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WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 (UPI) -- British Champions Day at Ascot, the $1 million Canadian International at Woodbine and the Caulfield Cup in Australia are the marquee attractions in weekend racing. A limited schedule of graded U.S. stakes is on offer with the Breeders' Cup World Championships just two weeks over the horizon. Saturday, however, is Maryland Million Day at Laurel Park and Oklahoma Classics Day at Remington Park.
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In Japan, Sunday's Group 1 Shuka Sho at Kyoto matches the winners of the Japanese Oaks and the Japanese Thousand Guineas.
Let's get this party started.
England
The fifth edition of the Qipco British Champions Day has grown to encompass four Group 1 events and a Group 2. The Long Distance Cup, at 3,200 meters, finds Forgotten Rules looking to repeat last year's success. He comes off a fifth-place finish in the Group 1 Irish St Leger in his last outing. Muhaarar headlines the Sprint Cup, a race that also includes the undefeated Twilight Son and Singapore's star sprinter, Emperor Max. The Tin Man was supplemented at a cost of 40,000 pounds.
The Fillies & Mares Stakes includes Simple Verse, who won the Ladbrokes St Leger on the track, lost it in the stewards' room and won it again on appeal; and Irish Oaks and Prix de l'Opera winner Covert Love. The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, at 1,600 meters, features Solow, who has won eight straight races, and could include Group 1 St James's Palace winner Gleneagles if the ground is firm enough to suit his particular tootsies. Territories is to represent France. The QIPCO Champion Stakes includes Jack Hobbs, who was kept out of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in favor of this heat, and top fillies Ribbons and Found. Godolphin's 3-year-old Racing History was supplemented. This should be a fine day of racing, even after some defections to Keeneland for the Breeders' Cup.
Japan
The Group 1 Shuka Sho on Sunday at Kyoto is the third leg of the Japanese Filly Triple Crown and matches the winner of the Oka Sho, or Japanese 1,000 Guineas, Let's Go Donki, and the victor from the Yushun Himba, or Japanese Oaks, Mikki Queen. A big field is expected hoping to upset the top two but there are no international entrants this year. The race is contested at 2,000 meters, anticlockwise around the inner turf course. The split of the first two legs of the Triple Crown leaves only four claimants, most recently Gentildonna in 2012.
Australia
Saturday's Group 1 Caulfield Cup boast a big, talented international field taking on a local contingent that has battled tooth-and-nail through the early spring. Snow Sky makes his first appearance since finishing sixth in the Group 1 King George at Royal Ascot. Japan has a pair of contenders in Fame Game, who was second to Gold Ship in the Group 1 Tenno Sho in May, and Hokko Brave, who was sixth in that race. Germany's Our Ivanhowe won last year's Group 1 Grosser Preis von Baden, then finished sixth in the Japan Cup. He was second in a warm-up race at Flemington earlier this month. Trip to Paris has run well at longer distances in England. The local bunch includes Royal Descent, Mongolian Khan and Complacent.
Canada
A field of 11, from both sides of the Atlantic and both sides of the border, is set to contest Sunday's $1 million (Canadian), Grade I Pattison Canadian International at 1 1/2 miles on the sparkling Woodbine turf course. The European contingent includes Sheikhzayedroad, who won the Grade I Northern Dancer over the course and distance in September of last year -- his last North American visit and also his most recent victory. Sir Michael Stoute brings Cannock Chase, a stakes winner at Newmarket last month. Luca Cumani ships in Second Step, who won the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Berlin in September. The locals include Interpol, Habibi and Triple Threat, the winning triactor in this year's Northern Dancer; Danish Dynaformer, who might move up on heavier going; Up With the Birds, who has lacked a stretch punch since contesting last year's Japan Cup; and a potential long shot, Power Ped, who finished second to Da Big Hoss in the Grade III Kentucky Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs. An excellent wagering opportunity here.
