Breeders' Cup Classic (G1)

Zenyatta on course for Classic challenge (10/28)
Trainer John Shirreffs said it succinctly on Wednesday in explaining why he and owners Jerry and Ann Moss prefer to start Zenyatta in the $5-million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) rather than the Breeders’ Cup Ladies; Classic (G1). Click here.

Gitano Hernando stokes European fire (10/12)
The upset win by Gitano Hernando (GB) in the Goodwood Stakes (G1) on October 10 may blow open the floodgates for European horses and also nudge the connections of Zenyatta toward the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). Click here.

Summer Bird may slide into favorite’s role (10/6)
With a third Grade 1 victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) on October 3, Summer Bird made a strong statement to be the favorite, at least of the American-based horses, in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on November 7 at Santa Anita Park. Click here.

Rip Van Winkle a ‘brilliant’ prospect for Classic (9/30)
Trainer Aidan O’Brien has referred to Rip Van Winkle as “the most brilliant horse” ever to grace his powerful stable. Click here.

Gio Ponti may target Breeders’ Cup Classic (9/22)
Arlington Million Stakes (G1) winner Gio Ponti may take aim at the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) following a start in either the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (G1) on October 3 at Belmont Park or the Clement Hirsch L. Turf Championship Stakes (G1) on October 11 at Santa Anita Park. Click here.

Picture no clearer after Woodward, Pacific Classic (9/9)
Both the Woodward (G1) and Pacific Classic (G1) Stakes on opposite coasts and different surfaces offered opportunities to identify a leader in the older male division with two months to go before the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), but that leadership role remains vacant. Click here.

Summer Bird's Classic outlook still murky (9/1)
Summer Bird’s strong victory in the Shadwell Travers Stakes (G1) cleared up the Eclipse Award race for champion three-year-old male, at least for the moment, but its impact on the complexion of the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) is tougher to decipher. Click here.

In the Stars? (8/25)
Maybe, just maybe, some racetrack, somewhere will check all the boxes and bring Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta together for a showdown this fall. Click here.

Colonel John resurfaces as a potential key player (8/18)
After several delays, Colonel John will return to the California older male division in an interesting position on September 6 in the Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) at Del Mar. Click here.

Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Turf (G1)

Compact field (10/28)
The Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) attracted only nine pre-entries, but three of those horses cross entered in other races, meaning the Turf could have not only the smallest field in that race’s history but also the smallest field in the history of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. Click here.

Catch him if you can, Conduit healthy (10/13)
His style of running might as well come from his name. Click here.

Conduit plugged in for repeat (10/5)
While Ballymacoll Stud and Sir Michael Stoute certainly would have been happy with a win in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1), there would be no shame in joining the likes of High Chaparral (Ire) by winning consecutive editions of the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1), and history has shown that an Arc loss is a better prep than an Arc win when it comes to the Turf. Click here.

Major Turf preps begin this weekend (9/29)
The $3-million Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) is without a favorite right now as the connections of some of the most prominent distance turf horses in the world contemplate starts in other Breeders’ Cup races, such as the $5-million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). Click here.

Well done (9/22)
The Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (Can-G1) appears unlikely to be a major Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) prep after the connections of many of the top finishers have hinted that their turf stars will target other races. Click here.

Weekend wins unlikely to threaten top contenders (9/14)
A trio of Grade or Group 2 races highlighted weekend stakes action in the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) division, but none of the winners appear likely to challenge the current leaders of the division in four-time Grade 1 winner Gio Ponti or last year’s Turf winner Conduit (Ire). Click here.

Another Turf threat for Von Ullmann? (9/8)
Baron Georg von Ullmann showed in 2005 that he is not opposed to shipping one of his homebred German Group 1 winners to the United States for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, and a similar threat for the ’09 renewal of the race surfaced on September 6 at Baden-Baden where Von Ullmann’s homebred Getaway won the $356,000 Grosser Preis von Baden (Ger-G1). Click here.

