Two dirt stakes on the first Saturday of the Keeneland fall meet award “Win and You’re In” berths to the Nov. 1-2 Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar.
The $350,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) points the way to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), while the $600,000 Breeders’ Futurity (G1) is a Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) qualifier and also a Road to the Kentucky Derby prep race worth 10-5-3-2-1 points to the top five finishers.
Thoroughbred Club of America (G2): Race 7, 4:12 p.m. ET
Older fillies and mares constitute the majority of the seven-horse field for the Thoroughbred Club of America. But the favorite for the six-furlong dash might wind up being Brightwork, the lone three-year-old in the entries.
Winner of the Spinaway (G1) and Adirondack (G3) as a juvenile, Brightwork is unbeaten in five starts sprinting. She recently returned from a long layoff to win the six-furlong Prioress (G3) against her own age group at Saratoga. Facing older rivals is a new obstacle, but she has the Brisnet Speed ratings to handle the challenge.
Among the older horses, multiple graded stakes winners Red Carpet Ready and Spirit Wind are accomplished contenders. So too is Winning Colors (G3) heroine Clearly Unhinged, who has placed twice at the Grade 1 level.
Zeitlos has won three ungraded sprint stakes this year, including the Open Mind S. at Churchill Downs last month. Run for the Hills finished fourth in the Open Mind but won an $80,000 allowance optional claimer at Saratoga during the summer by 4 1/2 lengths. Rancho Bernardo H. (G3) third-place finisher Anywho completes the lineup.
Breeders’ Futurity (G1): Race 9, 5:16 p.m. ET
The horse to beat in Keeneland’s signature race for juveniles is Ferocious. A 7 3/4-length debut winner at Saratoga, Ferocious followed up with a second-place finish by half a length in the Hopeful (G1). With strong Brisnet Speed ratings of 99 and 98 under his belt, Ferocious is the fastest horse in the Breeders’ Futurity field by a clear margin.
But others appear capable of stepping up their game. Handsome Pants, for example, rallied from midfield to win his debut over 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs last month and could improve in his second start for trainer Kenny McPeek, a three-time Breeders’ Futurity winner.
Godolphin homebred East Avenue dominated his debut sprinting six furlongs at Ellis Park by eight lengths. Dapper Moon won a Saratoga sprint by five lengths. Big Boat crushed his debut sprinting at Churchill Downs by 3 1/2 lengths. Optical unleashed a fast finish to obliterate a one-mile maiden special weight at Churchill by 14 lengths. Ready for Peace and Tenacious Leader have placed in stakes on turf.
One runner already has Road to the Kentucky Derby experience. Mesero exits a rallying fourth-place finish in the Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs, placing him fourth on the early leaderboard with two qualification points.
Filoso finished behind Dapper Moon when fourth in his debut sprinting at Saratoga, but improved when stretching out over one mile to win his second start over the same track by 3 1/2 lengths. Horseshoe Indianapolis debut winner Saratoga Cruiser rounds out the 11-horse field.
