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Breeders' Cup contenders abounded in weekend horse racing

By Robert Kieckhefer, UPI Racing Writer
Idiomatic wins Sunday's Grade I Spinster at Keeneland. Photo courtesy of Keeneland
1 of 3 | Idiomatic wins Sunday's Grade I Spinster at Keeneland. Photo courtesy of Keeneland

Oct. 7 (UPI) -- A weekend full of final auditions for next month's Breeders' Cup World Championships turned up plenty of prospects from France to California.

Among them were top 2-year-old contenders whose continued development will stamp them as 2025 Kentucky Derby and Oaks prospects.

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Distaff

Just hours after taking out the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in France, Juddmonte also landed Sunday's $600,000 Grade I Spinster at Keeneland, a race the organization sponsors.

Reigning division champion Idiomatic led all the way under Florent Geroux to win by 6 1/2 lengths, returning to the winner's circle for the seventh time in her last nine starts.

The race was a "Win and You're In" for the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff, which Idiomatic also won last year, also after winning the Spinster.

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At Aqueduct on Sunday, Raging Sea took a late lead in the $250,000 Grade II Beldame Stakes and held off Batucada to win by a head as the 1-10 favorite.

Turf

At Longchamp in Paris, Bluestocking won Sunday's Group 1 Pix de l'Arc de Triomphe, also a "Win and you're In" race. It's unlikely the Juddmonte filly will follow in the footsteps of Enabled and try the Arc-Breeders' Cup double as she's had a tough season already.

Carson's Run rallied five-wide to get the lead in Saturday's $500,000 Jockey Club Derby Invitational at Aqueduct and got home first by 3/4 length over Deterministic.

Filly & Mare Turf

Hang the Moon came from last of seven to upset Saturday's $200,000 Grade II Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita, rallying five wide and clearing late to win by 1 1/2 lengths over Aspen Grove.

South African import Beach Bomb was a good third, followed by the favorite, Iscreamuscream.

Hang the Moon, a 4-year-old Uncle Mo filly, now owns a "Win and You're In" ticket to the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

Also: La Mehana rallied from last of six to win Friday's $200,000 Grade III Waya Stakes at Aqueduct by a neck over Immensitude.

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Mouffy passed most of her rivals in the lane en route to a head victory over fellow deep-closer Nadette in Saturday's $200,000 (Canadian) Grade II Dance Smartly Stakes at Woodbine.

Turf Mile

Chad Brown-trained horses finished 1-2-3 in Saturday's $750,000 Grade I First Lady Stakes on the Keeneland turf with Gina Romantica leading the parade by 2 lengths over Chili Flag, who was another 2 lengths better than Fluffy Socks. The race was a "Win and You're In" for the Coolmore Breeders' Cup Mile.

Carl Spackler, the even-money favorite, drew off in the stretch to a 1-length victory in the $1.25 million Grade I Coolmore Turf Mile at Keeneland, earning a "Win and You're In" berth in the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile on Nov. 2 at Del Mar.

Turf Sprint

Our Shot won Saturday's $350,000 Grade II Woodford Stakes at Keeneland, Senbei took Saturday's $200,000 Grade III Belmont Turf Sprint and Patches O'Houlihan won Saturday's $250,000 (Canadian) Grade II Nearctic Stakes at Woodbine.

Sprint

Federal Judge broke on top in Friday's $350,000 Grade II Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix at Keeneland and was not threatened, winning by 5 1/2 lengths to earn a "Win and You're In" spot in the Cygames Breeders' Cup Sprint. Both he and runner-up Nakatomi are likely for the big race.

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Filly & Mare Sprint

Zeitlos rallied from last of six to win Saturday's $350,000 Grade II Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes at Keeneland. Zeitlos earned a "Win and You're In" Spot for the PNC Bank Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.

Juvenile

Three classy colts by three top trainers earned "Win and You're In" spots in the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile in Grade I heats Saturday.

Chancer McPatrick ran his undefeated streak to three with a last-to-first rally in the $500,000 Grade I Champagne Stakes at Aqueduct.

East Avenue, a Golphin homebred colt by Medaglia d'Oro, got out to a big lead in the $600,000 Grade I Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland and wasn't for catching winning by 5 1/4 lengths.

At Santa Anita, Citizen Bull shot to the early lead in the $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes and kept right on going to a 2-length victory. Getaway Car, a stablemate in the Bob Baffert barn, was second all the way.

Juvenile Turf

Minaret Station came like a house afire in the stretch run to win Sunday's $350,000 Grade II Castle & Key Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland by 1 1/2 lengths from Golden Afternoon. The race was a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

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Juvenile Fillies

There were three key preps for the 2-year-old fillies, too, all leading to the NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 1.

Baffert did his 1-2 finish in the American Pharoah one better earlier on the program, saddling the first three finishers in the $200,000 Grade II Oak Leaf Stakes, headed by Non Compliant.

Godolphin homebred Immersive remained undefeated with a 1 1/4-length victory in Friday's Grade I Darley Alcibiades at Keeneland.

Scottish Lassie kicked free in the stretch in Saturday's $400,000 Grade I Frizette at Aqueduct and won by 9 lengths in a hand ride by Jose Lezcano.

Juvenile Fillies Turf

May Day Ready, with Frankie Dettori up, won a tight three-way photo at the end of Friday's $350,000 Grade II Jessamine Stakes at Keeneland, earning a "Win and You're In" berth in the John Deere Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Scythian drew off in the final sixteenth to capture Sunday's $200,000 Grade II Miss Grillo Stakes at Aqueduct, also earning a Breeders' Cup ticket.

Juvenile Turf Sprint

Mentee took command inside the final furlong of Friday's $175,000 Grade III Futurity at Aqueduct and won the 6-furlongs dash by 3 1/2 lengths. The race was a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

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Pali Kitten edged Smash it by a neck in Saturday's $100,000 Speakeasy Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at 5 furlongs on the Santa Anita turf. Mi Bago bagged Saturday's $175,000 Algonquin Stakes at Woodbine by a neck.

Governor Sam won Sunday's $250,000 Indian Summer Stakes at Keeneland. Abientot, a Not This Time filly trained by Mark Casse, rallied from last of 12 to win Sunday's $175,000 Matron at Aqueduct.

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