Spring in the fall? (9/1)
R.D. Hubbard’s Spring House successfully defended his victory in last year’s Del Mar Handicap (G2) with a four-wide move between horses to get up by a nose over Sir Dave. Click here.

A Telling twist in the Breeders' Cup Turf division (8/18)
With his upset victory in the Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes (G1), Alex and JoAnn Lieblong’s Telling not only stamped himself a contender for the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) but also flattered the results of the Arlington Million Stakes (G1). Click here.

Sentinet Jet Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1)

Zensational aims for fourth straight victory (10/28)
Zensational will try to secure his fifth straight victory and fourth straight Grade 1 win in Southern California in this year’s Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1). Click here.

Fatal Bullet, Gayego ready (10/12)
After several weeks of uncertainty over whether anyone can run with Zensational, races run on October 9 and 11 presented some clarity for the field likely to face Zayat Stable’s speedy three-year-old in the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) on November 7. Click here.

Muddy picture from Vosburgh (10/5)
The six-furlong Vosburgh Stakes (G1) on October 3 was supposed to provide some clarity for the East Coast sprinters pointing toward the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) on November 7. Well, forget that. A dismal, rainy day in New York produced a sea of slop on the Belmont Park track, and neither of the top two finishers can be regarded as likely starters in the $2-million, six-furlong race on Santa Anita Park’s Pro-Ride surface. Click here.

El Brujo swoops into Sprint picture (9/29)
While the Vosburgh Stakes (G1) on October 3 should help to clarify the picture for the East Coast contingent to the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), a Canadian invader landed in Kentucky on September 26 and made an impression—just as another Canadian sprinter had done a year earlier. Click here.

New players in Sprint mix (9/22)
The field for the $2-million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) has picked up two more possible starters, and they emerge from different edges of the continent and from very different backgrounds. Click here.

Simply Zensational (9/9)
Less than two months out from the $2-million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), the six-furlong dash may well have found a favorite, and he is simply Zensational. Ahmed Zayat’s three-year-old Unbridled’s Song ridgling took on older horses again in the $300,000 Pat O’Brien Stakes (G1) at Del Mar on September 6, and they could not match his speed. Click here.

A little clarity from the King's Bishop (9/1)
While older sprinters look toward Labor Day weekend, which contains the Forego Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course and the Pat O’Brien Stakes (G1) at Del Mar, the three-year-olds were in action at Saratoga on the Shadwell Travers Stakes (G1) undercard. Click here.

King's Bishop could clear East Coast picture (8/25)
Racing at Saratoga on August 29 should help to sort out the three-year-olds pointing toward the Sprint. Quality Road, who set a Saratoga track record for 6 1/2 furlongs (1:13.74) in winning the Amsterdam Stakes (G2) on August 3, is to go into the Shadwell Travers Stakes (G1) that day, and the NetJets King’s Bishop Stakes (G1) on that program should make a statement on the three-year-old sprinters. Click here.

Baffert preparing for some home cooking in the Sprint (8/18)
With Oak Tree again playing host to the Breeders’ Cup World Championship on Santa Anita Park’s Pro-Ride surface, the synthetic track will be a significant handicapping factor in the $2-million Sentient Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G2) on November 7. Last year, Bob Baffert-trained Midnight Lute was brilliantly prepared for his second straight victory in the six-furlong race off workouts on the Santa Anita surface. Click here.

Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1)

Lookin At Lucky should face full field (10/29)
Looking At Lucky is undefeated in all four of his starts—including a sharp, 1¾-length score in the Norfolk Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park last time out—but he did not scare away any of the opposition as 20 two-year-olds were pre-entered on Wednesday for the $1-million Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). Click here.

McPeek in the mix; Hopeful Stakes form holds up, almost (10/12)
Few trainers are as good as Ken McPeek at either getting the most out of modestly bred horses or picking out relatively inexpensive yearlings and two-year-olds at the sales and turning them into graded stakes winners. Click here.

