August 25, 2015 Contact: Jim Gluckson, Breeders’ Cup, 646-335-6835 Countdown to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships Newsletter Advisory: This is the second 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. 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. Triple Crown Winner American Pharoah’s Presence in the Travers, Four Challenge Races, Anchor Star-Studded Saratoga Weekend Only in Saratoga. As if Saturday’s four grade I Breeders’ Cup Challenge races weren’t enough, the decision by trainer Bob Baffert and owner Ahmad Zayat that Triple Crown winner AMERICAN PHAROAH will come for the Travers (G1) bolstered what was already shaping up as the summer’s most definitive racing day. The “Mid Summer Derby” will anchor a stakes card that will see the Sword Dancer (Longines Turf), Personal Ensign (Distaff), Forego (TwinSpires Sprint) and Ballerina (Filly & Mare Sprint) offer guaranteed starting spots in the Breeders’ Cup. The Sword Dancer and the Travers will be televised live on NBC as a part of the “Summer at Saratoga, Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series – Presented by Lane’s End Farm” from 4-6 p.m. ET. Run at 1 ¼ miles, the $1.6 million Travers has long been a summer stop for the most talented 3-year-olds in training, but the bar has obviously been set higher with the presence of American Pharoah, racing’s first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed turned the trick in 1978. The homebred son of Pioneerof the Nile has been unbeatable since running 5th in his debut at Del Mar last August, rattling off eight consecutive wins that peaked with dominating scores in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont. American Pharoah returned to the races in the William Hill Haskell Invitational (GI) August 2 at Monmouth Park and, if even possible, looked sharper than the horse who blitzed through the Triple Crown, winning by 2 ¼ lengths while being geared down late. Baffert and Zayat cautioned about an appearance in the Travers immediately following the Haskell, but American Pharoah’s energetic breezes in the coming weeks made the decision an easier one. After he worked seven furlongs in a sizzling 1:23.20 at Del Mar August 23, Baffert knew a date with Saratoga loomed. “He was more aggressive today. He didn’t work all that fast last week and he wanted to get into it today,” Baffert said. “I think the track seems to be a little bit faster. We wanted to see where he is; where his energy level is. To be sure he still has it. It’s incredible that he does after all this. But he does. Then again, he’s an incredible horse.” (Whirlaway, in 1941, is the only Triple Crown winner to win the Travers. Affirmed finished first in the 1978 Travers, but was disqualified for interference and placed second, and Alydar was declared the winner). While American Pharoah will rate as an imposing odds-on favorite, both on talent and the fact he has already handled several of the Travers runners with ease, he will be greeted by a dangerous new shooter in Erich Brehm’s TEXAS RED, who was late to the party as a 3-year-old but enters off a solid local win in the Jim Dandy (GII) August 1. Trained by Keith Desormeaux, the son of Afleet Alex won the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last year at Santa Anita but was forced to miss the Triple Crown series with foot problems. Texas Red returned to run second in Belmont’s Dwyer (GIII) in July then broke through again in the Jim Dandy to improve his lifetime record to 3-for-8. Godolphin’s homebred FROSTED had the misfortune of chasing American Pharoah home in both the Derby, when fourth, and Belmont, when second, and will try again for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. The son of Tapit, who is 2-for-10 lifetime, won Aqueduct’s Wood Memorial (GI) in April and will use a second-place run in the Jim Dandy as his springboard to the Travers. Stretch running FRAMMENTO, fifth in the Belmont and fourth in the Jim Dandy for trainer Nick Zito; KEEN ICE, who improved substantially when second to American Pharoah in the Haskell and should like the 1 ¼ miles for trainer Dale Romans; recent Delaware Park maiden winner MID OCEAN for trainer George Weaver; SMART TRANSITION, who won the local Curlin July 31 for trainer John Shirreffs and TALE OF VERVE, a distant second in the Preakness but just seventh in the Belmont and sixth in the West Virginia Derby (GII) at Mountaineer Park August 1 for trainer Dallas Stewart, are also expected