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Oct. 6 (UPI) -- The weekend horse racing calendar includes 17 Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" contests, wrapping up the domestic schedule of automatic qualifiers for the World Championships at Santa Anita on Nov. 3 and 4. The slate is heavily tilted to the juvenile stakes that make up the Nov. 3 program, but also impacts the main sprint race and filly and mare championship races on both turf and dirt. Keeneland, Santa Anita, Aqueduct and Gulfstream Park all get in on the action.
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Once the dust clears Sunday, only two races on the British Champions program Oct. 21 at Ascot remain on the Breeders' Cup "Challenge" schedule.
There's other action in England and Australia so let's saddle up and get going.
Distaff
Two 4-year-old Curlin fillies, Nest and Idiomatic, are the morning-line favorites in a field of seven entered for Sunday's $600,000 Grade I Juddmonte Spinster at Keeneland, a "Win and You're In" for the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff.
Nest was second in last year's Kentucky Oaks and Belmont Stakes, then fourth in the Breeders' Cup. Idiomatic has blossomed this year and won her last three starts, all graded stakes. In the last, the Grade I Personal Ensign at Saratoga, she won by 4 lengths with Nest third.
Only four names were found in the entry box for Sunday's $250,000 Grade II Beldame at Aqueduct with Randomized, a 3-year-old Nyquist filly, looking the most promising.
The Chad Brown trainee looks for her third win in a row after taking the Wilton Stakes and the Grade I Alabama, both at Saratoga, in her two latest efforts.
Sprint
Bango and Nakatomi are the rather lukewarm favorites among 11 in for Friday's $350,000 Grade II Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes at Keeneland, a "Win and You're In" for the Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint.
Filly & Mare Sprint
Maryquitecontrary is 5-for-6 at Gulfstream Park and returns to that venue for Saturday's $225 Grade III Princess Rooney Invitational, a "Win and You're In" for the PNC Bank Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.
Several of the other eight look capable if she falters after two off-the-board finishes at Saratoga.
Yuugiri and Wicked Halo feature on the morning line for Saturday's $350,000 Grade II Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes at Keeneland, a "Win and You're In" for the PNC Bank Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. Wicked Halo was third in last year's Breeders' Cup.
Turf
War Like Goddess has been defeated in her last two starts, the first time that's happened, and looks to get back to the winner's circle against some tough males in Saturday's $500,000 Grade I Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Aqueduct.
The opposition is fierce, including reigning Breeders' Cup Turf champ Rebel's Romance and the former Aidan O'Brien charge, Stone Age, now trained by Chad Brown. Both of those are in the throes of recent skids, though.
Saturday's $500,000 Grade III Jockey Club Derby Invitational at Aqueduct completes the New York Derby trio but it does so without the winners of the first two legs at Belmont and Saratoga.
That leaves Grade I Saratoga Derby runner-up Webslinger to carry on the rivalry. But why not Grade III Dueling Grounds Derby winner Anglophile? Or undefeated Measured Time, brought from England by Charlie Appleby for the Godolphin folks.
Measured Time, a Frankel colt, hasn't faced much in the way of quality, but he's won impressively in every start.
Nations Pride's world tour has taken him to top races in Europe, Dubai and the United States and lands north of the border for Sunday's $750,000 (Canadian) Grade I Canadian International at Woodbine.
The Godolphin runner comes off a Group 1 win in Germany and, on form, looks to have an upper hand in this 1 1/4-mile test. Chad Brown brings Adhamo up from Saratoga with a chance and Pallazi has won all three of his starts at Woodbine.
Filly & Mare Turf
Brown has three of the seven main entries for Saturday's $200,000 Grade III Fasig-Tipton Waya Stakes at Aqueduct -- the accomplished Frankel mare McKulick and two promising 3-year-olds. There are others including Parnac, who defeated McKulick in their last meeting.
Saturday's $300,000 Grade II Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita, a "Win and You're In" for the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf features Didia, a multiple Group 1 winner in Argentina and 3-for-4 in the States, and Anisette, 3-for-3 since arriving from England.
A fascinating field of 10 lines up for Sunday's $750,000 (Canadian) Grade I E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine.
Charlie Appleby brings Godolphin's With the Moonlight back from a layoff. Moira looks for her first back-to-back wins since she took down the 2022 Queen's Plate. Brown saddles three and Christophe Clement has two.
Turf Mile
Other than a sub-par effort in the Group 1 Dubai Turf in March, Ireland-based Master of the Seas has been masterful indeed this season and returns to North America as the favorite in a field of nine for Saturday's $1 million Grade I Coolmore Turf Mile at Keeneland, a "Win and You're In" for the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile.
Up to the Mark looks best of the home team with four win from his last five trips. Set Piece won the Grade I Arlington Million in his last race.
Brown saddles three of the four top morning-line picks for Saturday's $750,000 First Lady for fillies and mares at Keeneland -- defending champ In Italian, Whitebeam and Gina Romantica. Irish import Jumbly could make things interesting.
Brown also has three of the six entries in Sunday's $150,000 Grade III Noble Damsel for fillies and mares at Aqueduct - Fluffy Socks, Gerrymander and Salimah.
