The fields for the 14 races that comprise the Breeders’ Cup World Championships actually start to return into focus in summer season and fall. This common function will supply a snapshot profile of one of many earlier weekend’s standout stars, often a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Problem Sequence winner, and whether or not I’m shopping for or promoting their probabilities to win Nov. 1-2 at Del Mar. This week, $1 million Stephen Foster Stakes winner Kingsbarns earned the fitting to kick off the sequence for 2024.
Accomplishments: Kingsbarns gained three of 5 begins in 2023 as a 3-year-old, together with a breakout front-running win within the $1 million Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby. He dueled for the lead within the Kentucky Derby Offered by Woodford Reserve in his subsequent begin however light to 14th in what’s the solely unplaced end of his profession so far. Actually, apart from the Kentucky Derby, Kingsbarns has by no means completed worse than second in 9 races.
The bay Uncle Mo colt out of the Grade 3-placed Tapit mare Girl Tapit has emerged as a drive within the older male division this yr at age 4 with three wins in 4 begins for Corridor of Fame coach Todd Pletcher, together with the $300,000 Ben Ali Stakes at Keeneland in April and his 2 ½-length rating over Pyrenees within the Foster at Churchill Downs.
Kingsbarns rebounded within the Stephen Foster from his first defeat of the yr – a second to Pyrenees within the $250,000 Pimlico Particular Stakes at Pimlico – with a victory from off the tempo underneath Luis Saez at 9.95-to-1 odds you probably gained’t see once more any time quickly. He earned a fees-paid berth within the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Traditional Nov. 2 at Del Mar with the victory.
Kingsbarns was a devoted pacesetter/pace-presser as a 3-year-old however has matured right into a racehorse snug close to the lead or rallying from off the tempo, which has helped make him a rising star for proprietor Spendthrift Farm.
“We’re extraordinarily happy with this horse’s effort and for all the crew behind him,” Pletcher stated. “Clearly profitable a Grade 1 is an incredible accomplishment. I believe we’ve seen this yr he’s been capable of settle higher than when he was a 3-year-old and present that new dimension.”
Velocity Figures: In 4 begins this yr, Kingsbarns has earned Equibase Velocity Figures between 103 and 112, with the best determine a brand new four-point high for his Stephen Foster victory. Likewise, Kingsbarns earned a brand new career-best 100 Beyer Velocity Determine for the Stephen Foster win with a variety of 92 to 100 in 4 races this yr.
Wanting Forward: Kingsbarns seems to be a 4-year-old on the rise with improved maturity and ascending velocity figures for a coach with 15 profession Breeders’ Cup victories, together with the 2019 Longines Traditional with Vino Rosso.
Kingsbarns may be very doubtless a candidate for most of the main older male races this summer season and fall main as much as the World Championships, relying upon how he comes out of the Stephen Foster win and what his connections view as a great roadmap to the 2024 Traditional. Pletcher outlined one potential state of affairs to David Grening of Every day Racing Kind that would come with a begin within the $1 million, 1 ¼-mile Jockey Membership Gold Cup Stakes Sept. 1 at Saratoga as a prep for the Traditional with the purpose protecting Kingsbarns contemporary for fall.
No matter the place he winds up working subsequent, Kingsbarns appears to be like like a reliable menace to win the Breeders’ Cup Traditional. I’m enthusiastically shopping for Kingsbarns inventory.
