It's the last big weekend for Breeders' Cup hopefuls to make their mark

Oct. 8 (UPI) -- It's the last push for Breeders' Cup hopefuls with 11 "Win and You're In" qualifying races split between Keeneland and Belmont Park.

Once the dust clears from the weekend action, the makeup for many of the World Championship heats Nov. 5-6 at Del Mar will be pretty well-defined, at least pending confirmation of the makeup of the foreign invasion.

And speaking of foreign, weekend international action includes 2-year-old battles in Japan and England, plus still more Group 1 action in Australia.

For a fresh perspective on the action, check out Jude Feld's astute observations at popejude.com. The Pontiff is back from vacation and runs well fresh.

Also, the strong push by Saudi Arabia and Bahrain to move up in the hierarchy of international racing is paying big dividends. See "News and Notes" for details.

Distaff

The first thing that jumps off the page among the eight entries for Sunday's $250,000 Grade II Beldame at Belmont Park is that many of them are super talented but come off subpar efforts.

Zaajel was seventh in the Grade I Test at Saratoga. Miss Marissa was eighth in the Grade I Personal Ensign at the Spa. Spice Is Nice was fifth in the Grade II Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs.

An exception is Royal Flag, who was third and beaten less than 1 length in the Personal Ensign. Good race.

Seven are entered for Sunday's $500,000 Grade I Juddmonte Spinster at Keeneland, a "Win and You're In" for the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff.

The one that jumps off the page here is Letruska, winner of four straight and six of her last seven. She won the aforementioned Personal Ensign, leading all the way, and it looks like they'll have her to catch again.

This will be her first start at Keeneland, but she has been working over the track like she owned it.

Sprint

Friday's $250,000 Grade II Soll Keenan Ogden Phoenix at Keeneland is a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Sprint and boasts an interesting cast of seven.

Special Reserve was second in the Grade III Commonwealth during the spring meeting and finished second in the Grade I Alfred G. Vanderbilt at Saratoga in his last effort.

Just Might returns to the graded stakes ranks after winning four straight races a step down the class ladder. He has yet to secure a top-level win, however.

Sir Alfred James was claimed by trainer Norm Cash for $62,500 out of his last race at Churchill Downs Sept. 24 -- an impressive win.

Firenze Fire tops a field of five for Saturday's $250,000 Grade II Vosburgh at Belmont Park, a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Sprint. The 6-year-old won this last year en route to a third-place finish in the Breeders' Cup.

He hasn't done a lot of winning since, but has run well enough in top company to handle the other four with anything like his best effort. The main threat is Following Sea, third in the Grade I H. Allen Jerkens Stakes in his most recent.

Filly & Mare Sprint

Saturday's $250,000 Grade II Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes at Keeneland, a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, has a very competitive field of six.

Bell's the One could be the one with two wins and a just-missed second in her last two starts. She's been facing top rivals and finished third in last year's Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.

Frank's Rockette is 15-for-16 in the money but the 16th was a thumping defeat in in the 2020 Breeders' Cup in her only previous Keeneland start.

Turf

British-bred Japan comes from Ireland to New York for Saturday's $500,000 Grade I Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park.

The Coolmore runner, a 5-year-old son of Galileo, was last seen invading to finish second in the Grade I Sword Dancer at Saratoga in August, a neck behind Gufo, and will face that rival again.

Old rivals Arklow, Cross Border and Channel Maker are here. Chad Brown fields Rockemperor and Serve the King.

Sunday's $150,000 Grade III Knickerbocker at Belmont Park has nine and looks like one of those program-stabbers.

Filly & Mare Turf

Saturday's $400,000 Grade I First Lady at Keeneland is a "Win and You're In" for the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf even though it's run at 1 mile and the big race is 1 3/8 miles.

As a result, it seems to have a mix of some top-quality horses going too short against rivals tackling their specialty distance. The world's top owners and trainers are represented here and it promises to be a fascinating race to watch -- and to analyze afterward.

Turf Mile

Saturday's Keeneland Turf Mile, a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup FanDuel Mile has last year's winner of that Breeders' Cup race, Order of Australia.

The Coolmore colt was 74-1 when he led home trio of Aidan O'Brien stablemates in the Mile and he's been on the upswing lately on the other side of the pond, so he won't be 74-1 in his reappearance at Keeneland. On the other hand, there are some talented rivals, so he's far from a shoo in.

Turf Sprint

Saturday's $200,000 Grade II Woodford at Keeneland features two star runners whose last starts were disappointments in England.

