Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa’s Curlin and Three Chimneys Farm’s Gun Runner are represented by the largest number of runners pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at seven each.
Both sires have victories in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) listed among their achievements, with Curlin capturing the race at Monmouth Park in 2007 on his way to earning his first of two Horse of the Year titles and Gun Runner getting his win at Del Mar and a Horse of the Year title in 2017.
Curlin has his strongest representation in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) where he is represented by three starters: Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) winner Clairiere ; Malathaat , who has won the Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) and Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (G1) this year and was third in last year’s Distaff; and 3-year-old Nest , who has won three grade 1s this year and was second in the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1).
The sire’s other Breeders’ Cup contenders are Cody’s Wish in the Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1), Elite Power in the Qatar Racing Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), Obligatory in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1), and Raging Sea in the NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).
Curlin has sired two Breeders’ Cup winners so far—Vino Rosso in the 2019 Classic and Good Magic in the 2017 Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).
Gun Runner has gotten off to a blazingly fast start at stud, ending his freshman year in 2021 with record-setting progeny earnings of $4,315,980. His daughter Echo Zulu contributed a big chunk of that by winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and banking $1.48 million for the year.
Gun Runner at Three Chimneys Farm
In this year’s Breeders’ Cup, Gun Runner has runners in five races. His son and multiple grade 1 winner Taiba is expected to start in the Classic; Echo Zulu and multiple grade 2 winner Wicked Halo are headed for starts in the Filly and Mare Sprint; Cotillion Stakes (G1) winner Society is slated for the Distaff; expected starters in the Dirt Mile are TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) winner Cyberknife and Gunite , who won the Hopeful Stakes (G1) at 2 and recently won the Perryville Stakes at Keeneland; and, grade 3-placed winner Grand Love has been entered in the Juvenile Fillies.
Gun Runner already is running away with the leading second-crop sire title, with more than $11.7 million in progeny earnings, which is more than twice the progeny earnings for second-ranked Arrogate. Gun Runner’s earnings are rich enough to rank him sixth on the general leading sires list. A Breeders’ Cup winner could easily move him into the top five.
Spendthrift Farm’s three-time leading North American sire Into Mischief has the next largest representation with six entrants. He has already sired the winners of six Breeders’ Cup races—Goldencents won the Dirt Mile in 2013-14, Authentic won the 2020 Classic, Gamine won the 2020 Filly and Mare Sprint, and Covfefe won the 2019 Filly and Mare Sprint, and current Classic contender Life Is Good .
A dominant winner of last year’s Dirt Mile, multiple grade 1 winner Life Is Good is a strong contender in this year’s Classic for his sire. Into Mischief’s other entrants include grade 1 winner Wonder Wheel and grade 3 winner Naughty Gal in the Juvenile Fillies; multiple stakes winner Flash of Mischief in the Sprint; multiple grade 1-placed, grade 2 winner Frank’s Rockette in the Filly and Mare Sprint; and, grade 2 winner Laurel River in the Dirt Mile.
Dalham Hall Stud’s Dubawi , who was represented last year by three Breeders’ Cup winners, has five pre-entered. His son Modern Games , who won a controversial edition of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T), is back to run in the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile Presented by PDJF (G1T), while In Italian will contest the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T); Creative Force and Naval Crown are in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1T); and, Never Ending Story is in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T).
Top U.S.-Based Females to Face Males in Breeders’ Cup
In an effort to keep their runners at their preferred distances, a number of trainers with top fillies and mares pointing to this season’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships have opted to take on males.
After putting away males in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, War Like Goddess will start in the Breeders’ Cup Turf
Trainer Bill Mott has entered George Krikorian’s War Like Goddess , who finished third in last year’s Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T), in this year’s Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T) at 1 1/2 miles.
Trainer Chad Brown has entered Peter Brant’s Regal Glory in the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile Presented by PDJF (G1T) as opposed to the Filly & Mare Turf.
