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BREEDERS' CUP 2011: The Road to Louisville

By Frankel
LOUISVILLE, KY - APRIL 28: A horse walks off of the track on a morning of rain during the training for the 135th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on April 28, 2009 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KY - APRIL 28: A horse walks off of the track on a morning of rain during the training for the 135th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on April 28, 2009 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Fifty-two days until the 2011 Breeders' Cup kicks off at Churchill Downs.  With time growing shorter and shorter by the day, connections of Breeders' Cup contenders are preparing for their final prep races before heading to Louisville. With an eye on the races ahead of us, I've put together a file summarizing the major stakes action from now until mid-October, along with identifying races that are part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series. Additionally, I've updated the Breeders' Cup Historical Payouts file with the results from 2010.

Breeders' Cup 2011 Prep Races

Breeders' Cup Historical Payouts

Some items to take note of going forward, as well as news on current Breeders' Cup contenders:

  • There are 31 Breeders' Cup Challenge races on the calender between now and mid-October.  Those races fall into the following divisions:

    Classic (2): G1-Goodwood, G1-JCGC
    Ladies' Classic (3): G1-Beldame, G1-Lady's Secret, G1-Spinster
    Turf (2): G1-Hirsch Turf Classic, G1-Canadian International
    Filly & Mare Turf (4): G1-Flower Bowl, G1-Yellow Ribbon, G1-Prix de l'Opera (FR), G1-EP Taylor
    Mile (2): G1-Woodbine Mile, G1-British Champions Mile (ENG)
    Dirt Mile (1): G2-Kelso
    Sprint (3): G1-Vosburgh, G1-Ancient Title, G3-Phoenix
    Filly & Mare Sprint (1): G2-TCOA
    Turf Sprint (1): G1-Nearctic
    Juvenile (3): G1-Norfolk, G1-Champagne, G1-Futurity
    Juvenile Fillies (3): G1-Oak Leaf, G1-Alcibiades, G1-Frizette
    Juvenile Turf (2): G1-Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (FR), G1-Dewhurst (ENG)
    Juvenile Fillies Turf (3): G2-Natalma, G1-Fillies' Mile (ENG), G3-Jessamine



  • This coming weekend is a turf racing extravaganza, with eight graded stakes races on the lawn between Belmont, Woodbine, and Arlington Park.
  • The weekend of Oct. 1st/2nd will feature 10 Grade 1 races in North America, along with five Grade 2s, four Grade 3s, along with seven Group 1 races in France during the Arc festival.
  • Smiling Tiger, recently 4th in the G1-Pat O'Brien at Del Mar, will not have another race prior to running in the Breeders' Cup Sprint.
  • Prayer for Relief, the winner of last weekend's Super Derby at Louisiana Downs, will point to the Breeders' Cup Classic for his next start.  That's an ambitious spot for a colt that was allowed to walk through the opening six and eight furlongs in 1:15.49 and 1:40.08. While the Classic division is wide-open this year, Prayer for Relief is going to find things a lot tougher in Louisville.
  • Shared Property was impressive in winning a highly competitive Arlington-Washington Futurty at Arlington Park on Saturday.  A son of Scat Daddy out of a Belong to Me mare (Yoursmineours), Shared Property won his debut in a MdSpWt at Ellis on July 30th.
  • Gio Ponti will follow the same schedule as last year by targeting the Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland and the Breeders' Cup Mile.
  • Uncle Mo will target the Kelso Handicap at Belmont for his next start, with an eye on the Breeders' Cup.