Report: Appleby updates Breeders' Cup plans

With three graded-stakes victories in North America over the weekend, Charlie Appleby is firming up his Breeders' Cup plans.

Modern Games – winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf running for purse money only – won the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile by 5 1/4 lengths, earning a 112 Beyer Speed Figure, according to Daily Racing Form. It was the highest Beyer for any turf runner this year.

Also at Woodbine, Mysterious Night won the Summer Stakes (G1) by 5 3/4 lengths. And Nations Pride won the Jockey Club Derby (G3) in the Belmont at Aqueduct meet by 6 1/4 lengths.

Modern Games and Mysterious Night won automatic berths in the Breeders' Cup Mile and Breeders' Cup Turf, respectively.

Appleby won three Breeders' Cup races last year, also scoring with Yibir in the Turf and Space Blues in the Mile.

DRF reported that Modern Games and Mysterious Night will return for the Breeders' Cup but that plans are pending for Nations Pride. Appleby said he was impressed with Nations Pride's win but that he might not return him to the U.S. until 2023, when he could target races such as the Man o’ War at Belmont and Sword Dancer at Saratoga.

Appleby also plans to run Rebel's Romance in the Breeders' Cup Turf, DRF reported. A winner of three straight, he will race this weekend in the Preis von Europa (G1) in Germany.

"If he happens to win that, then it will be strongly considered about him being a Breeders' Cup Turf horse," Appleby told DRF. "Nations Pride being in the mix as well, but with Nations Pride we very much have our mind on next year with him hopefully doing what we tried to achieve with Yibir."