A trio of Grade I races for 2-year-olds will be contested this Saturday (Oct. 7). All three races -- one in New York, one in Kentucky and one in California -- serve as a potential springboard to the Grade I, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita on Nov. 3.

The three races are the Champagne Stakes at Aqueduct, Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland and American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita.

The Champagne Stakes, a one-mile race run around one turn, has enticed a field of eight. Timberlake is cross-entered in the Breeders’ Futurity.

My choice to win the Champagne is Fierceness. The Kentucky-bred City of Light colt, trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, really impressed me when victorious at first asking in a six-furlong maiden special weight race on a muddy track Aug. 25 at Saratoga.

Sent off as an 11-10 favorite, Fierceness dashed immediately to the front and drew out in the stretch to win in isolated splendor by 11 1/4 lengths. He was credited with a 95 Beyer Speed Figure.

Fierceness’ 95 is the third-best Beyer by a 2-year-old, male or female, so far this year. The only two higher Beyers posted by a juvenile to date were Prince of Monaco’s 103 when he won Del Mar’s Grade II Best Pal Stakes on Aug. 13 and Locked’s 96 in a maiden special weight triumph at Saratoga on Sept. 1.

“He’s very good and a pleasure to train,” Pletcher was quoted as saying of Fierceness in the New York Racing Association press office’s Champagne preview. “He’ll go easy if you want him to, fast if you want him to. He’s got a great temperament. He’s always been that way. He’s very unassuming and is always going about his business until we asked him to pick it up one day and it was like, ‘Wow, this horse can run.’ I don’t think slop is the reason he ran so well.”

Pletcher has a record six Champagne victories to his credit (Proud Accolade in 2004, Scat Daddy in 2006, Uncle Mo in 2010, Shanghai Bobby in 2012, Havana in 2013 and Daredevil in 2014).

Below are my Champagne Stakes selections:

1. Fierceness
2. General Partner
3. Gold Sweep
4. El Grande O

Turning to the Breeders’ Futurity, Locked is the 7-5 morning-line favorite. He is my top pick in the 1 1/16-mile affair, which has attracted a field of nine.

A $425,000 auction purchase, Locked finished third despite early adversity when unveiled in a six-furlong maiden special weight race at Saratoga on Aug. 5. When stretched out to one mile at the Spa on Sept. 1, he vied for the early lead before winning with authority by 7 1/4 lengths. To me, that was the best 2023 performance by a 2-year-old male up to now.

Pletcher trains Locked, a Kentucky-bred colt by 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner.

Below are my Breeders’ Futurity selections:

1. Locked
2. Awesome Road
3. Timberlake
4. West Saratoga

West Saratoga is listed at 20-1 on the morning line. Coming off a win in the Grade III Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs on Sept. 16, he has finished first or second in five straight starts. I see West Saratoga as an interesting longshot possibility to get into the Breeders’ Futurity superfecta.

As for the 1 1/16-mile American Pharoah Stakes, it is named after the 2015 Horse of the Year, who that season brought an end to an excruciatingly long 37-year Triple Crown drought before also capturing the BC Classic in his racing finale.

Hall of Famer Bob Baffert trained American Pharoah. Baffert also conditions Muth, who is my selection to win the American Pharoah Stakes against seven other entrants.

A $2 million auction acquisition, Muth showed early speed and cruised to an 8 3/4-length win in five-furlong maiden special weight sprint when debuting at Santa Anita on June 18. He recorded a 90 Beyer Speed Figure.

Off his sparkling debut, Muth was bet down to 1-2 favoritism in Del Mar’s Grade III Best Pal Stakes at six furlongs on Aug. 13. Again displaying early zip, he had to settle for second when unable to keep up with the Baffert-trained Prince of Monaco in the final furlong.

Prince of Monaco won the Best Pal by 4 1/4 lengths, then remained undefeated in three starts when victorious in the Grade I Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 10.

Though Muth was defeated in the Best Pal, the Kentucky-bred Good Magic colt actually showed improvement that day in the Beyer Speed Figure department by logging a 93.

Baffert sent both Muth and Mission Beach to Saratoga for the Grade I Hopeful Stakes on Sept. 4. Mission Beach was coming off a 1 1/4-length win and modest 72 Beyer Speed Figure when making his first career start in a six-furlong maiden special weight race at Del Mar on Aug. 5.

It turned out that Muth was scratched from the Hopeful. Mission Beach did run and finished fifth. Nutella Fella rallied from last in the field of 10 to win in a shocker, returning $111.00 for each $2 win wager.

Inasmuch as Muth went all the way to New York only to not run in the Hopeful, it’s key to me to see that he has had four published workouts since returning to Southern California. Three of the drills have been five furlongs in :59 and change.

