One week to go before the horse racing world will be transfixed on Santa Anita for the 2012 Breeders' Cup. There was some graded stakes action this past weekend with races taking place at Belmont Park, Keeneland and Santa Anita - for Belmont and Keeneland; it was the closing weekend for their fall meets. Let's take a look at this weekend's results starting at Belmont.
The Grade 3 Turn Back The Alarm Handicap is on tap for this Saturday, October 27 from Belmont Park. Fillies and mares three years old and upward will be featured in a race that covers 1 1/16 miles on Belmont Park dirt track for a purse of $150,000.
Belmont Park in New York will be the scene of the Grade 3 Bold Ruler Handicap this Saturday, October 27. Horses three years old and upward will be featured as they dash seven furlongs on Belmont Park's dirt track in pursuit of their share of the $150,000 purse.
Santa Anita in Arcadia California will be the scene of the Grade 3 Autumn Miss Stakes this Saturday October 27 - one week before the Breeders' Cup invades the famed California track. Three year old fillies will take to Santa Anita's turf track and go one mile in search of their portion of the $100,000 purse.
The Grade 2 Fayette Stakes comes our way from Keeneland in Lexington Kentucky this Saturday, October 27. Horses three years old and upward will be after their share of the $150,000 purse when they go 1 1/8 miles on Keeneland's synthetic track.
Led by multiple grade I winner Game On Dude, defending Ladies' Classic champion Royal Delta, dominating turf stars Wise Dan and Point of Entry, and 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom, 180 horses, including eight defending or former Breeders' Cup Champions, have been pre-entered for the 2012 Breeders' Cup World Championships.
This year's Breeders' Cup World Championships races will begin at 1:06 p.m. PDT on Friday, Nov. 2, and at 11:50 a.m. PDT on Saturday, Nov. 3 at Santa Anita
It was a relatively quiet week of graded stakes action this week - anticipation of the Breeders' Cup in just a couple of weeks is reaching a fever pitch! The majority of the action took place at Keeneland in Lexington Kentucky with one race taking place at the site of this year's Breeders' Cup Santa Anita. Let's take a look.
While the older horses have taken turns beating each other throughout the year they represent a formidable and competitive group that should make the 1 1/4-mile Classic the signature event of the weekend.
The Mile, the penultimate race on the Saturday card, is set to mark the return of 2011 Kentucky Derby winner ANIMAL KINGDOM, who has not started since winning an optional claimer at Gulfstream February 18.