3 things you need to know about the 2015 Breeders' Cup
The 2015 Breeders’ Cup World Championships will take place Friday, starting at 3:30 pm ET and Saturday (12:05 pm ET) at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Ky. Thirteen championship races will hand out $24.5 million in purse money during the two-day event, culminating with the Grade 1, $5-million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday at approximately 5:35 p.m. ET.
Here are three things to know about the Breeders’ Cup.
American Pharoah looks to go out on top
Triple Crown winner American Pharoah suffered a heartbreaking defeat in his most recent start in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 29, but will be looking to finish off his career on a high note in Saturday’s Classic. It will be the horse's final start before he retires for stud duty at Ashford Stud in Versailles, Ky., next year.
American Pharoah has been dominant against 3-year-olds this season, with wins in all three legs of the Triple Crown - the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes - along with the Haskell Invitational, Arkansas Derby, and the Rebel Stakes. He’ll face older horses for the first time in his career, but seems well positioned in this field.
In the Travers, American Pharoah spent most of his energy in the early portions of the race trying to deal with Frosted on the lead, only to have the race set up for Keen Ice in the final strides. With a lot on the line in the Classic, it’s likely that no other horse in the field will compromise their chances by running with American Pharoah on the lead early, which could mean good things for the likely Horse of the Year.
American Pharoah will have one less challenger to deal with in the Classic, as 2013 Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Beholder has scratched out of the race.
Golden Horn brings top form from Europe
Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Golden Horn will be heavily favored in the Grade 1, $3-million Breeders’ Cup Turf, as he brings a career record of seven wins in eight starts to Keeneland from Europe.
Golden Horn is a four-time Group 1 winner in Europe this season, and captured the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe by two lengths over Flintshire, who finished second in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita.
The only factor that might derail Golden Horn’s bid is the condition of the turf course. Trainer John Gosden has expressed concern this week over Golden Horn’s chances if the turf comes up soft after heavy rains fell in Lexington in recent days.
Golden Horn had a gallop over the turf course on Thursday, and Gosden will be hoping for dry weather until the Breeders’ Cup Turf at approximately 4:50 p.m. Eastern on Saturday.
Three seek Breeders’ Cup repeats
Across the 13 races, just three horses have the opportunity to repeat as Breeders’ Cup champions this year: Bobby’s Kitten in the Turf Sprint, Judy the Beauty in the Filly & Mare Sprint, and Karakontie in the Mile.
Bobby’s Kitten will be hoping that he can magically regain his form in the Breeders’ Cup. He’s made just two starts this year, finishing seventh in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile in September before running ninth in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile on the Keeneland turf course on Oct. 3.
Judy the Beauty has been heavily favoured in all three of her starts this year after winning the Filly & Mare Sprint last November, but has yet to find the winner’s circle. She was third in her most recent start on a muddy track at Keeneland in the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes on Oct. 3.
Finally, Karakontie may be the one with the best chance to repeat. He missed the early part of the season with foot issues, but looks to be rounding into form after a third-place finish in the Group 1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp in France in September.
The Breeders’ Cup World Championships kick off on Friday afternoon at Keeneland with the running of the Juvenile Turf, the Dirt Mile, the Juvenile Fillies Turf, and the Distaff.