Sextet Of Graded Keep Action Going Post Breeders’ Cup

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For racing fans with money still to wager following Friday and Saturday's Breeders' Cup festivities at Keeneland, the action continues into the evening and through Sunday across the country with Belmont, Woodbine and Santa Anita each hosting a pair of graded stakes races to close out racing's biggest weekend.Just about 90 minutes following post time for the Breeders' Cup Classic, California stages the final graded of the evening with older turf fillies  contesting the GIII Goldikova Stakes. Miss Nightfall (GB) (Sands of Mali {Fr}) drew the rail for her second start state-side, having won her North American debut at this distance at Saratoga for Jonathan Thomas Sept. 7. Her class extended back to Europe as well where she was just a head back in second at Royal Ascot in the Kensington Palace Stakes June 17. Stablemate and GI American Oaks winner Ambaya (Ghostzapper) has been off since that victory over 10 months back and makes her 4-year-old debut Saturday, cutting back from that 1 1/4-mile spot back to the mile. Trainer Jose D'Angelo brings in Bojaca Blessing (Cairo Prince) who was last seen running third in the GII John C Mabee Stakes at Del Mar Sept. 7. She was meant for a Keeneland allowance race Oct. 17 but scratched as that race came off the turf. And May Day Ready (Tapit) looks to rebound after an off-the-board finish in the GII Rodeo Drive Stakes Oct. 3, having previously won the restricted One Dreamer Stakes at Kentucky Downs Sept. 6 for Richard Mandella.Come Sunday, Santa Anita hosts the 1 1/8-mile GII Twilight Derby where another rail horse, Proletariat (Raging Bull {Fr}) looks to add to his three-race win streak for Jeff Mullins off a victory in the GII Del Mar Derby back in August. He faces several familiar rivals out of that race including Unrivaled Time (Not This Time), Melismatic (Ire) (Space Blues {Ire}) and Tribalism (Ire) (No Nay Never). Path to Power (GB) (Time Test {GB}), drawn outside for Phil D'Amato, broke his maiden two back at this distance at Del Mar.At Belmont Park, older males go a mile on the main track in the GIII Forty Niner Stakes. Godolphin homebred and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' East Avenue (Medaglia d'Oro) drewEast Avenue | Coady Mediathe rail here and will need to step back up after running fourth in his last two starts since winning the GIII Salvator Mile three back at Monmouth Park. Crazy Mason (Coal Front) has been rounding into form, missing by just three-quarters of a length when fourth in the GI Forego Stakes Aug. 29 and then running second by a nose in the GIII Vosburgh going a furlong shorter on this track Oct. 1. Two other runners coming off allowance wins are Gate to Wire (Munnings) who will need to stretch out to the mile for the first time since last summer  and the 5-year-old Pentathlon (Speightstown) who cuts back after winning at Belmont going 1 1/16 miles Oct. 4.The action starts early Sunday at Belmont with the six-furlong GIII Bold Ruler Stakes. 2025 Breeders' Cup Classic runner Contrary Thinking (Into Mischief) comes back here for Amelia Green after running eighth in the Vosburgh Oct. 1 and has been seeing success since joining the barn after bringing $130,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Digital Sale in May of this year. Two horses come in off stakes wins with Stickupwithoutagun (McKinzine) winning the state-bred Ontario Stakes at Finger Lakes Sept. 21 and Buccherino (Bucchero) taking the Stable Recovery Stakes at Parx Sept. 19. Commuted (Gun Runner) also steps up here for Linda Rice after winning, granted in a pair of starters, at this distance at both Saratoga and Belmont in his last two starts.Woodbine puts the spotlight on the 2-year-olds with the GIII Grey Stakes and the GIII Mazarine Stakes both at 1 1/16 miles on the Tapeta. Several fillies in the Mazarine will be swapping surfaces, coming from the grass. Mrs D (Bolt d'Oro) won the five-furlong GIII Algonquin Stakes Oct. 3 but has never raced beyond 6 1/2 furlongs. Sunday Finery (Mystic Guide) romped in her fourth career start at this distance to break her maiden by 13 1/2 lengths for James Begg but steps up in class here. Mo Cookie (Modernist) also comes off this distance but on the grass when second in the restricted Cup & Saucer Stakes Oct. 4. And Homeawayfromhome (Nyquist) also steps up off the grass from a second-place effort in the Selima Stakes Sept. 26 at Laurel Park. For the colts, Speaker's Speech (Speaker's Corner) enters still a maiden but already twice stakes placed sprinting on the grass. Uncle Dodo (Uncle Mo) is a stakes winner on the Tapeta but stretches past seven furlongs for the first time for Barbara Minshall. Godolphin ships up their homebred Okarito (Violence) who won a one-mile turf maiden special weight at Churchill Sept. 24 and Play It Again (Speighstown) broke his maiden over this distance on the grass two back at Ellis Park but was sixth in the GI Summer Stakes Sept. 12.The post Sextet Of Graded Keep Action Going Post Breeders’ Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.