Bought privately out of her maiden win final yr by a partnership of Individuals, Porta Fortuna has taken her connections on the experience of the lifetime—from the riches of Royal Ascot to the salty shores of Del Mar. The three-year-old filly, arguably probably the greatest of her intercourse in Europe, faces her tallest process but within the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1T) Nov. 2.
“After we purchased her final yr the objective was that she was ok to make Ascot, that was the first factor,” mentioned Phillip Shelton, racing supervisor of Medallion Racing. Skilled by Donnacha O’Brien, Porta Fortuna is owned collectively by Medallion, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, and Barry Fowler.
“After which we mentioned after Ascot we’re simply going to regroup and see what makes probably the most sense,” Shelton mentioned. “We thought perhaps we had a Breeders’ Cup filly after we gained at Ascot. Then we ran within the Breeders’ Cup and made the choice to maintain operating her in Europe the place there was extra alternative. And he or she’s gotten even higher this yr.”
After capturing the 2023 Albany Stakes (G3) at Royal Ascot, Porta Fortuna positioned in two group 1 contests earlier than touchdown the Cheveley Park Stakes (G1) at Newmarket. From there, it was onto the Breeders’ Cup, the place the daughter of Caravaggio battled gamely in between rivals late to overlook by a half-length to Onerous to Justify within the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T).
Since that effort, Porta Fortuna has gained all however one among her 4 begins this yr in Europe, together with her final three, all in group 1 firm. Opening her season with a slender runner-up end within the One Thousand Guineas (G1), Porta Fortuna soared to the highest of her division together with her second Royal Ascot win within the Coronation Stakes (G1) and a 3 3/4-length romp within the Falmouth Stakes (G1) at Newmarket.
In her last tune-up earlier than the Breeders’ Cup, the mile specialist handily defeated older mares for the primary time within the Sept. 14 Matron Stakes (G1) at Leopardstown.
One in all a number of Euro contenders within the subject, Porta Fortuna enters with the benefit of getting endured the prolonged ship and quarantine over to California final yr. She additionally arrives with the added bonus of getting raced in the USA, navigating tighter turns and a firmer turf course than most Europeans are accustomed to abroad.
Shelton believes Porta Fortuna gained an excessive amount of training from her first stateside look.
“Final yr speaking to (jockey) Oisin (Murphy) after the race, he felt like she was a little bit inexperienced going across the bend. She simply ran within the Matron which was a left-handed bend after which she ran in final yr’s Breeders’ Cup so we’re hoping that contact of expertise now will assist,” Shelton mentioned.
“She likes the agency floor. I do know Notable Speech will possible be favored, and he likes the agency floor too,” Shelton mentioned.
Two Thousand Guineas (G1) hero Notable Speech stamped his ticket to the Breeders’ Cup with a scintillating victory over older rivals within the July 31 Sussex Stakes (G1).
“She’s going to must run the race of her life however we really feel like American racing fits her. She has a excessive cruising velocity,” Shelton mentioned. “In Europe, she typically runs fairly near the tempo however within the One Thousand Guineas she was thirteenth of 17 early and nonetheless confirmed an enormous closing kick. However I simply assume getting that good place early is critically essential for her.”
Porta Fortuna is scheduled to make one last breeze in Eire over the weekend earlier than transport to Del Mar. Whereas the Mile stands out as the filly’s hardest check but, Shelton mentioned it is not going to be her final journey to the beginning gate.
“The plan at this level is to run subsequent yr. After the Breeders’ Cup, she’ll get a break and we would like to focus on a win at Royal Ascot for the third yr in a row,” Shelton mentioned.
“Our companions do not take it with no consideration how laborious it’s to get horses to the extent that she’s at. Proper now our objective is to have as a lot enjoyable as we are able to have together with her assuming she’s completely happy and wholesome.”
Fierceness Posts Last Work forward of Breeders’ Cup Basic
Repole Steady’s a number of grade 1-winning homebred Fierceness logged his last preparations over the Oklahoma grime coaching observe the morning of Oct. 25 at Saratoga Race Course as he readies for a begin within the Nov. 2 Breeders’ Cup Basic (G1) at Del Mar.
The Metropolis of Gentle colt labored a half-mile in :48.98 in firm, based on New York Racing Affiliation clockers. Fierceness, beneath common train rider Danny Wright, began barely behind his workmate, earlier than drawing up on the skin nearing the lane to complete in entrance on the wire, galloping out the 5 furlongs in 1:02 1/5.
Fierceness (left) works in firm on the Oklahoma coaching observe Oct.25 at Saratoga Race Course
“It was one other good breeze from him. He’s fairly in line with the way in which he goes each time. He seems to be doing it effortlessly,” mentioned coach Todd Pletcher. “I used to be proud of the way in which the breeze went and the way in which he is been doing.”
The reigning champion 2-year-old male has as soon as once more risen to the highest of his division with wins within the Travers Stakes (G1), Florida Derby (G1), and Jim Dandy Stakes (G2).
