A pair of graded stakes at Aqueduct on Friday could toss up contenders for the Nov. 1-2 Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar.

The international riding legend engineered another front-running victory aboard the French import in Thursday’s Ballston Spa (G2) at Saratoga.

Although the $1 million Haskell (G1) is the only “Win and You’re In” event at Monmouth Park on Saturday, the Jersey Shore’s stakes-laden program figures to have additional Breeders’ Cup implications.

Friday’s $750,000 New York (G1) came up terrifically deep on paper, but Didia looked in a different league when driving to her first U.S. Grade 1 victory.

Unlike the Just a Game (G1) with its overrepresentation of Chad Brown runners, Friday’s other major event for turf distaffers at Saratoga, the $750,000 New York (G1), boasts a much more varied field of 13.

Friday’s $386,334 Modesty S. (G3) already shaped up as a contentious renewal, and the yielding turf on a rainy Kentucky Oaks Day at Churchill Downs added another layer of complexity to the handicapping puzzle. Longshot Fast as Flight was the one who stepped up in the conditions to earn a new career high, paying $43.90.

Uncharacteristically lackluster in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) in her latest, Merriebelle Stable’s Didia was back to her best in Saturday’s Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G2) at Gulfstream Park.

Trainer Mertkan Kantarmaci believed that Evvie Jets had been unfairly typecast as a front runner, and she proved his point by rallying to a 29-1 upset in Thursday’s Ballston Spa (G2) at Saratoga.

Saturday’s United Nations (G1) appeared to be an opportunity for lightly-raced contenders to raise their profiles in the turf division. Instead, eight-year-old stalwart Therapist was the one to score a new career high.

John and Susan Moore sold their Grade 2-winning homebred Princess Grace last November, but her half-brother Catnip is now stepping up to be her successor.

Winless in just three starts since her stellar sophomore campaign, Shantisara left no doubt that she still has her old spark in Saturday’s $200,000 Hillsborough (G2) at Tampa Bay Downs.