Trainer Wesley Ward has entered Kimari in the six-furlong Qatar Racing Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) as first preference, as opposed to the seven-furlong Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), which is listed as second preference. As Kimari is qualified for the Sprint based on points, it’s likely the 5-year-old daughter of Munnings will face males in the shorter race.
When War Like Goddess finished third in last year’s Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar, the race was contested at 1 3/8 miles. As the distance of this race changes to accommodate the various courses of the Breeders’ Cup host tracks, this year’s Filly & Mare Turf will be contested at 1 3/16 miles—1 1/2 furlongs shorter than last year.
A 5-year-old daughter of English Channel , War Like Goddess enters the $2 million Turf off a 2 3/4-length victory in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) Oct. 8 at the Belmont at the Big A meeting. A full field is expected for the Turf.
“She’s very special and I’m anxious to see how she does against this group,” Mott said. “We chose the 12-furlong race against the boys because of the added distance rather than going to the Filly and Mare Turf, which is only a mile-and-three-sixteenths at Keeneland. We just felt that she’s probably better at the longer distance and able to compete with better horses at that trip.”
War Like Goddess has a perfect record at Keeneland, as she has won back-to-back editions of the Bewitch Stakes (G3T)—a 1 1/2-mile test for fillies and mares. While War Like Goddess has won graded stakes at four different tracks, Mott said it’s a good feeling knowing that she previously handled the Keeneland course and trip.
“I think the fact that she’s passed that test gives me some amount of comfort because I don’t think every horse runs their best race at Keeneland,” Mott said. “I think the turf course can be a little bit tricky there sometimes. I know it’s been quite firm this fall, but we’re probably going to get a little rain next week and probably have a little cut in the ground which I don’t believe will hurt War Like Goddess.
“The fact that she’s run there and run well there—yes, it does take that concern out of the equation.”
Jose Lezcano guided War Like Goddess to victory in the Joe Hirsch but Mott said Joel Rosario will return to ride her in the Breeders’ Cup. Rosario was aboard for a pair of graded stakes wins this year, including the Bewitch.
Brown will be well-represented in the Filly & Mare Turf with In Italian, Rougir , and likely Virginia Joy , and will send Regal Glory to the Mile. (As first preference, Virginia Joy is pre-entered in the Filly & Mare Turf where she earned a Breeders’ Cup Challenge entry, and also is pre-entered in the Turf, as second preference.)
A 6-year-old daughter of Animal Kingdom , Regal Glory will enter off a runner-up finish to In Italian in the one-mile First Lady Stakes Presented by UK Healthcare (G1T) at Keeneland. She has won half of her 14 tries at the mile distance, including a victory in this year’s Longines Just a Game Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park.
Brown, who has placed his talented group of turf fillies and mares well this season, won the 2019 edition of the Mile with 5-year-old mare Uni . He’ll also be looking for his fifth victory in the Filly & Mare Turf.
Kimari wins the Gallant Bloom Stakes at Belmont at the Big A
Campaigned by owners associated with Coolmore, Kimari enters the Breeders’ Cup off a pair of grade 2 wins. If the connections opt for the Sprint, it will mark her sixth race against males after winning her debut race in 2019 at Keeneland over males and taking the Indian Summer Stakes there. She also finished seventh in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1T), second in the 2020 Commonwealth Cup (G1) at Royal Ascot, and fourth in the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T).
“I think she’s just a little better at six furlongs. I’ve had her for her whole career and I just think she’s better at six than seven,” Ward said. “I think she’ll certainly do seven—she won the grade 1 Madison Stakes last year on her home track here at Keeneland. But if I was to choose a distance, it’d be six.
“Obviously it’s a tougher race. But she’s never been as sound as she is now. She’s a big robust-type filly and she’s so fast that she’s had a lot of issues throughout her career. But coming into this race right now, I’m really not afraid of anyone—as sound as she is and how she’s been with the last couple of runs. She’s going to run a big, big race.”
Fillies and mares are allowed three pounds when they take on males in Breeders’ Cup races.
Ce Ce to Visit Constitution After Breeders’ Cup
Bo Hirsch’s 6-year-old Ce Ce will be retired from racing after her start in the Nov. 5 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at Keeneland.
