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| Staff Writer |
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With the 2024 Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar rapidly approaching, connections are navigating a minefield of challenges in their quest for glory. From injury scares to weather disruptions, the road to the US$31 million extravaganza is proving as unpredictable as ever.
Brad Cox's talented miler Saudi Crown faces a race against time to make the US$1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile after a last-minute setback. The son of Always Dreaming was scratched from the Gr.3 Ack Ack Stakes at Churchill Downs with a recurring foot issue, leaving his Breeders' Cup participation in doubt.
"He's had it before, so it's not anything that hasn't been there in the past," Cox said. "It's not really a concern, it was just the timing."
Saudi Crown's 2024 campaign has been a rollercoaster ride, featuring a victory in the Gr.3 Louisiana Stakes and a commendable third in the Gr.1 Saudi Cup. However, a disappointing 12th in the Gr.2 Godolphin Mile in Dubai raised questions, which the colt emphatically answered with a triumphant return in the R.A. "Cowboy" Jones Stakes at Ellis Park.
With US$2,193,900 in seasonal earnings, Saudi Crown's credentials are not in doubt. However, his fate now rests with the Breeders' Cup Selection Committee should the Dirt Mile field be oversubscribed.
The remnants of Hurricane Helene have thrown carefully laid plans into disarray at Churchill Downs, with only 18 horses recording official timed workouts on the sloppy track from September 27-29. This stark contrast to the 144 workouts on September 26 highlights the storm's impact on Breeders' Cup preparations.
Among those affected were Cox's Idiomatic and Immersive, both forced to reschedule crucial workouts. Idiomatic, aiming to defend her Gr.1 Breeders' Cup Distaff crown, will now have a compressed schedule leading into her final prep in the Gr.1 Spinster Stakes at Keeneland.
Not all horses felt the storm's wrath, however. Highland Falls, Cox's Gr.1 Breeders' Cup Classic hopeful, remained unaffected due to a fortuitously timed break in his work schedule.
Across the pond, Mick Appleby is leaving no stone unturned in his bid for back-to-back Breeders' Cup triumphs with sprint sensation Big Evs. The son of Blue Point, who stormed to victory in last year's Gr.1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Santa Anita, is reportedly in flying form as he gears up for his American adventure.
"Big Evs is in good order and it will obviously be straight to the Breeders' Cup now," Appleby said. "We're following the same plan as last year, it will just be a little bit longer between his last run and America this time."
A preparatory gallop at Southwell is on the cards for Big Evs before he jets off to California. He'll be joined on the plane by stablemate Big Mojo, winner of the Gr.3 Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood, giving owners Paul and Rachael Teasdale a potent two-pronged attack on Breeders' Cup glory.
In a thrilling renewal of the Gr.2 Pilgrim Stakes at Aqueduct, the undefeated Zulu Kingdom punched his ticket to the Gr.1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf with a gutsy neck victory. The Chad Brown-trained colt overcame a troubled trip to maintain his perfect record and earn a coveted "Win and You're In" berth.
"He ran a super race especially for being steadied on the backstretch," Brown commented. "He's always trained solid. He's a very strong colt. He's never taken a wrong step."
Brown, seeking his third Pilgrim-Juvenile Turf double following the successes of Structor (2019) and Good Magic (2017), believes the firm Del Mar turf will bring out the best in Zulu Kingdom.
The Pilgrim has proven a reliable springboard to Breeders' Cup success, with previous winners Oscar Performance (2016) and Structor (2019) both going on to Juvenile Turf glory. Catholic Boy (2017) later developed into a dual Gr.1 winner on turf and dirt.
These tales of resilience and ambition underscore the magnetism of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. With each passing day, the dream of lifting racing's most coveted prizes edges tantalizingly closer for connections around the globe.