Ken McPeek, coach and part-owner of Thorpedo Anna, was interviewed in a video clip Oct. 9 that appeared to counsel the 2024 Horse of the 12 months could possibly be retired earlier than getting an opportunity to safe a repeat victory within the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff. We’ll see.
Whereas the racing world will study the connections’ plans for the 4-year-old daughter of Quick Anna within the days forward — and it actually could be a blow to this 12 months’s Breeders’ Cup roster — there are a variety of former winners pointing to this 12 months’s World Championships.
As we’re three weeks out from Breeders’ Cup Friday, let’s take a look at a few of the previous winners anticipated to return for one in all this 12 months’s races. This 12 months’s Breeders’ Cup is a return engagement at Del Mar, which could possibly be a pleasant match for winners coming back from final 12 months.
Traditional
The Longines Breeders’ Cup Traditional figures to characteristic a pair of earlier Breeders’ Cup winners in Sierra Leone and Fierceness.
Campaigned by Peter Brant, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, and Brook T. Smith, Sierra Leone will return to the identical observe the place he rallied from eleventh to publish a transparent victory within the 2024 Traditional. That victory lifted him to the 3-year-old male championship.
At 4 this 12 months, he has added a win within the Whitney Stakes and placings in two different Grade 1 stakes.
Additionally again is final 12 months’s Traditional runner-up Fierceness. Presently campaigned by breeder Repole Steady, in addition to three of the Sierra Leone homeowners in Magnier, Tabor, and Derrick Smith, Fierceness captured the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile to safe champion 2-year-old male honors.
He enters this 12 months’s Traditional off a win on the observe, as he overwhelmed seven opponents within the Aug. 30 Pacific Traditional Stakes to attain by 3 1/4 lengths.
Turf
Insurgent’s Romance will goal to hitch one of many Breeders’ Cup’s most unique golf equipment when the Godolphin homebred son of Dubawi makes an attempt to land a 3rd victory within the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf after scores in 2022 and final 12 months, when he earned champion turf male honors.
He would be part of Beholder and Goldikova as the one horses to win three Breeders’ Cup races and he could be the primary male to win 3 times. Beholder received the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, 2013 Distaff, and 2016 Distaff. Goldikova is the one horse to win Breeders’ Cup races in three straight years, as she received every version of the Breeders’ Cup Mile from 2008-’10.
Dash
Straight No Chaser will attempt to present extra magic for his MyRacehorse homeowners when the 6-year-old Speightster horse makes an attempt to win the Cygames Breeders’ Cup Dash for a second straight 12 months. This season Straight No Chaser added a victory within the Group 2 Riyadh Filth Dash in Saudi Arabia and enters off a third-place end within the Santa Anita Dash Championship Stakes Introduced by Estrella Jalisco.
Turf Dash
Gelding Nobals will attempt to land this race for the second time in three years. Campaigned by Patricia’s Hope, the now 6-year-old son of Noble Mission scored a slim victory within the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash at Santa Anita Park. He enters off a runner-up end within the Oct. 4 Nearctic Stakes Introduced by The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance at Woodbine.
Filth Mile
A trio of earlier Breeders’ Cup winners are anticipated to satisfy on this 12 months’s Breeders’ Cup Filth Mile.
Final 12 months’s winner, Hronis Racing’s Full Serrano, will enter off a runner-up end within the Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita Park. Whereas the son of Full Mast can be making simply his third begin of 2025, coach John Sadler informed Each day Racing Type this week that his runner will enter in prime type.
“I believe he’s proper the place he was final 12 months,” Sadler informed DRF. “I don’t see any drop-off on him. He’s in fine condition and powerful.”
Additionally anticipated is 2023 Breeders’ Cup Traditional winner White Abarrio, who earlier this season captured the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes. The 6-year-old son of Race Day enters off a troubled fourth within the Jockey Membership Gold Cup Stakes for coach Saffie Joseph Jr.
White Abarrio labored a half-mile in :45.86 at Gulfstream Park Oct. 9 and Joseph mentioned the plan is to work him twice extra on the South Florida observe earlier than transport to Del Mar Oct. 23.
Additionally pointing to the Filth Mile is final 12 months’s Juvenile winner, Citizen Bull, who races for the partnership of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Decided Stables, Robert Masterson, Tom Ryan, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan.
Final 12 months’s champion 2-year-old male will enter off a victory on the Del Mar floor because the son of Into Mischief captured the Shared Perception Stakes going a mile Aug. 31. Citizen Bull has received three of his 4 Del Mar begins.