Most recently, Muth worked five furlongs in a sharp :59.20 on Monday (Oct. 2) at Santa Anita. It was the second-best of 87 at the distance.

Baffert also has Wine Me Up in the American Pharoah. Wine Me Up has raced once, winning a six-furlong maiden special weight race by 1 1/2 lengths on Sept. 2. He received only a 71 Beyer Speed Figure, though.

Wine Me Up’s sire, Vino Rosso, won the 2019 BC Classic at Santa Anita.

Baffert has won the American Pharoah Stakes (formerly the Norfolk Stakes and FrontRunner Stakes) a record 11 times (Souvenir Copy in 1997, Flame Thrower in 2000, Kafwain in 2002, Roman Ruler in 2004, Lookin At Lucky in 2009, Power Broker in 2012, American Pharoah in 2014, Game Winner in 2018, Eight Rings in 2019, Corniche in 2021 and Cave Rock in 2022).

Below are my American Pharoah Stakes selections:

1. Muth
2. Be You
3. Wine Me Up
4. Next Level

SLOW DOWN ANDY TAKES AWESOME AGAIN (PICTURED ABOVE)

Ending a long victory drought, Slow Down Andy went to the front at once and was never headed in Santa Anita’s Grade I Awesome Again Stakes last Saturday (Sept. 30). He was 2 1/4 lengths clear at the end of his 1 1/8-mile journey on the wet-fast track.

Trained by Doug O’Neill and ridden by Mario Gutierrez, Slow Down Andy was sent off as the 2-1 favorite. Since winning the Grade II Del Mar Derby on turf in the summer of 2022, the 4-year-old California-bred Nyquist colt had lost five straight going into the Awesome Again. Nyquist, also trained by O’Neill, won the 2015 BC Juvenile and 2016 Kentucky Derby.

Finishing second to Slow Down Andy in the Awesome Again was Defunded. Senor Buscador ended up third in the field of nine. Coming in fourth was National Treasure, winner of this year’s Preakness Stakes.

Defunded won the 2022 Awesome Again, a race in which Slow Down Andy ran third.

Though Slow Down Andy went into the Awesome Again without having won in more than a year, he has been a gem of consistency. The only time he has finished worse than third in his last 10 starts was when he wound up sixth in the Grade I Met Mile this year on June 10, a performance that can be forgiven in that it was his first start since finishing third in the Grade I BC Dirt Mile on Nov. 5, 2022.

On Brad Free’s Daily Racing Form odds for the BC Classic, Slow Down Andy is listed at 20-1. The 7-2 favorite is Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes winner Arcangelo. The others listed at lower than 10-1 are Arabian Knight at 4-1, Geaux Rocket Ride at 5-1, Ushba Tesoro at 6-1 and White Abarrio at 6-1.

WINNING BEYERS FOR THE AWESOME AGAIN

Below are the Beyer Speed Figures for Awesome Again Stakes winners (originally the Goodwood Handicap) going back to 1990 (the first year they were listed in the American Racing Manual):

2023 Slow Down Andy (101)
2022 Defunded (99)
2021 Medina Spirit (107)
2020 Improbable (108)
2019 Mongolian Groom (110)
2018 Accelerate (100)
2017 Mubtaahij (102)
2016 California Chrome (112)
2015 Smooth Rider (111)
2014 Shared Belief (101)
2013 Mucho Macho Man (110)
2012 Game On Dude (109)
2011 Game On Dude (102)
2010 Richard’s Kid (106)*
2009 Gitando Hernando (106)*
2008 Well Armed (105)*
2007 Tiago (106)*
2006 Lava Man (109)
2005 Rock Hard Ten (113)
2004 Lundy’s Liability (108)
2003 Pleasantly Perfect (105)
2002 Pleasantly Perfect (116)
2001 Freedom Crest (108)
2000 Tiznow (119)
1999 Budroyale (118)
1998 Silver Charm (111)
1997 Benchmark (111)
1996 Savinio (108)+
1995 Soul of the Matter (106)
1994 Bertrando (113)
1993 Lottery Winner (105)
1992 Reign Road (108)
1991 The Prime Minister (108)
1990 Lively One (105)

*Run on synthetic footing

+Alphabet Soup finished first but was disqualified and placed third

LONGINES BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC RANKINGS

Similar to Slow Down Andy in the Awesome Again, Zandon won the Grade II Woodward Stakes last Sunday (Oct. 1) to bring an end to his lengthy victory drought.

