September 11, 2019 Contact: Jim Gluckson, Breeders’ Cup, 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 36th Breeders’ Cup World Championships on Friday, November 1 and Saturday, November 2 at Santa Anita. 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 notification service. Woodbine Mile, Irish Champion Stakes, Churchill September Meet, Highlight Action-Packed Breeders’ Cup Challenge Weekend The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series spans the globe this weekend, from Woodbine outside of Toronto to Leopardstown and The Curragh in Ireland, to Churchill Downs in Louisville, as 10 races that serve as automatic qualifiers to the Breeders’ Cup will be run. The “Win and You’re In” Ricoh Woodbine Mile (G1), which will offer an automatic starting berth into the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile, takes center stage as a trio of Challenge races will be run at Woodbine, while the “Win and You’re In” QIPCO Irish Champion (G1), an automatic qualifier for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf, is the anchor for three Challenge races at Leopardstown. Toss in a pair of juvenile qualifiers during the opening weekend of Churchill’s September meet and two more at The Curragh, and an action-packed Challenge weekend of the season is upon us. Got Stormy Winning the Fourstardave at Saratoga Photo by Eclipse Sportswire Saturday’s $1 million Woodbine Mile has long been a key stepping-stone to the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile and this year’s renewal figures to be no different, especially with Gary Barber and Southern Equine Stable’s GOT STORMY steaking into the race for trainer Mark Casse. The 4-year-old daughter of Get Stormy has been installed as the 8-5 favorite in the 11-horse field. Got Stormy hit a new gear this summer at Saratoga, as she parlayed an easy win in the De La Rose Aug. 3 into a grade 1 win over males a week later in the Fourstardave (G1). Got Stormy, who is 7-for-15 lifetime, seems poised to embark down a path similar to Tepin, who used a Woodbine Mile win as a springboard to a Mile win at Keeneland for Casse in 2015. The home team is led by Frank Stronach’s SILENT POET (15-1), who won the local prep, the Aug. 24 Play the King (G2), in course record time for trainer Nick Gonzalez. The 4-year-old son of Silent Name (JPN) is 6-for-11 lifetime but 7-5-2-0 on the turf and clearly has an affinity for the course. Peter Brant’s RAGING BULL (FR), the 3-1 second choice, was second to Got Stormy in the Fourstardave and rates a danger for trainer Chad Brown, while Godolphin’s homebred LUCULLAN (8-1) is 2-for-2 this year for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, and Pin Oak Stable’s homebred SYNCHRONY (6-1) won the course and distance Kind Edward (G2) June 29 for trainer Mike Stidham. Foreign participation rests solely on Lee Yuk Lun’s filly AWESOMETANK (GB) (8-1), who was second to champion Sistercharlie (IRE) in her lone U.S. start, Arlington Park’s Aug. 10 “Win and You’re In” Beverly D. (G1), an automatic qualifier for the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, for trainer William Haggas. The field in completed by ADMIRALTY PIER (30-1), AMERICAN GURU (30-1), EL TORMENTA (20-1), MADE YOU LOOK (12-1) and EMMAUS (IRE) (20-1). Juveniles Vie for Turf Bids Sunday at Woodbine The “Win and You’re In” action continues Sunday at Woodbine as the first two North American grade I turf races of the year for juveniles—the $250,000 Summer and $250,000 Natalma—will be run, and the one- mile races will offer automatic starting berths into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, respectively. The Summer looks wide open, with Phoenix Thoroughbreds’ MYSTIC LANCELOT, a son of Into Mischief who impressed on debut Aug. 15 at Saratoga for trainer Todd Pletcher, expected to be one of the favorites, though Fergus Galvins’ European invader VITALOGY (GB) will also warrant plenty of attention, as he was a close fourth in the Acomb (G3) at York Aug. 21 for trainer Joseph O’Brien. The locals are led by KEEP ON TRUCKIN, who has aired in two local Tapeta wins for Catherine Day Phillips and looks to be a major contender in his turf debut, as does Saratoga maiden winner DECORATED INVADER for trainer Christophe Clement. CUCINA, OLD CHASTNUT, PLEASECALLMEBACK, PROVEN STRATEGIES, and ZOOLOGICAL are also expected for the “Win and You’re In” Summer. The Natalma, long a key prep for the Juvenile