Road to the World Thoroughbred Championships Newsletter

“New York Heroes Fund” TO BENEFIT FAMILIES OF FIREFIGHTERS, POLICE, EMERGENCY SERVICES PERSONNEL AND VICTIMS WHO PERISHED IN ATTACK ON WORLD TRADE CENTER

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Breeders’ Cup Limited and the New York Racing Association (NYRA), have announced the formation of the NTRA Charities – New York Heroes Fund to benefit the children and spouses of the firefighters, police officers, emergency workers and other victims in the surrounding communities who perished in the Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center. The three organizations also will dedicate the Oct. 27 Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, to be run at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., to the memory of those slain and to their survivors. NYRA and the NTRA will contribute a portion of each paid admission from the Breeders’ Cup to the NTRA Charities – New York Heroes Fund, along with a percentage of other revenue in connection with the event, a day of eight international, championship Thoroughbred races televised by NBC in the U.S. and by other networks throughout the world. The NTRA Charities – New York Heroes Fund also will be the recipient of all proceeds of the Breeders’ Cup Charity Gala, scheduled for Oct. 26 in New York City.

Bessemer Trust, an investment management firm and national bank based in New York City, has agreed to establish and maintain an account for the Heroes Fund at no cost. Contributions can be sent to NTRA Charities – New York Heroes Fund, c/o Bessemer Trust Company N.A., attention Robert Elliott, 630 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y., 10111. Wire-transferred funds can be sent to Bessemer Trust Company N.A., Federal Reserve Symbol, ABA# 0260-0875-6, user name: Bessemer Tr NYC-for account NTRA Charities. All contributions are tax deductible. Formed in 1999, NTRA Charities is a nonprofit, 501 (c) (3) subsidiary of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association For more information on the NTRA Charities – New York Heroes Fund, contact the NTRA’s Lexington office, (800) 792-6872, or visit www.ntra.com.

KENTUCKY CUP CLASSIC SATURDAY AT TURFWAY PARK FEATURED ON ESPN2

Saturday’s $400,000 Kentucky Cup Classic at Turfway Park, the highlight of five potential Breeders’ Cup preps to be run there that day, will be featured on a 30-minute program on ESPN2, airing at 5:00 p.m. (ET).

The Kentucky Cup Classic -- at 1 1/8 miles for three-year-olds and up -- was first run in 1994, with D. Wayne Lukas-trained Tabasco Cat winning that edition after victories in the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. The son of Storm Cat went on to finish second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs, beaten by only a neck by Concern.

Lukas came back to take the next running in 1995 with Kentucky Derby and Belmont winner Thunder Gulch, but the son of Gulch was retired due to injury before the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Each of the winners of the last three renewals of the Kentucky Classic went on to the Breeders’ Cup Classic: at Churchill Downs in 1998, Derby winner Silver Charm missed a Classic win by only a length.

Lukas’ bid for a third Kentucky Cup Classic victory fell short when Cat Thief finished a close third to Da Devil in 1999, but Cat Thief won the Breeders’ Cup Classic in a stunning upset at Gulfstream Park. Captain Steve won last year’s renewal of the Turfway Park fixture prior to finishing third to Tiznow at Churchill Downs in the Breeders’ Cup.

Among the most prominent probable starters for Saturday’s renewal of the Kentucky Cup Classic are Morton Fink’s GUIDED TOUR, Blieden, Case and Glasscock’s DA DEVIL, Chaikin and Heller’s California invader DIXIE DOT COM and Donald Dizney’s FAJARDO, trained by Bill Mott. Official Equibase Past Performances for GUIDED TOUR; DA DEVIL; DIXIE DOT COM; FAJARDO

Guided Tour, a five-year-old gelding trained by Niall O’Callaghan, upset Dubai World Cup winner Captain Steve in the Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs in June and posted another big victory in the Washington Park Handicap at Arlington Park last out on July 21. Dixie Dot Com has threatened to join the top ranks of older horses for some time and comes into Saturday’s race after a runner-up effort in the Pacific Classic behind Skimming. Trained by William Morey, the six-year-old son of Dixie Brass posted easy scores earlier this year in the Texas Mile and Lone Star Park Handicap.

The Kentucky Cup Classic is the highlight of an outstanding program at Turfway that includes four other stakes that likely will produce contenders for Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships races at Belmont Park.

ROAD TO THE WORLD THOROUGHBRED CHAMPIONSHIPS

A listing of the upcoming major stakes races this week:

Road to the Breeders' Cup Classic

Sept. 22 - $400,000 Kentucky Cup Classic at Turfway Park. Run at 1 1/8 miles for three-year-olds and up (see preview above).