Zandon won the Woodward in come-from-behind fashion by 4 1/4 lengths and came away with a 104 Beyer Speed Figure. It snapped an eight-race losing skein since he had won the Grade I Blue Grass Stakes on April 9, 2022.

Also similar to Slow Down Andy, Zandon has not been a win machine, but he typically runs well. Zandon has finished worse than third just once in 13 lifetime starts. He ran fourth on a sloppy track in the Grade I Cigar Mile last Dec. 3.

Zandon, who is 12-1 in terms of Free’s DRF BC Classic odds, and Slow Down Andy both move into the Top 10 in this week’s Longines Breeders’ Cup Rankings. Zandon is No. 6. Slow Down Andy is No. 7.

Arcangelo again tops the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings this week. The 3-year-old Kentucky-bred Arrogate ridgling will be taking a four-race winning streak into the BC Classic.

Two other 3-year-olds, Geaux Rocket Ride and Arabian Knight, rank high on the Top 10 in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings. Geaux Rocket Ride is No. 2. Arabian Knight is No. 3.

Geaux Rocket Ride worked five furlongs in 1:00.20 on Tuesday (Oct. 3) at Santa Anita. Trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, the 3-year-old Kentucky-bred Candy Ride colt won the Grade I Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park before finishing a close second to fellow sophomore Arabian Knight in Del Mar’s Grade I Pacific Classic.

White Abarrio, trained by Rick Dutrow Jr., was a smashing 6 1/4-length winner of the Grade I Whitney Stakes at Saratoga during the summer. White Abarrio is the highest-ranking older horse in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings at No. 4. The 4-year-old Kentucky-bred Race Day colt worked five furlongs Monday (Oct. 2) at Santa Anita following a reported hiccup last week.

“White Abarrio was scheduled to work last week, but the exercise was canceled after track veterinarians were unsatisfied with White Abarrio’s condition, according to track officials,” Daily Racing Form’s Steve Andersen reported. “White Abarrio was allowed to work Monday and was pronounced on schedule for the BC Classic by Dutrow.”

Jockey Emily Ellingwood has been exercising White Abarrio on a regular basis and was aboard for Monday’s workout.

“It looks like he went good to me,” Andersen quoted Dutrow as saying. “He’s so happy with himself. I like the way he went.”

Andersen also reported that Dutrow said that noted farrier “Ian McKinlay traveled to California and attended to White Abarrio over the weekend.” Dutrow supported the decision by track veterinarians to cancel last week’s scheduled workout, according to Andersen.

“I went over it with Emily,” Dutrow said. “It was a good call, if there was anything. To be safe, we gave him a day or two to come around. He did. He’s ready.”

The Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings are determined by a panel of voters comprised of members of the Breeders’ Cup Racing/Secretaries Panel, international racing and sports media, plus racing analysts.

The rankings will be updated weekly through Oct. 10.

The Top 10 this week’s Longines Breeders’ Cup Rankings is below:

Rank Points Horse (First-Place Votes)

1. 352 Arcangelo (27)
2. 279 Geaux Rocket Ride (1)
3. 259 Arabian Knight (3)
4. 257 White Abarrio (4)
5. 123 Forte
6. 115 Zandon
7. 111 Slow Down Andy
8. 107 Bright Future
9. 105 Proxy (2)
9. 105 Saudi Crown

A LOOK BACK AT SECRETARIAT’S GRASS DEBUT

It was this week in 1989 that laminitis took the life of the great Secretariat, who was buried at historic Claiborne Farm in Kentucky.

My late father was a huge Secretariat fan. One of my fondest memories is visiting Secretariat’s grave with my dad in 1998 (pictured at the top of this blog if you are reading this on the Xpressbet.com website rather than via email).

It was 50 years ago this week that Secretariat won his grass debut in Belmont Park’s Grade I Man o’ War Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on Oct. 8. He rebounded after finishing second when upset by Prove Out in the Grade I Woodward Stakes on Sept. 29. The Woodward was Secretariat’s final race on dirt. It also was the last time he would taste defeat.

Secretariat led from start to finish in the Man o’ War. If you ever want to see what an example of a horse toying with his chief rival in a race looks like, watch a replay of the 1973 Man o’ War Stakes, which you can see on YouTube (Dave Johnson has the call).

Keep in mind that Tentam was a quality foe. Earlier in 1973, he had won the Grade I Met Mile on dirt. Tentam went into the Man o’ War off a four-length triumph in the Grade I United Nations Handicap on Atlantic City’s grass course.

With regular rider Ron Turcotte in the saddle, Secretariat swung into the backstretch of the Man o’ War leading by about 2 1/2 lengths, with Tentam third, about four lengths off the pace. Tentam took a serious run at Secretariat on the backstretch to get within three-quarters of a length of the Meadow Stable superstar. But Secretariat quickly reopened a daylight advantage.

