The final round of preps for the Breeders' Cup took place this weekend and there was no shortage of stories or races. There were 26 graded stakes run from Friday through Sunday and nine of them were Grade I's. As always, this weekend helped to clear up the Breeders' Cup picture. Here's a look at what happened:GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile: You had three races, the GI Champagne, the GI Breeders' Futurity and the GI American Pharoah and each race featured a potential superstar in Ted Noffey (Into Mischief), Desert Gate (Omaha Beach) and It's Our Time (Not This Time). It was a somewhat disappointing show from the juveniles as Desert Gate and It's Our Time didn't come through, but Ned Toffey did in spades.Yes, Brant (Gun Runner), the $3-million colt residing in the Bob Baffert barn passed the American Pharoah and will go in the Juvenile as one of the horses to beat. But not the horse to beat. That's clearly Ted Noffey, who looked very good while beating a tough competitor in Blackout Time (Not This Time) by 2 3/4 lengths in the Breeders' Futurity. He was the star 2-year-old of the day.In the Champagne, It's Our Time didn't come back to run anywhere close to his smashing debut. He finished fourth, beaten 8 1/4 lengths. Would be surprised if trainer Tom Amoss sent him to the Breeders' Cup. The winner was Napoleon Solo (Liam's Map) who won by 6 1/2 lengths and obviously deserves a spot in the Juvenile.In the American Pharoah, Bob Baffert started four of the six horses in the field, but could not win the race for the 14th time as Intrepido (Maximus Mischief) mowed down Baffert's Desert Gate in the stretch to win by three-quarters of a lengths for trainer Jeff Mullins. He looks like an improving horse who will have a shot in the Juvenile.GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies: This does not look like a particularly strong group and the GI Frizette came up particularly weak. The winner was the New York-bred Iron Orchard (Authentic), who won by a nose over Rileytole (Mitole). Neither one looks like they'll be a major factor in the Juvenile Fillies.In the GI Oak Leaf at Santa Anita, the Baffert-trained Explora (Blame) was an easy winner at 2-5, making amends for her losing the GI Del Mar Debutante at 3-5. Baffert also has Del Mar Futurity winner Bottle of Rouge (Vino Rosso) waiting in the wings.The GI Alcibaides was certainly the strangest race of the weekend. Heavy favorite Tommy Jo (Into Mischief) crossed the wire second, but was placed first when the stewards took down Percy's Bar (Upstart), who mugged Tommy Jo.Even if she had crossed the wire first, this was not a great effort from Tommy Jo, who wasn't the same horse who won the GI Spinaway by 6 1/2 lengths. Her stock has fallen.The GI Breeders' Cup Turf: There was only one race for this group, the GI Canadian International at Woodbine. The even-money favorite was Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who disappointed in a third-place effort. The winner, however was another European shipper, Wathnan Racing's Silawi (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who won by a nose over Tawny Port (Pioneerof the Nile), who suffered his 15th consecutive loss. Can't see anyone from the group winning on Breeders' Cup day.The GI Breeders' Cup Sprint: The key prep this week was Friday's GII Phoenix S. at Keeneland. Nakatomi (Firing Line) won by a neck over Durante. It was a modest field of six. Don't expect a Sprint winner to come out of this.The GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint: There were two preps for this group, the GII Nearctic S. at Woodbine and the GII Woodford at Keeneland.Woodford winner Khaadem (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) ran an incredible race. He lost about two or three lengths when breaking slowly and was still last in midstretch. But, under Frankie Dettori, he somehow got by the whole field to win by a neck. The amazing 9-year-old ran third in a Grade II race at Kentucky Downs in his prior start. Certainly belongs in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.Bring theband Home (Into Mischief) went off as the 1-2 favorite in the Nearctic and laid an egg, finishing last. The winner was No Nay Hudson (Ire) (No Nay Never), who is a solid turf sprinter, but doesn't look like Breeders' Cup material. More interestingly, 2023 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Nobals (Noble Mission {GB}) ran a much-improved effort to finish second and might be rounding back in top form.The GI Breeders' Cup Filly Sprint: Seven lined up for the GII Thoroughbred Club of America S. and the bettors thought it was a two-horse race between Vahva (Gun Runner) and Zeitlos (Curlin), but neither was able to handle the 3-year-old Praying (Vekoma). Also the winner of the GIII Prioress S., Praying is hot right now, but might find the waters to be too deep in the Breeders' Cup. Vahva, who finished second, may not have liked the six-furlong distance. A seven-furlong specialist, she'll return to her favorite distance in the Breeders' Cup and will deserve another chance.The GIII Chillingsworth S. featured the return of Tamara (Bolt d'Oro), the daughter of Hall of Famer Beholder. She had had just one start since the 2023 Breeders' Cup, so she has to have some problems. But winning this race was a big step and makes her a contender in the Filly Sprint. She got a 95 Beyer.GI Juvenile Fillies Turf: Brendan Walsh and Frankie Dettori teamed up to take the GII Jessamine S. with Imaginationthelady (Not This Time). But her Beyer figure of 73 doesn't bode well for the Breeders' Cup.Remember Ground Support (Army Mule)? She won on debut at Kentucky Downs at the price of 100-1. She was only 12-1 in the GII Miss Grillo S. at Aqueduct, and rewarded her backers again. She wired the field under Adam Beschizza. Can she win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf? Why not? She obviously likes to win, no matter what her odds are.GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf: Chad Brown had been invincible in the GI First Lady, winning the race eight times, including the last seven runnings. But nobody's perfect. The best Brown could do was a second-place finish with Segesta (Ghostzapper). The win went to Simply in Front (Summer Front), who was dismissed at 13-1. Simply in Front is a consistent sort and is in particularly good form now. But will need a huge effort to win in the Breeders' Cup. GI Breeders' Cup Mile: They made European Group 1 winner Diego Velazquez (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) the heavy favorite in the GI Coolmore Turf Mile, but he could do no better than fifth for Aidan O'Brien. Meanwhile Rhetorical (Not This Time), a New York-bred trained by Will Walden, won his fourth straight and his first open company stakes. He also got a 101 Beyer, the best number given to any of the weekend's stakes winners. Beating the Euros in the Mile is never an easy task. They have won four of the last five years, but this horse is for real.Editor's Note: Sunday's GI Spinster S. was run after the deadline for this story.The post The Week in Review: A Slew of Stakes Races and How They Might Affect the Breeders’ Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.