly high expectations and she came through.”
Others of various ages looking to race on include Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Rebel’s Romance, targeting the Dubai Sheema Classic on April 5 with a possible stop in Hong Kong in December; Candied, third in the Distaff; and Breeders’ Cup Mile first and second More Than Looks and Johannes, respectively.
And, of course, the best performers from the Juvenile and Juvenile Fillies are looking forward to competing for glory in next year’s Classics.
The contingent headed for their second careers in the breeding shed includes Coolmore’s Derby winner City of Troy, who finished eighth in the Classic, and Canadian heroine Moira, who capped her stellar career with a win in the Filly & Mare Turf — her first Grade I win.
As always, the Breeders’ Cup extravaganza eclipsed some fine racing elsewhere. Here’s a very brief recap, but first:
Around the world, around the clock
Australia
Tuesday is the Melbourne Cup — the race that stops a nation. It’s far from our wheelhouse, but right in that of old friend and expert Andrew Hawkins, who knows all and tells all. Check out his “Ultimate Comprehensive Guide” at idolhorse.com. Thank us later.
Meanwhile, back in the States:
Juvenile
Studlydoright won a three-way scrap to the wire at the end of Saturday’s $150,000 Nashua Stakes at Aqueduct. The Nyquist colt earlier was second in the Grade III Sanford at Saratoga and the Lauel Futurity.
At Woodbine, He’s Not Joking jetted away in the lane to win Sunday’s $135,000 (Canadian) Grade III bet365 Grey Stakes by 4 lengths in an upset.
In the state-bred ranks, Speedy Wilson won Friday’s Golden State Juvenile at Del Mar and Indyville stalked the pace and then drew off to win Tuesday’s $61,000 Jim Edgar Futurity for Illinois-breds at Fairmount Park by 2 1/4 lengths.
On the turf, Chasing Liberty, a Constitution colt, gamed out a neck victory over Test Score in Friday’s Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes at Del Mar; Warheart led throughout Friday’s $135,000, 6-furlongs Atlantic Beach Stakes at Aqueduct and won by 4 lengths; and and Naughty Rascal emerged from a pace-stalking trip to take the $95,000 Armed Forces Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
Juvenile Fillies
Stunner went quickly to the lead in Saturday’s $150,000 Tempted Stakes at Aqueduct and ran out an easy 3 1/2-length winner. The Girvin miss now has two wins after an initial second, all in New York.
At Woodbine, Somethinabouther won a battle of long shots at the end of Sunday’s $135,000 Mazarine Stakes. The Mendelssohn filly edged As Catch Can by a neck.
On the turf, Me Governor led most of the way to victory in Saturday’s $135,000 Stewart Manor Stakes at Aqueduct, and Silent Heart owned the stretch run in Saturday’s $95,000 Showing Up Stakes at Gulfstream Park, winning by 3 1/4 lengths.
In state-bred competition, Tequilaandtherapy held onto her lead by a nose at the end of Friday’s Golden State Juvenile Fillies on the Breeders’ Cup undercard.
Zip Start zipped away in the final furlong to win Saturday’s $75,000 James and Eleanor Casey Memorial for West Virginia-bred fillies at Charles Town by 3 lengths.
Natalia’s Rap came from mid-pack to defeat odds-on favorite Little Poison by 1/2 length in Tuesday’s $65,000 Pat Whitworth Illinois Debutante at Fairmount.
Churchill Downs
Gulfport outfinished stubborn rivals Champlin and Angkor in Saturday’s $300,000 Bet on Sunshine Stakes with a pair of necks separating the trio. Gulfport, an Uncle Mo colt, ran 6 furlongs in 1:08.97.
Del Mar
A pair of classy stakes for fillies and mares opened Breeders’ Cup Saturday. Hope Road led all the way to a 1/2-length score in the $200,000 Bayakoa at 1 mile on the dirt and Raqiya also showed the way to victory, scoring by 1 1/2 lengths in the $300,000 Goldikova at 1 mile on the lawn.
Gulfstream Park
In Our Time stalked the pace in Friday’s $95,000 Cellars Shiraz Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the turf, and then took over and won by 3 1/2 lengths from Vive Veuve.
Aqueduct
Evidencias rallied from last of five to win Sunday’s $150,000, 1 1/8-mile Turnback the Alarm for fillies and mares by 1/2 length.
Nic’s Style drew off late to take the $150,000 Pumpkin Pie Stakes for distaffers at 7 furlongs by 3 1/4 lengths.
Generous Tipper had the best late run in the $150,000 Discovery Stakes for 3-year-olds, winning by 3/4 length over Tuscan Sky.
Running Bee caught pacesetting Big Everest in the late going in Saturday’s $150,000 Artie Schiller Stakes and won by a neck. The son of English Channel ran 1 mile on firm turf in 1:35.50.
