We Speak Horse Racing
The Raiders Are Coming: International Stars Target the Breeders’ Cup Turf and Mile
The Breeders’ Cup calls itself the World Championships, and this year the world is showing up in force. A record 255 pre-entries were announced for the Oct. 30-31 meeting at Keeneland, including 79 international contenders — the second-highest total in event history — representing horses bred in 10 countries across six continents.
Nowhere is the invasion stronger than in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1). Defending champion Ethical Diamond returns for trainer Willie Mullins after his upset victory a year ago, and he renews his rivalry with the English mare Tiffany, who beat him in the Kentucky Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs. Irish Champion Stakes (G1) upset winner Hotazhell, Japan’s 8-year-old Deep Monster and the mare Survie, who won a major 1 1/2-mile prize at Saratoga in August, add depth to a field of 21 pre-entries.
The Turf lost some star power on Thursday when Ombudsman was withdrawn and Aidan O’Brien took out both Minnie Hauk, winner of the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot on Oct. 17, and 2025 Epsom Derby winner Lambourn. Their defections opened the door for Irish Oaks winner Johanna Walsh and Far Bridge. O’Brien also withdrew 2025 Juvenile Turf winner Gstaad from the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1), where Japan’s Ask Ikigomi and stablemate Puerto Rico move into the field to challenge defending champion Notable Speech.
We Speak Horse Racing
Blink and You’ll Miss Them: Englishman, Shisospicy and Ways and Means Headline the Breeders’ Cup Sprints
Championship Saturday at Keeneland will pause for breath exactly three times — and each pause lasts about a minute. The Breeders’ Cup’s sprint divisions, the Sprint (G1), the Turf Sprint (G1) and the Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), bring together the fastest horses in the world, and this year’s editions are loaded.
The $2 million Sprint drew 19 pre-entries and is expected to fill all 14 starting gates for the second straight year. The horse they all have to catch is Englishman, Cherie DeVaux’s 3-year-old sensation whose lone defeat came in the Pat Day Mile (G2) and who has otherwise dominated his generation in the Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) and H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1). He faces older horses for the first time, with T O Elvis and Forego Stakes (G1) winner Hymn — trained by Ron Moquett, who won this race at Keeneland in 2020 with Whitmore — among the dangers. Last year’s winner, Bentornato, is sidelined and will not defend his title.
On the grass, champion female sprinter Shisospicy returns to defend her Turf Sprint crown for Jose D’Angelo despite having raced only once since last year’s Breeders’ Cup, while the Filly & Mare Sprint revolves around Ways and Means, whose 5 1/2-length Ballerina Stakes (G1) romp on Aug. 29 makes her the standout as trainer Chad Brown chases a record fourth victory in the race.
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