Will the buzz lure Dutrow? (9/24)
Some of the most refreshing news to emerge from last weekend’s stakes action were trainer Richard Dutrow Jr.’s post-race comments about whether he would consider running D’ Funnybone in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) against his gut instinct to skip the race. Click here.

Baffert looking good again (9/10)
With the major summer meetings now complete at Saratoga Race Course and Del Mar and Grade 1 events contested on both coasts, the time to rank the legitimate contenders for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) has arrived. Click here.

'Worst-kept secret' delivers at Spa (9/1)
The news cycle in Saratoga Springs, New York during the week of the Shadwell Travers Stakes (G1) is understandably all about the three-year-olds, but a two-year-old trained by a man who has excelled with sophomores in his Racing Hall of Fame career got plenty of buzz before Saratoga Race Course’s signature event on Saturday. Click here.

Expect some changes in Juvenile division soon (8/18)
Last week was relatively quiet in the two-year-old male division without a stakes race of consequence contested, but some possible players were added to the mix after impressive maiden wins at Saratoga Race Course. Click here.

Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1)

Sorting through the pre-entries (10/28)
When 21 horses were pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1), it makes it likely there will be a full field of 14 when the race is held on the Pro-Ride synthetic surface at Santa Anita Park on November 7. But one has to sort through all the pre-entries and what they mean to figure out which horses will be starting in the race because two-thirds of the horses, 14, were pre-entered in another race. Click here.

Last of the preps completed (10/19)
The third weekend of October brought the final two acknowledged prep races for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1). Neither race figures to produce a strong contender, if a contender at all. Click here.

Girolamo throws hat into ring (10/12)
Going into the second weekend of October, the availability of major preps for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) was fast diminishing—it was down to about two—with one of those races restricted to three-year-olds. Well, that was just what the doctor ordered for Girolamo, a late-developing three-year-old who needed a place to run. Click here.

One day you’re in, the next day you’re out (10/5)
The date for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) gets closer every week, but that does not mean the picture for the race is getting any clearer. Click here.

Bribon beaten; Smooth Air, Assessment injured (9/21)
It was a relatively quiet week in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) division on the racing front. About the only hard news was the fifth-place finish of Bribon (Fr) in the Woodbine Mile Stakes (Can-G1). There were several notable injuries, though, to Assessment and Smooth Air. Click here.

Cherokee Artist may be player (9/14)
Finding legitimate qualifying races for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) is often tough, so this week we turn our attention to an unlikely place for a prep race, Presque Isle Downs, host of the Presque Isle Mile Stakes on September 13. Click here.

Add Pyro to the mix (9/9)
Coming up with a list of contenders for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) is often an exercise in guesswork. Click here.

Little change in division (8/25)
As the championship seasons moves toward the fall, there will be a lot of races in September and October that will help determine the makeup of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1), but those preps are still in the near future and little has changed in the division since last week. Click here.

Assessment is in on Longacres win (8/18)
There are few graded races on the calendar that can be viewed as having the exact conditions one would associate as being perfect races to find candidates for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1). One such race was held this past week, the Longacres Mile Handicap (G3), which was run for the 74th time on August 16 at Emerald Downs. Plus, the Longacres Mile is part of the “Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup program, making its winner automatically eligible to be in the starting gate for the Dirt Mile on November 7 at Santa Anita Park. Click here.

TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (G1)

Goldikova fails to scare off competition (10/28)
The maximum number of challengers pre-entered the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) on November 7 at Santa Anita Park, though it is unlikely a full field will enter the starting gate as two pre entrants (Awesome Gem and Colonel John) have first preference in Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) and three others (Cowboy Cal, Karelian, and Mr. Sidney) have second preference in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1). Click here.

Preparing for the European onslaught (10/13)
A couple of impressive victories in major North American stakes races this past weekend in preparation for the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) has not dampened Europe’s enthusiasm for the chances of Goldikova (Ire) to repeat in the race at the same course and distance as last year. Click here.