Fillies Turf, looks to have a potential star in Godolphin’s homebred FAIR MAIDEN, who won the local prep, the August 17 Catch a Glimpse, by 7 ½ lengths for trainer Eoin Harty. The daughter of Street Boss is 2-for-3 lifetime, which includes a 14 ¼-length maiden romp on the Polytrack at Arlington Park in July. Klaravich Stable’s VOTING AGREEMENT looks the main danger for Brown, as the daughter of More Than Ready was an impressive debut winner at Saratoga Aug. 9 for potent connections. ABSCOND, COACH LORI, DIAMOND SPARKLES, RUNAWAY DREAMER, SARATOGA VISION, and WALK IN MARAKESH are also likely for the “Win and You’re In” Natalma. Magical battles with Enable in 2018 Longines Turf Photo by Eclipse Sportswire/Breeders’ Cup Magical, Irish Champion Headline Trio of Challenge Races at Leopardstown A trio of “Win and You’re In” Challenge races are on the schedule Saturday at Leopardstown in Dublin, and with arch rival and super mare Enable (GB) sitting out the $1.441 million “Win and You’re In” QIPCO Irish Champion (G1), it looks like the Coolmore conglomerate of Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier, and Derrick Smith’s MAGICAL (IRE) will be poised to earn a long overdue major victory as she’s set to go favored in the 1 ¼-mile automatic qualifier for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf. Magical, a 4-year-old daughter of Galileo (IRE), has been a top performer for the past two years for trainer Aidan O’Brien but also has had the misfortune of being pitted against one of the immortals of the turf, as she’s run second to Enable three times, which includes a three quarters of a length defeat in last year’s Turf at Churchill Downs. Magical, who is 7-for-18 lifetime, won the Tattersalls Gold Cup (G1) in May at The Curragh and enters off consecutive second-place finishes to Enable in the Coral Eclipse (G1) at Sandown in July and York’s Aug. 22 “Win and You’re In” Darley Yorkshire Oaks (G1), an automatic qualifier for the Maker’s Mark Filly & Mare Turf. Coolmore and O’Brien also are expected to run ANTHONY VAN DYCK (IRE), who won the Epsom Derby (G1) in June, and MAGNA GRECIA (IRE), who won the 2000 Guineas (G1) at Newmarket in May, as well as HUNTNG HORN (IRE), MAGIC WAND (IRE) and PINK DOGWOOD (IRE). Juddmonte Farm’s homebred HEADMAN (GB) has won three straight for trainer Roger Charlton, though the 3-year-old son of Kingman (GB) is stepping way up off consecutive group 2 wins in the Prix Eugene Adam at Saint- Cloud in June and Saint-Germain at Deauville Aug. 15. Qatar Nassau Stakes (G1) winner DEIRDRE (JPN), ELARQAM (GB), MADHMOON (IRE), and VERBAL DEXTERITY (IRE) are also expected to start in the “Win and You’re In” QIPCO Irish Champion. In addition to the Irish Champion, Saturday’s “Win and You’re In” action also includes the $403,604 Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron (G1), which will award an automatic starting berth into the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, and the $172,973 KPMG Champions Juvenile (G2), with a berth into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf on the line. The Matron, run at one-mile, is expected to be led by John Dance’s defending champion LAURENS (FR), who has been one of the most consistent and accomplished runners in Europe over the past two seasons. The 4-year-old daughter of Siyouni (FR) has won six group 1s over a distinguished career but will look to rebound off a second-place finish in York’s City of York (G2) Aug. 24 for trainer Karl Burke. Laurens is 8-for-15 lifetime, which includes a win in the Prix Rothschild (G1) at Deauville July, and has long been rumored for either the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile or Filly & Mare Turf this year at Santa Anita. Coolmore and O’Brien’s HERMOSA (IRE) will offer a stiff test, as the 3-year-old daughter of Galileo (IRE) won both the 1000 Guineas (G1) at Newmarket and Irish 1,000 Guineas (G1) at The Curragh this spring, though she has lost two straight, including a very disappointing ninth in the Nassau (G1) at Glorious Goodwood Aug. 1. HAPPEN, I CAN FLY (GB), and JUST WONDERFUL could also start for Coolmore and O’Brien in the “Win and You’re In” Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron. The KPMG Champions Juvenile, also at one-mile, is expected to attract any number of talented but lightly raced runners for Coolmore and O’Brien, with MOGUL (GB), an impressive maiden winner at The Curragh Aug.