Breeders’ Cup Roundup: Notable Speech takes Woodbine Mile

The 2025 Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar is 45 days away. Catch up on the latest news and developments with our weekly Breeders’ Cup Roundup:

Notable Speech leads Woodbine qualifiers

Trainer Charlie Appleby has won three of the last four editions of the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1). His lone miss came last year, when Notable Speech came up short as the favorite while finishing third by three-quarters of a length.

Perhaps Notable Speech can make amends in 2025. He stamped his return ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Mile when launching an eye-catching rally to win Saturday’s Woodbine Mile (G1), a Win and You’re In qualifier taking place at Woodbine in Canada.

After going winless in four starts against Group 1 company in Europe this year, Notable Speech found the competition in North America more to his liking. He rated as far back as sixth place against splits of :23.31, :47.33, and 1:10.88 before surging down the homestretch to win the one-mile grass contest by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:35.33.

Two other Breeders’ Cup qualifiers took place on Woodbine’s Saturday card. The Summer (G1), a one-mile stepping stone to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), nearly went to Appleby’s Wild Desert. But after racing wide and rating far behind modest fractions of :23.26, :48.14, and 1:12.38, Wild Desert had too much ground to gain and fell a head short of catching Argos.

Argos, a Riley Mott trainee, stepped forward substantially off a third-place finish in Woodbine’s 6 1/2-furlong Soaring Free S. last month. Making his Grade 1 and route debut, Argos rated in midfield before gaining four lengths through the final furlong to reach the finish line first in 1:36.90.

The Natalma (G1), a Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) qualifier, likewise went to a proven Woodbine runner. Undefeated Corsia Veloce exited a win in the Catch a Glimpse S. and showed unwavering tenacity in her route debut, closing from four lengths behind splits of :23.81, :48.47, and 1:13.07 to reel in the pacesetters and prevail by half a length in 1:37.42.

Delacroix, Fallen Angel impress at Leopardstown

A trio of Breeders’ Cup qualifiers took place on Saturday at Leopardstown in Ireland.

The 1 1/4-mile Irish Champion (G1), a prestigious stepping stone to the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1), saw the talented three-year-old Delacroix conquer older rivals in determined fashion.

Previously victorious in the 1 1/4-mile Eclipse (G1), Delacroix rated off the pace before launching a sustained bid to take command and hold off seven-year-old Anmaat to score by three-quarters of a length. He hit the wire in 2:04.69 over good-to-yielding turf.

The one-mile Matron (G1) awarded a Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) berth to Fallen Angel. Fresh off a head triumph in the Prix Rothschild (G1), the four-year-old filly earned her fourth career Group 1 win in slightly more decisive fashion, racing forwardly before outbattling Exactly to prevail by half a length in 1:38.93.

Earlier on the card, Benvenuto Cellini earned a ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) in the KPMG Champions Juvenile (G2). Facing only three rivals, the Aidan O’Brien-trained maiden winner settled in second place before seizing command to dominate by five lengths in 1:42.35.

Arizona Blaze, Precise qualify via the Curragh

On Sunday, Ireland’s Breeders’ Cup qualifying action shifted to the Curragh for a pair of Group 1 prizes.

Arizona Blaze, runner-up by half a length in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1), secured his first top-level triumph when conquering older horses in the five-furlong Flying Five (G1). The talented three-year-old showed speed and held command of the race through the final furlong, reaching the finish line clear by one length in :59.03 over yielding turf.

Winning the Flying Five secured Arizona Blaze a ticket to compete in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1), which is taking place over the same course and five-furlong distance as last year’s Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Meanwhile, Precise earned a redundant Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf berth in the seven-furlong Moyglare Stud (G1). The Aidan O’Brien trainee had already earned her ticket via a victory in the Aug. 24 Prestige Fillies’ (G3) in England, and she kept her momentum rolling in the Moyglare Stud, outbattling stablemate Beautify to prevail by three-quarters of a length in 1:29.13.

Filly & Mare Sprint berth on the line in Princess Rooney

Looking ahead, Saturday’s seven-furlong Princess Rooney (G3) at Gulfstream Park offers a Win and You’re In entry to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1). Last year, Soul of an Angel swept both races en route to earning an Eclipse Award as champion female sprinter.

This year’s Princess Rooney has drawn eight entries. Mystic Lake is the possible favorite while returning to the track and distance of her Jan. 25 triumph in the Inside Information (G2). Among her rivals are Vagrancy (G3) winner Haulin Ice, Sheer Drama H. heroine Vincey Girl, and Chicago (G2) runner-up Claret Beret.

Baeza, Good Cheer lead prospective Pennsylvania Derby, Cotillion fields

While not part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, Saturday’s $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1) and $1 million Cotillion (G1) at Parx Racing serve as important stepping stones to the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1).

The potential field for the 1 1/8-mile Pennsylvania Derby is led by Baeza, the third-place finisher from the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont (G1), as well as Gosger, runner-up in the Preakness (G1) and Haskell (G1).

Meanwhile, the 1 1/16-mile Cotillion (G1) is expected to draw a deep field led by Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Good Cheer, multiple Grade 1 winner La Cara, and runaway Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) conqueror Scottish Lassie.

Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series Qualifiers

The following horses have secured Win and You’re In berths to the 2025 Breeders’ Cup via the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series:

Breeders’ Cup Classic

Antiquarian
Costa Nova
Fierceness
Forever Young
Journalism
Hit Show
Mindframe
Ombudsman
Sierra Leone

Breeders’ Cup Turf

Calandagan
Danon Decile
Delacroix
El Cordobes
Gold Phoenix
Intense for Me
Meisho Tabaru
Ole Crazy Bone
Ombudsman
Sinsel

Breeders’ Cup Distaff

Dorth Vader
Sarawak Rim
Seismic Beauty
Thorpedo Anna

Breeders’ Cup Mile

Deterministic
Docklands
Gran Oriente
Jantar Mantar
Notable Speech
One Stripe
Qirat
Soul Rush

Breeders’ Cup Sprint

Dark Saffron
Lovesick Blues
Self Improvement
Straight No Chaser

Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile

Book’em Danno
Diktaean
Dr. Venkman
Raging Torrent 
Touch of Destiny

Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf

Ascoli Piceno
Bellezza
Double Grand Slam
Fallen Angel
La Kika
Minnie Hauk
She Feels Pretty
Whirl

Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint

Hope Road

Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint

Ag Bullet
American Affair
Arizona Blaze
Asfoora
Bear River
Motorious

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies

Tommy Jo

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf

Argos
Benvenuto Cellini
Gewan

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf

Corsia Veloce
Precise

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint

Charles Darwin
Lady Iman