Cover image courtesy of Paris Turf Club
The Breeders’ Cup is back this weekend. The race meeting that cycles around America will be held at Keeneland this year. Friday will see the juveniles out in force with five key races on the Breeders’ Cup card, while Saturday pits the older horses against each other across nine different race categories.
Sunny skies and ideal temperatures are in the forecast. NBC Sports and Peacock will present 10.5 hours of live coverage featuring all 14 Championship races across NBC and USA Network over the two days. TTR will have full coverage thanks to TDN.
The five races on Friday are the Juvenile Turf Sprint, Juvenile Fillies, Juvenile Fillies Turf, Juvenile and Juvenile Turf.
G1 Juvenile Turf Sprint preview
It comes as no surprise that once again the Europeans come well armed to this year's renewal of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. Leading the charge is Libertango (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}), a supremely consistent filly that has shown up in each of her five starts to date. A debut winner going 6 furlongs at Leicester on May 26, the George Boughey-trained filly came right back to win the June 19 G3 Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot over subsequent Group 1 winner Sun Goddess (Ire) (Sioux Nation {USA}).
Favoured for the G2 Duchess of Cambridge in Newmarket on July 10, Libertango finished three-quarters of a length behind winner Senorita Bonita (Ire) (Starspangledbanner), a next out winner of the G1 Prix Morny. Back on top following a narrow score in York's G2 Lowther Stakes, the 400,000gns (AU$806,000) Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up juvenile purchase was one length shy of Sun Goddess at the wire in the Sept. 26 G1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket. Billy Loughnane has been aboard in all five prior starts.
Brickyard Belle (USA) (Yaupon {USA}) has been the poster child for progress through her young career. A US$160,000 (AU$230,000) Keeneland November weanling purchase in 2024, she brought US$200,000 (AU$285,000) at that venue the following September before flourishing into a US$600,000 (AU$854,000) 2-year-old purchase at the OBS Spring Sale this past April.
Sent off a well-considered 9-2 chance in her career unveiling at Saratoga on Aug. 27, the filly closed from off the pace to post a 4.5 length 'TDN Rising Star’-earning victory in the 5 1/2-furlong test for fillies. Hardly a secret when backed down to even-money favouritism in the six-furlong GIII Matron Stakes at Belmont on Oct. 3, the Kentucky-bred mounted a wide rally late to get up just in time and win by a half-length over Schuylerville Stakes winner and GI Spinaway runner-up Harper's Corner (USA) (Speaker's Corner {USA}). The filly is trained by Miguel Clement, who attempts to improve off a ninth in the 2025 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint with Intricate Spirit.
Good to Be King (USA) (War Front {USA}) broke through second time out going a mile at Ellis Park in July before finishing a close-up third in that oval's 5 1/2-furlong Riverside Rush Stakes on Aug. 1. Installed a lukewarm 7-2 favourite in the 6 1/2-furlong Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint on Aug. 29, the bay colt had to settle for second, beaten three-quarters of a length by winner Mid American (USA) (Epicenter {USA}). Installed the 3-2 choice in Belmont's Oct. 3 GIII Futurity Stakes, a 'Win and You're In' qualifier to the Juvenile Turf Sprint, the Cherry Valley Farm homebred was wide in the late stages of the 6-furlong test, however, got up just in time to defeat Regent's Park (USA) (Bolt d'Oro {USA}) by a length at the wire.
Primetime Emmy (Extreme Choice), a debut winner in Deaville last July, returned to finish fifth in her black-type bow in the G3 Prix de Cabourg but rebounded to score in the 6-furlong G3 Eclipse at Chantilly on Sept. 19.
G1 Juvenile Fillies preview
This season's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies field offers a select but deep bench of quality and talent. Leading the latest assembly of undefeated contenders, Miss Monica (USA) (Early Voting {USA}) kicked off her career with a 'TDN Rising Star'-earning performance when cruising home a 5.75 length winner in a 6 1/2-furlong Del Mar maiden on Aug. 9.
