The wait is over and live racing returns to Keeneland for the autumn meeting of 2025 from Friday 3 October. Eight Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re in” Challenge Series Races are on tap for an incredible autumn sterar weekend of racing in the Bluegrass, including the $ 1.25 million Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes On Saturday.
The Grade 1 Coolmore Turf Mile attracted a full field of 12, including five millionaires, in an attempt to hit their ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Mile in four weeks. Donegal Moment The railway pole took off a pacesining win after stump at the start in the Bernard Baruch Stakes in Saratoga in August. Four Will make his commitment debut for trainer Fausto Gutierrez Vers from back-to-back victories on the reimbursement-optional claim level that goes a mile on the grass on Kentucky Downs. Howard Wolowitz Will make his second start since he returned to North -America after an offer in group 2 1351 Turf Sprint presented by Boutique Group in Saudi Aarabia and will extend further in his career for the first time. Diego Velazquez Is the 7-2 morning lines favorite to come in the race for a win of Group 1 in the Prix Jacques Le Marois in Deauville in France for trainer Aidan O’Brien. Woodshauna Also comes from a group 1 race in Deauville and will extend a mile for his North -American debut for the first time in his career. Trader Has two degrees 3 victories under his belt and is looking for his fourth career victory at this distance of a mile. Epic ride Led from start to finish previous time-out to win the $ 2.5 million Fanduel TV Mint Millions Invitational Stakes in Kentucky Downs with two lengths with a spotted 14.27-1 for trainer John Ennis. Program -Trade is a triple winner of grade 1 and will make his second start of a 14-month resignation for the Powerhouse trio of owner Klaravich Stables, trainer Chad Brown and Jockey Flavien Prat. Rhetorical Will make his first start outside of New York for trainer Will Walden and has a career record of four victories from five starts. The only defeat of Rhetorical was a third place with only three -quarters of a length and he retains Irad Ortiz Jr. In the saddle. Walden and Ortiz Jr. Having won with a huge clip of 38% Always with eight victories from 21 career starts together. Brilliant Bitti Has seven straight triple-digit-equibase speed figures earned in the Grasm Mijl and have a career record of four wins from six starts at this miles distance on grass. Gold Vakig A course record in Ellis Park Two starts back when winning the KY Downs Preview Mint Millions Turf Mile Stakes in a recent period of 1: 31.76 for trainer Patrick Biancone. JonquilWho ends the field in Post-position 12, is fresh from a victory in the group 2 Virgin Bet Celebration Mile Stakes in Goodwood in England and will make his North American debut with Dylan Davis who gets the mountain on board the Juddmonte HomeBred.
Analysis and most important contenders:
Jonquil Is one of only two 3-year-olds who arrived in Saturday’s Turfmile and will make his North American debut for trainer Andrew Balding. He started his career as a Zeven-Furlong Turf-Sprinter and won his debut in Sandown Park in August 2024 and then proved his class with a victory in a group 3 deployment at Newbury with a seven-month resignation in his third career. That effort earned him a journey to France, where he first extended to a mile in the 1 Emirates group d’Essai des Poulains (French two thousand Guineas) in Longchamp in May. He ran a huge race, just missing by a head to 2024 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Henri Matisse. After his second place in Longchamp, Jonquil returned to Sprinting, but was unable to shoot at Royal Ascot in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup or the 2 HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes in Goodwood. However, the last time he made any doubts about his talent on a mile to rest, he won the group 2 Celebration Mile Stakes with a neck in an exciting finish. Balende has not shipped many horses to North America (only four starts in the past two years), but he has won twice with that little monster. Jonquil also has a published Keeneland Turf-Workout on September 30, and with 15-1 morningline he can get out as a great value game in this place, especially at this miles distance on the peat.
Like Jonquil, Program -Trade Was bred in England and was conceived by Lope de Vega. After he was bought as a yearling at Tattersalls, the program, however, was sent to the US, where he made all eight career party for Brown and Klaravich Stables. In his 3-year campaign, trade in the program could hardly be stopped. He won his first three starts, including a victory in the 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes in August 2023. After a second place in the Nieuwe Kent County Virginia Derby in his fourth career start, he closed his 3-year season with a victory in the Hollywood Grandende Grandende Grandende Gradende Grandende Grandende Grandende Grandende Grandende Grandende Grandende Grandende Grandende Grandende Grandende Grandende Grandende Grandende Grandende Getendeigende in Grading in Grading in Grading in Grading in Grading in Grading in Grading in Grading 1. Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes from 2024 at Churchill Downs, in which a wareer-best 110 Equibase speed figure was achieved despite a five-month dismissal. His only off-the-board finish arrived in June 2024, when he finished fifth in the grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes in Saratoga, defeated by 2 ½ lengths measured per winner while earning a 117-speed figure. After that race, the program was sidelined for more than 14 months before he returned to the Bernard Baruch in August, when he walked a solid second behind colleague Coolmore Turf Mile participant Donegal Moment. He has earned six consecutive triple figures equibase speed figures and will go back to a mile for the first time in his career. It is in second place in both average class (113) and the average speed (110) and comes in this race with three degrees 1 victories on the turf. Prat, who has been on board in each of his last seven starts, retains the mountain. In the past year, Prat excelled in Graded Insurance Grass Routes and won 23 out of 85 (27%) while driving 62% in money.
Diego Velazquez Rankert here first in both the average class (116) and the average speed (112) and is fresh from a victory in the group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois in France with a chance on 17-1. 4-year-old Frankel Colt has won four of his last five starts, all in Group Stakes Races in Europe. This will be trainer O’Brien’s first starter in North America since his two Breeders’ Cup wins in Del Mar last November. Frankie Dettori will be on board on Saturday if he is looking for his first career North American victory on board an O’Brien-Teacher Horse. With three victories of six career, this mileage starts and a proven twist against horses at top level in Europe, Diego Velazquez seems ready to use the Coolmore Turf Mile as a launch platform to the Breeders’ Cup.
The rest of the field (with the best Equibase -speed figure in similar varieties): Donegal Momentum (108), Quatrento (110), Howard Wolowitz (111), Woodshauna (Fr) (122), Mercante (113), Epic Ride (115), Rehtorical (103), Brilliant Berti (108), Beach Gold (116).
Win contenders in preferred order:
Jonquil
Program -Trade
Diego Velazquez
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