Turf Sprint
A full field of 12 is in for Saturday's $200,000 Grade III Belmont Turf Sprint at Aqueduct. It's a well-matched lot without a clear favorite. Most of the speed is drawn outside, too, which complicates analysis.
British import Live In The Dream gets the morning-line nod in Saturday's $350,000 Grade II Woodford Stakes at Keeneland.
The 4-year-old gelding and his entire team were new to the Group 1 game when he won the prestigious Nunthorpe Stakes at York in his last start. Those were better than what he'll see here -- but travel and new surroundings might play a role.
Sunday's $250,000 (Canadian) Grade II Nearctic Stakes at Woodbine has a baker's dozen to go 6 furlongs on the turf. It's tough to sort through the field with several cutting back in distance, others coming from Kentucky and New York and none having shown much consistency in recent starts.
Juvenile
Eight would-be stars are entered for Saturday's $500,000 Grade Champagne at Aqueduct, a "Win and You're In" for the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
None has yet done much and the more accomplished of the 2-year-olds are elsewhere. Timberlake comes from the a second-place finish in the Grade I Hopeful at Saratoga.
Locked dazzled 'em in his last start at Saratoga, winning by 7 1/4 lengths with a 96 Beyer Speed Figure.
That made him 7-5 favorite on the morning line for Saturday's $600,000 Grade I Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland, a "Win and You're In" for the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile, despite drawing the outside gate in a field of nine.
Muth, another Bob Baffert trainee, is the even-money favorite in a field of eight set for Saturday's $300,000 Grade I American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita, a "Win and You're In" for the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
Juvenile Turf
Agate Road came from next-last of eight to win Wednesday's $200,000 Grade II Pilgrim at Aqueduct, a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.
The Quality Road colt, trained by Todd Pletcher for Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable, moved up impressively late to win by 1 1/4 lengths. He's won two straight after finishing second in his debut.
Sunday's $350,000 Grade II Castle & Key Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland, a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, has an overflow field and could not be more wide open.
Noted, winner of the Sapling Stakes at Monmouth Park, is the 3-1 favorite on the morning line.
Sunday's $200,000 Grade III Zuma Beach at Santa Anita has a challenging field of eight, three of them saddled by Mike McCarthy.
Juvenile Fillies
Brightwork gets a chance to confirm her lofty status while facing eight rivals in Friday's $600,000 Grade I Darley Alcibiades at Keeneland, a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. The Outwork filly is 4-for-4 with wins in the Grade III Adirondack and Grade I Spinaway at Saratoga.
Six 2-year-old fillies line up for Saturday's $400,000 Grade I Frizette at Aqueduct, a "Win and You're In" for the NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. All are last-race winners. Go figure.
Saturday's $200,000 Grade II Chandelier Stakes at Santa Anita, a "Win and You're In" for the NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, has a field of 10, also with little to set them apart. Dua, an Arrogate filly, is the morning-line favorite, probably because she's trained by Baffert.
Juvenile Fillies Turf
Eleven fillies are set for Friday's $350,000 Grade II Jessamine Stakes at Keeneland, a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, without a clear favorite. Kentucky Downs winner Smooth Waves tops the morning line at 7-2 odds.
Hard to Justify stalked the pace in Wednesday's $200,000 Grade II Miss Grillo at Aqueduct, a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, then took the lead when asked by jockey Flavien Prat and held on gamely to win by 1/2 length. The Justify filly, trained by Brown, now is 2-for-2.
Sunday's $200,000 Grade III Surfer Girl at Santa Anita attracted a field of 10.
Juvenile Turf Sprint
Sunday's $150,000 Grade III Futurity at Aqueduct, a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, has a field of eight. None has dazzled, although Book'em Danno is 2-for-2 with a win in the Smoke Glacken Stakes at Monmouth Park in his last race.
Also on tap in this category are Saturday's $100,000 Speakeasy Stakes at Santa Anita, Sunday's $150,000 Grade III Matron for 2-year-old fillies at Aqueduct, Sunday's $250,000 Indian Summer Stakes at Keeneland and Sunday's $200,000 (Canadian) Algonquin at Woodbine.
Twelve are set for the $150,000 Grade III Matron at Aqueduct.
Around the world, around the clock
England
Saturday's Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes for fillies and mares, 1 mile at Newmarket, drew two top 4-year-olds in Inspiral and Mqse De Sevigne. Inspiral won the Group 1 Jacques le Marois at Deauville in her last after a disappointing effort in the Sussex Stakes.
Mqse De Sevigne won the Group 1 Jean Romanet at Deauville in her most recent outing. Coolmore is represented by 3-year-old Meditate who is winless in five starts this year after winning the 2022 Breeders's Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Australia
Saturday's Group 1 TAB Turnbull Stakes, 2,000 meters at Flemington, features a gutsy appearance by Hong Kong star Romantic Warrior.
Trainer Danny Shum hopes to use the race as a stepping stone to the Grade 1 Cox Plate on Oct. 28, but faces the reality that Hong Kong has only one win in Australia after 47 previous attempts by 18 different horses, according to the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
That's difficult to fathom, given the quality of Hong Kong racing. But training and stabling are radically different in Hong Kong than anywhere else in the world, and shipping into new environments is tough.
