Mufasa parlayed a track record-setting win at Colonial Downs into his first stateside graded stakes victory one start later in the $250,000, Grade 3 Vosburgh Stakes, one of four graded stakes held Sept. 28 during a rainy Belmont at the Big A (Aqueduct) card in New York.

The 5-year-old son of Practical Joke, bet down as the 8-5 favorite, made short work of his Vosburgh rivals, powering clear at the top of the lane and roaring home a dominant 4 ¼-length winner. With his Vosburgh win, a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series event, Mufasa was awarded an all-fees paid berth to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint Nov. 2 at Del Mar.

Trained by Ignacio Correas for Carlos Saavedra and Stud Vendaval, Mufasa made his third North American start in the Vosburgh after winning eight of 10 starts in his native Chile. After finishing sixth at Churchill Downs in June, he scorched seven furlongs in 1:19.86 at Colonial when winning an allowance optional claiming race by 3 ¾ lengths and setting a track record on dirt.

With Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard in the Vosburgh, Mufasa stalked pacesetter Dean Delivers through a half-mile and then took control at the quarter pole and poured it on to the wire. Mufasa clocked seven furlongs in 1:22.51 over a sloppy, sealed track.

“We were expecting something big from him,” Correas said. “I’m not sure if that is big, the only question was the surface. He’d never run on the slop. He did everything good, like usual, like good horses do. He’s a good horse – probably when he ran at Churchill, it was a little short, but he showed he could run, he made a big move that day. Then, at Colonial, he beat a very good horse. Then today he was impressive again. I mean, no words can describe his performance.”

Scotland closed willingly for second while Dean Delivers held on for third to complete the trifecta.–Molly Rollins

Zulu Kingdom Prevails in Pilgrim, Earns BC Juvenile Turf Berth

Zulu Kingdom is Breeders' Cup bound. (Eclipse Sportswire)

It wasn’t the easiest of trips for Zulu Kingdom in the $200,000, Grade 2 Pilgrim Stakes, but in the end the journey propelled him to where any talented 2-year-old wants to be – namely, the Breeders’ Cup.

Living up to his status as an odds-on favorite, the Irish-bred son of Ten Sovereigns had to navigate around rivals while waiting for room and but then rallied wide on the final turn to notch a neck victory over a fast-closing Noble Confessor in the Pilgrim at Belmont at the Big A and earn a free spot in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Nov. 1 at Del Mar via the “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series.

“He ran a super race especially for being steadied on the backstretch,” trainer Chad Brown said after notching his fourth Pilgrim win. “He’s always trained solid. He’s a very strong colt. He’s always there for you in his works. He acts like a real horse. He’s never taken a wrong step.”

The victory was the second straight for the undefeated juvenile colt since he was purchased by his current connections and moved to the United States. A collective consisting of Sol Kumin’s Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, William Strauss, and Michael Caruso bought Zulu Kingdom after he won his June 4 career debut in France for trainer Andre Fabre, after which he debuted for Brown Aug. 29 and promptly captured the With Anticipation Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.

In the Pilgrim, Zulu Kingdom rated in fifth through a half-mile before rallying in the far turn and continuing on gamely through the stretch under Joel Rosario. He completed 1 1/16 miles on yielding turf in 1:48.67 in a finish that had some drama in the final yards as Noble Confessor chewed into the lead.

Though he won on yielding turf Saturday, his victory at the Spa came on firm turf, the kind of surface he will likely face at the World Championships in sunny southern California.

“I think he’ll be better on firm turf, the way he moves,” Brown said.–Bob Ehalt

Far Bridge Denies War Like Goddess in Joe Hirsch Turf Classic

Far Bridge earns second straight Grade 1 win. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Anyone of the opinion that Far Bridge “stole” a victory in the Aug. 24 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer Stakes shouldn’t mention it to trainer Christophe Clement.

He will point out the error in your belief.

“After (the Sword Dancer) people said he stole it, which slightly surprised me,” Clement said. “Everybody had the chance to beat him from the quarter pole to the wire and nobody outfinished him. He actually outfinished them. He proved today he didn’t steal anything because he came from off the pace and won the race.”

The compelling argument in Clement’s claim that Far Bridge should be found not guilty of larceny came Sept. 28 when the 4-year-old son of English Channel rallied from fourth in a field of five to win the $500,000, Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes at Belmont at the Big A by a half-length over War Like Goddess, the 7-year-old mare bidding for a third straight Joe Hirsch victory.

The victory was a sharp prep for the $5 million, Grade 1 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf Nov. 2 at Del Mar and the third Grade 1 win for Far Bridge, who also captured the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes last year while he was trained by Todd Pletcher and has now won six of 13 starts with earnings of $1,752,700.

“The Breeders’ Cup is the goal, and we will start planning tomorrow,” Clement said. “We have to decide whether to keep him at Belmont Park and work on the (dirt) training track or send him to Saratoga so he can work on turf. My son Miguel is in Saratoga so I am sure he’ll want him there.”

Far Bridge has a free spot in the Longines Turf thanks to earning a “Win and You’re In” berth in the aforementioned 1 ½-mile Sword Dancer held at Saratoga. In Saturday’s Joe Hirsch, held at the same distance, Far Bridge darted to the inside under Joel Rosario and bested a game War Like Goddess to prevail by a half-length in in 2:32.22 over a wet turf course rated good.

While War Like Goddess was denied a third straight Joe Hirsch win, jockey Junior Alvarado said the Bill Mott-trained mare turned in a good effort.

“She ran very well. Unfortunately, the other horse got through on the rail,” he said about the daughter of English Channel. “I don’t want to say she’s like last year or the year before. She’s tailing off a bit, but it’s not like she’s running bad. She barely got beat by a half-length and that was because the other horse cut the corner.”–Bob Ehalt

Tapit Trice Runs Down Skippylongstocking to Win Woodward Stakes

Tapit Trice gets up late in Woodward. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Tapit Trice rallied late to nail Skippylongstocking at the finish of the $400,000 Woodward Stakes Sept. 28 to kick off the graded stakes action on the Belmont at the Big A card.

The Woodward win, his fourth in graded stakes company for trainer Todd Pletcher, has propelled Tapit Trice into Longines Breeders' Cup Classic contention.

“We’ve always felt he was a Classic-type horse, so I’ll talk to the (owner) Whisper Hill (Farm) team about it,” Pletcher said about Tapit Trice. “We were certainly going into this hoping to run a race that would earn his way in. It certainly looked like he did that today.”

Ridden by Dylan Davis, the son of Tapit  broke awkwardly and started climbing over the muddy, sealed track as the field headed down the backstretch. Odds-on race favorite Skippylongstocking, the projected pacesetter, opted to lay off longshot Masqueparade  through the early going before seizing command at the top of the stretch.

Switching his mount to an outside path, Davis and Tapit Trice reeled in Skippylongstocking for a three-quarters of a length victory in a final time of 1:50.09 for 1 1/8 miles.

“Once he was able to get through and I switched him to the outside, he really started thriving,” Davis said. “The distance did not affect him at all. He is a nice-moving horse so hopefully I can continue with him, but I’m very happy with this performance today.”

Skippylongstocking was 13 ¼ lengths ahead of distant third-place finisher Crupi.–Molly Rollins