Tarnished Gold (10/7)
Goldikova (Ire) appeared untouchable this summer when winning three consecutive Group 1 races, but a third-place finish in the Total Prix de la Foret (Fr-G1) on October 3 at Longchamp removed her cloak of invincibility, though whether she will be vulnerable in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) remains to be seen. Click here.

Goldikova scaring off Win and You’re In qualifiers (9/29)
The allure of a possible championship and a path separate from that of Goldikova (Ire) have TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) qualifiers Ventura and Rip Van Winkle targeting different races at this year’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships. Click here.

Goldikova awaits QE2 winner, Ventura to Sprint (9/22)
It did not take Prince Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farm operation long to say that homebred Woodbine Mile Stakes (Can-G1) winner Ventura would point toward a defense of her Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) title rather than face Goldikova (Ire) in that filly’s defense of her Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) title. Click here.

It’s Goldikova’s world (9/14)
Within a week Rachel Alexandra went from “ducking Quality Road” by racing in the Woodward Stakes (G1) to “the best racehorse in the world” by winning the very race many viewed as an easier spot to the Shadwell Travers Stakes (G1). Click here.

Home turf may prove advantageous in Mile (9/8)
Normally horses based in Southern California are perceived to have an edge in the Breeders’ Cup when the World Championships event is staged at Santa Anita Park given the peculiarities of the climate, but the results of the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) in this decade belie that conventional wisdom. Click here.

Good 'enuff' for Goldikova? (9/1)
Justenuffhumor asserted himself as North America’s top threat to dethrone Goldikova (Ire) as the world’s best miler with a victory in the Bernard Baruch Handicap (G2) on August 28 at Saratoga Race Course. Click here.

Bernard Baruch could determine fate of tweeners (8/25)
For horses excelling on turf, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships offers three options but at very different distances. Click here.

Goldikova continues domination of Mile division (8/18)
As dominating as some of North America’s top female racehorses have been this year in their respective divisions—Forever Together against turf females, Rachel Alexandra against three-year-old fillies, and Zenyatta against older females—Goldikova has looked invincible against milers in Europe this summer. Click here.

Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint

Mare Diamondrella looks well-placed in Turf Sprint (10/28)
After securing her second Grade 1 stakes win of the year in the First Lady Stakes (G1) on October 10 at Keeneland Race Course, Diamondrella looks poised to challenge males in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. Click here.

Gotta Have Her intriguing addition to Turf Sprint (10/20)
Considering her top form and experience on the course, Gotta Have Her appears to be capable of a top placing in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. Click here.

Diamondrella intriguing Turf Sprint candidate (10/13)
As the 6½-furlong distance of this year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint appears to be to her liking, two-time Grade 1 winner Diamondrella (GB) figures to be an exciting addition to the field. Click here.

Fleeting Spirit may opt for Breeders’ Cup Sprint (10/5)
After a narrow runner-up finish in the Qatar Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp (G1) on Sunday, filly Fleeting Spirit (Ire) could be poised to improve on her fourth-place finish in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf. Click here.

Morvich important Turf Sprint prep race (9/29)
In contesting the feature race on the Oak Tree at Santa Anita opening day card, turf sprinters will enjoy a rare day in the spotlight. Click here.

Calhoun’s turf sprinters continue to excel (9/9)
Trainer Bret Calhoun came up big in the Turf Monster Handicap on September 7 at Philadelphia Park, saddling both the winner, Chamberlain Bridge, and the third-place finisher, Mr. Nightlinger. Click here.

Turf Monster Handicap to lure top contenders (9/1)
A glance at nominations for this year’s Turf Monster Handicap on Labor Day suggests the Philadelphia Park race will be one of the top preps for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint this season. Click here.

California Flag opens season with victory (8/25)
California Flag opened a late-season run for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint with a neck victory in the Green Flash Handicap on August 19 at Del Mar. Click here.

Schedule falls into place for Heros Reward (8/18)
A calendar move of Maryland Million day has helped Maryland-based trainer Dale Capuano determine a schedule for turf sprinter Heros Reward. Click here.

