Magical in stall two for Breeders’ Cup Turf assignment

PA Sport Reporters
November 3, 2020 4:15 am

Stablemate Mogul draws wide stall in Keeneland contest.

Magical will break from stall two while stablemate Mogul will start widest of 10 runners in Saturday’s Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland.

The duo, who will be ridden by Ryan Moore and Pierre-Charles Boudot respectively, will be trying to give trainer Aidan O’Brien a seventh success in the 12-furlong heat, which also features Dermot Weld’s Tarnawa, the mount of Christophe Soumillon.

John Gosden is also represented with the Frankie Dettori-ridden Lord North (six) and Mehdaayih, who will be in stall four for Joel Rosario.

Kameko, winner of the 2000 Guineas, goes for glory in the Fanduel Breeders’ Cup Mile and Oisin Murphy’s mount will be surrounded by some familiar horses as he breaks from stall two.

O’Brien’s Circus Maximus (one) and the Ger Lyons-trained Siskin (four) have already crossed swords with Andrew Balding’s charge this year, while Lope Y Fernandez (three), Safe Voyage (six) and One Master (nine) complete the British and Irish challenge.

Last year’s winner Uni is drawn 12th of the 14 runners for Chad Brown.

The Jessica Harrington-trained Cayenne Pepper was drawn 14 of 14 runners for the Maker’s Mark Filly & Mare Turf, which also features O’Brien’s Peaceful (three), Terrebellum (seven) from the Gosden yard and James Fanshawe’s Audarya (11).

Glass Slippers is in stall six for Kevin Ryan in the Turf Sprint, with Charlie Hills’ Equilateral among the reserves for the six-furlong contest.

Bob Baffert appears to hold the key to the Classic with three-times Group One winner Improbable, Kentucky Derby victor Authentic and Maximum Security.

The trio were all drawn next to each other in the 10-furlong feature, taking stalls eight, nine and 10 respectively.

Baffert said: “That was crazy. I got here just before the draw and I saw Authentic in the nine. And they’re going to be easy to watch.

“It’s not like the Sprint and they have a long run to the turn. They have to break well. Improbable, he needs to break well.”

Tiz The Law will be in stall two with Toms D’Etat (four) another leading contender.

Monomoy Girl (10) and Swiss Skydiver (five) face off against each other in the Distaff in what is one of the most eagerly-awaited clashes.

Swiss Skydiver won the Preakness on her most recent start for Kenny McPeek, while Monomoy Girl won this race in 2018 but could not defend her title last year after suffering a bout of colic.

Trainer Brad Cox is unconcerned by her draw in the widest stall of all, adding: “She was 11 of 11 in the Breeders’ Cup in 2018. She was 14 of 14 in the Kentucky Oaks. I love it.”