Lull after Breeders’ Cup opens door to overlooked horses

Oct. 9 (UPI) — With most of North American racing’s stars resting up from the Breeders’ Cup, weekend racing provided a chance for some others — late developers or simply overlooked — to snag attention and a moment of winner’s circle glory.

Del Mar joined Belmont Park, Churchill Downs and Woodbine to keep the wheels turning, while the Japan Cup and Hong Kong’s big international races loomed and Dubai kicked off the 2026-27 Carnival that leads up to the Dubai World Cup.

Heading into the stretch run of 2026 …

Distaff

Tap to Open rallied from well back to take Saturday’s $300,000 Grade II Mother Goose for 3-year-old fillies at Belmont Park by 3 1/4 lengths over Answered Prayers. It was another 2 lengths to Tahiequah in third with the odds-on favorite, Bodacious Bay, fading from the lead to finish fourth.

A Whisper Hill Farm homebred daughter of Tapit, Tap to Open covered 1 1/16 miles on the fast main track in 1:41.72. Manny Franco had the mount for trainer Brad Cox.

Sultana wrapped up her 2026 season just as she did a year earlier with a victory in the $175,000 Grade III Maple Leaf Stakes at Woodbine. The 5-year-old daughter of Always Dreaming was next-last down the backstretch, unleashed a sharp move on the turn and outfinished Fortyfiveseventy by 1 length for the win.

With Rafael Hernandez up for trainer Kevin Attard, Sultana ran 1 1/4 miles on the all-weather track in 2:05.33.

Classic / dirt mile

Stimulate gave the rest of the field the slip in the stretch run of Saturday’s $200,000 Dwyer Stakes for 3-year-olds at Belmont Park, scooting off to win by 7 1/2 lengths from the favorite, Sea Strike. Igniter finished third.

A Tapit colt owned and bred by Calumet Farm and Adele Dilschneider, Stimulate ran 1 mile on the main track in 1:33.64 with Junior Alvarado riding for trainer Bill Mott.

Runaway Again came with a rush from the back of the field to win Saturday’s $175,000 (Canadian) Grade III HPIbet Autumn Stakes going away.

The 4-year-old Hard Spun gelding, with Ryan Munger up for trainer Sid Attard, finished 1 1/8 miles on the all-weather track in 1:50.37 in returning from a three-month layoff.

English Actor led most of the way and held second, 1 1/2 lengths better than William T. Runaway Again is out of the Storm Cat mare Golden Venus.

Sprint

Viking sailed right out to the lead in Saturday’s $300,000 Bet on Sunshine Stakes at Churchill Downs and wasn’t caught. The 5-year-old City of Light gelding, with Tyler Gaffalione up, drew off to win by 3 3/4 lengths, finishing 6 furlongs in 1:09.55.

Jack’s Promise was second all the way and Tejano Twist came from far back to take third.

Viking, owned by JoAnn and Alex Lieblong, is trained by David Fawkes.

Filly & mare sprint

Beauty Reigns got the best of a three-way battle in Saturday’s $175,000 Pumpkin Pie Stakes at Belmont Park, drawing off late to win by 2 lengths.

The others who contested most of the 7 furlongs, Icona Mama and odds-on favorite Sensa Parole, finished second and third, respectively.

A 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief, Beauty Reigns was timed in 1:22.56 with Junior Alvarado in the irons for Bill Mott.

Pondering returned to Woodbine Saturday for a successful, front-running defense of her title in the $175,000 (Canadian) Grade III Bessarabian Stakes. With Sahin Civaci in the irons, the Godolphin homebred Hard Spun filly jumped out to a big lead, set a blistering pace and survived a late challenge from Quadruple to win by 1/2 length.

The favorite, Reagan’s Flame, finished third. Pondering finished 7 furlongs on the all-weather course in 1:23.07.

Grand Slam Smile dominated Sunday’s $100,000 Betty Grable Stakes at Del Mar. After attending the pace, the 5-year-old Smiling Tiger mare drew off strongly through the stretch to score by 5 1/4 lengths over Big Hug.

She finished the 7 furlongs out of the backstretch chute in 1:22.31 with Juan Hernandezup for trainer Sean McCarthy. She won the same event a year ago.

Turf / turf mile

Mercante jumped out to the early lead in Saturday’s $300,000 Grade III River City Stakes at Churchill Downs and dueled with Kapuna around the clubhouse turn, down the backstretch and through the stretch turn. The two turned into the lane still engaged until Mercante finally edged to a 1/2-length victory.

The 6-year-old Gun Runner gelding finished 1 1/8 miles on firm turf in 1:47.20 with Walter Rodriguez in the irons for trainer Brian Knippenberg. Gun Runner was 2017 Horse of the Year and Mercante’s dam, Caressing, won the 2000 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and that year’s divisional Eclipse Award.

Green Carerra swung six-wide into the stretch in Friday’s $100,000 Let It Ride Stakes for 3-year-olds at Del Mar and got up in the final strides to defeat Deucari by a neck. Jordi Bear was another neck back in third.

Green Carerra, a British-bred filly by Lope de Vega, ran 1 mile on firm turf in 1:34.51 with Umberto Rispoli up for trainer Leonard Powell. She was the only filly in the seven-horse field.

Turf sprint

Blazing Tiger split rivals at mid-stretch in Saturday’s $175,000 Carle Place Stakes for 3-year-olds at Belmont Park and outfinished the favorite, Doubting Thomas, by a head. Two Out Hero led briefly, but lacked the needed late punch and finished third.

With Manny Franco up for trainer Miguel Clement, Blazing Tiger ran 6 furlongs on the new Tapeta track in 1:09.44. The colt is by Twirling Candy.

Around the world, around the clock

Dubai

Yes, Dubai. The 2026-27 Carnival left the gate smoothly enough Friday night with Brotherly Love and Colour Up providing a familiar feel to the proceedings.

Brotherly Love, fourth in the Group 2 UAE Derby back in the springtime, returned as a gelding and won the evening’s feature for jockey Danny Tudhope and trainer Jamie Osborne by 5 1/4 length.

By Aussie-bred Zoustar out of the Chilean-bred mare Ruby Love, Brotherly Love rallied strongly from second-last in the 1-mile tilt and needed little urging from Tudhope, marking himself as one to watch for big races to come.

Eight-year-old Colour Up got his first win at Meydan racecourse since 2023 in the opener. With Pat Dobbs up for trainer Doug Watson, the veteran prevailed by 1/2 length from Ya Metal.