Heavily favoured next time in the seven-furlong GI Del Mar Debutante, she proved even more impressive, winning by 6.25 lengths. Miss Monica was purchased by Jess Hoppel for US$45,000 (AU$64,000) at the 2025 Keeneland September Sale before being snapped up by Michael Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman for US$850,000 (AU$1.2 million) at the OBS April Sale the following season.
Miss Monica confronts another undefeated filly, Gainesway Stable and Andrew Rosen's Emphatic (USA) (Nyquist {USA}), who represents the team that is also responsible for another talented filly, Luster (USA) (Ghostzapper {USA}), winner of this summer's King's Plate.
An easy 6.75 length winner going 6 panels at Colonial Downs on July 25, Emphatic made it two straight with an emphatic 5.25 length score in Monmouth's one-mile Sorority Stakes on Aug. 29. Sent off the second choice in Keeneland's Darley GI Alcibiades on Oct. 2, the Brendan Walsh-trained filly came home a 1 25 length winner over favoured Summer Starlet (USA).
Differing from her Juvenile Fillies rivals, Domain Expansion (USA) (Speaker's Corner {USA}) was overlooked in her career bow, going off at 20-1 in a one-mile turf maiden at Del Mar on Sept. 5. Accompanied by Adrian Escobedo that day, the filly found herself 1.25 lengths behind winner Dash (USA) (Cyberknife {USA}) but more than made up for it when coming back to roll home a seven length winner over Holmby in the 8 1/2-furlong GII Oak Leaf Stakes on Oct. 3.
G1 Juvenile Fillies Turf preview
Leave it to Aidan O'Brien to unleash a host of talent on Europe for the entire year, and still manage to bring a freak of nature to the States for the World Championships. It's as enduring a tradition as Christmas decorations being on shelves before Thanksgiving is even over...though I hear it's year-round in some locations now, which, interestingly enough, is still akin to the O'Brien clan's ability to produce a good horse for a big race at seemingly any point in the year
A head-margin victress of the 'WAYI' G1 Prix Marcel Boussac in France, she was well beaten by the aforementioned star two back Sept. 13 in the G1 Moyglare Stakes and was a game winner of the G2 Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes after snagging traffic late in that August feature at The Curragh.
Aidan O'Brien | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Unlike his four-strong legion in the Juvenile Turf later on the card, the senior O'Brien only accounts for one of the three 'O'Brien' entries in this contest, and it'll likely be the only one he needs as Sun Goddess (Ire) (Sioux Nation {USA}) looms large against another salty field. On a five-race win streak that began in June when she took home top prize in the G2 Airlie Stud Stakes, she's been untouchable since then with three Group 1 victories in two countries to her tally (Phoenix and Moyglare Stakes in Ireland, and Cheveley Park Stakes in England).
She's soundly defeated several in this field already, including two trained by Joseph O'Brien that also made the Breeders' Cup cut, and is considered to be one of the best (if not the best) filly in Europe. She's drawn well, but even if she does have trouble, it'd be nothing she's not experienced before as a couple of her running lines mention less than smooth sailing. Sun Goddess is one of those rare juveniles who has seemingly faced it all. Why fix what isn't broken? On the fence is one of the fillies who's tried three times to get by Sun Goddess and has yet to find success, namely Green Empress (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), for Joseph O'Brien.
The domestic contingent hasn't had the greatest luck in this race of late, but that isn't to say the locals will lay down and take it quietly. On paper, Domestic Agenda (USA) (American Pharoah {USA}) looks to be the best hope for America as her 84 Beyer from her dominating 'WAYI' GII Miss Grillo Stakes victory is by far the best speed figure produced by the Stateside fillies. Both of her starts have shown an ability to rate off the pace, and no one is better at preparing a horse for a career-best effort than Chad Brown. Underestimate this camp at your own risk.
