Yahoo Finance Derby winner Medina Spirit, Belmont champ Essential Quality to clash in Breeders’ Cup
Medina Spirit, the controversial winner of the Kentucky Derby, and Belmont Stakes winner Essential Quality head a field of 10 horses for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, with trainer Brad Cox pre-entering two horses for the $6 million race that also includes Hot Rod Charlie.
Hot Rod Charlie finished third in the Derby and second in the Belmont. Preakness winner Rombauer hasn’t raced since finishing third in the Belmont on June 5.
The Classic field was among the horses pre-entered Wednesday for the $31 million, 14-race world championships on Nov. 5-6 at Del Mar. Fans are returning to the Breeders’ Cup for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic kept them away last year at Keeneland. The event returns to Lexington next year.
Knicks Go is Cox’s other entry in the 1 1/4-mile Classic on Nov. 6.
Medina Spirit is overseen by Bob Baffert, the all-time leader among trainers in Breeders’ Cup earnings at nearly $36 million. He currently is embroiled in legal fights in New York and Kentucky for multiple positive drug tests involving some of his horses.
The Breeders’ Cup is allowing Baffert to enter horses (he has eight total), but he has to meet certain conditions, including stricter out-of-competition testing of his horses and greater security at his barn. He has agreed to the tightened standards.
After his Derby win on May 1, Medina Spirit tested positive for the corticosteroid betamethasone, which isn’t allowed on race day in Kentucky. The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has yet to issue a final decision as part of its investigation into the matter.
Three of Baffert’s Breeders’ Cup pre-entries — Barossa, Corniche and Pinehurst — are in the $2 million Juvenile, whose winner is tabbed as the early favorite for next year’s Kentucky Derby. Besides Baffert’s trio, Todd Pletcher, Christopher Davis and Hideyuki Mori have two runners each.
However, Baffert has been banned from the Derby in 2022 and 2023 as part of his suspension by Churchill Downs.
The New York Racing Association wants to ban Baffert from running at its tracks. He has had five failed drug tests dating back to May 2, 2020.
Another of Baffert’s top entries is Gamine in the $1 million Filly and Mare Sprint, which attracted just six other runners, perhaps because of his filly’s intimidating presence.
Celebrity chef Bobby Flay is the owner-breeder of Pizza Bianca in the $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf. Erik Johnson, a defenseman for the Colorado Avalanche, co-owns Mackinnon, who is running in the $1 million Juvenile Turf. The colt is named for Johnson’s teammate, Nathan MacKinnon.
Others pre-entered in the $6 million Classic are Art Collector, Express Train, Idol, Max Player, Stilleto Boy and Tripoli. Stilleto Boy could run in the Dirt Mile instead.
New York-based trainer Chad Brown has 11 pre-entries. Baffert and Pletcher have eight each. Cox, Steve Asmussen, who is North America’s all-time winningest trainer, and Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien have six each.
Del Mar is hosting the richest two days in North American racing for the second time since 2017.
Final entries and the post-position draw are Monday.
The world championships will open with five races for juveniles in what’s billed as Future Stars Friday on Nov. 5, followed by nine races on Nov. 6.
2021 Breeders’ Cup
What: World Championships of Thoroughbred horse racing, including 14 races over two days
When: Nov. 5-6
Where: Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.
Breeders’ Cup Classic
Pre-entered field for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 6, with odds from USRacing.com (Official entries, post positions and morning-line odds to be set Monday):
Art Collector (n/a)
Essential Quality (4-1)
Express Train (33-1)
Hot Rod Charlie (9-1)
Idol (25-1)
Knicks Go (5-2)
Max Player (8-1)
Medina Spirit (7-1)
Stilleto Boy (n/a)
Tripoli (20-1)
Breeders’ Cup pre-entries
FRIDAY, NOV. 5
JUVENILE TURF SPRINT
Post time: 5:50 p.m. EDT
TV: NBC Sports Network, TVG
Purse: $1 million
Grade: 2
Distance: 5 furlongs
Surface: Turf
For: 2-year-olds
Last year’s winner: Golden Pal
2021 pre-entered field: Armor (Great Britain), Averly Jane, Derrynane, Go Bears Go (Ireland), Hierarchy (Ireland), One Timer, Quick Suzy (Ireland), Run Curtis Run, Slipstream, Twilight Gleaming (Ireland), Twilight Jet (Ireland), Vertiginous (Ireland). Also eligible: Time to Party, Kaufymaker, Makin My Move, Thunder Love (Great Britain), Elevado, Baby Steps, Sumter.