On the far turn, Tentam made another move when “trying to close the gap again,” as described by Johnson in his race call. Indeed, turning for home, Tentam got within a half-length of the lead to threaten Secretariat. At that point, it had become a two-horse race, with Secretariat and Tentam about seven lengths clear of the other five runners.

But at the top of the stretch, once again it became a one-horse race, as Secretariat quickly regained a clear lead after effortlessly turning away Tentam’s challenge. Secretariat went on to win by five lengths in the penultimate start of his 21-race career. His final time of 2:24 4/5 broke the course record set by Drumtop in 1971 by three-fifths of a second.

“Secretariat was a better horse on the turf,” Turcotte said when I interviewed him years later. “As great as he was on the dirt, he was an even better horse on the grass. His action was great on the dirt, but it was even greater on the grass.”

In a way, it’s fitting that Secretariat won a race named after Man o’ War. Secretariat and Man o’ War are widely regarded as the two greatest Thoroughbreds to ever race in North America. Some have Secretariat ranked No. 1. Others, including yours truly, have it flip-flopped.

Below is my list of the Top 100 Thoroughbreds to have won a race in North America during the 20th century AND the 21st century so far (in parentheses, when applicable, is where the horse ranked on BloodHorse’s list of the Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th Century):

1. Man o’ War (1)
2. Secretariat* (2)
3. Citation* (3)
4. Kelso (4)
5. Spectacular Bid (10)
6. Native Dancer (7)
7. Dr. Fager (6)
8. Seattle Slew* (9)
9. Count Fleet* (5)
10. Affirmed* (12)
11. Ruffian (35)
12. Swaps (20)
13. Forego (8)
14. Phar Lap (22)
15. Flightline
16. American Pharoah*
17. Buckpasser (14)
18. Damascus (16)
19. Round Table (17)
20. War Admiral* (13)
21. Tom Fool (11)
22. Colin (15)
23. John Henry (23)
24. Zenyatta
25. Regret (71)
26. Seabiscuit (25)
27. Whirlaway (26)
28. Sunday Silence (31)
29. Exterminator (29)
30. Cigar (18)
31. Nashua (24)
32. Arrogate
33. Alydar (27)
34. Easy Goer (34)
35. Ghostzapper
36. Curlin
37. Personal Ensign (48)
38. Alysheba (42)
39. Rachel Alexandra
40. Justify*
41. Bold Ruler (19)
42. Landaluce
43. Shared Belief
44. California Chrome
45. Gallant Man (36)
46. Tiznow
47. Equipoise (21)
48. Gun Runner
49. Gallant Fox* (28)
50. Sysonby (30)
51. Northern Dancer (43)
52. Assault* (33)
53. Armed (39)
54. Sir Barton* (49)
55. Omaha* (61)
56. Ack Ack (44)
57. Discovery (37)
58. Majestic Prince (46)
59. Arts and Letters (67)
60. Stymie (41)
61. Pan Zareta
62. Challedon (38)
63. Noor (69)
64. Skip Away (32)
65. Busher (40)
66. Gallorette (45)
67. Coaltown (47)
68. Sword Dancer (53)
69. Riva Ridge (57)
70. Grey Lag (54)
71. Devil Diver (55)
72. Dahlia (50)
73. All Along (68)
74. Invasor
75. Zev (56)
76. Ta Wee (80)
77. Twilight Tear (59)
78. Native Diver (60)
79. Holy Bull (64)
80. Precisionist
81. Inside Information (67)
82. Shuvee (70)
83. Twenty Grand (52)
84. Sham
85. Alsab (65)
86. Lady’s Secret (76)
87. Genuine Risk (91)
88. A.P. Indy
89. Silver Charm (63)
90. Susan’s Girl (51)
91. Cicada (62)
92. Go for Wand (72)
93. Slew o’ Gold (58)
94. Bald Eagle (74)
95. Exceller (96)
96. Wise Dan
97. Tim Tam
98. Top Flight (66)
99. Manila
100. Princess Rooney

*Triple Crown winner

TOP 10 IN THIS WEEK’S NTRA TOP THOROUGHBRED POLL

Rank Points Horse (First-Place Votes)

1. 285 Arcangelo (20)
2. 278 Cody’s Wish (9)
3. 212 Elite Power (2)
4. 192 Echo Zulu (1)
5. 169 White Abarrio (2)
6. 148 Arabian Knight
7. 96 Geaux Rocket Ride
8. 73 Up to the Mark
9. 62 Casa Creed
10. 61 Gunite