1 of 3 | Napoleon Solo wins Saturday’s Champagne Stakes at Aqueduct. Phot by Cognianese Photography, courtesy of NYRA<\/p>\n
Oct. 6 (UPI) — The last big weekend of Breeders’ Cup prep races produced a mix of upsets and promising performances from France to California, setting the stage for the World Championships meeting Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 at Del Mar.<\/p>\n
At Longchamp in Paris, the Coolmore “lads” and trainer Aidan O’Brien<\/a> landed two of the five Group 1 races, all Breeders’ Cup qualifiers, but came up just short of the big prize in the Arc d’Triomphe.\n<\/p>\n Turf\n<\/p>\n Daryz, a Sea the Stars 3-year-old from the late Aga Khan’s stables, ran through pelting rain to win Sunday’s Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe<\/a> at Longchamp, defeating Coolmore filly Minnie Hauk by a head. Sosie was third in the 2,400-meters Arc, run on turf listed as “very soft.”\n<\/p>\n Daryz earned a “Win and You’re In” spot in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf, while posting his fifth win from seven starts.\n<\/p>\n Plans for Daryz remain to be seen, but trainer Aidan O’Brien, graciously accepting Minnie Hauk’s defeat, said a chance remains she will resurface in Del Mar in the Breeders’ Cup.<\/p>\n Also in the division: Silawi jumped out to a big lead in Saturday’s $750,000 (Canadian) Grade I Canadian International at Woodbine and just did make it hold up, winning by a nose over late-closing Tawny Port.<\/p>\n And Asbury Park closed strongly from the back of a six-horse field in Saturday’s $500,000 Grade II Jockey Club Derby at Aqueduct, took the lead nearing the sixteenth pole and won by 2 lengths over Noble Confessor.<\/p>\n Filly & Mare Turf\n<\/p>\n Mission of Joy brought a bunch of it to her backers with a late-running victory in Saturday’s $200,000 Grade II Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita and Barnavara won Sunday’s Group 1 Prix de l’Opera Longines at Longchamp, both earning “Win and You’re In” tickets for the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.<\/p>\n Also, Breath Away beat local heroine Caitlinhergrtness by 1\/2 length with a last-to-first effort in Saturday’s $200,000 (Canadian) Grade II bet365 Dance Smartly at Woodbine. And British-bred Village Voice outfinished South African-bred Beach Bomb to win Sunday’s $175,000 Waya Stakes at Aqueduct by a neck.\n<\/p>\n Turf Mile\n<\/p>\n Rhetorical had the answer in the stretch run of Saturday’s $1.25 million Grade I Coolmore Turf Mile at Keeneland, rallying three-wide to the lead and scoring by 3\/4 length over Program Trading.<\/p>\n In France, Maranoa Charlie got the lead in Saturday’s Group 1 Qatar Prix de la Foret at Longchamp and glided home first by 1 1\/4 length over the favorite, Zaragana. Both won “Win and You’re In” Annie Oakleys to the Breeders’ Cup.<\/p>\n Simply In Front was only in front in the final yards of Saturday’s $600,000 Grade I First Lady at Keeneland but that was all that counted as the Summer Front filly won by a neck in a five-horse blanket finish.<\/p>\n Turf Sprint\n<\/p>\n Asfoora got to the front well inside the 100-meter marker in Sunday’s Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp and held sway, winning by 1\/2 length over Jawwal. The Abbaye was a “Win and You’re In” for the Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.<\/p>\n Khaadem, a 9-year-old “character” by the reckoning of trainer Charlie Hills and jockey Frankie Dettori<\/a>, rallied from last of eight to win Saturday’s $400,000 Grade II Woodford Stakes at Keeneland by a neck over Script.\n<\/p>\n Two more veterans of the turf sprint wars finished 1-2 in Saturday’s $250,000 (Canadian) Grade II Nearctic Stakes at Woodbine as 5-year-old No Nay Hudson gained his first graded stakes win by edging 6-year-old Nobals, the 2023 Breeders’ Cup winner, by a neck at the end of the 5 furlongs.<\/p>\n Distaff\n<\/p>\n Gin Gin led from the start in Sunday’s $650,000 Grade I Spinster at Keeneland and held on to win by a head over 3-year-old Nitrogen with Scylla third. Reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna tracked the pace but faded in the stretch to finish fourth.<\/p>\n Gin Gin, a Calumet Farm homebred 4-year-old by Hightail, got her first Grade I score and fourth overall.<\/p>\n Sprint\n<\/p>\n Third time was the charm for Nakatomi as the 6-year-old gelding came from last of six to win Friday’s $400,000 Grade II Stall Keenon Ogden Phoenix at Keeneland, a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. The Wesley Ward trainee, second in each of the last two runnings of the race, defeated Durante by a neck.<\/p>\n Filly & Mare Sprint\n<\/p>\n Praying wore down the favorite, Vahva, in the stretch run of Saturday’s $100,000 Grade II Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes at Keeneland and won by 1\/2 length over that rival.\n<\/p>\n The victory was worth a “Win and You’re In” bid to the PNC Bank Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint for the 3-year-old Vekoma filly, who backed up a win in her previous race, the Grade III Prioress at Saratoga.<\/p>\n Tamara caught pacesetter Silent Law turning into the stretch in Saturday’s $100,000 Chillingworth at Santa Anita and got clear to win by 3 3\/4 lengths over that rival. The Bolt d’Oro filly won last year’s Grade I Del Mar Debutante, but then finished a fading seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Trainer Richard Mandella<\/a> has brought he back as a sprinter this season.<\/p>\n Juvenile\n<\/p>\n The “Big Three” tracks all had Grade I Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” races for this division.<\/p>\n Ted Noffey improved to 3-for-3 with a dominating score in Saturday’s $650,000 Grade I Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland. The Into Mischief colt was the easiest of winners in two previous starts at Saratoga.<\/p>\n At Aqueduct, Napolean Solo blew away eight rivals in Saturday’s $500,000 Grade I Champagne. The Liam’s Map colt, from the Chad Summers barn, led all the way and scooted clear to score by 6 1\/2 lengths.<\/p>\n