Melnyk Could Add BC Win With Leigh Court
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While Eugene Melnyk is winding down his Thoroughbred ownership and breeding operations, the multiple Sovereign Award winner will have at least one more chance to pick up another victory in the Breeders' Cup World Championships this year.
On Oct. 4, Melnyk homebred Leigh Court punched her ticket to the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (gr. I) with a three-length score in the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland. The race is a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In," race, earning the 4-year-old Grand Slam filly travel expenses and starter fees to the Filly and Mare Sprint Nov. 1 at Santa Anita Park.
Trainer Josie Carroll confirmed the race will be Leigh Court's next target.
Melnyk announced June 11 his retirement from the sport of horse racing, with racing and breeding stock initially dispersed in July at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky. He continues that process and Leigh Court, who earned champion 3-year-old filly honors in Canada last season, will be offered at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November sale after the Breeders' Cup.
Leigh Court won three stakes last year and will enter this year's Filly and Mare Sprint off easy victories in graded stakes. She won the Seaway Stakes (Can-III) by 2 1/2 lengths on Polytrack at Woodbine Aug. 24. Leigh Court is out of the winning French Deputy mare Padmore, who also has produced German group II winner King of Sydney and multiple stakes winner Barracks Road.
Melnyk will be looking to improve a Breeders' Cup record that includes a win as an owner with 2004 Sprint (gr. I) winner Speightstown , who would be named champion sprinter; and as a breeder with Carl Moore Management's 2010 Turf Sprint (gr. IIT) winner Chamberlain Bridge. Melnyk also has had three runner-up finishes as an owner: Flower Alley in the 2005 Classic (gr. I), and with homebreds Sealy Hill in the 2008 Filly and Mare Turf (gr. IT), and Bridgetown in the 2009 Juvenile Turf (gr. IIT).
Carroll, who has had one previous Breeders' Cup starter in Careless Jewel, who finished off the board in the 2009 Distaff (gr. I), has won graded stakes in the past two years with Melnyk-owned Lukes Alley, Karibu Gardens, and James Street, along with Leigh Court.
"I'm very, very fortunate to have had the opportunity to have trained for Mr. Melnyk the last few year's he's sent me some very nice horses," said Carroll, who said she would love to help add another Breeders' Cup victory for Melnyk this year. "He has great passion for the game. I think he loves the sport, enjoys the sport, and he's invested heavily in the sport. He has a tremendous team at the farm level, great management."
The Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (gr. II) has been the top prep race for the Filly and Mare Sprint. Since the race was added to the Breeders' Cup schedule in 2007, five of the seven Filly and Mare Sprint winners prepped in the Thoroughbred Club of America, including a current streak of five straight victories in Groupie Doll (2013 and 2012), Musical Romance (2011), Dubai Majesty (2010), and Informed Decision (2009).
The track at Keeneland has changed though. During that time, Keeneland featured a Polytrack surface on its main track, which was switched back to dirt before this year's fall meet.