Caravel, who holds the title of reigning Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint champion, is one of the top contenders for the Grade II Franklin Stakes at Keeneland on Sunday. Photo by Carolyn Simancik/Eclipse Sportswire, courtesy of Breeders’ Cup. On October 13, the weekend of horse racing will feature some high-level turf events, including the Grade I Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland. Godolphin raiders will have a strong presence in all the races. In addition to Keeneland, Aqueduct and Woodbine will also host races on a relatively light program. The global racing scene adds to the excitement with the Grade 1 Shuka Sho in Japan, the Group 1 Fillies Mile in England, The Everest in Australia, and an important early Group 2 test in Hong Kong. Fans of Frankie Dettori, don’t cancel those retirement tour plans just yet. He recently announced that instead of retiring at the end of this year as planned, he will move to California and continue riding in 2024. While Dettori continues his career, Ace Impact is retiring from racing. The Prix du Jockey Club and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe hero will head to stud, leaving fans to wonder how great he could have been given more time on the track. Let’s take a closer look at the weekend’s races. Filly & Mare Turf Mawj is the morning-line favorite for Saturday’s Grade I Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland. The three-year-old filly, bred by Godolphin, is undefeated in three races this season. However, her previous wins were in minor events in Dubai, and her upset victory in the Group 1 Qipco 1,000 Guineas was back in early May. Trainer Saeed bin Suroor hopes that the QE II will serve as a stepping stone to the Breeders’ Cup Mile and a return to Dubai in 2024. Elusive Princess, a French-bred filly, could pose a challenge to Mawj. She has been competitive in three-year-old events in France this season, including a second-place finish in the Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary and a fifth-place finish in the Group 1 Prix de Diane. She recently won the Grade III Saratoga Oaks Invitational in the United States. At Aqueduct, the Grade II Sands Point Stakes for three-year-old fillies features three favorites on the morning line in a field of 10. Another Godolphin runner, Eternal Hope, leads the odds board at 5-2. Eternal Hope won her first race in New York, the Grade II Jockey Club Oaks Invitational, but finished seventh in the Oaks at Epsom Downs. Be Your Best, second in the Del Mar Oaks, and Soviet Express are other top contenders. Turf The Grade III Sycamore Stakes at Keeneland on Friday will see a full field of horses compete in a 1 1/2-mile race on the turf. Godolphin’s Bold Act, a three-year-old New Approach colt, heads the field along with Red Knight, who won the race last year. Bold Act has been racing in France, while Red Knight is one of the more experienced horses in the field. Turf Sprint The Grade II Franklin Stakes on Sunday at Keeneland features Caravel, the reigning Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint champion, as the morning-line favorite. While Caravel has won her first three races of the year, her fourth-place finish in her last start has raised some concerns. Wakanaka, Twilight Gleaming, and Star Guest are among the competitors in the race. The Floral Park Stakes at Aqueduct on Saturday showcases Bubble Rock and Poppy Flower as the top contenders in an eight-horse field. Distaff The Grade III Ontario Matron Stakes at Woodbine on Saturday has a wide-open field of twelve horses. Souper Hoity Toity is the lukewarm favorite on the morning line. Filly & Mare Sprint The Grade III Ontario Fashion Stakes at Woodbine on Saturday features Loyalty and Our Flash Drive as the morning-line favorites in a field of eleven. Juvenile / Juvenile Fillies The Display Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday has ten two-year-olds entered, with three fillies in the mix. The Glorious Song Stakes, also at Woodbine, is restricted to fillies and has a field of eight. Both races are run at 7 furlongs on the all-weather track. Around the world, around the clock Australia The Everest, Australia’s richest race with a purse of AUS$20 million, takes place on Saturday over 1,200 meters. Although not graded, the race has become a key event on Australia’s racing calendar. Think About It and I Wish I Win are the antepost favorites, with I Wish I Win’s odds improving after drawing an inside gate. Coolmore’s colt City of Troy is heavily favored in the Group 1 Dewhurst in England on Saturday. His dominant performance in his first two starts has made him the horse to beat in the field of eight. The Group 1 Bet365 Fillies Mile will see Shuwari, a New Bay filly, as the favorite among eight runners on Friday. Liberty Island looks to continue her dominance in the Grade 1 Shuka Sho in Japan on Sunday. Her impressive record makes her a top contender to win the Japanese Filly Triple Crown races. The Longines Hong Kong International Races are approaching, and horses like California Spangle will be looking to build momentum in races like the Sha Tin Trophy Handicap on Sunday.
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