The Niarchos Family, racing under the Flaxman Holdings name, has won the fourth annual John Deere Award as outstanding breeders of the 2014 Breeders' Cup Challenge Series and the Breeders' Cup World Championships.
The winner of last year's edition of the $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I) leads a group of 11 entered for the 2014 edition as he aims to become the first two-time victor in the race's seven-year history Oct. 31.
Now in its eighth year, the Breeders' Cup Challenge provides automatic bids to horses that win top stakes in the U.S. and throughout the world that correspond with one of the 13 Breeders' Cup World Championships races.
Rainha Da Bateria displayed a dazzling turn of foot through the homestretch to win the $150,000 JPMorgan Chase Jessamine Stakes (gr. IIIT) handily over the Keeneland turf Oct. 8, earning a Breeders' Cup slot.
Jay Em Ess Stable's By the Moon upset the $500,000 Frizette Stakes (gr. I) at odds of 24-1 Oct. 4 at Belmont Park, well-rested after a runner-up finish in the Aug. 31 Spinaway Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course.
Rich Tapestry, who is looking to become the first horse from Hong Kong to compete in a California stakes, went for an easy gallop at Santa Anita Sept. 30.
Undefeated Shared Belief looms a heavy favorite as he heads a field of eight in the $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes (gr. I) at 1 1/8 miles Sept. 27 at Santa Anita Park.
Conquest Harlanate, tracking Isabella Sings into the stretch, eventually wore the persistent favorite down to win the $229,816 Natalma Stakes (Can-IIT) for 2-year-old fillies on the Woodbine turf Sept. 13.
The Jockey Club Tour on FOX will showcase its last races of the year, the Ricoh Woodbine Mile and the Northern Dancer Turf (both gr. IT), Sept. 14 from Toronto's Woodbine.
A dozen 2-year-old fillies have a chance to stamp their ticket for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IT) when they square off in the $200,000 Natalma Stakes (Can-IIT) on the Woodbine lawn Sept. 13.
Grade III-placed Take Charge Brandi will aim for her breakthrough stakes win Saturday, Sept. 6, when she faces an expected nine other 2-year-old fillies in the $200,000 Pocahontas Stakes (gr. III) at Churchill Downs.
Bourbon Lane Stable's Hashtag Bourbon will try to add a second straight stakes win and more luster to the strong start by his freshman sire Super Saver in the Iroquois Stakes (gr. III) Sept. 6 at Churchill Downs.
Game On Dude has been dominating the ranks of older horses in Southern California for so long it's tempting to believe he's lost a step every time he throws in a bad one.
After exchanging tight decisions in two recent starts this spring, Fire With Fire and Quick Casablanca clash for a third time in the $200,000 Del Mar Handicap (gr. IIT) Aug. 23 on the Del Mar turf.
Sole Power will try to land the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes (Eng-I) for a second time Aug. 22 at York, but trainer Eddie Lynam says his runner might not be at the top of his game.
Better Lucky, a dual grade I winner on turf who won her first start on dirt in more than two years last month at Saratoga Race Course, returns to the upstate New York oval for the $500,000 Ballerina Stakes (gr. I) Aug. 23.
Frank Angst's Keeping Pace blog debuts with a look at the Breeders' Cup Challenge series to date and automatic qualifiers Bayern, Taghrooda, and Big Macher. read blog
The second September meet in the 140-year history of Churchill Downs will offer eight stakes races with total purses of $925,000 during a 12-day run.
Minorette posted a mild upset in the $1 million Belmont Oaks (gr. IT) July 5 at Belmont Park, landing her first North American victory at odds of 6-1.
Bronzo won the Copa de Oro Vinas de Chile (Chi-II) June 27 at Hipico Chile in Santiago and qualified for the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (gr. IT) later this year at Santa Anita Park.
Defending winner Gold Ship and Japanese star mare Gentildonna are among an outstanding lineup for the Takarazuka Kinen (Jpn-I) June 29 at Hanshin racecourse.
The June 22 Clasico Cesar Del Rio (Peru-III) at Hipodromo de Moterrico will be the first-ever Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" Challenge event held in Peru.
Keeneland will feature 17 stakes during its 2014 fall meet in Lexington.
The Breeders' Cup Challenge series this year will consist of 73 automatic qualifying races into the Oct. 31-Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup World Championships, with 46 challenge races to be held in the U.S. and Canada.
