Hunters Bay FIRST Winner 2YO filly BAY OF CATS gamely breaks Maiden at Delaware Park 10/19 SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2017 BLOODHORSE.COM/DAILY RICK SAMUELS CROWNING MOMENT Forever Unbridled Reigns in Breeders’ Cup Distaff See page 4 IN THIS ISSUE 8 Ulysses Scratched From Breeders’ Cup Turf 14 Battle of Midway Breaks Through in BC Dirt Mile 21 Life in Shadows Could Bring Collected to Forefront BLOODHORSE DAILY Download the FREE smartphone app PAGE 1 OF 58 The World’s Richest Racehorse $17,302,600 From the Travers (G1) in upstate New York to the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) in California to the inaugural Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) in South Florida to the World Cup in Dubai (G1), the gray son of Unbridled’s Song staged a tour de force for the ages. From Aug. 27, 2016, when he broke onto the national scene by dashing the fastest mile and a quarter since iconic Saratoga Race Course opened in 1863, through his Dubai World Cup victory when he seemed hopelessly beaten at the start only to recover for an unforgettable last-to-first triumph, Arrogate has secured a prominent place in history. Tom Pedulla from TDN Weekend LGB, LLC 2017 / Photo: Eclipse Sportswire / Breeders’ Cup Photo © Juddmonte CONTENTS 4 Forever Unbridled Reigns in Breeders’ Cup Distaff 8 Ulysses Scratched From Breeders’ Cup Turf 10 Handle Up on Breeders’ Cup Friday 14 Battle of Midway Breaks Through in BC Dirt Mile 16 Mendelssohn Storms Home in BC Juvenile Turf 18 Rushing Fall Strikes in BC Juvenile Fillies Turf 21 Life in Shadows Could Bring Collected to Forefront 24 Mubtaahij Highest Priced Classic Contender 26 A Dream Comes True, Again, for Mick Ruis 28 Birdie Gold Carries Banner for South America at BC 31 Breeders’ Cup, Sales a Balancing Act for ELiTE Sales 33 First U.S. Empire Maker Foals Go to Market Since 2011 41 Value Horses in the 2017 Breeders’ Cup 43 The Far Turn 44 Results 47 Entries 57 Leading Lists BREEDERS’ CUP SLIDESHOWS LATEST HEADLINES Check out our Breeders’ Cup slideshows from Bloodhorse.com featuring more of your favorite morning training photos from leading Breeders’ COHEN ENJOYS FIRST BC STARTER Cup contenders, as well as Friday and ITSINTHEPOST IN TURF Jed Cohen has six Saturday race photos from Del Mar! decades in Thoroughbred ownership and looks https://www.bloodhorse.com/ for biggest win yet. horse-racing/slideshows DESTIN PREVAILS IN MARATHON STAKES AT DEL MAR Belmont Stakes runner-up from 2016 relishes 14 furlongs Nov. 3 at Del Mar. BLOODHORSE DAILY Editorial Director John K. Keitt, Jr. AMERICANIZE EARNS HIS STRIPES IN BloodHorse Daily Editor DAMASCUS Kaleem Shah homebred gets clear Claire Novak-Crosby in stakes debut Nov. 3 at Del Mar. Asst. Daily Editor Director of Advertising Sales Mary Reeder Scott Carling Senior Bloodstock Columnist Regional Sales Managers DAISY DRAWS CLEAR IN TEMPTED STAKES Bill Oppenheim Shirley Dievert Daughter of Blame won by 4 3/4 lengths in Visuals Director Kristi Heasley Anne M. Eberhardt Ellen Lambertus second start. Creative Services Amanda Ramey Kerry Howe Contact Us: Digital Media Group Editor: [email protected] BREEDERS' CUP TV SCHEDULE AND POST Erin Morgan Asst. Editor: [email protected] TIMES Coverage on NBC Sports Network and Christine Wittmer Advertising: [email protected] NBC. BLOODHORSE DAILY Download the FREE SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2017 PAGE 3 OF 58 smartphone app FOREVER UNBRIDLED REIGNS IN BREEDERS' CUP DISTAFF By Alicia Wincze Hughes t @BH_AHughes ach time the connections of Forever Unbridled Ecame to a crossroads the last couple months, the verdict was always to maintain faith the big bay mare would ultimately prove their instincts correct. After she bested champion Songbird in the Aug. 26 Personal Ensign Stakes (G1)—just her second start of EBERHARDT ANNE M. the year—trainer Dallas Stewart and owner Charles Owner Charles Fipke (left) and trainer Dallas Stewart (second Fipke gambled that fresh legs would serve the daughter from right) in the winner’s circle at Del Mar Nov. 3 of Unbridled's Song better than another race heading daughter of Unbridled's Song, Unbridled Elaine, to into the Nov. 3 Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at victory. "You have to give Chuck Fipke credit. He bred Del Mar. And when Fipke made the much-talked-about (Lemons Forever) to Unbridled's Song. He had the call to replace the mare's regular pilot, Joel Rosario, nerve to step up and give $2.5 million for the mom. with Hall of Famer John Velazquez for Friday's 1 1/8- "It's been a great story. I'm just blessed. She's such a mile run, the fact their charge was healthy and peaking great filly." for