Aqueduct hosts a trio of Breeders’ Cup Challenge races among six graded stakes races scheduled at the Belmont at the Big A meeting this weekend.
This year’s Breeders’ Cup will be held at Del Mar on Nov. 1-2.
On Saturday a field of seven will line up in the $250,000 Vosburgh (G3), with a free ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) up for grabs. The winner of the $200,000 Pilgrim (G2) will earn a starting spot in the field for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).
Also on Saturday’s card is the $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) which likely will produce a starter or two for the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1).
The $400,000 Woodward (G2) serves as a prep for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).
On Sunday, the $200,000 Miss Grillo (G2) is a key prep race for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).
Dean Delivers Streaks into G3 Vosburgh
Dean Delivers brings a four-race all-stakes win streak into Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Vosburgh, at Belmont at the Big A. The seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up offers a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint to be contested at six furlongs on November 2 at Del Mar.
The Stonehedge Florida homebred, who has banked $787,660 in purse earnings, was campaigned through his first 21 career starts by Michael “Bo” Yates, winning five races topped by a score in 2023 Grade 3 Smile Sprint at Gulfstream Park.
Dean Delivers [post 4, Jaime Rodriguez], a 5-year-old Cajun Breeze gelding, is a perfect 4-for-4 since joining the barn of Ned Allard this spring.
“He was sent up to me from Florida after getting a little freshening. It was getting a little hot in Florida and he’s really blossomed,” Allard said. “After he got here, the cooler weather really made him blossom out and feel good. He’s just run super every time I’ve run him.
“You always hope as a trainer you can move them up a little bit, but I think Bo Yates did a wonderful job with this horse,” Allard added. “He was a good horse in Florida and up here he seems to be a little bit better.”
Dean Delivers launched his current streak for Allard with an eight-length romp in the six-furlong Listed Mr. Prospector in May over a sloppy and sealed track at Monmouth Park. He followed with a 2 1/2-length score in the six-furlong Alapocas Run in July at Delaware Park ahead of a narrow score in the Listed Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash sprinting six furlongs on July 28 at Laurel Park. There, he led at every point of call to garner a 98 Beyer Speed Figure after scoring by three-quarter lengths over next-out winner Five Dreams, who finished 1 1/4-lengths in front of next-out stakes winner Gordian Knot.
The ultra-consistent chestnut, who sports a 25-9-8-2 record, arrives from a half-length score in the five-furlong Rumson after exiting the inside post under returning rider Jaime Rodriguez on September 1 at Monmouth.
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Zulu Kingdom Tops Pair for Brown in G2 Pilgrim
Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, William Strauss and Michael Caruso’s graded stakes-winner Zulu Kingdom leads a duo of strong contenders for four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Pilgrim, a 1 1/16-mile outer turf test for juveniles, at Belmont at the Big A.
The Pilgrim – a “Win and You’re In” for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf on November 1 at Del Mar – is slated as Race 11 and is one of four graded stakes on Saturday’s 12-race card, which also features the Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic in Race 6, the Grade 2, $400,000 Woodward in Race 4, and the Grade 3, $250,000 Vosburgh – a “Win and You’re In” for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint – in Race 9. First post is 12:05 p.m. Eastern.
Zulu Kingdom makes his second start for Brown after a successful stateside debut last out on August 29 in the Grade 3 With Anticipation going Saturday’s distance at Saratoga Race Course. There, he rated in third under Flavien Prat and patiently awaited his cue before pouncing in the final turn and going head-to-head with Tenacious Leader at the top of the lane.
The two battled on gamely down the stretch before Zulu Kingdom proved superior along the inside in the shadow of the wire and prevailed by a neck in a final time of 1:41.79. He earned a field-best 80 Beyer Speed Figure for the victory.
“He got a great trip and he really came through first time in the country for us,” said Brown, who has won this event three times with Noble Tune [2012], Bobby’s Kitten [2013] and Structor [2019]. “I think he’ll move forward from that. He’s very professional and is working very well.”
The Irish-bred Ten Sovereigns bay is undefeated in two starts after beginning his career in France with conditioner Andre Fabre, winning his debut by a comfortable 3 1/2 lengths sprinting seven furlongs in June over soft Saint-Cloud turf.
Bred by Ecurie Peregrine SAS, Zulu Kingdom is out of the Smart Strike mare Zindziswa, with his second dam being the dual group-winner Zinziberine.
Hall of Famer Joel Rosario has the call from post 4.
Brown also sends out the promising debut winner Early Adopter [post 8, Manny Franco] for owner Klaravich Stables on the heels of a determined neck victory on August 31 at the Spa.
Brown Starts Three in Miss Grillo
No trainer has won the Grade 2, $200,000 Miss Grillo more than Chad Brown, and the four-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner will have three chances to secure his 10th win in Sunday’s 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for juvenile fillies at Belmont at the Big A with Virgin Colada, Opulent Restraint and Marvelous Madison.
The Miss Grillo offers a “Win and You’re In” berth for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on November 1 at Del Mar. Brown, who has won the Juvenile Fillies Turf a record six times, used the Miss Grillo as a springboard to that event on five occasions, including with Maram [2008], Lady Eli [2014], New Money Honey [2016], Newspaperofrecord [2018] and Hard To Justify [2023].
Resolute Racing’s Virgin Colada [post 1, Flavien Prat] makes her second attempt at her first stakes conquest on the heels of a half-length second in the Listed P.G. Johnson going the Miss Grillo distance on August 28 at Saratoga Race Course. There, she stalked in fifth-of-8 under Flavien Prat as Second Chance cruised through easy splits of 24.80 seconds, 50.28 and 1:15.03 over the firm footing.
Virgin Colada made a move in the final turn to pick off rivals with a five-wide rally and responded well to urging, but could not reel in the victorious Totally Justified. The effort was awarded a 64 Beyer Speed Figure.
“There was no pace in the race and she was really compromised by it,” Brown said. “She came with a nice run, and I think with more pace in the race she’ll run her best.”
The daughter of More Than Ready impressed on debut with a deep-closing rally that yielded a half-length victory in a July 21 maiden going the same distance at the Spa, finishing one length ahead of third-place finisher and returning rival Rare Art in a close three-way finish.
