Burnham Square faces stiff Euro challenge in Kentucky Turf Cup

Burnham Square, America’s leading long-distance grass horse this season, will get an early taste of what Breeders’ Cup-quality competition will be like on Saturday in the $2 million Kentucky Turf Cup (G2).

The Turf Cup, over 1 1/2 miles, is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge prep for the Turf (G1) at Keeneland on Oct. 31. It also highlights a loaded card that features four other graded stakes.

Burnham Square is 4-for-4 this season in graded stakes, most recently landing the Arlington Million (G1) over a 1 1/4-mile trip seemingly too short for him these days. He’ll be more in his element here and handled the unique configuration of this course just fine last season when narrowly going under in the Nashville Derby (G3).

A trio of European imports figures to make this Burnham Square’s toughest test so far this term. Ethical Diamond, upset winner of the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar over Rebel’s Romance last fall, returns to the U.S. off a photo-finish score in the Ballyroan (G3) at Leopardstown and will again have the service of Ryan Moore.

The six-year-old mare Tiffany has been a gem of consistency for Sir Mark Prescott, most recently scoring her first win at top level in the Grosser Preis von Berlin (G1). Then there is the Ed Walker-trained Fort George, a Group 3 winner in Dubai last winter and a nose second to Ole Crazy Bone in the July 11 Bowling Green (G2) in his U.S. debut.

Also among the field of 10 are Dresden Row and Layabout, both of whom finished within a length of Burnham Square in the Arlington Million.

The other Breeders’ Cup Challenge prep on Saturday’s card is the $1.75 million Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint over six furlongs. The field is headed by John the Beer Man, who stretches out after a wire-to-wire win in the Troy (G2) at Saratoga last time.

Troubleshooting captured the Franklin-Simpson (G1) over the course last summer and figures dangerous with a repeat of that form, while My Boy Prince possesses notable back class to make an impact in the latter stages. Usually Wrong, the top turf sprinter in New Orleans last winter, enters off a freshening since late June.

The $3 million Nashville Derby, upgraded to a Grade 2 this year, will be run over 1 5/16 miles and has attracted a strong group of European contenders. Glacius, though, has the benefit of a recent stateside run, leading from flag to finish at 9-1 in the Saratoga Derby (G1). He’s joined by the Coolmore-owned Causeway, winner of the King Edward VII (G2) at Royal Ascot two back, German raider Gostam, and Irish import Nil Bua Han Dua. 

Breeders’ Cup winner Cy Fair is the marquee name in the $1.5 million Music City (G2) for three-year-old fillies over 6 1/2 furlongs. After dropping her season debut at Keeneland in April, Cy Fair resumed winning ways with solid efforts in the Mamzelle (G3) and Coronation Cup (G3).

Multiple stakes winner Quiet Street returns to the site of her solid-looking win in the Untapable S. last year, while Sapphire Beach and Cadenza will look to reverse the Coronation Cup form against Cy Fair.

Somerset West invades from California, where she arrived in time to claim the one-mile San Clemente (G2), while Ashland (G1) heroine Percy’s Bar will try her hand at grass for the first time. The lone import is Green Sense, a Group 2 winner at two who vainly chased the likes of Naomis and Thesecretadversary in her last couple starts.

Classic Q, victorious in the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (G2) and Just a Game (G1) during the spring, looms as the horse to beat in the $1.5 million Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf (G2) at one mile.