Breeders’ Cup Roundup: Anmaat, Kalpana win final qualifiers

The 2024 Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar is 11 days away. Catch up on the latest news and developments with our weekly Breeders’ Cup Roundup:

Anmaat, Kalpana prevail in final Breeders’ Cup qualifiers

The long-running Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series came to a conclusion on British Champions Day at Ascot. The stakes-packed Saturday card featured two final “Win and You’re In” qualifiers for the Breeders’ Cup. One unfolded as bettors expected, while the other ended in a major upset.

The British Champions Fillies & Mares (G1), a stepping stone to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1), went to the improving three-year-old filly Kalpana. The clear favorite was never too far off the pace while racing outside, and down the homestretch she edged past pacesetter Wingspan and pulled away to win by two lengths, completing 1 1/2 miles over soft turf in 2:29.57.

Later on, the 1 1/4-mile Champion (G1) awarded a Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) berth to Anmaat, who overcame an extraordinary amount of traffic to spring a 38-1 upset.

Winner of the 2023 Prix d’Ispahan (G1) but overlooked off a recent fifth-place finish in the Prix Dollar (G2), Anmaat spent much of the Champion racing in fifth place while between rivals. As the field bunched up at the top of the homestretch, Anmaat had absolutely no racing room and got shuffled toward the back of the pack. However, the six-year-old gelding never gave up and gradually threaded his way through tight quarters to find a clear path and caught favored Calandagan by half a length in 2:08.96.

Highland Falls, Newgate, Next, Senor Buscador post fast workouts for Classic

A bevy of U.S.-based Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) contenders have turned in timed workouts over the last week.

Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) winner Highland Falls, Santa Anita H. (G1) hero Newgate, standout marathon specialist Next, and Saudi Cup (G1) conqueror Senor Buscador recorded particularly fast exercises. Next’s sharp workout led to his confirmation as an intended Breeders’ Cup starter, though whether he opts for the Classic or the Turf (G1) remains to be determined.

Here’s a roundup of recent workouts from a dozen possible Breeders’ Cup Classic contenders:

Arthur’s Ride: Five furlongs in 1:00.80 over the Saratoga training track on Saturday.

Crupi: Half a mile in :49.06 over the Belmont Park training track on Friday.

Fierceness: Five furlongs in 1:01.69 over the Saratoga training track on Thursday.

Highland Falls: Five furlongs in a bullet 1:00.00 at Churchill Downs on Friday.

Mixto: Five furlongs in 1:01 1/5 at Santa Anita on Sunday.

Newgate: Five furlongs in a bullet :59 1/5 at Santa Anita on Monday.

Next: Five furlongs in a bullet 1:00.60 at Turfway Park on Wednesday.

Pyrenees: Half a mile in :47.20 at Keeneland on Saturday.

Rattle N Roll: Five furlongs in 1:01.40 at Churchill Downs on Saturday.

Senor Buscador: Five furlongs in a bullet 1:00.00 at Santa Anita on Wednesday.

Sierra Leone: Half a mile in :49.25 over the Belmont Park training track on Saturday.

Skippylongstocking: Half a mile in :49.42 over the Saratoga training track on Wednesday.

Tapit Trice: Half a mile in :49.06 over the Belmont Park training track on Friday.

The field for the Classic is still in flux. Skippylongstocking, for example, is more likely to start in the Dirt Mile (G1), a race in which he finished third last year.

Breeders’ Cup pre-entries are imminent

Today is the deadline for pre-entering the Breeders’ Cup. The pre-entries for all 14 races will be announced on Wednesday starting at noon ET. Bettors can tune in and watch on BreedersCup.com or via the Breeders’ Cup accounts on Facebook, X, and YouTube.

Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series qualifiers

The following horses have secured "Win and You’re In" berths to the 2024 Breeders’ Cup via the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series:

Click on each horse name to add them to your stable. Never miss a race they're a part of again!

Breeders’ Cup Classic

• Arthur’s Ride
• City of Troy
• Dornoch
• Highland Falls
• Kingsbarns
• Mixto
• Peptide Nile
• Subsanador

Breeders’ Cup Turf

• Anmaat
• Auguste Rodin
• Blow the Horn
• Bluestocking
• Economics
• El Encinal
• Far Bridge
• Gold Phoenix
• Goliath
• Grand Sonata
• Obataye

Breeders’ Cup Distaff

• Adare Manor
• Che Evasora
• Idiomatic
• Randomized

Breeders’ Cup Mile

• Carl Spackler
• Charles Dickens
• Charyn
• Frateli La Vita
• Johannes
• Notable Speech
• Romantic Warrior
• Win for the Money

Breeders’ Cup Sprint

• Federal Judge
• Mufasa
• Remake
• The Chosen Vron

Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile

• Crown Pride
• National Treasure
• Raging Torrent
• Three Technique

Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf

• Beach Bomb
• Boudica
• Content
• Friendly Soul
• Hang the Moon
• Idea Generation
• Kalpana
• Moira
• Porta Fortuna
• Ten Happy Rose

Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint

• Society
• Soul of an Angel
• Zeitlos

Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint

• Asfoora
• Bradsell
• Cogburn
• Makarova
• Motorious

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile

• Chancer McPatrick
• Citizen Bull
• East Avenue

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies

• Immersive
• Non Compliant
• Scottish Lassie

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf

• Camille Pissarro
• Green Impact
• Minaret Station
• New Century
• The Lion in Winter
• Zulu Kingdom

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf

• And One More Time
• Anshoda
• Lake Victoria
• May Day Ready
• Scythian
• Vertical Blue

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint

• Mentee
• Shareholder
• Whistlejacket