Top Europeans Await Kathynmarissa in Breeders' Cup

The $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T) Oct. 31 at Keeneland is once again an international affair, with 10 of the 14 entrants bred overseas. Internationally-bred contenders have dominated the prestigious race over the last decade; Ontario-bred Moira is the lone North American-bred winner in the past 10 years, while the Chad Brown-trained Stephanie's Kitten remains the last United States-bred mare to take the title when she won in 2015. This year, Brown aims to rewrite the script with Kathynmarissa, a 5-year-old daughter of American Pharoah. It has been a career-defining 2026 for Kathynmarissa. After kicking off the year with a milestone first graded stakes victory in the Modesty Stakes (G3T), she dominated the summer distaff turf division with victories in the Diana Stakes (G1T) and Flower Bowl Stakes (G2T). "We've always liked her. She's even been a pleasant surprise this year how far she's gotten," Brown said. "She's very, very impressive and very versatile." Brown attributed the mare's 5-year-old success to maturity, as well as time to get over some physical ailments that were hampering her development. "Oftentimes if you have patience with some of these older horses, they can sort of harden up, if you will, and become sound and durable and withstand a real complete campaign of both racing and training." This will be Kathynmarissa's first start over the Keeneland turf, but Brown said he is not worried. "She seems to take the racetrack with her wherever she goes," he said. "She runs on all types of ground—firm ground, lusher, deeper ground, softer turf; it doesn't seem to bother her. She's a pretty versatile horse." Waiting in the wings will be Juddmonte's four-time group 1 winner Blue Bolt (IRE). The impressive filly by Blue Point (IRE) enters the race as a perfect 6-for-6 this season, with the last four victories coming in group 1s. The 4-year-old filly is a strong miler and will stretch out beyond that, to 1 3/16 miles, for first time in Saturday's Filly and Mare Turf. Another great miler and runner-up to Blue Bolt in the Falmouth Stakes (G1) is the Aidan O'Brien-trained Precise (IRE), owned by Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith. The 3-year-old daughter of Starspangledbanner (AUS) enters the race off a runner-up finish in the 2,000-meter (about 1 1/4-mile) Prix de l'Opera (G1). Precise shipped to Del Mar for last year's Breeders' Cup World Championships, where she was favored to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T), but was scratched the morning of the race because of an infection. She returns to avenge last year's misfortune and fulfill her high expectations. Dixiana Farms' Lush Lips (GB) is another intriguing internationally bred runner. She began her career across the pond with little success before blossoming under the care of trainer Brendan Walsh. The Ten Sovereigns (IRE) filly, who was purchased by Dixiana for $3.7 million at last year's Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, never finished worse than second in 2025 and earned an elusive grade 1 win in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland, proving she likes the turf surface at the Lexington track. She has made only three starts this year, most recently finishing second by a nose to Classic Q in the Oct. 3 First Lady Stakes (G1T), also at Keeneland. Walsh also enters Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1T) winner Expensive Queen (IRE). She finished sixth in the First Lady, following a troubled trip. American Runners The aforementioned Classic Q, who is trained by Mark Casse, hit her groove in 2026, earning her first graded stakes win in the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes (G2T) earlier this spring, and following that up with two grade 1 wins in the Just a Game Stakes (G1T) and the First Lady. The $40,000 yearling purchase has proved very lucrative for owners Gary Barber, Blue Crevalle Racing, and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, earning just shy of $2 million. The field will also include the third-place finisher in the First Lady Bless the Broken. The Brad Cox trainee ran a sneaky-good race in the First Lady, rallying from seventh to third in the final stages. If the daughter of Laoban can avoid traffic, look for her to come running late. Thought Process, bred by the late Brereton Jones, rounds out the American-bred contingent. The daughter of Collected will ship east for the first time for trainer Phil D'Amato. Thought Process won the Rodeo Drive Stakes (G2T) earlier this month by 4 1/4 lengths and earned an automatic, fees-paid berth into the Filly and Mare Turf through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In. Evershed (IRE), a 30-1 longshot on the morning line, will be scratched allowing the lone also-eligible Vina Arana (IRE) to draw in. Winner of the Nassau Stakes (G2T) in July, she most recently finished fourth in the First Lady for trainer Jack Sisterson. Another longshot Eccentric (CHI) also scratched.