Ulysses skips Champion Stakes, straight to Breeders’ Cup Turf

One of the expected favorites for Saturday’s Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot, Ulysses has defected from the field, “something of a bombshell” move, according to RacingPost.com. Connections have instead elected to focus only on the Nov. 4 Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar.

"Ulysses is not running at Ascot," his trainer, Sir Michael Stoute, said. "He's perfectly fine but we've just decided to take him straight to California.”

Ulysses, a 4-year-old colt by Galileo, finished 4th in last year’s running of the $4 million Turf at Santa Anita Park. This year he has three wins in six starts, taking the well-known Group 1 Coral Eclipse and Juddmonte International. Last time out, he ran 3rd behind filly Enable in the Oct. 1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

The defending Breeders’ Cup Turf winner, Highland Reel, will run in the Champion Stakes, also a 1 1/2-mile test. He’s considered probable for a run at Del Mar but would have to do so on two weeks’ rest after an international trip. Highland Reel is fresh, however, having last raced on July 29.

Other top contenders for the Turf include recent Joe Hirsch Turf Classic winner Beach Patrol and Oscar Performance, 3rd in that race and winner of the 2016 Juvenile Turf.