Short races and upsets marked the first two races in the European Road to the Kentucky Derby on September 24 in the UK and Ireland.
While the races are held on grass and, if history is a guide, won’t have much of an impact on the US Crown, the Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” bid added a additional spice numbers for the North American audience.
That free ticket to Breeders’ Cup (G1T) Children’s Court at Keeneland went to Foxes who surprised three competitors in the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (G2) at Newmarket, beating highly regarded competitors from Godolphin and Coolmore.
THE FOXES beat G1 @juddmontefarms Royal Lodge Stakes and wins a spot in @breederscup #winandyourin 💥 pic.twitter.com/SNrhcFIkbu
– Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) September 24, 2022
After strolling through the park for nearly half a mile, the switch turned “ON,” and the final stretch was a flat sprint for the judges. With a long time to run, all four were side by side all the way, all with a chance. Foxes, one Churchill colt runs for King Power Racing and coach Andrew Balding, who took the inside route to score half the length of the longtime leader Dubai Mile .
Godolphin’s Flying honor , a major favorite after two impressive wins in a row, finished in third place under William Buick. Coolmore’s Greenland finished fourth and last, despite being beaten only 1 1/4 by length, with Ryan Moore in place of Aidan O’Brien.
The Foxes are now together for a straight win after finishing 9th in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot in June—a race in which the owner’s blood dealer, Alastair Donald, has been called “the one”. event not event”.
Jockey David Probert has been full of praise for his mount and believes the 2-year-old foal can have a bright future.
“He’s got a lovely temperament and the way he gallops today shouldn’t matter on the trip with him,” Probert said. “He’s a lovely prospect. He’s grown up this horse very well both mentally and physically.
“We had a lovely rhythm and handled the undulations pretty well today,” he added. “He’s headed well and I’m very excited for King Power and his home team. His name is always saved for something special, and I think they’ve got one.”
Balding is also very enthusiastic about The Foxes and believes a spot at next year’s Cazoo Derby (G1) could be a realistic goal: “It’s satisfying. King Power is so important to us and it’s great to have it. a really good tournament for them I hope depending on how far he stays he can develop into an Epsom horse, that’s always the hope.Bangkok ) isn’t quite at a mile and a half so that’s a question mark, but we’ll see. “
Barronstown was bred THE FOXES (Churchill @coolmorestud) showed his class in Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes @NewmarketRace 🌟 It marks consecutive wins for @AndrewBalding2 trained 2YO who was sold by Barronstown at @ Tattersalls1766 Bk1 to @SackvilleDonald pic.twitter.com/TbTqexDSnG
– BarronstownStud (@BarronstownStud) September 24, 2022
The grass-fed one-mile race was rated “good” but the final time of 1:43.66 was seven seconds shorter than the standard. That, plus the short field, makes it very difficult to draw conclusions.
Returning home to Ireland, Coolmore suffered another setback in the Alan Smurfit Beresford Stakes (G2) Memorial at Curragh.
Crypto force one Check the time Trained by Michael O’Callaghan for Amo Racing Limited, gathered the last word of the five inside the longhair two-hair marker for jockey Colin Keane, catching up with Coolmore’s pacesetting favorite, The Adelaide River , in the final match and won by 2 1/2 against that opponent. That result marked the first time since 2010, Coolmore coach Aidan O’Brien failed to beat Beresford.
That’s four different lengths to Young Ireland finished third when only five people faced the starter after two scratches from the ground yielding.
Crypto Force completed a mile in 1 hour 44.30, six seconds behind the standard time. It was the start of his third career. He won his first match at Curragh June 1 but was then knocked out by tougher talent in the Chesham Stakes at the Royal Meeting, reported Saturday, beating 9 3/4 length .
Crypto Force returns from a respite to destroy Group 2 commander winner Alan Smurfit Memorial Beresford Stakes, sprinting clear in the bottom finish stages @ctkjockey score for @MDOCallaghan and @amoracingltd pic.twitter.com/EEtTfHWq0A
– Curragh Racecourse (@curraghrace) September 24, 2022
“Colin says he won’t have a problem going further and on that better ground he’ll have more speed,” O’Callaghan said, according to the Racing Post. “He can transform into a Guineas horse during the winter, but we haven’t been able to make our own yet.”
Foxes and Crypto Force, each earning 10 points for an early lead on the “Road to Kentucky Derby”. The number of points offered increases in the second half of the competition.
The series was concocted by Churchill Downs in hopes of generating interest and interest for the Transatlantic Rose Run. Four of the first seven races are run on grass, often far fewer than the company’s in the fall, and more likely to be the indicator for next year’s European Classics than the US Crown Three .
The final three races are run on all-weather tracks at the start of the new season and could be pointers to Louisville if any European connections are interested.
A similar series in Japan will begin on November 26 at Tokyo Racecourse.