Breeders' Cup Marathon

St. Leger winner Mastery enters Marathon mix (10/1)
While Yeats will conclude his memorable career in the Prix du Cadran (Fr-G1) on Sunday at Longchamp rather than the Breeders’ Cup World Championships five weeks later, the Breeders’ Cup Marathon may attract recent Ladbrokes St. Leger (Eng-G1) winner Mastery. Click here.

Three more European horses pointing to Marathon (9/22)
Three more European-based runners have emerged as candidates for the Breeders’ Cup Marathon, joining a group that already includes star eight-year-old Yeats (Ire). Click here.

Yeats could add star power to Marathon (9/15)
Yeats did not add to his glistening record on September 12 in the Irish Field St. Leger (Ire-G1) at the Curragh, but the aftermath may have a notable bearing on the Breeders’ Cup Marathon. Click here.

Church Service, Eldaafer ready to meet in middle (9/1)
A pair of Breeders’ Cup Marathon candidates will have a Midwest convergence on Saturday in the Washington Park Handicap (G2) at Arlington Park. Click here

Few prep options leading up to Marathon (8/18)
The complexity of launching a Breeders’ Cup race without an established pattern of prep races is exhibited in a dearth of options for North American horses leading up to the Breeders’ Cup Marathon. Click here.

Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (G1)

Zenyatta entered in Classic, Ladies' Classic (10/28)
A total of nine fillies and mares were pre-entered in the $2-million Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (G1) on Wednesday, including last year’s winner and champion older mare, Zenyatta. Click here.

Awaiting Zenyatta’s choice (10/22)
The only significant question left heading into the $2-million Breeders’ Cup Ladies' Classic (G1) is will the defending winner of the race and reigning champion older mare be in the starting gate. Click here.

Zenyatta off to Ladies' Classic … or is she? (10/13)
Defending Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (G1) winner Zenyatta captured the Lady’s Secret Stakes (G1) on Saturday and appears primed to seek her second consecutive victory in the $2-million event on November 6 during the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita Park. Click here.

Zenyatta set for last Ladies’ Classic prep (10/6)
Unbeaten Zenyatta will return to the track on Saturday in search of a milestone victory and trying to prepare herself for a defense of her Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (G1) victory over the same surface last year. Click here.

Ladies' Classic division heats up in October (9/29)
A pair of red-hot fillies in the Ladies' Classic division will get back on the track this weekend and take another step toward planned starts in the Breeders’ Cup on November 6-7 during the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita Park. Click here.

Calm before storm in Ladies' Classic division (9/22)
This weekend should be relatively quiet in the Ladies' Classic division, which will crank back up on October 3 with the Beldame Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park and the Fitz-Dixon Cotillion Stakes (G3) at Philadelphia Park before really heating up with two automatic berths up for grabs the following weekend. Click here.

Swift Temper rides short rest to Ladies Classic berth (9/15)
Swift Temper apparently did not mind running back on fewer than two weeks rest. Her trainer, Dale Romans, did not like it at all. Click here.

Not much movement among Ladies’ Classic hopefuls (9/9)
A filly that probably will not run in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies' Classic (G1) dominated the divisional headlines during the long holiday weekend. Click here.

Music Note, Icon Project move toward Breeders' Cup (9/1)
Godolphin Racing’s Music Note and Andrew Rosen’s Icon Project made definitive statements during the weekend that they should not be left out of the discussion of contenders for the 1 1/4-mile Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (G1). Click here.

Careless Jewel leaps forward with Alabama romp (8/25)
It took only 2:03 to stamp Careless Jewel as a possible threat to win the Breeders’ Cup Ladies' Classic (G1) on November 6 during the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita Park. Click here.

Zenyatta atop division as Alabama looms (8/18)
Unbeaten and defending Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic (G1) winner Zenyatta remains the undisputed leader of the division, but the jockeying for position underneath may become clearer with the $600,000 Alabama Stakes (G1) and $400,000 Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) to be run at Saratoga Race Course during the next two weekends. Click here.

Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1)

Forever Together looks to repeat (10/28)
Based on the Breeders’ Cup World Championships pre-entries, Forever Together may dodge a significant potential rival in her efforts to become the first horse to win back-to-back editions of the Filly and Mare Turf (G1). Click here.

Lahaleeb to skip Breeders’ Cup (10/20)
Promoting Breeders’ Cup Challenge races as “Win and You’re In” created some confusion with the connections of Lahaleeb (Ire), who upset the E. P. Taylor Stakes (Can-G1) on Saturday at Woodbine at odds of 44.35-to-1. Click here.

Forever Together finishes third in final prep race (10/13)
Forever Together will begin final preparations for defense of her Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) win off a third-place finish in the First Lady Stakes (G1) at Keeneland Race Course on October 10. Click here.

European plans taking shape (10/5)
After finishing as the top female in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) on October 4 at Longchamp, Dar Re Mi appears set for a start in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). Click here.

Dynaforce heads New York-based turf females (9/29)
Dynaforce will again prep for this year’s $2-million Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) with a start in the Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes (G1) on Saturday at Belmont Park. Click here.

Arc de Triomphe next for Dar Re Mi (9/16)
While Dar Re Mi is being considered for a start in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1), the four-year-old Singspiel (Ire) filly will make her next start in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) on October 4 at Longchamp. Click here.

Dar Re Mi aims to continue roll this weekend (9/9)
After finishing second to Zarkava in last year’s Qatar Prix Vermeille (Fr-G1), Dar Re Mi will attempt to improve on that performance when she faces some of Europe’s top fillies and mares on Sunday at Longchamp. Click here.

Pletcher undecided on next start for Salve Germania (9/1)
Trainer Todd Pletcher will handle the United States campaign of Salve Germania (Ire) after the four-year-old filly won the Ballston Spa Handicap (G2) in her North American debut on August 29. Click here.

Internallyflawless to point toward Filly and Mare Turf (8/25)
New Racing Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said Internallyflawless would be pointed to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) after the Giant’s Causeway filly won the Del Mar Oaks (G1) on August 22. Click here.

Magical Fantasy hitting best stride (8/18)
Champion Forever Together’s biggest obstacle to a repeat win in this year’s Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) may come from Southern California-based Magical Fantasy, who seems to be peaking at the right time. Click here.

Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1)

A few surprises when pre-entries taken (10/28)
The expected favorites were all pre-entered for the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Santa Anita Park, and by all appearances, it looks like there will be 11 going to the post on November 6. Click here.

Now comes the long wait (10/19)
All the heavy lifting has been completed now that all the prep races are out of the way. So now comes the long wait as everyone anticipates which horses will be pre-entered for the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Santa Anita Park, and the makeup of the race when entries are taken on November 3. Click here.

New contenders emerge (10/12)
The purpose of major preps is to present venues to separate the contenders from the pretenders. That was especially true the second weekend of October, which featured the last major prep races for the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) on November 6 at Santa Anita Park. The prep races yielded several new names—Negligee and Devil May Care in particular—that will be considered dangerous in the divisional championship race. Click here.

Blind Luck may be one to beat (10/5)
The first major prep for the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) was held the first weekend of October, and Blind Luck made an emphatic statement that she might be the one to beat on November 6. Click here.

Awesome in the Matron (9/21)
As fall looms and the leaves begin to change, the picture for the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) starts to take shape. The weekend of September 19-20 added a little clarity to the division, though a little puzzle as well. Click here.

Necessary Evil sidelined; Matron, Natalma await (9/14)
It was a slow week for the Juvenile Fillies division. After the Labor Day weekend, there is not a big race in the division until September 19 when the seven-furlong Matron Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park is contested. On that date also is the one-mile Natalma Stakes (Can-G3) at Woodbine, which is part of the “Win and You’re In” program, ensuring its winner automatic entry into the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) on November 6 at Santa Anita Park. Click here.

