NEW YORK (October 4, 2019) – Final automatic qualifying berths into the Breeders’ Cup World Championships will be at stake at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., this weekend during two live “Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series Win and You’re In – Presented by America’s Best Racing” programs. Coverage begins this Saturday, October 5, at 5:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN with the $1 million Shadwell Turf Mile and the $500,000 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity. The $500,000 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes highlights live programming this Sunday, October 6, at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
This weekend’s shows marks the last two of 11 telecasts in the “Breeders’ Cup Challenge: Win and You’re In Series – Presented by America’s Best Racing” on NBC and NBCSN in 2019 from some of America’s most iconic racetracks. The series leads to the 36th Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park on Nov. 1-2 on NBC and NBCSN. Complete series TV schedule can be accessed here: http://www.breederscup.com/challenge-series
NBC Sports’ coverage this weekend will feature commentary and discussion led by: Nick Luck Randy Moss, Jerry Bailey, Donna Brothers and Eddie Olczyk. Horse Racing Radio Network (HRRN) also will broadcast live from Keeneland this weekend, beginning on Saturday from 4:00-6:30 p.m. ET on Sirius XM 156, and again on Sunday from 5-6 p.m. ET, on Sirius XM156. Programs on both days also will be streamed live on horseracingradio.net
The “Fall Stars” Weekend (Oct. 4-6) at Keeneland will include nine Breeders’ Cup Challenge races. (The JP Morgan Chase Jessamine Stakes {G2} at Keeneland on Oct. 9, will be the final race of the 2019 Challenge Series).
The 34th Shadwell Turf Mile will award the winner a free berth into the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile at the World Championships. Saturday’s race features the last two Shadwell Turf Mile winners in George Turner and Clipper Logistics’ veteran Suedois (FR) and Michael and Jules Iavarone, Jerry McClanahan et al’s Next Shares, leading the 14 starters.
The 8-year-old gelding Suedois, trained by David O’Meara, enters the Shadwell Turf Mile off a fourth-place finish Sept. 14 in the one-mile Clipper Logistics Boomerang Solonaway Stakes (G2) at Leopardstown in Ireland. Ridden by Jamie Spencer, Suedois has finished in the top three in his last five starts, including a victory in the Weatherbys Racing Bank Supreme Stakes (G3) on Aug. 23 at Goodwood. Following his triumph in the 2017 Shadwell Turf Mile, Suedois finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar.
Next Shares was 23-1 in last year’s race and went on to win by 3¼ lengths. This year, Next Shares, trained by Richard Baltas, won the 1 1/8-mile San Gabriel Stakes over the Santa Anita turf course in January. In his most recent start, he finished seventh in the Tourist Mile at Kentucky Downs on Aug. 31 in his first start in nearly four months.
The 3-year-old Valid Point, for e Five Racing Thoroughbreds and Michael J. Ryan, was a late addition and will try older horses for the first time for trainer Chad Brown. Valid Point is undefeated in three starts, including the Secretariat (G1) at Arlington Park on Aug.10. Preceding the Shadwell Turf Mile will be the 1 1/16-mile Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity for 2-year-olds, a “Win and You’re In” for the TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. A field of 10 will go postward, led by Anderson Stables’ By Your Side, who has won two races in three starts, which includes a three-length score in the Sanford Stakes (G3) at Saratoga. Trained by Eddie Kenneally and ridden by Corey Lanerie, By Your Side will be looking to improve off his fifth-place finish last time out in the Hopeful (G1) at Saratoga.
Todd Pletcher trained back-to-back winners of the Breeders’ Futurity in 2013 with We Miss Artie, and in 2014 with Carpe Diem. This year, the 7-time Eclipse Award Champion Trainer sends out Team Valor International and WinStar Farm’s Gouverneur Morris, who won his first and only race so far by nine lengths at 5 ½ furlongs over a sloppy track at Saratoga on Sept. 2.
Elate leads Sunday’s Juddmonte Spinster
Keeneland’s opening weekend will conclude with the traditional Sunday closer, the $500,000 “Win and You’re In” Juddmonte Spinster (G1), which will once again offer an automatic starting berth into the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff, though Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider’s homebred and heavy favorite Elate may actually be using the race as a prep for the Breeders’ Cup Classic. The 5-year-old daughter of Medaglia d’Oro earned a Distaff berth when she won Churchill Downs’ “Win and You’re In” Fleur de Lis (G2) in June. However, Elate is 3-for-3 at 1 ¼ miles, which includes a win in the Delaware Handicap (G2) in July, and that record has trainer Bill Mott possibly considering the Classic. Elate, who is 7-for-17 lifetime, was fourth as the favorite for the Distaff at Del Mar in 2017.
Peter Brant’s Dunbar Road could vault to the top of the 3-year-old filly division with a win for trainer Chad Brown. The daughter of Quality Road won Belmont Park’s Mother Goose (G2) in June and Saratoga’s Alabama (G1) Aug. 17, and is 4-for-5 lifetime, while Merribelle Stable’s Blue Prize (ARG) won the Spinster last year for trainer Nacho Correas and was a close fourth in the Distaff at Churchill.
The $250,000 “Win and You’re In” Dixiana Bourbon (G3), at 1 1/16 miles, will offer an automatic starting berth into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and figures to be led by Walking L Thoroughbreds’ Fighting Seabee, who is 2-for-2 for trainer Kenny McPeek, including Saratoga’s With Anticipation Stakes (G3) on Aug. 28. JSM Equine’s Peace Achieved won the Gainesway Farm Juvenile at Kentucky Downs on Aug. 31 for trainer Mark Casse.
From: Breeders Cup Press Release
