September 10, 2015 Contact: Jim Gluckson 212-230-9512 Countdown to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships Newsletter Advisory: This is the fourth of nine weekly news releases focusing on the horses and races leading to the 32nd Breeders’ Cup World Championships on Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31 at Keeneland. For more information, please visit www.breederscup.com. The Breeders’ Cup will be televised live on NBC and NBCSN. The Breeders’ Cup will be televised live on NBC and NBCSN. You can follow all the contenders’ activity leading up to the Breeders’ Cup with Equibase’s free “Road to the Breeders’ Cup” Virtual Stable Virtual Stable notification service. Golden Horn, Gleneagles Slated to Finally Meet in Irish Champion The much anticipated matchup between star European miler GLENEAGLES (IRE) and fellow standout GOLDEN HORN (GB) appears set to finally take place Saturday in Leopardstown’s $1.33 million “Win and You’re In” QIPCO Irish Champion (GI), with an eight-horse field in place, and a berth in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf going to the winner. The Irish Champion is one of three Challenge races at Leopardstown and highlights a weekend that features 10 total “Win and You’re In” races, including the prestigious Ricoh Woodbine Mile (GI) Sunday. A rainy forecast for Friday has caused Leopardstown officials to move the Irish Champion to the outside course, and to start Saturday’s race about one hour earlier in the program. The connections of both Coolmore’s Gleneagles and Anthony Oppenheimer’s Golden Horn, the pair of 3-year-old standouts are expected to meet in the 1 ¼-mile race after the latter withdrew from a potential clash in the “Win and You’re In” Juddmonte International (GI) at York August 19 due to the soft turf. Gleneagles, a son of Galileo (IRE), will run past a mile for the first time for trainer Aidan O’Brien and, while he’s crossed the line first in eight of his nine starts, remains a bit of a question mark at the Irish Champion’s distance. Last week, O’Brien announced that his is pointing Gleneagles for a start in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and a possible showdown with Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. Gleneagles has displayed impeccable to date, and he enters off three straight group I wins; the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and Irish 2,000 Guineas at The Curragh in May and St. James’s Palace video at Royal Ascot June 16. Gleneagles is 7-for-9 lifetime (he was disqualified from his win in Longchamp’s “Win and You’re In” Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (GI) in October) and will also be testing older horses for the first time at Leopardstown. Golden Horn rates a stiff favorite among European bookmakers in large part because he’s already proven going 1 ¼ miles and has beaten older horses in the process for trainer John Gosden. The son of Cape Cross (IRE) does come in with a chip on his shoulder, however, after he saw his unbeaten streak end in the Juddmonte International, when he was upset by 50-1 filly Arabian Queen. Golden Horn, who built his reputation off sterling wins in the Epsom Derby (GI) in June and Coral-Eclipse (GI) video over older horses at Sandown in July, is 5-for-6 lifetime. Moyglare Stud’s homebred FREE EAGLE (IRE) is actually the second choice in the betting behind Golden Horn and finally put things together in his last start when he won the Prince of Wales’s (GI) at Royal Ascot June 17 for trainer Dermot Weld. The 4-year-old son of two-time Breeders’ Cup Turf winner High Chaparral is 3-for-5 lifetime and should move forward off the Prince of Wales’s, which was his first start since October. The Irish Champion is so deep that Frank Gillespie’s defending champion THE GREY GATSBY (IRE) is no better than fourth choice in the betting for trainer Kevin Ryan, which seems logical as he’s finished behind Free Eagle and Golden Horn in his last three starts. Jean-Claude-Alain Dupouy’s international superstar CIRRUS DES AIGLES (FR) is also entered, but the seven-time group I winner’s best form may be behind him. O’Brien has also entered the 3-year-old HIGHLAND REEL (IRE), who won the Secretariat (G1) at Arlington Park on August 15, and the 3-year-old filly FOUND (IRE), who was second in the Coronation Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot. PLEASACH (IRE), a 3-year-old filly from Godolphin, who qualified for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf by winning the Darley Yorkshire Oaks (G1), is also slated to start for trainer Jim Bolger. Matron, Willis Champions Juvenile Anchor Irish Champion Undercard Saturday’s Irish Champion is supported by the $362,791 Coolmore Stud Matron (GI) and $120,930 