JUVENILE FILLIES
Post time: 6:30 p.m. EDT
TV: NBC Sports Network, TVG
Purse: $2 million
Grade: 1
Distance: 1 1/16 miles
Surface: Dirt
For: 2-year-old females
Last year’s winner: Vequist
2021 pre-entered field: Ain’t Easy, Cairo Memories, Desert Dawn, Echo Zulu, Hidden Connection, Juju’s Map, Nest, Sequist, Tarabi.
JUVENILE FILLIES TURF
Post time: 7:10 p.m. EDT
TV: NBC Sports Network, TVG
Purse: $1 million
Grade: 1
Distance: 1 mile
Surface: Turf
For: 2-year-old females
Last year’s winner: Aunt Pearl (Ireland)
2021 pre-entered field: Bubble Rock, Cachet (Ireland), Cairo Memories, California Angel, Consumer Spending, Diamond Wow, Hello You (Ireland), Koala Princess, Malavath (Ireland), Mise En Scene (Great Britain), Pizza Bianca, Sail By, Turnerloose, Zain Claudette (Ireland). Also eligible: Haughty, Helens Well (Ireland), Crazyland (Great Britain), Baby Steps).
JUVENILE
Post time: 7:50 p.m. EDT
TV: NBC Sports Network, TVG
Purse: $2 million
Grade: 1
Distance: 1 1/16 miles
Surface: Dirt
For: 2-year-olds
Last year’s winner: Essential Quality
2021 pre-entered field: American Sanctuary, Barossa, Commandperformance, Corniche, Double Thunder, Giant Game, Jack Christopher, Jasper Great, Jasper Krone, Oviatt Class, Pappacap, Pinehurst, Rattle N Roll, Tough to Tame.
JUVENILE TURF
Post time: 8:30 p.m. EDT
TV: NBC Sports Network, TVG
Purse: $1 million
Grade: 1
Distance: 1 mile
Surface: Turf
For: 2-year-olds
Last year’s winner: Fire At Will
2021 pre-entered field: Albahr (Great Britain), Annapolis, Coinage, Dakota Gold, Dubawi Legend (Ireland), Glounthaune (Ireland), Grafton Street, Great Max (Ireland), Mackinnon, Modern Games (Ireland), Portfolio Company, Slipstream, Stolen Base, Tiz the Bomb. Also eligible: Credibility, Ready to Purrform, Verbal, Jasper Krone, Detroit City, Royal Spirit.
SATURDAY, NOV. 6
FILLY AND MARE SPRINT
Post time: 3:05 p.m. EDT
TV: NBC Sports Network, TVG
Purse: $1 million
Grade: 1
Distance: 7 furlongs
Surface: Dirt
For: Female 3-year-olds and up
Last year’s winner: Gamine
2021 pre-entered field: Bella Sofia, Ce Ce, Edgeway, Estilo Talentoso, Gamine, Proud Emma, Truth Hurts.
TURF SPRINT
Post time: 3:40 p.m. EDT
TV: NBC Sports Network, TVG
Purse: $1 million
Grade: 1
Distance: 5 furlongs
Surface: Turf
For: 3-year-olds and up
Last year’s winner: Glass Slippers
2021 pre-entered field: A Case of You (Ireland), Arrest Me Red, Casa Creed, Charmaine’s Mia, Emaraaty Ana (Great Britain), Extravagant Kid, Fast Boat, Gear Jockey, Glass Slippers (Great Britain), Golden Pal, Kimari, Lieutenant Dan. Also eligible: Caravel, Bombard, The Critical Way, Chaos Theory, Beer Can Man, Commander (France), Hollywood Talent.
