Happy Breeders’ Cup Day!

Nine sparkling Grade 1 stakes on the Championship Saturday Breeders’ Cup card headlined by the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Turf and the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Trivia Question:

: Today Forever Young attempts to defend his Breeders’ Cup Classic crown – who is the only horse to win the Classic more than once?

Race 11 – Breeders’ Cup Turf– Grade I

One Mile and One Half on the Turf for Three Year Olds and Upward

1. Ethical Diamond: Upset winner of this race last year comes back to defend his title as he is rounding back into form winning the Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown and then was second at Kentucky Downs in the Turf Cup Invitational (104 Beyer) to Tiffany who he faces again today. He was a big surprise in winning this race in 2025 and he would be a surprise again. Passing.

2. Benvenuto Cellini: Began his three year old season in style for Aiden O’Brien with wins in a Group 2 at Chester and then the Groupe 1 Irish Derby at the Curragh. Was buried on the inside in the Arc de Triomphe last out and couldn’t find racing room while finishing ninth. Should prefer the firm turf course he should get Saturday in Lexington. Dangerous.

3. Minaret Station: In the Joe Hirsch Turf he stalked the pace and was strongest late as he held off Far Bridge (102 Beyer). Two back in the Christophe Clement he pressed the pace and took over at the sixteenth pole but was inhaled by Survie who was flying late (97 Beyer). Don’t see it.

4. Far Bridge: Ran a very strong second in the Joe Hirsch as he got his preferred rail trip and road it the whole way to a narrow loss (101 Beyer). That was his first race back since winning the Pan American at Gulfstream in March (98 Beyer) and while it may have appeared prior to the Joe Hirsch that he would need a tightener – that was not that case. Always dangerous.

5. El Cordobes: Charlie Appleby trainee went in the Joe Hirsch Turf off a seven month layoff was flat late and finished third (98 Beyer). Initially, Appleby indicated he would not come back in this race off that performance but they altered plans and here he is. In 2025 he finished third in this race. William Buick regains the mount. Three of his four career wins are at a mile and a half. He should track the leaders from the pocket. Maybe he needed that last one. Minor award.

6. Burnham Square: Didn’t show much in the Kentucky Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs as he finished a distant seventh. Won four straight earlier this year with wins including the Arlington Million where he had to take the overland route going four wide on the far turn and was still best late (96 Beyer). A step below.

7. Hotazhell: British bred colt has hit the board in all four of his races and runs here off of two narrow wins in Groups 1s. Last out he won the Irish Champion Stakes as he stalked and then won a head bob at the wire. Ten furlongs is a question. Lean against.

8. Test Score: SCRATCHED

9. Johanna Walsh: Three year old filly made her mark with a win in the Irish Oaks at the Curragh for Joseph O’Brien as she tracked the leaders and kicked away in the final furlong to win by four lengths. Didn’t fire in the Yorkshire Oaks in August and has been off since then. So she comes in fresh. Will need her best. Passing.

10. Tiffany: Irish bred mare takes on the boys today after successfully defeating the colts in the Kentucky Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs (107 Beyer) as she skimmed the rail and once she found running room in the lane she was much the best. Two back she also beat the boys in the Group 1 Preis von Berlin in Germany. Regular rider Luke Morris is in for the mount. Dangerous.

11. Survie: French bred mare showed she could handle American courses this Summer with wins in both the Glens Falls and the Grade 1 Clement Turf. In the Clement she rallied past the whole field in the final furlong (95 Beyer). Off those wins she shipped to France and faltered in the Group 1 Prix Vermeille at Longchamps. She appears a notch below the best here. Passing.

12. Diamond Necklace: Fantastic filly from the Aiden O’Brien barn won three Group 1s in a row to begin her 2026 campaign. Last two efforts have been good as she hit the board in both with a second in the Group 1 Prix Jean et Louis Romanet at Deauville and a strong third in the Arc de Triomphe. Might be the most dangerous Aiden O’Brien runner in this race. The Pick.

13. Bay City Roller: This will be his third race in a month. A month ago in the Arc de Triomphe he got to the lead three furlongs out and held that lead until late when Daryz got the better of him. Came back in two week ago at Ascot in the Group 1 Champion Stakes where he sat second and made a move to the front but was no match for Ombudsman and Calandagan – no shame in finishing behind those two. Prefers soft going and the Keeneland turf should be firm. Passing.

14. Deep Monster: Eight year old comes here off a fourth in the Kyoto Daishoten four weeks ago in Japan. Only has three races this year with his best performance coming in The Amir Trophy last February at Doha. Don’t see it.

15. Map of Stars: Comes here off two strong performances with a win in the Wolferton at Royal Ascot in June and then a second by a nose in the Group 3 Prix Gontaut-Biron at Deauville in August. Comes here fresh but faces numerous serious Group 1 runners. Passing.

16. Telescopic: Has been running in allowance company with a Beyer top of 91. Passing.

Picks 12-2-10-5

Race 12 – The Breeders’ Cup Classic – Grade I

One Mile and One Quarter On the Dirt, For Three Year Olds and Upward

1. TO Password: Japanese based runner comes here off a third place finish in the Group w XX. That was the first start since a win in May in the ungraded Akhalteke Stakes. First time outside of Japan since the 2024 Kentucky Derby where he was fifth (90 Beyer). Passing.

2. Sovereignty: In the Whitney he came with a long sustained drive to best Nitrogen (112 Beyer) to get his first win of the season. In the Steven F. Foster two back he flattened out finishing third (100 Beyer) on a sloppy track. A bit hard to trust a short price – he loves 10 furlongs but his best performances are coming at his home track of Saratoga. Use defensively.

3. Golden Tempo: Didn’t quite have the same pop in the Travers as he made his late run but came up short and finished third (100 Beyer). Two back in the Belmont he made a sustained run as he bested Commandment after a great stretch duel (98 Beyer). Passing.

4. The Puma: The addition of the Blinkers last time out did the trick in the Pennsylvania Derby as he made a sustained move and then held off Further Ado (103 Beyer) to get the win after being wide on both turns. In the Travers two back he ran well but did not finish strong (99 Beyer) Castellano recommended the blinkers after that race and it paid dividends at Parx. Will have pace to run into. His form is dirtied up a bit and you will get a price. The Pick.

5. Forever Young: Defending champion career earnings now exceed $32 million. Since his BC Classic win last year he has had three starts – a victory in the Saudi Cup and then finished second in the Dubai World Cup to Magnitude as he wired the field. Came back in the Jockey Club Gold Cup and off a six month layoff and demolished a small field of four (105 Beyer). If he runs his to his top level everyone else is running for second. Using.

6. Magnitude: SCRATCHED

7. Knightsbridge: Mott has stretched out this miler to two turns two back in the Monmouth Cup where he easily handled the field as the 1/2 favorite (122 Beyer). Then he went ten furlongs in the Pacific Classic where he battled up front and got loose in the lane (104 Beyer). Faces tougher today. Should set the pace with Napolean Solo. Lean against.

8. Napoleon Solo: In the Travers he went to the lead and looked the winner at the sixteenth pole but couldn’t hold off the closers (103 Beyer). In the Haskell he tried to take them the whole way but was out finished by local hero Baby Vino (99 Beyer). Should be forward again. Stays on for a slice.

Picks 4-5-8-

Trivia Answer: Tiznow won the Classic in both 2000 and 2001. The 2001 win at Belmont, just weeks after 9/11, resulted in one of Durkin’s all-time best lines “Tiznow wins it for America!