John Willis Champions Juvenile Stakes (GIII), with the winners earning automatic starting berths into the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, respectively. The Matron, run at one mile, drew a 10-horse field, with Coolmore’s LEGATISSIMO (IRE) the one to beat for trainer David Wachman. The 3-year-old daughter of Danehill Dancer (IRE) is 4-for-9 lifetime and enters off a win in the Nassau (GI) at Glorious Goodwood August 1. Sir Robert Ogden’s AMAZAING MARIA (IRE) comes into the race with a 1 ¼ length win in the one mile Prix Rothschild (G1) at Deauville on August 2. Team Valor’s EURO CHARLINE (GB), who won the “Win and You’re In” Beverly D. (GI) at Arlington Park last year but is winless in three subsequent starts this year for trainer Michael Botti. The Willis Champions Juvenile Stakes drew 13 horses, with Coolmore entering JOHANNES VERMEER (IRE), who won the Irish Stallion EBF Maiden at Killarney and SHOGUN (IRE), who was third last out on August 23 in the Galileo EFB Futurity Stakes (G2) at the Curragh. Jim Bolger will start SANUS PER AQUAM, who was second by a half-length in the JRA Tyro Stakes (G2) at Leopards town on July 23. Woodbine Mile Highlights a Four Challenge Race Weekend Outside of Toronto Monday’s retirement of two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan removes a certain degree of star power from Sunday’s “Win and You’re In” $1 million Ricoh Woodbine Mile (GI), but it also opens up the race and several contenders appear set to take aim at the automatic starting berth into the Breeders’ Cup Mile that is being offered. Adele Dilschneider Claiborne Farm’s homebred LEA will return to the turf for trainer Bill Mott and rates the most accomplished of the potential starters. The 6-year-old son of First Samurai is just 1-for-5 this year but won the Donn Handicap (GI) at Gulfstream Park in 2014 and did win the Commonwealth (GIII) on the turf at Churchill Downs in 2012. Jim and Susan Hill’s GRAND ARCH enters as the “now” horse after winning Saratoga’s Fourstardave (GII) August 15 for trainer Brian Lynch. The 6-year-old son of Arch was a close fifth in the Woodbine Mile last year and is 3-for-9 over the local turf. Anthony Fanticola and Joseph Scardino’s OBVIOUSLY (IRE) will no doubt be the one to catch for trainer Phil D’Amato. The 7-year-old son of Choisir (AUS) has not started since setting a blistering pace before tiring and finishing fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita in November but is a multiple grade I winner who has won half of his 22 lifetime starts. KAIGUN, second in last year’s race for trainer Mark Casse; MONDIALISTE (IRE), a group III winner in Europe for trainer David O'Meara; MR. OWEN, a listed stakes winner in Europe for trainer Francois Rohaut and REPORTING STAR, who won the local Play the King (GII) for trainer Pat Parente also warrant respect. PLATINUM GLORY, TOWER OF TEXAS, TURNCOAT and ZA APPROVAL also expected for the Ricoh Woodbine Mile. Natalma, Summer Offer Juvenile Turf Bids Saturday, Canadian Supports Woodbine Mile Sunday The “Win and You’re In” action starts Saturday when the $200,000 Summer (GII) and $200,000 Natalma (GII) will offer guaranteed starting berths into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, respectively. Both one mile races have drawn large fields that will be littered with New York invaders. In the Summer Stakes, Klaravich Stable and Bill Lawrence’s LIFE IMITATES ART is still a maiden after two starts for trainer Chad Brown but has shown high promise for a potent 2-year-old turf barn. The locals are led by Conquest Stable’s CONQUEST DADDYO and CONQUEST ENFORCER for trainer Mark Casse and both impressed with their local Polytrack wins, while GIGANTIC BREEZE and SKY MARSHAL also showed talent when breaking their maiden over the Polytrack. The Natalma figures to have a similar feel to its brother race the Summer. Delmar Pettigrew’s OUTISDER ART warrants a look for trainer Jonathan Sheppard after she drew off in her debut turf sprinting at Saratoga August 26. while the best of the locals look to be CATCH A GLIMPSE, who went wire to wire winning a seven-furlong allowance on August 22 at Woodbine for trainer Mark Casse; GAMBLE’S GHOST broke her maiden by more than 8 lengths on August 14 for trainer Josie Carroll., MOST INSPIRING, SHE’LL DO IT and SWOOP AND STRIKE are also entered. Sunday’s $300,000 Canadian (GII) will award an automatic starting berth into the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf and the 1 1/8-mile tilt is expected to lure a deep and competitive field, with John Unger’s homebred STRUT THE COURSE potentially holding an edge off her 8-for-19 record over the local turf for trainer Barbara Minshall, which includes a win in the Dance Smartly (GII) in July.