DIRT MILE
Post time: 4:19 p.m. EDT
TV: NBC Sports Network, TVG
Purse: $1 million
Grade: 1
Distance: 1 mile
Surface: Dirt
For: 3-year-olds and up
Last year’s winner: Knicks Go
2021 pre-entered field: C Z Rocket, Eight Rings, Ginobili, Jasper Prince, Life Is Good, Mind Control, Pingxiang, Restrainedvengence, Silver State, Snapper Sinclair, Stilleto Boy.
FILLY AND MARE TURF
Post time: 4:59 p.m. EDT
TV: NBC Sports Network, TVG
Purse: $2 million
Grade: 1
Distance: 1 3/8 miles
Surface: Turf
For: Female 3-year-olds and up
Last year’s winner: Audarya (France)
2021 pre-entered field: Audarya (France), Dogtag, Going to Vegas, La Joconde (Ireland), Love (Ireland), Loves Only You (Japan), My Sister Nat (France), Pocket Square (Great Britain), Queen Supreme (Ireland), Reina de Mollendo (Argentina), Rougir (France), Tarnawa (Ireland), Teona (Ireland), War Like Goddess. Also eligible: Acanella (Great Britain), Ocean Road (Ireland)
SPRINT
Post time: 5:38 p.m. EDT
TV: NBC Sports Network, TVG
Purse: $2 million
Grade: 1
Distance: 6 furlongs
Surface: Dirt
For: 3-year-olds and up
Last year’s winner: Whitmore
2021 pre-entered field: Aloha West, C Z Rocket, Dr. Schivel, Firenze Fire, Flagstaff, Following Sea, Jackie’s Warrior, Jasper Prince, Lexitonian, Matera Sky, Pingxiang, Special Reserve.
MILE
Post time: 6:20 p.m. EDT
TV: NBC Sports Network, TVG
Purse: $2 million
Grade: 1
Distance: 1 mile
Surface: Dirt
For: 3-year-olds and up
Last year’s winner: Order of Australia (Ireland)
2021 pre-entered field: Blowout (Great Britain), Casa Creed, Got Stormy, Hit the Road, In Love (Brazil), Master of The Seas (Ireland), Mo Forza, Mother Earth (Ireland), Order of Australia (Ireland), Pearls Galore (France), Raging Bull (France), Smooth Like Strait, Space Blues (Ireland), Vin de Garde (Japan). Also eligible: Ivar (Brazil), Real Appeal (Germany), Tell Your Daddy, Somelikeithotbrown, Pogo (Ireland), Toro Strike, Thunder Moon (Ireland), Channel Cat, Snapper Sinclair, Queen Supreme (Ireland).
DISTAFF
Post time: 7 p.m. EDT
TV: NBC Sports Network, TVG
Purse: $2 million
Grade: 1
Distance: 1 1/8 miles
Surface: Dirt
For: Female 3-year-olds and up
Last year’s winner: Monomoy Girl
2021 pre-entered field: As Time Goes By, Blue Stripe (Argentina), Clairiere, Dunbar Road, Horologist, Letruska, Malathaat, Marche Lorraine (Japan), Private Mission, Royal Flag, Shedaresthedevil.
TURF
Post time: 7:40 p.m. EDT
TV: NBC Sports Network, TVG
Purse: $4 million
Grade: 1
Distance: 1 1/2 miles
Surface: Turf
For: 3-year-olds and up
Last year’s winner: Tarnawa (Ireland)
2021 pre-entered field: Acclimate, Astronaut, Domestic Spending (Great Britain), Gufo, Imperador (Argentina), Love (Ireland), Loves Only You (Japan), Rockemperor (Ireland), Sisfahan (France), Tarnawa (Ireland), Teona (Ireland), United, Walton Street (Great Britain), Yibir (Great Britain). Also eligible: Japan (Great Britain), Tribhuvan (France), Broome (Ireland), Bolshoi Ballet (Ireland), Channel Maker, Channel Cat, Mogul (Great Britain), Friar’s Road.
CLASSIC
Post time: 8:40 p.m. EDT
TV: NBC-18
Purse: $6 million
Grade: 1
Distance: 1 1/4 miles
Surface: Dirt
For: 3-year-olds and up
Last year’s winner: Authentic
2021 pre-entered field: Art Collector, Essential Quality, Express Train, Hot Rod Charlie, Idol, Knicks Go, Max Player, Medina Spirit, Stilleto Boy, Tripoli.