“It is laborious to think about him coaching any higher than he did from the Jim Dandy to the Travers, however I might say he has been each bit nearly as good, if not higher,” Pletcher mentioned. “It looks as if he is placed on some weight and crammed out a bit for the reason that Travers as effectively—you all the time like to see that with a 3-year-old within the fall.”
Along with Fierceness, different Breeders’ Cup contenders breezing Friday on the Spa included grade 1 winner Far Bridge and the Saffie Joseph Jr-trained duo of Skippylongstocking and Batucada .
LSU Stables’ Far Bridge, arguably the U.S.’s finest hope within the Nov. 2 Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T), breezed 5 furlongs in 1:02.11 on the turf coaching observe for Christophe Clement. The bettering son of English Channel is coming off back-to-back grade 1 victories within the Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T) and Joe Hirsch Turf Basic Stakes (G1T).
A number of graded stakes winner Skippylongstocking, second to Tapit Trice within the Woodward Stakes (G2) final day trip, labored a half-mile in a bullet :47.93 in firm with grade 3-winning juvenile filly The Queens M G . Joseph confirmed to the DRF Friday that Skippylongstocking, pre-entered in each the Breeders’ Cup Filth Mile (G1) and the Basic, would goal the Filth Mile with the current defection of possible race favourite Nationwide Treasure .
Batucada, a gallant runner-up within the Beldame Stakes (G2) to Raging Sea at 22-1 odds, impressed sufficient for connections to pre-enter the Nov. 2 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) whereas additionally eyeing the one-mile Bayakoa Stakes (G3) on that day’s undercard. Batucada breezed a half-mile in :48.20 on the Oklahoma.
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Contender Could Day Prepared Works at Belmont
KatieRich Stables’ undefeated Could Day Prepared labored a half-mile in :49.60 Friday over the Belmont Park grime coaching observe in preparation for a begin within the Nov. 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T).
Skilled by Joe Lee, the Tapit filly will look to parlay her Breeders’ Cup Problem Collection nostril rating within the Jessamine Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland to a primary Breeders’ Cup win for the conditioner along with his first starter. Frankie Dettori, aboard for all three begins, will retain the mount at Del Mar.
Could Day Prepared, together with her common train rider Yosuke Ito up, labored head-and-head this morning to the skin of the Luis Cardenas-piloted maiden Change Your Identify .
“She backed as much as the seven-eighths and galloped to the half-mile pole. They have been principally head-and-head the entire means,” Lee mentioned. “It was work, and I used to be proud of that.”
Mullikin Heads Breeders’ Cup Hopefuls Breezing Friday at Keeneland
For coach Rodolphe Brisset, Forego Stakes (G1) winner and Breeders’ Cup Dash (G1) contender Mullikin labored a half-mile in :47 3/5 in firm with World File Friday morning at Keeneland.
Mullikin wins the Forego Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
“That’s what we have been in search of—nothing fancy,” Brisset mentioned. “He did it very simply along with his common train rider (Pedro Alvarez). We’re the place we have to be.”
Winner of his previous 4 races, together with the John A. Nerud Stakes (G2) in July on the Belmont on the Large A meet, Mullikin is owned by Siena Farm and WinStar Farm.
Earlier Friday, BBN Racing’s undefeated Kilwin , winner of the $998,550 Untapable Stakes at Kentucky Downs in September, lined a half-mile in :48 3/5 beneath train rider Karine Continaud.
“The work was high-quality,” coach Rusty Arnold mentioned of the filly, a contender for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. “Very easy, no points. Good, straightforward half. She did her main work final week. As we speak was simply to maintain her in good condition. We weren’t in search of something spectacular, only a upkeep work.”
Arnold was happy with how Bregman Household Racing’s Completely Justified (additionally pre-entered within the Juvenile Fillies Turf) got here out of her Oct. 24 work. The daughter of Justify clocked a half-mile in :50 2/5 on the primary observe.
“She galloped this morning,” Arnold mentioned concerning the runner-up within the Jessamine Stakes final day trip. “She was so filled with power that we did not even give her a time off. She went again to the observe and was completely happy.”
Getaway Automobile, Nice Breeze for Baffert at Santa Anita
Getaway Automobile and Nice , each pre-entered in subsequent week’s Breeders’ Cup, recorded timed exercises for coach Bob Baffert Friday morning at Santa Anita Park.
Getaway Automobile, pre-entered within the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), went 5 furlongs in 1:00 3/5. Nice, pre-entered within the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Dash (G1), labored 5 furlongs from the gate in :59 4/5. Nice’s work was the fifth quickest of 37 on the distance.
A winner of the Greatest Pal Stakes (G3) at Del Mar, Getaway Automobile was most not too long ago second to stablemate Citizen Bull within the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) when making his two-turn debut Oct. 5 at Santa Anita.
Getaway Automobile wins the Greatest Pal Stakes at Del Mar
Nice might be making her stakes debut within the Filly & Mare Dash. A homebred for Juddmonte, the 4-year-old Munnings filly most not too long ago returned from a 13-month layoff and romped by 5 lengths in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance optionally available claimer at Los Alamitos Race Course Sept. 22.