for the Travers. KING OF NEW YORK and UPSTART could also be entered. Challenge Races Brimming With Star Power Hardly to be overshadowed, Saratoga’s four Challenge races could stand alone as centerpieces to a Saturday card at the Spa and will showcase immense talent and depth in their respective divisions. The $1 million Sword Dancer, run at 1 ½ miles, was given a significant purse increase this year and that, coupled with an automatic berth into the Turf, has brought an international flair to Saratoga’s premier grass race and an automatic berth into the $3 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf. Juddmonte Farm’s homebred FLINTSHIRE (GB), who was second in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita for trainer Andre Fabre, will make a return trip to the states. The 5-year-old son of Dansili (GB) won the Hong Kong Vase (GI) at Sha Tin in December to close out his campaign but will look to annex his first win of the season after finishing in the money in all four starts, including a second to superstar mare Treve (FR) in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (GI) at Saint Cloud June 28. IMAGINING, second to champion Main Sequence in last year’s Sword Dancer for trainer Shug McGaughey; local allowance winner MESSI (GER) for trainer Graham Motion; TWILIGHT ECLIPSE, who won Belmont’s Man ‘O War (GI) in May for trainer Tom Albertrani; RED RIFLE, who impressed in winning the local Bowling Green (GII) August 1 for trainer Todd Pletcher and WAR DANCER, second in the Bowling Green for trainer Bill Mott, also warrant respect in the Sword Dancer. Longshots FIXADOR (BRZ) and GUARDINI (FR) are also expected to invade from Europe. The $750,000 Personal Ensign, run at 1 1/8 miles, will offer a rematch between Town and Country Farms’ STOPSHOPPINGMARIA and Ron Winchell’s homebred and defending Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner UNTAPABLE, the 1-2 finishers in the local prep, the Shuvee (GIII) August 3. The former, a 4-year- old daughter of Tale of the Cat pulled away late to win by 1-length and has shown an affinity for Saratoga’s main track, as she’s 4-for-5 lifetime over it for Pletcher. Untapable, a 4-year-old daughter of Tapit, has struggled to find her form this year, going 1-for-4 for trainer Steve Asmussen, with Oaklawn Park’s Apple Blossom (GI) in April as her lone score. Philip Steinberg’s GOT LUCKY, who has won a pair of Monmouth Park’s stakes in her last two for Pletcher; Harold Queen’s homebred SHEER DRAMA, who won the Delaware Park Handicap (GI) July 18 for trainer David Fawkes and Jim Tafel’s TIZ WINDY, 3RD IN THE Shuvee for trainer Carl Nafzger, are also expected for the Personal Ensign. The $500,000 Ballerina, run at seven furlongs for an automatic berth into the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, offers an enticing matchup between Bobby Flay’s DAME DOROTHY, who is 3-for-4 this year for Pletcher, including a win in Churchill Downs’ Humana Distaff (GI) in May and Lady Sheila Stable’s LA VERDAD, who has won four in a row for trainer Linda Rice, including the local prep, the Honorable Miss (GII), July 29. MERRY MEADOW, who won the Princess Rooney (GII) July 5 for trainer Mark Hennig; Monmouth stakes winner ROOM FOR ME for trainer David Jacobson; SARAH SIS, who won the Iowa Oaks (GIII) at Prairie Meadows for trainer Ingrid Mason, Churchill’s Winning Colors (GIII) winner STREET STORY, for Asmussen and UNBRIDLED FOREVER, who won her seasonal debut in the local Shine Again August 5 for trainer Dallas Stewart, are also slated to run in the Ballerina. The $700,000 Forego, run at seven furlongs, gets the winner a free berth in the TwinSpires Breeders’ Cup Sprint. The race features the return of Good Friends Stable’s divisional heavyweight PRIVATE ZONE, who is 2-for-4 this year for trainer Jorge Navarro, which includes a win in the Belmont Sprint Championship (GIII) July 4. The 6-year-old son of 2000 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Macho Uno has shown a penchant for running big in New York, as he’s won Belmont’s Vosburgh (GI) twice and Aqueduct’s Cigar Mile (GI) as well. THE BIG BEAST, who won the King’s Bishop (GI) here last year and was second in the local Vanderbilt (GI) for trainer Tony Dutrow; RACE DAY, who won the Oaklawn Handicap (GII) in April for Pletcher and multiple graded stakes winner SALUTOS AMIGOS, a close 4th in the Vanderbilt for Jacobson are also likely Forego starters, as are BOURBON COURAGE, TAMARKUZ and WILDCAT RED.