LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Breeders’ Cup returns to Keeneland this weekend, with the World Championships of horse racing coming back to Lexington for the third time.
The first time the Breeders’ Cup came to town, Triple Crown winner American Pharoah thrilled the crowd with the final victory of his illustrious career. The favorite in this year’s Classic might be even better. The second time Lexington hosted the championships, fans weren’t permitted on track grounds due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They’ll be back in big numbers this weekend.
Here are 10 storylines to follow for Friday and Saturday.
Flightline
The star of this weekend’s show is undoubtedly Flightline, the undefeated horse who has won his five career races by a combined 62 3/4 lengths. Last time out — the Pacific Classic on Sept. 3 — the son of Tapit turned in a performance for the ages, winning the race by 19 1/4 lengths and earning a 126 Beyer Speed Figure, the second-highest number since the Daily Racing Form began publishing them 30 years ago. The run has put Flightline’s name in the same sentence with the great Secretariat in the two months since, and it’s a comparison that doesn’t seem like horse racing blasphemy. Can Flightline match — or possibly better — that performance in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday? Racing fans can’t wait to find out.
Classic contenders
Flightline is a story unto himself, but the rest of the Breeders’ Cup Classic field would make for a deeply intriguing race all on their own. There’s Life Is Good, winner of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and this year’s $3 million Pegasus World Cup. There’s Epicenter, the hard-luck runner-up in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, and, most recently, the runaway winner in a stacked Travers Stakes. There’s Santa Anita Derby winner Taiba. There’s Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Olympiad. There’s the accomplished Hot Rod Charlie, who’s always around at the end. And, oh yeah, long-shot Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike is here, too. Can any of them knock off Flightline and prevent a Keeneland coronation?
The next Derby favorite?
Let’s be clear: the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile isn’t a great judge of future Kentucky Derby winners. The premier 2-year-old race was first run in 1984 and has produced just two winners — Nyquist and Street Sense — that went on to win the Derby the following year. Last year’s Juvenile didn’t even send a single starter to this year’s Derby. But, the winner of Friday’s race will immediately be bandied about as a possible Kentucky Derby favorite, and there’s plenty of fun in the early speculation. This year’s 4-5 morning-line favorite is Cave Rock, trained by — who else? — Bob Baffert.
The Queen of racing
The Classic is the main event, but there’s plenty to see in Saturday’s Distaff — the top dirt race for fillies and mares — as well. The 9-5 morning-line favorite is Nest, winner of three straight graded stakes races and runner-up in the Belmont Stakes (against the boys) and Kentucky Oaks before that. The second choice at 3-1 is Malathaat, winner of last year’s Kentucky Oaks and a five-time Grade 1 winner. Todd Pletcher trains both, and his top contenders will have to deal with several talented foes, including 15-1 shot Secret Oath, who hasn’t won since her victory in this year’s Oaks back in May.
Turf war
The second-richest race of the weekend — the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf — appears to be a relatively wide open affair. Rebel’s Romance has won four straight in Europe and is the 3-1 morning-line favorite in the field of 13 contenders. The Calumet Farm-bred War Like Goddess is an intriguing pick and the lone female in the field. Mishriff is winless in six races this year, but he’s earned more than $15 million in his career and is a real threat in his final race. The options here are many.
Three in a row?
In the nearly four decades that the Breeders’ Cup has existed, just two competitors — Goldikova and Beholder — have won three times. Golden Pal will try to join that list. He won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland two years ago, the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar last year, and sits as the 2-1 favorite in the Turf Sprint on Saturday afternoon.
Third time’s the charm?
Jackie’s Warrior is one of the top active racehorses in the world, regardless of division. He has 12 wins in 17 races but is winless as the favorite in two Breeders’ Cup starts. Essential Quality beat him here in the Juvenile in 2020. He finished sixth — the worst result of his career — in last year’s Sprint. He’s back for a third try this weekend, the 4-5 favorite in a field of 11 for the Sprint, which will also include Aloha West, last year’s winner.
Full field of fillies
If the Juvenile helps set the tone for Kentucky Derby season, the Juvenile Fillies does the same for the early Oaks trail. It’s a full field of 14 contenders this year, with Chocolate Gelato — trained by Todd Pletcher — pegged as the 7-2 morning-line favorite. Chad Brown, William Mott, Doug O’Neill, Steve Asmussen, Brad Cox and Mark Casse are among the other trainers with a filly in this one.
Bob Baffert
Wherever he goes, Bob Baffert is a walking, talking storyline. The embattled trainer has five starters this weekend, including Taiba in the Classic, a race he’s won both times it’s been held at Keeneland — first with American Pharoah, then with Authentic, two previous winners of the Kentucky Derby, a race he’ll be banned from yet again in 2023 as a result of Medina Spirit’s positive drug test last year. Baffert is bound to make headlines this weekend. He usually does.
Welcome back
The first Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland in 2015 was a joyous time for a track with such a storied history. Fans packed the stands. American Pharoah thrilled them all. It was a wonderful weekend of racing. The event’s return two years ago happened to be the first amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Fans weren’t allowed in. The grandstand was largely silent. It was an eerie scene. Here’s hoping the return of Breeders’ Cup racing to Lexington matches that same atmosphere of seven years ago, truly a special time in the city’s sporting history.
Friday
39th annual Breeders’ Cup
— What: First of two days of world championship racing which conclude on Saturday
— Where: Keeneland Race Course in Lexington
— TV: USA, FanDuel TV
Friday’s Breeders’ Cup schedule at Keeneland
— 3 p.m.: Juvenile Turf Sprint
— 3:40 p.m.: Juvenile Fillies
— 4:20 p.m.: Juvenile Fillies Turf
— 5 p.m.: Juvenile
— 5:40 p.m.: Juvenile Turf
— Note: Friday’s 10-race Keeneland card includes five non-Breeders’ Cup races before the five Breeders’ Cup events. First post Friday is 11:55 a.m.
