Winner Gains Automatic Berth into 2025 Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf
Breeders’ Cup Press Release
CHICHESTER, England – Pretty Polly Stakes (G1) heroine Whirl (IRE), has been declared to take on 4-year-old See The Fire (GB) July 31 in the Nassau Stakes (G1) over 1 1/4 miles at Goodwood Racecourse.
The winner will gain a guaranteed start in the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) via the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In.
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 93 stakes races in 15 countries whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, scheduled to be held Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, California.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien for Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Mrs. John Magnier, Whirl comes off a 1 1/4-length victory in the Pretty Polly Stakes in June at The Curragh – form which was significantly boosted last Saturday when runner-up Kalpana (GB) finished a length behind Calandagan (IRE) in the iconic King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) at Ascot.
A daughter of Wootton Bassett (GB), Whirl already showed her talent when beaten a neck in the Epsom Oaks (G1) by stablemate Minnie Hauk (IRE). She is up against serious opposition in the form of JC Smith’s See The Fire, who proved herself against the colts when finishing third in a red-hot Prince of Wales’s Stakes (G1) at Ascot. She earned her supplementary entry to that contest a month earlier when crossing the line of the Middleton Stakes (G2) at York an astonishing 12 lengths ahead of the field.
“She has started this year in fabulous form and was very impressive in the Middleton, winning a Group 2 in easy fashion,” trainer Andrew Balding said of See The Fire. “And then we thought she ran a super race at Ascot against the boys in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.
“As a 3-year-old we didn’t see the best of her until we got to the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood where she was narrowly beaten. Then she went on and won the Strensall Stakes (G3) against older colts at York”
“There is evidence to suggest she is improving all the time, and she certainly looks to have done physically. She is an exciting filly, and hopefully the best is to come.”
The race could prove an interesting barometer of how this year’s middle distance Classic generation weigh up against the 4-year-olds.
Ballydoyle’s second flag bearer, 3-year-old Bedtime Story (IRE), currently sits third in the betting. The daughter of Frankel (GB) has not delivered on the promise of her 2-year-old form, which boasted four consecutive wins including in a Group 2 and 3. However, she seemed back to her best last time out when finishing second at Chantilly in the June 15 Prix de Diane Longines (G1) in her first start over the 1 1/4 miles.
Shane R. Stafford-owned Cercene (IRE), another Irish raider, shocked everyone in June when she stormed home to win the Coronation Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot at 33-1. She is 6-1 to repeat the favor over an extra 2 furlongs this week.
David Howden’s Group 1-winning mare, Running Lion (GB), is the outsider at 25-1 and is the only 5-year-old in the race. She has not found success this season, but her trainers, John & Thady Gosden, have a stellar record in the race – John racking up four winners in the race and a fifth with son Thady on the license.
The going is currently good ahead of Thursday.
As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders’ Cup will pay the entry fees for the winner of the Nassau Stakes to start in the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, which will be run at 1 3/8 miles. Breeders’ Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 20 in order to receive the rewards.