Stablemate Alwaysanangel (Ire) (Harry Angel {Ire}) has also been close to the action on the line in many a live running line this season, but like Green Empress, she too has lost to Sun Goddess. Joseph has two chances here to defeat his father, but they'll need to run the race of their lives if she fires, and will still need to fend off 'WAYI' G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere victress Amusingly (GB) (No Nay Never {USA}) for Juddmonte and trainer Francis-Henri Graffard.
G1 Juvenile Turf preview
How's 'Al' today? We'll have our answer to that–for both the horse and owner–after the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, the finale on day one of the Championships at Keeneland on 'Future Stars Friday.'
How's Al Today (USA) (Munnings {USA}), the 3-1 morning-line favourite and leading American hope in the Juvenile Turf, posted a pair of sensational wins by a combined 8.5 lengths for trainer Riley Mott at the Kentucky Downs meeting. He came storming home to capture the Pepsi Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile S. Sept. 9, good for an imposing 94 Beyer Speed Figure, and previously scored in an allowance Aug. 29, his first career try on grass. The US$200,000 (AU$285,000) Keeneland September graduate is campaigned by Al Gold's Gold Square.
It's shaping up to be a European domination once again in the Juvenile Turf, and at the fore, as he ever is, is trainer Aidan O'Brien with four entries in this contest. Should Sun Goddess (Ire) not get the job done as the likely heavy favourite in the Juvenile Fillies Turf, the elder of the O'Brien trainer clan has a handful of good chances to collect the trophy here.
The foursome is led by Great Barrier Reef (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}), a two-time Group winner and placed in the G1 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket. He was a hot-ticket item in Europe after his six-length masterclass on debut Apr. 19 at The Curragh, and while he hasn't won since the G2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot in mid-June, he's steadily been improving on the Timeform Ratings as the competition gets tougher. The traffic a furlong from home in the Dewhurst did him no favours, as he finished third, but it did give him some experience with the chaos that always happens in the homeward rush. Unfortunately, as is the misfortunate for at least one every year, he's drawn the far outside gate. If he finds his earlier sparkle though, Great Barrier Reef will be a tough customer to turn away.
Joseph O'Brien will send out one of the likely favourites in Folsom Blues (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}). His last jump was a valiant effort in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere where he closed from well off the pace to claim second behind Juvenile Fillies Turf contender Amusingly (GB). Himself a Group 1 winner when taking the Vincent O'Brien National Stakes at The Curragh, this son of Blue Point (Ire) is one of many high-class runners to be felled by the filly titan Sun Goddess. He locked horns with her in the G1 Phoenix Stakes and was second to arguably the best filly in Europe. There is no shame in that.
G1 Juvenile preview
The GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile is 'TDN Rising Star' vs 'TDN Rising Star' vs 'TDN Rising Star' as California's undefeated dual Grade-I winner Hughes (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) comes to Kentucky to face off against both American History (USA) (Constitution {USA}) and Coach Pope (USA) (Tapit {USA}).
Trainer Bob Baffert, who has won a record-setting six editions of the Juvenile and last won in 2024 with Citizen Bull (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}), brings a two-strong hand to Keeneland. A US$675,000 (AU$961,000) Keeneland September grad, Hughes is the class of this compact but talented field with a pair of Grade I wins already under his belt in the GI Del Mar Futurity and the GI American Pharoah Stakes. Add to that a win in the GIII Best Pal Stakes and the son of Into Mischief (USA), who picks up jockey Flavien Prat for the first time, was tabbed the easy even-money morning-line favourite.
His stablemate Salahudin (USA) (Uncle Mo {USA}), a US$325,000 (AU$463,000) acquisition from last year's Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale for Zedan Racing Stables, represents Baffert's newly-established Kentucky base and has three straight wins in the state including in the one-mile GIII Iroquois Stakes Sept. 12.
The East Coast is prepared to go to the mat with its own two strong pair as another undefeated colt, American History, leads team Todd Pletcher's entry list here along with maiden winner and seven-figure Keeneland September yearling Damavand (USA) (Not This Time {USA}). Likely to come from the back, American History did just that when he ran down Coach Pope on the local surface earlier in the month in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity.
