We’re sure by now all of you know what a huge fan and ambassador to Horse Racing we are! We are for the first time ever at Churchill Downs in Louisville, home of the Kentucky Derby for the sport’s two championship days this weekend, the Breeder’s Cup! We’re thrilled about this and taking-in the history and energy.
With Triple Crown winner Justify being absent from the Breeders’ Cup Classic, this leaves the marquee $6 million affair wide-open with John Sadler trainee Accelerate leading the charge. If there were anyone who knows how to win the headliner, that would be Justify‘s trainer, Bob Baffert who comes armed with a duo comprised of the fresh West Coast who ran second last year and McKinzie.
Canadian content is abundant this year with leading two-year-old Woodbine filly, My Gal Betty ready to go for Hall of Fame Trainer Roger Attfield in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. She was a game second in the Grade I Natalma Stakes to La Pelosa (IRE) and once again faces her.
European superfilly and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Enable will be there in-person and squaring-off with among others, Ontario-bred Channel Maker who won the Breeder’s Stakes at Woodbine last year. They vie for the winner’s share of $4 million in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Classic.
We’ll be seeing Canada’s queen Wonder Gadot ready to do battle for owner Gary Barber and leading Woodbine trainer Mark Casse. She is up against the big girls including three-year-old filly division leaders Midnight Bisou and Monomoy Girl in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
Casse also sends-out among others, War of Will, a game second in the Summer Stakes back in September at Woodbine, plus locally-based Shamrock Rose in the Breeder’s Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.
Two Canadian-bred colts based in Europe have their eyes set on glory in Sergei Prokofiev and Van Beethoven, the former bred by our friend David Anderson, who also bred Wonder Gadot.
Yvonne Schwabe-bred Conquest Tsunami who has found new life in a California for owner Gary Barber stands a big chance in the Breeder’s Cup Turf Sprint.
Ricoh Woodbine Mile winner Oscar Performance looks to repeat his September feat in the Breeder’s Cup Turf Mile.
The favourite in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Fillies is Bellafina, a daughter of Woodbine-based Akron Moon, who was trained by Mark Frostad.
Woodbine-based jockey Luis Contreras arrives at Churchill Downs to ride Warrior’s Club for legendary Trainer D Wayne Lukas and also Bravazo in the Breeder’s Cup Mile.
Our Friday picks:
Juvenile Turf Sprint – Sergei Prokofiev
Juvenile Fillies Turf – Pivottina (FR)
Juvenile Fillies – Bellafina
Juvenile Turf – War of Will
Juvenile – Game Winner
Our Saturday picks:
Filly & Mare Sprint – Marley’s Freedom
Turf Sprint – Stormy Liberal
Dirt Mile – Catalina Cruiser
Filly & Mare Turf – Magical Wand (IRE)
Sprint – Whitmore
Turf Mile – Polydream (IRE)
Distaff – Abel Tasman
Turf Classic – Enable
Classic – West Coast
See some our Snaps!
Click here for the schedule to watch the Breeders’ Cup in Canada. NBC will air coverage for the Saturday, November 6, 2018 card 3:30 – 6:00 PM ET.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
For advertising opportunites please contact mrwill@mrwillwong.com