Fair Grounds Connections Represented in Upcoming Breeders Cup Championships

By Grant LaGrange —-

New Orleans (October 31, 2019) – The upcoming Breeders’ Cup World Championships contested on Friday November 1 and Saturday November 2 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, will feature a handful of horses with Fair Grounds roots led by 2018-2019 meet leading trainer Brad Cox.

Breeders’ Cup post positions were announced earlier this week. Cox will be represented with five entrants in the upcoming championship races.

Cox will send out likely favorite in the $1 million Filly & Mare Sprint Covfefe who will likely clash with Serengeti Empress, who made an appearance in the 2019 Fair Grounds Oaks before going on to win the Grade I Kentucky Oaks for New Orleans native trainer Tom Amoss.

LNJ Foxwoods’ Covfefe heads into Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint off an impressive victory in the Dogwood Stakes at Churchill Downs in September, barely missing the track record for seven furlongs at the Kentucky oval.

Cox will once again be represented in the $4,000,000 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf by millionaire and Grade I winner Arklow, who exits the Grade I Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park on October 5. Donegal Racing’s Arklow ran fourth in last year’s edition, and has finished worse than third only once in six subsequent starts since.

In the $2,000,000 Grade I Juvenile Fillies, Cox will send out undefeated British Idiom who hopes to keep her win streak alive while also acquiring her second Grade I victory in her young career. She will go into Breeders Cup Friday tuned up after impressively winning the Grade I Alcibiades at Keeneland earlier this month.

Cox will also send out Owendale, a multiple graded stakes winning 3-year-old colt in the Grade I $6,000,000 Breeders Cup Classic, and Andesite in the $1 million Juvenile Turf.

Trainer Brett Calhoun entered Mr.Money, who made an appearance in the Grade II Louisiana Derby last year, in the $1,000,000 Grade I Breeders Cup Dirt Mile. Allied Racing Stable LLC’s Mr.Money is a four time Grade 3 winner this year, including the Grade III West Virginia Derby in August.

Thirteen time meet leading trainer Steve Asmussen has entered a handful of stars from his barn, most notably Mitole in the Grade I Breeders Cup Sprint, and Midnight Bisou in the Grade I Breeders Cup Distaff. Mitole, who has won nine of his thirteen starts including three Grade I’s, rides into Breeders Cup off a victory in the Grade I seven furlong Forego in August at Saratoga Racecourse. The son of Eskendereya has banked over $1.6 million dollars so far in his career.

Midnight Bisou is another ace in the hand of trainer Steve Asmussen, as she looks to make it eight in a row and a perfect 2019 campaign. Her 2019 season to this point includes three Grade I wins in the Grade I Personal Ensign, Ogden Phipps, and Apple Blossom Hcp. The daughter of Midnight Lute has earned over $3.4 million dollars, and looks to stamp herself as a Breeders Cup Champion.

The Longines Breeders Cup Distaff will feature 2019 Grade II Fair Grounds Oaks winner Street Band. The Larry Jones trainee earned her way in by winning the Grade I Cotillion at Parx Racetrack in Philadelphia Pennsylvania in September. The 2019 Fair Grounds Oaks proved to be a breakthrough performance for Street Band with jockey Sophie Doyle aboard guiding the 3-year-old filly to her first career graded stakes victory. Since, Street Band has gone on to win the Grade III Indiana Oaks, as well as the previously mentioned Grade I Win and Your In Cotillion Stakes.

A closer look at some of the horses who competed at 2018-2019 Fair Grounds Winter Meet who will appear at Breeders Cup

HORSE

Breeders Cup Entry

Owendale

Brad Cox

Breeders’ Cup Classic

War Of Will

Mark Casse

Breeders’ Cup Classic

Mr. Money

Bret Calhoun

Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile

Street Band

Larry Jones

Breeders’ Cup Distaff

Serengeti Empress

Tom Amoss

Breeders’ Cup Distaff

Bandua

Jack Sisterson

Breeders’ Cup Turf

Bricks and Mortar

Chad Brown

Breeders’ Cup Turf

Hog Creek Hustle

Vickie Foley

Breeders’ Cup Sprint

“Future Stars Friday” will start with the Grade 2, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (4:12 p.m. all times eastern); the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf presented by Coolmore America (4:52 p.m.); the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (5:32 p.m.); the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (6:12 p.m.) and the Grade 1, $2 million TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (7:03 p.m.).

Championship Saturday includes the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (2:55 p.m.); the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (3:33 p.m.); the Grade 1, $1 million Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (4:10 p.m.); the Grade 1, $2 million Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (4:54 p.m.); the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint (5:36 p.m.); the Grade 1, TVG $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile (6:20 p.m.); the Grade 1, $2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (7 p.m.); the Grade 1, $4 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (7:40 p.m.) and the Grade 1, $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (8:44 p.m.).