On the undercard:
An even more international cast is in for the $500,000 (Canadian) E.P. Taylor Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/4 miles. Of the 12, nine have overseas experience. Of particular interest is Curvy, one of the best 3-year-old fillies in Europe this summer, who unaccountably ran a dull fifth in her U.S. debut in the Grade I Flower Bowl at Belmont just two weeks ago. She gets Ryan Moore. Similarly, Lacy was very good in her native Germany but then finished seventh in the Grade I Beverly D. at Arlington and apparently wants firm ground. Yaazy has not missed a top three finish in four starts in France. The locals include Strut the Course and Button Down, 1-2 in the Grade II Canadian, and White Rose and Eastern Belle, 1-2 in the Grade III Glens Falls at Saratoga. If Rosalind decides to run and can handle 1 1/4 miles, she could play a role.
Eleven are set for the $300,000 (Canadian), Grade II Nearctic Stakes at 6 grassy furlongs. Sweet Luca and Bye Bye Bernie, the first- and third-place finishers in the Kentucky Turf Dash at Kentucky Downs, resurface here. Wesley Ward tries again with The Great War, who looked good while finishing second in August after a long layoff. Spring to the Sky won the Laurel Dash in his last outing. The overseas threat is Terror, a David Simcock-trained filly who is graded stakes-placed in England. Summation Time has been improving.
The $150,000 (Canadian), Grade III Ontario Fashion Stakes for fillies and mares at 6 furlongs on the all-weather course rounds out the stakes program.
Maryland Million
There are nine races on Saturday's Jim McKay Maryland Million card at Laurel Park but of most interest might be the Sprint, which will feature the venerable Ben's Cat. The 9-year-old Parker's Storm Cat gelding will be making his sixth annual start in the Maryland Million program but his first on the dirt. "I elected to go there because the last two years I got beat right in the last 60 or 50 yards or whatever it was," said owner and trainer King Leatherbury, "so I didn't want to do that again. I'm figuring maybe the turf might be a little soft, maybe a little tiring, so that was against him. So I'll take my shot on the dirt."
Oklahoma Classics
The Friday card includes eight races restricted to state-bred steeds.
Elsewhere:
Belmont Park
An impressive baker's dozen is ready for Saturday's $200,000, Grade III Athenia Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on the lawn. Lady Lara, Coffee Clique, Rusty Slipper, Speed Seeker and Stellar Path are all Grade I or Group 1 winners. Also, Faufiler makes her first start since arriving from France and Wiener Valkyrie makes his first U.S. start after running in England.
Saturday's $200,000, Grade I Futurity for 2-year-olds going 6 furlongs drew a field of six Full Salute enters this after finishing second in both the Tyro and the Sapling at Monmouth Park and then winning the Hall of Fame Stakes at Parx. The others are less imposing, though Manhattan Dan did finish third on the grass at Woodbine in the Grade II Summer Stakes in his last outing.
Keeneland
Holiday Star stalked the pace in Thursday's $100,000, Grade III Sycamore, put a head in front in the stretch and held on to win by 1/2 length over Charming Kitten. St. Albans Boy was third. Holiday Star, a 5-year-old gelding by Harlan's Holiday, ran 1 1/2 miles on firm turf in 2:33.06 with Edgar Prado up, winning the race for the second straight year. Da Big Hoss and Xtra Luck were scratched.
Bar of Gold is the morning-line favorite in a field of 11 for the $250,000, Grade II Lexus Raven Run Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 7 furlongs. The New York-bred Medaglia d'Oro filly finished second in both the Grade 1 Test Stakes and the Grade II Prioress at Saratoga. Others to watch include Paid Up Subscriber, Irish Jasper, Miss Ella, Forever Unbridled and Chide.
On Sunday, 10 are entered for the $100,000, Grade III Rood & Riddle Dowager, with fillies and mares going 1 1/2 miles on the grass. Heighweights at 123 pounds are Ceisteach, winner of the Grade III Robert G. Dick Memorial at Delaware Park, and Kitten's Point, winner of the Grade III Bewitch during the Keeneland spring meeting and more recently victorious in the Mrs. Penny Stakes at Parx.
