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AIPROPX ReportYahoo Sports · 30m ago
Five Breeders' Cup slots awarded in weekend horse racing
Leading Change springs the upset in Saturday's $1.25 million Grade I Travers Stakes at Saratoga. Photo by Coglianese Photography, courtesy of NYRA
Aug. 31 (UPI) -- There's a reason Saratoga is known as "Graveyard of Champions," and Saturday's Travers Stakes added another chapter to that legend as Leading Change, in just his third start, defeated most of the top 3-year-olds in the nation, including the winners of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.
The Travers was the main event in weekend racing but far from the only race of major note. Five Breeders' Cup bids were settled and some classy 2-year-olds were on display, especially on the Kentucky Downs turf.
Classic
Seven of the 10 3-year-olds who faced the starter in Saturday's $1.25 million Grade I DraftKings Travers Stakes were seasoned veterans of the Triple Crown races and preps, including the winners of all three jewels of that series. Another won the Grade I Haskell.
So whose colors got painted on the canoe on the infield lake? Leading Change, who made just his third career start in the race nicknamed the "Midsummer Derby".
Test Score wins Saturday's $300,000 Grade II Del Mar Handicap. Photo by Benoit Photography, courtesy of Del Mar Turf Club
The Gun Runner colt raced just behind the leading pair, found room outside a scrum of rivals in the stretch and was just up in the final strides to win by 1/2 length over Preakness Stakes winner Napoleon Solo. Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Golden Tempo was third.
Renegade, second in the Run for the Roses and third in the Belmont, was never in the mix and finished eighth.
Leading Change's shiniest pre-race credential was a win in the Grade III Indiana Derby.
Willy D's led gate-to-wire in Friday night's $1 million Grade II Charles Town Classic and eased clear late to win by 1 3/4 lengths over Banishing.
At Fairmount Park, Sharon's Beach came with a late effort to capture Saturday's $250,000 St. Louis Derby by 1/2 length from Wonder Mist.
Distaff
Fully Subscribed is, indeed, fully subscribed for the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff after embarrassing five rivals in Saturday's $500,000 Grade I Personal Ensign at Saratoga, a "Win and You're In" for the big race.
The 4-year-old Tiz the Law filly tracked the pace, circled the leaders into the stretch and left them behind, winning by 9 3/4 lengths.
Sprint
Saturday's $500,000 Grade I Forego at Saratoga and $250,000 Grade II Pat O'Brien at Del Mar were both run at 7 furlongs and both offered "Win and You're In" spots in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.
With Book'em Danno and Banishing scratched, Hymn took the lead in the stretch run of the Forego and turned back bids by T Kraft and Senior Officer to win by 3/4 length over that dead-heating duo. He might be pointed to the Breeders' Cup Sprint rather than the Mile.
The Pat O'Brien was a handicapping puzzle solved by those who landed on Iron Man Cal. The 4-year-old Collected gelding was quickly on the lead but under some pressure, worked his way to a daylight advantage and then held off a late run by Moonlight to win by 1/2 length.
Englishman, the odds-on favorite, had them all the way in Saturday's $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial for 3-year-olds at Saratoga. The Maxfield colt, with Jose Ortiz up for trainer Cherie DeVaux, was not seriously challenged and won by 3 3/4 lengths.
Bravaro won Friday night's $500,000 Robert Hilton Memorial at Charles Town by 1/2 length over 40-1 shot Langvad. The favorite, Solitude Dude, finished fourth.
Filly & mare sprint
Ways and Means won Saturday's $500,000 Grade I Ballerina at Saratoga by 5 1/2 lengths in 1:22.05 for her sixth victory in seven starts at the Spa and earned a "Win and You're In" spot in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. That's slated to be her final race before being offered at auction.
Niche made all the pace in Friday night's $750,000 Charles Town Oaks, pressured by the favorite, At a Premium, and held on to win by 1/2 length over that rival.
Foie Gras won Friday night's $300,000 Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon Stakes at Charles Town by 7 1/2 lengths. Morning-line favorite Irish Maxima was scratched.
Rabeeba took the lead in the stretch run in Sunday's $100,000 Grade III Torrey Pines for 3-year-old fillies at Del Mar and scooted away to a 2 1/4-length victory.
Turf / turf mile
Trainer Graham Motion shipped Test Score across the continent to win Saturday's $300,000 Grade II Del Mar Handicap by a neck, earning a "Win and You're In" spot in the Breeders' Cup Turf. With Juan Hernandez up, Test Score ran 1 3/8 miles in 2:14.76.
Chasing the Crown used most of the long Kentucky Downs stretch to close on the leaders in Saturday's $500,000 Tight Spot Handicap, got the job done and won by 1 1/2 lengths over Maycocks Bay.
Plensa started last of 11 in Sunday's $500,000 Tapit Stakes at Kentucky Downs, circled much of the field entering the stretch and passed the others to win by 1/2 length over Vote No.
Chaos Agent rallied from last of seven to win Saturday's $125,000 (Canadian) Toronto Cup for 3-year-olds at Woodbine by a head over Aces Honor.
Filly & mare turf / turf mile
Naomis, a City of Light filly making her first U.S. start, circled the field from last to win Saturday's $400,000 Grade II Lake Placid for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga.
On Friday at Saratoga, Evershed tracked down pacesetting favorite Storm Miami with a furlong to go in the $225,000 Grade III Waya Stakes and edged away to win by 3/4 length.
Turf sprint
In Our Time led all the way in Saturday's $1.75 million, Grade I Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf Sprint and won by 3 1/2-lengths over Time to Dazzle. The favorite, Ag Bullet, was in the mix while bidding to win the race for a third straight year, but faded to finish eig...
Five BreedersCupLeading ChangeGrade I Travers StakesSaratogaPhotoCoglianese PhotographyNYRAUPIThereGraveyardChampions
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