Top U.S.-Based Females to Face Males in Breeders' Cup

In an effort to keep their runners at their preferred distances, a number of trainers with top fillies and mares pointing to this season's Breeders' Cup World Championships have opted to take on males.

Trainer Bill Mott has entered George Krikorian's War Like Goddess , who finished third in last year's Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T), in this year's Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) at 1 1/2 miles.

Trainer Chad Brown has entered Peter Brant's Regal Glory  in the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile Presented by PDJF (G1T) as opposed to the Filly & Mare Turf. 

Trainer Wesley Ward has entered Kimari  in the six-furlong Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) as first preference, as opposed to the seven-furlong Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), which is listed as second preference. As Kimari is qualified for the Sprint based on points, it's likely the 5-year-old daughter of Munnings   will face males in the shorter race.

When War Like Goddess finished third in last year's Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar, the race was contested at 1 3/8 miles. As the distance of this race changes to accommodate the various courses of the Breeders' Cup host tracks, this year's Filly & Mare Turf will be contested at 1 3/16 miles—1 1/2 furlongs shorter than last year.

A 5-year-old daughter of English Channel , War Like Goddess enters the $2 million Turf off a 2 3/4-length victory in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) Oct. 8 at the Belmont at the Big A meeting. A full field is expected for the Turf.

"She's very special and I'm anxious to see how she does against this group," Mott said. "We chose the 12-furlong race against the boys because of the added distance rather than going to the Filly and Mare Turf, which is only a mile-and-three-sixteenths at Keeneland. We just felt that she's probably better at the longer distance and able to compete with better horses at that trip."

War Like Goddess has a perfect record at Keeneland, as she has won back-to-back editions of the Bewitch Stakes (G3T)—a 1 1/2-mile test for fillies and mares. While War Like Goddess has won graded stakes at four different tracks, Mott said it's a good feeling knowing that she previously handled the Keeneland course and trip.

"I think the fact that she's passed that test gives me some amount of comfort because I don't think every horse runs their best race at Keeneland," Mott said. "I think the turf course can be a little bit tricky there sometimes. I know it's been quite firm this fall, but we're probably going to get a little rain next week and probably have a little cut in the ground which I don't believe will hurt War Like Goddess.

"The fact that she's run there and run well there—yes, it does take that concern out of the equation."

Jose Lezcano guided War Like Goddess to victory in the Joe Hirsch but Mott said Joel Rosario will return to ride her in the Breeders' Cup. Rosario was aboard for a pair of graded stakes wins this year, including the Bewitch.

Brown will be well-represented in the Filly & Mare Turf with In Italian , Rougir , and likely Virginia Joy , and will send Regal Glory to the Mile. (As first preference, Virginia Joy is pre-entered in the Filly & Mare Turf where she earned a Breeders' Cup Challenge entry, and also is pre-entered in the Turf, as second preference.)

A 6-year-old daughter of Animal Kingdom , Regal Glory will enter off a runner-up finish to In Italian in the one-mile First Lady Stakes Presented by UK Healthcare (G1T) at Keeneland. She has won half of her 14 tries at the mile distance, including a victory in this year's Longines Just a Game Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park.

Brown, who has placed his talented group of turf fillies and mares well this season, won the 2019 edition of the Mile with 5-year-old mare Uni . He'll also be looking for his fifth victory in the Filly & Mare Turf.

Campaigned by owners associated with Coolmore, Kimari enters the Breeders' Cup off a pair of grade 2 wins. If the connections opt for the Sprint, it will mark her sixth race against males after winning her debut race in 2019 at Keeneland over males and taking the Indian Summer Stakes there. She also finished seventh in last year's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T), second in the 2020 Commonwealth Cup (G1) at Royal Ascot, and fourth in the 2019 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T).

"I think she's just a little better at six furlongs. I've had her for her whole career and I just think she's better at six than seven," Ward said. "I think she'll certainly do seven—she won the grade 1 Madison Stakes last year on her home track here at Keeneland. But if I was to choose a distance, it'd be six.

"Obviously it's a tougher race. But she's never been as sound as she is now. She's a big robust-type filly and she's so fast that she's had a lot of issues throughout her career. But coming into this race right now, I'm really not afraid of anyone—as sound as she is and how she's been with the last couple of runs. She's going to run a big, big race."

Fillies and mares are allowed three pounds when they take on males in Breeders' Cup races.