NYRA/Coglianese Photo

New York connections abound in Breeders' Cup pre-entries

by NYRA Press Office

The upcoming Breeders' Cup World Championships, slated for Friday, November 2 and Saturday, November 3 at Churchill Downs, in Louisville, Kentucky, will feature a multitude of horses with New York ties led by Belmont Park Fall Meet-leading trainer Chad Brown who will saddle a dozen horses at racing's year-end showcase.

The Breeders' Cup coincides with Opening Weekend at Aqueduct Racetrack, which will feature the Grade 3, $150,000 Tempted on Friday, November 2 and the Grade 3, $150,000 Turnback the Alarm Handicap on November 3. On November 3 at Aqueduct, gates will open at 9 a.m. and racing fans will receive an Aqueduct tumbler with the purchase of a same day program.

Pre-entries for the Breeders' Cup were announced Wednesday with 221 individual horses pre-entered across 14 Breeders' Cup races including 12 for Brown who will send out Newspaperofrecord (Juvenile Fillies Turf); Complexity (Juvenile); Standard Deviation (Juvenile); A Raving Beauty (Filly & Mare Turf, 2nd Preference Mile); Fourstar Crook (Filly & Mare Turf); Santa Monica (Filly & Mare Turf); Sistercharlie (Filly & Mare Turf); Thais (Filly & Mare Turf); Analyze It (Mile); Almanaar (overflow for the Mile); Wow Cat (Distaff); and Robert Bruce (Turf). 

Todd Pletcher will be represented by eight horses including Bulletin (Juvenile Turf Sprint, 2nd Preference Juvenile Turf); Pakhet (Juvenile Fillies Turf); Current (Juvenile Turf); Opry (Juvenile Turf); Empire of War (overflow for Juvenile Turf); Blind Ambition (overflow for Turf Sprint); Smart Choice (Filly & Mare Turf); and Hi Happy (Turf). 

Mind Your Biscuits, the richest New York-bred in racing history with $4,279,566 in purse earnings, made the cut for the Breeders' Cup Classic for trainer and part-owner Chad Summers, with a second preference for the Sprint. Mind Your Biscuits, a versatile son of Posse, will take on a field of 14 in the Classic that includes fellow NYRA connected starters Catholic Boy, who took the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers for trainer Jonathan Thomas; Discreet Lover, who won the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup for trainer Uriah St. Lewis; and Grade 1 Woodward champ Yoshida, who is campaigned by Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

A total of 17 Breeders' Cup Win and You're In Challenge races were contested at NYRA tracks in 2018:

The November 2 Breeders' Cup program begins at 12:55 p.m. ET with four undercard races. The last race of the day, which follows the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile, will have a post time of 6:43 p.m. ET. Championship Saturday's first post is 10:45 a.m. ET and begins with two undercard races. There will be one race following the Breeders' Cup Classic, which will have a post time of 6:22 p.m. ET.

All of the racing action will be available on NYRA Bets, including a bevy of multi-race options on both days. Friday's card includes a $500,000 Pick 5 guarantee on races 1-5. There will be a Late Pick 5 on races 5-9 with a $1,000,000 guarantee and an all Breeders' Cup Pick 4 on Races 6-9 with a $1,500,000 million guarantee.

On November 3, handicappers will be treated to a $1,000,000 guaranteed Pick 6 on races 6-11; a Late Pick 5 on races 7-11 with a $2,000,000 guarantee and an all Breeders' Cup Pick 4 on races 8-11 with a $3,000,000 guarantee.

Race order for "Future Stars Friday" will start with the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (3:21 p.m.); the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (4:00 p.m.); the $2 million Tito's Handmade Vodka Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (4:40 p.m.); the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (5:22 p.m.) and the $2 million Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (6:05 p.m.)

Championship Saturday kicks off with two undercard races followed by the $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (12:00 p.m.); the $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (12:38 p.m.); the $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (1:16 p.m.); the $2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (2:04 p.m.); the $2 million TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (2:46 p.m.); the $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile (3:36 p.m.); the $2 million Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (4:16 p.m.); the $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (4:56 p.m.) and the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic (5:44 p.m.).

A closer look at NYRA-based trainers with starters at the Breeders' Cup:

Jorge Abreu's Stellar Agent is on the overflow list for both the Juvenile Fillies Turf and the Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Tom Albertrani will send out Sadler's Joy in the Turf.

Mark Casse will be represented by Strike Silver (Juvenile Turf Sprint); War of Will (Juvenile Turf); Shamrock Rose (Filly & Mare Sprint); Awesome Slew (Dirt Mile); and Wonder Gadot (Distaff).

Christophe Clement will saddle Disco Partner in the Turf Sprint.

Gary Contessa will send out Sippican Harbor in the Juvenile Fillies.

Jeremiah Englehart will saddle Forty Under in the Juvenile Turf.

Shug McGuaghey will look for his tenth Breeders' Cup win with Champagne runner-up Code of Honor in the Juvenile.

Kiaran McLaughlin is on the outside looking in with two horses on the overflow list, including Dream Pauline (Filly & Mare Sprint) and Qurbaan (Mile).

Bill Mott will send out a trio of entrants with Topper T (Juvenile), Channel Maker (Turf) and the aforementioned Yoshida in the Classic.

Brian Lynch will send out Woodbine Mile champ Oscar Performance in the Mile. 

Greg Sacco is seeking his first Breeders' Cup winner with Mind Control in the Juvenile.

 Jason Servis sends out the quintet of Uncle Benny (Juvenile Turf, 2nd Preference Juvenile Turf Sprint); Firenze Fire (Dirt Mile, 2nd Preference Sprint); and three chances in the Turf Sprint including Rainbow Heir, Vision Perfect and World of Trouble.

John Servis will send out Grade 1 Frizette winner Jaywalk in the Juvenile Fillies.

Barclay Tagg will send out Cassies Dreamer in the Juvenile Fillies and Verve's Tale in the Distaff.

John Terranova II trainee Backtohisroots is on the overflow list for the Juvenile Turf Sprint. 

Rodrigo Ubillo will look for his first Breeders' Cup win with Highway Star, recent winner of the Iroquois, in the Filly and Mare Sprint.

George Weaver's All About It is on the overflow list for the Juvenile Turf Sprint.