Ce Ce heads to the winner’s circle under Victor Espinoza after taking the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Del Mar
The homebred daughter of Elusive Quality will head to the breeding shed next year, where she will be paired with Constitution who is set to stand the 2023 season at WinStar Farm for $110,000.
Ce Ce won the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint by 2 1/2 lengths at Del Mar and has earned $2,357,100 with an 11-2-4 record from 22 starts.
“We wanted to find someone proven and at the top of their game, and Constitution is right there,” Hirsch said. “It fits breeding-wise very well, and Kathy Berkey, my bloodstock agent, recommended him as her first choice and I agree. He’s filling up quick and deservingly so.
“You wouldn’t want to be pennywise and pound foolish… With someone like Ce Ce you just have to go after the best, you’d be crazy not to.”
Hirsch says he has enjoyed the ride with his champion mare and is thrilled to not only watch her on the world stage yet again, but to bring her home afterwards.
“We will retire her after the Breeders’ Cup no matter what happens,” he said. “I look forward to that end of the business too, it’s just a little slower. I’m glad I ran her the extra year, I did it and I never insured her. I’m lucky enough to be able to afford to roll the dice and we did. So far it’s worked out, God willing.”
Hirsch said that he wishes more people in the industry would give their horses more time on the track before retiring.
“I’m glad I did it for myself and for horse racing in general. I’d like to see more people that can afford it, step up to the plate and take that extra year,” Hirsch said. “Like Hronis is trying to do with Flightline, I think it’s wonderful. Our business needs that.
“We don’t need these superstars that came along and fall by the wayside in the breeding shed. We’ve got to think about this sport and what we as individuals can do to help it and promote it. I’m glad I gave Ce Ce that extra year.”
Trained by Michael McCarthy, Ce Ce will retire with three Breeders’ Cup starts under her belt. She placed fifth in the 2020 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) at Keeneland.
Blue Stripe Sparkles in Breeders’ Cup Distaff Work
Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) contender Blue Stripe dazzled Oct. 26 in her final work for a Nov. 5 outing at Keeneland, pleasing trainer Marcelo Polanco as she looks to follow in the hoofprints of her half sister, 2019 Distaff winner Blue Prize .
Blue Stripe at Keeneland
Working on her own with local jockey Ferrin Peterson aboard, Pozo de Luna’s 5-year-old daughter of Equal Stripes reeled off fractions of :12 1/5, :25 1/5, and :37 3/5 en route to a five-furlong time of 1:00 over a track rated good. She galloped out strongly to six furlongs in 1:12 1/5, seven-eighths in 1:24 4/5, and a mile in 1:39 2/5.
“She’s got some nice gears,” Peterson told Polanco, who put the rider on her first Southern California winner at Los Alamitos Race Course in 2019.
With Hector Berrios in the irons, she took the Oct. 6 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1) at Del Mar, a Breeders’ Cup Challenge event for the Distaff.
Blue Stripe put her finishing touches on preparations that included an Oct. 17 move in :59 3/5 at her home base of Santa Anita Park.
“Her last workout at Santa Anita was the same, it was a very good work,” Polanco said. “We were expecting another nice work, and she delivered, so I think we’re in the right place at the right time.
“I think she’s really blooming right now, so I’m happy because that’s the way we had to get to this final workout. It was a really nice work, and I’m happy with the way she came out of it so far this morning.”
Also victorious in the Santa Margarita Stakes (G2) this April, Blue Stripe looks to improve upon a seventh in the 2021 Distaff at Del Mar, her North American debut. Unraced at 2, she won a group 1 and a group 2 in Argentina as a 4-year-old after breaking her maiden and being grade 1-placed at 3. The Distaff will be her first start outside of California or her native Argentina.
Blue Stripe is consigned to The November Sale, Fasig-Tipton’s marquee breeding stock sale in Lexington, where she will be offered Nov. 6 as Hip 316 as a racing/broodmare prospect by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.