Extravagant Kid, an 8-year-old gelding who finished second in last year's Woodford, exits a 14th-place finish in the Group 1 Darley July Cup at Newmarket. But that came after victory in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint on World Cup night in Dubai and a good third in the Group 1 King's Stand at Royal Ascot.

Golden Pal, a 3-year-old, was last seen finishing seventh in the Group 1 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York. Before that, though, he was second in the Group 1 Norfolk Stakes at last year's Royal meeting and won the 2020 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint over this very course. Other speed might compromise Golden Pal's tendence to lead.

Juvenile

Saturday's $500,000 Grade I Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland, a "Win and You're In" for the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile, has a field of 13, many of them trying two turns for the first time. Several exit maiden wins and a few are maidens still.

Note that the inside gate is occupied by Double Thunder, winner of the Grade III Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs in June and the Sapling at Monmouth Park in his most recent, and the outside by Classic Causeway, who won his only previous start for fun at Saratoga.

Juvenile Fillies

Friday's $400,000 Grade I Darley Alcibiades at Keeneland, a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, has 12 takers. Miss Interpret, Runup and Diamond Wow come off minor stakes wins but the latter two drew the outside gates -- a tough assignment in a quick run to the first turn.

The other 10 are asked the question: Who can take a step forward? A few of them were also-rans in important stakes as far afield as Del Mar and Saratoga. Others come off maiden wins.

Juvenile Fillies Turf

Saturday's $150,000 Grade III Matron at Belmont Park has a full field, most of them likely prospects. Wesley Ward brings two, more notably Chi Town Lady, an undefeated Verrazano filly who won the Bolton Landing at Saratoga last time out.

Mainstay was second in the Grade II Schuylerville and fourth in the Grade II Adirondack, both at the Spa.

Juvenile Turf

An overflow field is on hand for Sunday's $200,000 Grade II Castle & Key Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland, a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. Ten of the 16, including two also-eligibles, come off wins hither and yon. Go figure and go cash.

Juvenile Turf Sprint

Eight are in for Sunday's $150,000 Grade III Futurity at Belmont Park, a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. Wesley Ward will saddle two likely ones -- Chi Town Lady and Poppy Flower.

Ward has two more in Sunday's $200,000 Indian Summer at Keeneland, also a "Win and You're In" race. Averly Jane is the headliner, undefeated after three starts including stakes at Churchill Downs and Saratoga.

Kaufymaker misfired in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot but returned a decent third in the Juvenile Sprint at Kentucky Downs Sept. 3.

Around the world, around the clock:

England

Undefeated Frankel filly Inspiral tops a field of nine for Friday's Group 1 bet 365 Fillies Mile at Newmarket. John and Thady Gosden train the filly, who has won easily at Newmarket, Sandown and Doncaster to start her career.

Native Trail, a Godolphin colt by Oasis Dream, leads the market among eight left in for Saturday's Grade I Darley Dewhurst at Newmarket. The Charlie Appleby trainee is 3-for-3 with an impressive win in the Group 1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien Stakes in his last outing.

Japan

Seven are in for Sunday's Group 3 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup for 2-year-olds at Tokyo Racecourse. Three carry the colors of Sunday Racing -- a colt by Deep Impact and fillies by King Kamehameha and Lord Kanaloa.

Australia

Four more Group 1 events grace the weekend program including the Neds Caulfield Guineas and the Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes at Royal Randwick.

News and notes:

The International Federation of Horseracing Authorities Monday announced the elevation of the $20 million Saudi Cup to international Grade I status and the promotion of five of its undercard races to international Grade III's.

The organization also promoted both Saudi Arabia and Bahrain to Part II status and the Bahrain International Trophy to Group III. Normally, grades assigned to races conducted in Part II jurisdictions "for information only."

The Saudi races and Bahrain Trophy were granted exemptions and now enjoy full international status.

HRH Prince Bandar Bin Khalid Al Faisal, Chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, called the promotion of Saudi racing "a pivotal moment in our racing history and the halfway mark in our ambition to become a Part I racing jurisdiction.

This exciting news means that The Saudi Cup is Saudi Arabia's first international Group 1 and we are very proud of this major step in our history."

The IHFA meeting was the first since Hong Kong Jockey Club CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges succeeded founding Chairman Louis Romanet as head of the organization. It also was the start of three-year terms for vice chairs Jim Gagliano, Brian Kavanagh, Masayuki Goto and Horacio Esposito.