Paced by Novellist, Christoph Berglar has won the third annual John Deere Award as outstanding breeder of the 2013 Breeders' Cup Challenge Series and Breeders' Cup World Championships.
Sending a horse to the Breeders' Cup World Championships is not only a difficult feat due to the talent and training requirements, but also from a cost perspective.
The Breeders' Cup will reinstate entry fee benefits to the winners of Challenge races that lost their designation when the events came off the turf at Keeneland, but they will not receive an automatic starting position.
Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Kitten Kaboodle took the rail trip to victory in the $150,000 JPMorgan Chase Jessamine Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland Oct. 9, earning a berth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IT).
Conquest Stables' My Conquestadory turned in a dazzling performance Oct. 4 at Keeneland, taking the $400,000 Darley Alcibiades (gr. I) after all sorts of trouble early on.
Princess of Sylmar, facing older foes for the first time, sprung a mild upset Sept. 28 when the 3-year-old filly collared two-time champion Royal Delta and went on to win the $400,000 Beldame Invitational Stakes (gr. I).
Mountaineer Juvenile winner Rise Up is the 120-pound highweight, while promising Ride On Curlin and Tapiture, runner-up to Hopeful (gr. I) winner Strong Mandate last out, are among those slated to run.
George Strawbridge's homebred Moonlight Cloud won a clash of top European stars Aug. 11 when the mare gamely held off outsider Olympic Glory to win the Prix Jacques Le Marois (Fr-I) at Deauville, France.
Janis Whitham's 2012 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) winner Fort Larned was assigned post 3 and installed as the 7-5 morning-line favorite over seven others for the Aug. 3 Whitney Invitational (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course.
Trainer Ron Ellis is taking a patient approach with Include Me Out as the 5-year-old mare prepares to defend her title in the $300,000 Clement L. Hirch Stakes (gr. I) Aug. 3 at Del Mar.
Keeneland announced July 25 the scheduling of 17 stakes races--six of which are grade I events--worth $4.625 million in purse money, for its 2013 fall race meeting, to be held October 4-26.
Champion female sprinter Groupie Doll zipped through four furlongs the morning of July 5 at Churchill Downs, earning a bullet with a :47 1/5 drill with jockey Leandro Goncalves in the irons.
Three Breeders' Cup World Championships "Win and You're In" Challenge races are being contested in three different countries over the June 21-23 weekend.
Coolmore and partners' Battle of Marengo scored easily over three opponents in the Juddmonte Beresford Stakes (Ire-II) for 2-year-olds on Sept. 30 at the Curragh, providing trainer Aidan O'Brien with a 12th win in the race.
Top Thoroughbred action in New York returns to Belmont Park for the fall meet with 21 graded stakes beginning Sept. 8.
The Arlington Million annually draws a star-studded cast of accomplished runners from all over the globe and this year's edition should be no different, as 11 runners were pre-entered.
Keeneland announced July 16 it is increasing the purse for the Shadwell Turf Mile (gr. IT) to $750,000, making it the co-richest race run at the Lexington track this year.
In what was a pivotal race for her, favored Switch rallied in deep stretch on the outside to capture the $200,000 A Gleam Handicap (gr. II) at Betfair Hollywood Park July 14.
Dual grade I winner Switch, seeking her first victory of 2012, carries top weight of 122 pounds in the $200,000 A Gleam Handicap (gr. II) at Betfair Hollywood Park July 14.
Game On Dude, an easy winner of the Californian Stakes (gr. II) June 2, tops 13 nominees to the $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup (gr. I).
Longshot Master of Design earned a berth in the 2012 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (gr. I) when he captured the AUS$1 million Darley T.J. Smith Stakes (Aus-I) at Royal Randwick April 14.
Bolstered by homebred Stephanie's Kitten, Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey are the first recipients of the John Deere Award as outstanding breeders of the 2011 Breeders' Cup Challenge series and the Breeders' Cup World Championships.
Horses finishing first, second, or third in graded stakes in Canada will receive official Breeders' Cup points that can determine starting positions in the World Championships.
The Breeders' Cup is launching a series of marketing activities highlighting the Classic, Classic contenders, and Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win And You're In" division races, Breeders' Cup announced July 6.
Earnestly opened a substantial lead in the homestretch and held off favored Buena Vista in record time to win the Takarazuka Kinen (Jpn-I), an all-star race worth $3.2 million held at Hanshin Racecourse June 26.
Three Breeders' Cup Challenge races for automatic starting positions in the Breeders' Cup World Championships will be contested around the world this weekend.