Favorites dominate major preps (9/9)
A very busy Labor Day weekend has gone a long way toward sorting out the contenders from the pretenders in the Juvenile Fillies division. Click here.

Late month lull for division (8/25)
After the Adirondack Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course on August 19, there is a gap until the first week of September before there is another graded event for the division. Click here.

East, West Coast fillies head division (8/18)
There were no major races for two-year-old fillies this past week, so little has changed among the contenders in the division, though there is the Adirondack Stakes (G2) to look forward to on August 19 at Saratoga Race Course. Click here.

Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1)

Small but select group to meet defending champ (10/30)
Ventura and Informed Decision stand out among the small group of fillies and mares pre-entered on Wednesday for the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1), but those two should face a stiff test from the local contingent and a pair of runners from the powerful Godolphin Racing operation. Click here.

Third member of ‘big three’ comes through (10/12)
With a full menu of graded stakes races and preps for several Breeders’ Cup divisions on the opening weekend of Keeneland Race Course’s fall meeting, it comes as little surprise that one of the stellar performances in Lexington last weekend was somewhat lost in the shuffle. Click here.

Ventura takes over top spot with strong comeback (9/24)
Lingering doubts about the status of Ventura heading into the fall season and into a possible defense of her crown in the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) were erased when she returned last Sunday to win after a more than five-month layoff. Click here. 

Informed Decision back on top (9/15)
Many were quick to jump off the bandwagon after Informed Decision threw in a clunker in the Ballerina Stakes (G1) last time out at Saratoga, but she figures to gain many of those fair-weather followers back after yet another professional performance on a similar surface she will face in the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1). Click here.

Presque Isle has the prep race of the weekend (9/10)
A loaded field was entered on Wednesday for the $400,000 Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes (G3) and four of the 18 older females listed among the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) contenders are among the dozen set to go 6 1/2 furlongs. Click here.

Godolphin gets in the mix (9/1)
Representatives of Godolphin Racing and trainer Saeed bin Suroor, in for the week from Newmarket, got familiar with the Saratoga Race Course winner’s circle on Saturday and wound up with a couple Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) contenders in the process. Click here.

Quiet week for Filly and Mare Sprint contenders (8/18)
The Sentinet Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) division was pretty quiet as the premier summer meetings on opposite coasts inched past their midpoints, so there seems like no better time than to asses exactly who the main players are for one of the two new Grade 1 events on the World Championships program. Click here.

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf

Junia Tepzia aims to stay perfect in Juvenile Fillies Turf (10/28)
Junia Tepzia will try to win for the third time in as many career starts thousands of miles from her home base in the $1-million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf against a field of horses that is far superior to any she has faced in her previous two outings. Click here.

House of Grace joins prospective field (10/20)
Rain and more rain in mid-October played havoc with preparations for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filly Turf, but an off-the-grass race produced at least one prospective starter for the mile race on the November 6 card at Santa Anita Park. Click here.

Full Mandate could ship from Europe (10/5)
The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf appears to have picked up another overseas-based starter when trainer Richard Hannon said he was considering stakes-placed Full Mandate for the November 6 race at Santa Anita Park. Click here.

Hibaayeb takes Fillies’ Mile, gains starting slot (9/29)
Hibaayeb may have been a maiden going into the Meon Valley Stud Fillies’ Mile Stakes (Eng-G1), but the two-year-old Singspiel filly had been close to the winning post in her previous starts, and her three-quarter-length victory in the Fillies’ Mile at Ascot on September 26 marked her as a horse to watch leading up to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Click here.

Tarmagant wins, but probably not in (9/1)
While it is a very gracious gesture for Breeders’ Cup Ltd. to designate a European two-year-old race as a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the $1-million Grey Goose Juvenile Fillies Turf on November 6, it also is largely symbolic and futile, as proved by the Moyglare Stud Stakes (Ire-G1) at the Curragh on August 30. Click here.