No Nay Never, Not This Time Well Represented for BC

Besides the excitement of the racing on the track, the 14 lucrative Breeders' Cup races can go a long way toward determining the success of sires' seasons each year. With that in mind, Irish-based No Nay Never and current leading North American sire Not This Time appear poised for a big weekend Oct. 30-31 at Keeneland following the pre-entries released Oct. 21 for the World Championships races. No Nay Never, who stood for €100,000 (approx. US$112,340) in 2026 at Coolmore Stud near Fethard, County Tipperary, Ireland, leads all sires in the number of horses pre-entered for this year's World Championships at nine. They range in ages from 2-6 and are exclusively entered in turf races. Leading the way may be classic winner True Love (IRE). Racing for Coolmore-associated owners Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, and Michael Tabor, the high-weighted 2-year-old filly in Ireland last year landed this year's One Thousand Guineas (G1) at Newmarket Racecourse and Prix de la Foret (G1) at ParisLongchamp Racecourse. She's scheduled to face older males in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T). Also pre-entered in the Oct. 31 Mile is 5-year-old gelding Lake Forest (GB), who has earned more than $4.5 million in four seasons of racing and prepped with a runner-up finish in the Turf Mile Stakes (G1T) Oct. 3 at Keeneland. He is campaigned by Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy. No Nay Never figures to be particularly well-represented in the Oct. 30 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T), where Kentucky-bred dual group 3 winner Avec Toi, Coventry Stakes (G2) winner Great Barrier Reef (IRE), and Richmond Stakes (G2) winner Man's Best Friend (IRE) are all projected to make the field. Another big threat to win for No Nay Never is Juddmonte's Amusingly (GB) in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T). Trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, Amusingly won this year's Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (G1) at ParisLongchamp. Also representing No Nay Never is Vefa Araci's group 2 winner Libertango (IRE) in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T). Trainer Wesley Ward hopes veteran runner No Nay Hudson (IRE) can crack the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) field after the 6-year-old ran second in the Woodford Stakes (G2T) Oct. 3 at Keeneland. Also hoping for some luck to make it into a race is Carry The Flag (IRE) in the Juvenile Turf Sprint. Of stallions based in North America, Not This Time leads the way with seven runners pre-entered. The Taylor Made Stallions sire will stand for $300,000 in 2027 as he looks to finish atop the general sires list for the first time this year. He's led by a defending Breeders' Cup winner in Cy Fair, who will face older males in the Turf Sprint one year after defeating males of her generation in the Juvenile Turf Sprint. She is trained by George Weaver for Medallion Racing, Swinbank Stables, Joey Platts, and Mark Stanton. Not This Time also will be well represented in the weekend's biggest race, the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), where Winchell Thoroughbreds' Magnitude will try to add to a season that already has seen him capture the Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) and the Dubai World Cup (G1). Versatility has been key for Not This Time this year and that shows up in his Breeders' Cup runners, with five pre-entered in turf races and two in dirt races. They range in age from 2-5. Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables' Bold Leadership will start in the Juvenile Turf after earning placings in graded stakes on the turf at Keeneland and Saratoga Race Course for trainer Todd Pletcher. Also trained by Pletcher is Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) pre-entrant Damavand, a runner for Amo Racing USA who captured a maiden race Oct. 4 at Keeneland going the same 1 1/16-mile distance as the Juvenile. In Our Time, a 5-year-old mare for Resolute Racing and Miller Racing, will take on males in the Turf Sprint off a recent win in the Ladies Turf Sprint Stakes (G1T) for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. In the spring, she won the Giant's Causeway Stakes (G2T) over fillies and mares on the Keeneland turf going the same 5 1/2-furlong distance of the Turf Sprint. The Turf Sprint also sees 5-year-old mare Time to Dazzle pre-entered for owner Tracy Farmer and trainer Mark Casse. She enters off of an Oct. 11 win over fillies and mares in the Franklin Stakes (G2T) at the same 5 1/2-furlong distance on the Keeneland course. Also with winning familiarity on the course is Gary Barber, Cheyenne Stables, and Wachtel Stable's Rhetorical, who will enter the Mile off of a 2 1/4-length win in the Turf Mile Stakes Oct. 3 at Keeneland for trainer Will Walden.