Sept. 22 - $150,000 Jerome Handicap at Belmont Park. Run at one mile for three-year-olds.

Sept. 23 - $500,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs. Run at 1¼ miles for three-year-olds.

Road to the Breeders' Cup Turf

Sept. 23 - $300,000 Kentucky Cup Turf at Turfway Park. Run at 1½ miles on turf for three-year-olds and up.

Road to the Breeders' Cup Distaff

Sept. 22 -$200,000 Turfway Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Turfway Park. Run at 1 1/8 miles for fillies & mares

Road to the Breeders' Cup Sprint

Sept. 22 - $300,000 Vosburgh Stakes at Belmont Park. Run at seven furlongs for three-year-olds and up.

Sept. 22 - $150,000 Kentucky Cup Sprint at Turfway Park. Run at six furlongs for three-year-olds.

Road to the BESSEMER TRUST Breeders' Cup Juvenile

Sept. 22 - $100,000 Kentucky Cup Juvenile at Turfway Park. Run at 1 1/16 miles for two-year-olds.

Sept. 22 - $100,000 Foolish Pleasure Stakes at Calder. Run at one mile and 70 yards for two-year-olds.

Road to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies

Sept. 22 - $100,000 Arlington-Washington Lassie at Arlington Park. Run at one mile for two-year-old fillies.

Sept. 22 - $100,000 Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies at Turfway Park. Run at one mile for two-year-old fillies.

Sept. 22 - $100,000 Brave Raj Stakes at Calder. Run at one mile and 70 yards for two-year-old fillies.

Sept. 22 - $250,000 Mazarine Breeders’ Cup Stakes at Woodbine. Run at 1 1/16 miles for two-year-old fillies.

MAJOR STAKES RECAP

Race: $150,000 Pucker Up Stakes (G3), 3yo fillies, 1 1/8 miles on turf
Track: Arlington Park
Finishing Order: 1-SNOW DANCE, 2-KISS THE DEVIL, 3-TWILITE TRYST
Margins: 1¾, head, head
Also ran: SLUICE, CURIOUS CONUNDRUM, SCOOP, SHEIKH AWAY, CASUAL FEAT, GLORY GLORY, NATASHA PUMPKIN, ATOMIZER, SHARKY’S REVIEW
Winning Connections: Owner: John Oxley; Trainer: John Ward; Jockey: Craig Perret
Time: 1:47 4/5 (firm)

Road to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf -- John Oxley’s SNOW DANCE has remained undefeated in four races since being switched to turf at Churchill Downs in July, easily winning Saturday’s nine-furlong Pucker Up Stakes at Arlington Park. Trained by John Ward, the roan/gray daughter of Forest Wildcat won her stakes race debut last out when capturing the Lake Placid Handicap at Saratoga on Aug. 20. The next target for the $220,000 Saratoga yearling purchase will be the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland on Oct. 13, where she will face three-year-old filly turf division leader Voodoo Dancer. The Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf will be run at 1 ¼ miles at Belmont. The first two runnings of the race were contested around three turns at 1 3/8 miles because the Gulfstream Park and Churchill Downs turf courses cannot accommodate 10 furlongs. Official Equibase Past Performances for SNOW DANCE

Race: $200,000 (est.) Prix Vermeille (G1), f & m, 1½ miles on turf
Track: Longchamp
Finishing Order: 1-AQUARELLISTE (FR), 2-DIAMILINA (FR), 3- MARE NOSTRUM (GB)
Margins: Neck, 2½, 2
Also ran: MOT JUSTE (GB), KARSAVINA (IRE), ZANZIBAR (IRE), NADIA (GB), BALDWINA (FR), INCHIRI (GB), NALANI (IRE), LIME GARDENS (GB), REINE ZAO (FR)
Winning Connections: Owner: Daniel Wildenstein; Trainer: Elle Lellouche; Jockey: Dominique Boeuf
Time: 2:29 2/5 (good)

Road to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf -- Following in the footsteps of his great champion fillies Allez France and All Along (FR), Daniel Wildenstein’s three-year-old filly AQUARELLISTE (FR) captured the Prix Vermeille at Longchamp on Sunday. Trained by Elle Lellouche, the daughter of Danehill will be pointed for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe against colts over the same course and distance on Oct. 7, a race won by both Allez France (1973) and All Along (1982). The latter went on to be America’s Horse of the Year in 1983. As a five-year-old in 1984, All Along finished second by a neck to longshot Lashkari (GB) in the first running of the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Hollywood Park. Wildenstein’s Steinlen (GB) won the Breeders’ Cup Mile in 1989 at Gulfstream after being placed with trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Official Equibase Past Performances for AQUARELLISTE (FR)