Stakes Saturday: Can't-miss Breeders' Cup preps lead the lineup

Each week, the NTRA will provide a guide to the best stakes races in North America and beyond. Races are listed in chronological order with all times Eastern.

Thor’s Rocket, a 6-year-old son of Old Forester, and jockey Justin Stein will take on four other rivals in the Durham Cup. Bred and trained by Paul Buttigieg, who co-owns with Gus Vlahos, Thor’s Rocket is a five-time winner – with a total of 15 top-three finishes – from 24 starts.

Raymond Mamone's Imperial Hint will look to defend his title in the six-furlong Vosburgh, a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Imperial Hint, trained by Luis Carvajal, Jr., is set to make his first start since a track record-setting performance in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt on July 27 at Saratoga Race Course, where he returned off a three-month layoff to win by four lengths in a blistering 1:07.92.

Midnight Bisou will look to improve to 7-for-7 in her 4-year-old campaign when she headlines the field in Saturday's Beldame at 1 1/8 miles. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Midnight Bisou will return to Belmont for the first time since winning the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps on June 8. Owned by Bloom Racing Stable, Madaket Stables and Allen Racing, the Midnight Lute filly enters on a six-race winning streak, all against graded stakes company, and earned a personal-best 104 Beyer Speed Figure for her nose victory over Elate in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign last out on August 24 at Saratoga Race Course.

August Dawn Farm's Tuggle will hope for a smooth trip in the Pilgrim, a 1 1/16-mile turf test for juveniles. Tuggle graduated impressively at first asking on June 21 in an off-the-turf maiden sprint, splashing home to a 1 3/4-length score over next-out winner Montauk Daddy. The son of Point of Entry was part of a rapid pace next out in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special, but stayed on strong to finish third in the 6 1/2-furlong main-track sprint.

Roaring Forties roars into the Ontario Derby on a two-race win streak. Trained by Daniel Vella, the Borders Racing Stable Ltd.-owned chestnut arrives at the 1 1/8-mile main track Ontario Derby off a strong performance last month. On August 25, Roaring Forties notched a 2 ½-length victory over 1 1/16 miles on the Woodbine Tapeta.

Grade 1 winner Code of Honor will look for a second top-level score when he takes on older horses in the 101st running of the Jockey Club Gold Cup, a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Classic. The chestnut son of Noble Mission was a three-length winner of the Travers Stakes on August 24 and a victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup would put Code of Honor on even terms with Maximum Security, who captured the Florida Derby and Haskell Invitational, in terms of Grade 1 victories this year. Still questing for a Grade 1 victory, Travers runner-up Tacitus placed in two of the three legs of the Triple Crown and seeks a breakthrough win when emerging from post 1. 

Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella’s highly regarded United and a pair of Phil D’Amato trainees, Acclimate and Cleopatra’s Strike, rate big chances in the John Henry Turf Championship, which has attracted a field of eight. Idle since rallying from off the pace for a win in an allowance at Del Mar on July 17, United was a troubled second two starts back in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes at Santa Anita on May 25.

Never better at age five, Beau Recall (IRE) heads a field of six in the Rodeo Drive Stakes, a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. With three wins and two seconds from five starts this year, Beau Recall overcame trouble around the far turn and unleashed a big stretch rally to take Del Mar’s Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Handicap by a nose on August 3. Although winless in her last seven starts, trainer Michael McCarthy’s Paved comes off a much improved fourth-place finish in her most recent start.

Multiple Grade 1 winner McKinzie and rising star Higher Power are set to square off in the Awesome Again Stakes, which has attracted a field of six and is a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Classic. A recent winner of the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes at Saratoga August 3, McKinzie, who is trained by Bob Baffert, has never been better and looms a short priced favorite. Trained by John Sadler, Higher Power exits the best race of his career, a 5 ¼ length win in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar August 17.

Madaket Stables, Slam Dunk Racing and Michael Nentwig’s graded stakes-winning Air Strike will invade Churchill Downs from California and headline a field of nine older horses in the 27th running of the one-mile Ack Ack, one of three stakes events scheduled on the penultimate racing program of the track’s 11-day September Meet. Trained by Phil D'Amato, Air Strike defeated seven rivals in the Grade 2 Triple Bend Stakes at Santa Anita in May. The Street Sense colt most recently finished fourth in the Grade 1 Forego Stakes at Saratoga.

Multiple graded stakes winner Quip will take on Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Tenfold and eight other rivals under the lights in the seventh running of the Lukas Classic going 1 1/8-miles. Trained by Rodolphe Brisset, Quip was the runner-up finisher behind Seeking the Soul in the Grade 2 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs in June prior to his nonplused ninth in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar. Joining Quip in the starting gate is multiple graded stakes-winning Tenfold for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. The 4-year-old son of Curlin most recently finished fourth in the Pacific Classic and hopes to secure his first victory since winning the Grade 3 Pimlico Special in May.