her second attempt at Breeders' Cup glory was the Already a multiple grade 1 winner at the end of her narrative her team most wanted to focus on. 4-year-old season, Forever Unbridled's story is one that Coming into the stretch of the 2017 Distaff, Forever could have ended last year were she in different hands. Unbridled shifted the conversation in the best way Following her third-place run in last year's Distaff, possible. At the wire of the $2 million race, it was all she underwent surgery to remove a bone chip in her left about the 5-year-old mare's sustained excellence and the front ankle. Her value would have allowed her to go to remarkable family history she continues to carry forward. any stallion of Fipke's choosing but instead, he decided One year after she finished third behind brilliant to let Stewart see how much better his stable star could champions Beholder and Songbird in the Distaff, Fipke's be with a little added time. homebred darling snatched the hardware for herself Her seasonal debut in the June 17 Fleur de Lis when she shook clear entering the lane, then held off Handicap (G2) at Churchill Downs saw her notch a multiple grade 1 winner Abel Tasman by a half-length. 1 3/4-length victory, even with the bit of rust on her It was her fourth top-level win, and cemented her as the frame. It also got her form on point for a showdown with leading older female in training. Songbird in the Personal Ensign, where she rolled up The satisfaction that ran through Stewart and Fipke with big strides on the outside to hand the dual Eclipse when their girl hit the wire penetrated on a deeply Award heroine just her second career defeat. emotional level for each. Having conditioned both her "Chuck could have retired her. She was already a grade grade 1-winning dam, Lemons Forever, and her full 1 winner but he was like, 'I want to keep going with her,' " sister, Unbridled Forever, Stewart has spent more than a Stewart said. "Nine out of 10 guys would have retired her. decade getting the best out of her bloodlines. But Chuck, being the sportsman he is (who) loves racing When Fipke laid out $2.5 million to purchase Lemons wanted to see this happen for her. And he did." Forever at the 2007 Keeneland November breeding stock With champion Stellar Wind also back for another sale, even the noted geologist could not have fathomed Breeders' Cup run and the likes of upstart sophomores what a treasure of a female family he had unearthered. Elate and Abel Tasman waiting to show the older girls "It's just remarkable. I don't think there is a family what they could do, Forever Unbridled needed all of like this in the world that I can think of that's been so her class to pull off her defining victory. solid," beamed Stewart, whose only other Breeders' Cup After breaking from post 6 under Velazquez—who win came in the 2001 Distaff, when he saddled another (continued on page 6) BLOODHORSE DAILY Download the FREE SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2017 PAGE 4 OF 58 smartphone app “American Pharoah just seems to be putting an intangible quality in his foals. They kind of have this swagger and this balance...They are nothing short of awesome” Mark Taylor of Taylor Made Sales Racing Post, Kentucky November Sales Special Champion 2YO. Triple Crown winner. Record-breaking winner of the BC Classic. • ASHFORD • ASHFORD • ASHFORD • • ASHFORD • ASHFORD • ASHFORD • Aisling Duignan, Dermot Ryan, Charlie O’Connor, Adrian Wallace or Scott Calder. Tel: 859-873-7088. Fax: 859-879 5756. FOREVER UNBRIDLED REIGNS IN BREEDERS’ CUP DISTAFF (continued from page 4) had piloted the mare twice previously, including her victory in the 2016 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1)— Forever Unbridled bided her time in seventh in the eight-horse field, saving a bit of ground coming into the backstretch as champion Champagne Room cut an opening quarter-mile in :23.79 up front with grade 1 winner Paradise Woods sitting just off that one's hip. By the time Champagne Room hit the half-mile mark in :48.08, Velazquez had moved Forever Unbridled up RICK SAMUELS a notch to sixth where she tracked Elate who was racing Forever Unbridled holds on to a half-length victory in the in the three-path. Coming into the final turn, Forever Breeders’ Cup Distaff over Abel Tasman and Paradise Woods Unbridled made her move a bit earlier than normal, sweeping past Elate and then wearing down Paradise came up a touch short." Woods before turning back Abel Tasman's late kick. Mopotism was fifth with Champagne Room and "I wanted to make sure I did save some ground Romantic Vision next. Stellar Wind faded badly in the going into the first turn," Velazquez said.