Grand Arch, Brody's Cause Take Fall Stars Spotlight

Grand Arch held on to win the $1-million Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland Race Course to earn a starting spot in the Breeders' Cup Mile. (All photo by Keeneland/Coady Photography)
by Melissa Bauer-Herzog and Mike Curry
Grand Arch and Brody’s Cause shined brightly on Fall Stars Saturday at Keeneland Race Course with impressive Grade 1 victories that should set them up well for big races at the Breeders' Cup World Championships on Oct. 30-31.
Keeneland hosted four straight Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" Challenge series races, with the Grade 1, $1-million Shadwell Turf Mile serving as the anchor race of the sequence.
In the first flight of horses after the field broke from the Shadwell Turf Mile starting gate, Grand Arch raced a few lengths behind Kelinni and King Kressa until the middle of the far turn. As Kelinni went out to the lead by himself, Grand Arch was even with two others only about a length behind him as the field made its way into the stretch. Kelinni didn't enjoy the advantage for long, however, as Grand Arch collared him in midstretch before pulling away.
Drifting in the stretch, Grand Arch was chased by Tourist on the inside as The Pizza Man closed from the outside. It looked like Tourist might catch Grand Arch near the finish line but Grand Arch was able to hold that rival off, with the finish line coming just a bit too quickly for The Pizza Man, who finished a head behind in second. Tourist was another neck back in third.
Grand Arch covered one mile in 1:37.45 on yielding turf. The Shadwell Turf Mile is a "Win and You’re In" race for the Oct. 31 Breeders’ Cup Mile, a race that trainer Brian Lynch says Grand Arch is now targeting.
Ridden by jockey Luis Saez in his last three starts, this victory was the first Grade 1 for Grand Arch. Before today, Grand Arch had two previous graded stakes races on his resume, including the Grade 2 Fourstardave in his previous start. He went off at odds of 4.30-to-1 and paid $10.60 for a $2 win bet.
Powerful Performance from Brody’s Cause in Breeders’ Futurity

Brody’s Cause closed with a powerful rush to reel in 2.20-to-1 favorite Exaggerator in the closing strides of the Grade 1, $500,000 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity and punch his ticket to the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
Ridden by Corey Lanerie, Brody’s Cause rated in 10th early in the 1 1/16-mile race for 2-year-olds but he was ready to run when asked to shift gears on the final turn. The chestnut colt by Giant’s Causeway rallied into contention approaching the stretch and then chopped away at Exagerator’s lead with ground-devouring strides. He edged past nearing the finish line for a one-length win in 1:43.27.
“He’s just a damn, good horse,” said winning trainer Dale Romans, who then was asked if he would go on to the Breeders’ Cup. “What do you think? If they put on a big show, I’ll be there.”
Romans won the Breeders’ Futurity for the third time since 2005. He also won the race in 2005 with Dawn of War and in 2011 with Dullahan.
Brody’s Cause disappointed in his career debut on grass in August at Ellis Park, but rebounded when he was switched to dirt and won a one-mile race at Churchill Downs by 1 ¼ lengths on Sept. 11. The Breeders’ Futurity was a class test for Brody’s Cause, who aced the exam and looks like a formidable contender for the Juvenile on Oct. 31. Sent off at 11.80-to-1 odds, Brody’s Cause paid $25.60 for a $2 win bet.
Tepin Scores Big Win  Her in First Lady

Putting her hard-luck losses from the summer behind her, Tepin was back to her winning ways at Keeneland, winning the $400,000, Grade 1 First Lady Stakes.
Tepin raced in second throughout the early stages of the turf race behind Brown Eyed Mary before challenging her on the turn. While it took her a while to get past the leader, Tepin’s jockey Julien Leparoux didn’t panic and his mount cleared the field at the top of the stretch. From there, it was easy running for Tepin, who was 7 lengths ahead of second-place finisher Crowley’s Law, with My Miss Sophia completing the exacta and Outstanding finishing fourth.
Running the final quarter in less than 24 seconds, Tepin completed the one-mile turf race in 1:37.04. The filly has put herself into contention for an Eclipse Award this year, winning the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile in May before scoring her first Grade 1 win in the Just a Game Stakes. Running twice at Saratoga, Tepin suffered tough losses in both those races with a nose and a head loss, respectively.
Trainer Mark Casse said after the race that Tepin will be pointed to the Breeders’ Cup Mile on this track on Oct. 31.
Breakthrough Win for Fioretti, Doyle

Fioretti and her jockey Sophie Doyle both earned their first-career graded stakes wins in the Grade 2, $250,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (TCA) Stakes.
Doyle reserved Fioretti in fifth early before asking her to pick up the pace approaching the stretch in the six-furlong (three-quarters of a mile) race for fillies and mares. The 5-year-old Bernardini mare took charge in the stretch and edged away under Doyle, completing the distance in 1:10.04 for a three-quarter-length score.
The TCA Stakes is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series race, so the victory earned Fioretti a starting spot in Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. Sent off at 17.20-to-1 odds, Fioretti returned $36.40 for a $2 win bet.
Judy the Beauty, the 2014 champion female sprinter and Filly and Mare Sprint winner, finished third as the even-money favorite.
Amelia's Wild Ride Wins Woodford in Front-Running Fashion

Amelia’s Wild Ride earned his first victory since late May when he won the Woodford Stakes by 2 ¼ lengths in a time of 1:02.97. The race was taken off the turf and run at 5 ½ furlongs on Keeneland’s main track.
Trained by Ramon Preciado and ridden by Jose Lezcano, Amelia’s Wild Ride would earn his first graded stakes victory in the Woodford if it is reinstated to the Grade 3 status it had before it was moved off the turf. The 4-year-old colt led nearly wire to wire, dueling with Mongolian Saturday early in the race before separating himself around the turn. He then pulled away to win easily, with Mongolian Saturday second and Stacked Deck third.
For Equibase charts, click here.