Variety Club becomes first 2013 Breeders' Cup qualifier

9-10 favored Variety Club (SAF), the reigning South African Horse of the Year, became the first horse to officially qualify for the 2013 Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series after winning Saturday’s one mile L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate (G1) at Kenilworth Racecourse under Jockey Anton Marcus.

The 5-year-old Variety Club, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Markus Jooste and trained by Joey Ramsden, earned an automatic starting position in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (GI) on Nov. 2. If Variety Club is nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program by October 21, the winning connections will receive free entry into the Mile and Breeders’ Cup will provide the stable a US$20,000 travel allowance to California.

Variety Club, a 5-year-old son of Var out of the La Massine (SAF) by Secret Prospector, held off Jackson in the stretch, with Pomodoro winding up in third. Variety Club, who won his fifth start in a row, was bred in South Africa by Beaumont Stud.

Variety Club was not set in his stall when the gates first opened, causing a false start. On the restart, Variety Club moved quickly from the outside post position to secure an advantage around the first turn. 

 About Breeders’ Cup

The Breeders’ Cup administers the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Thoroughbred racing’s year-end Championships.  The Breeders’ Cup also administers the Breeders’ Cup Challenge qualifying series, which provides automatic starting positions into the Championships races. The 2013 Breeders’ Cup World Championships will be held Nov. 1-2 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., and will be televised live by NBC. Breeders’ Cup press releases appear on the Breeders’ Cup Web site, www.breederscup.com. You can also follow the Breeders’ Cup on social media platforms, Facebook,Twitter and YouTube.