G1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity:

Interview with Godolphin’s director of bloodstock Michael Banahan and trainer Brendan Walsh after East Avenue, a debut winner at Ellis Park, rolled to a 5 1/4-length victory under Tyler Gaffalione in the $600,000, Grade 1 race, earning a fees-paid trip to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar on Nov. 1. The references to Maxfield are to Godolphin’s debut winner who won the 2019 Breeders’ Futurity and went out to the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita as one of the favorites, only to be scratched a couple days before the race. Note to Ellis Park media: East Avenue won his debut at Ellis Park on Aug. 24 by eight lengths.

This video shows runner-up (and even-money favorite) Ferocious tossing jockey Louis Saez out of the gate from his No. 1 post before the race.

Interview with part owner Ramiro Restrepo (also part of the partnership that won the 2023 Kentucky Derby with Mage). Saez lodged an objection – which was disallowed – against winning jockey Tyler Gaffalione.

Grade1 Coolmore Turf Mile: Jockey Tyler Gaffalione swept the day’s last two stakes, both in front-running fashion with even-money favorite Carl Spackler winning the $1.25 million Coolmore Turf Mile by a length over the last running More Than Looks. That victory followed Gaffalione’s triumph on East Avenue in the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity. We speak with Gafflione about both Carl Spackler and East Avenue, as well as Cherie DeVaux, trainer of More Than Looks, who closed with a rush from last.

G2 Woodford Stakes presidented by Fan Duel: Interview with winning trainer John Terranova after Our Shot rallied from mid-pack to win by 1 3/4 lengths over 29-1 shot Charcoal. We also speak with trainer Tracey Wisner and owner-breeder Ron Dowdy, who were thrilled with the 8-year-old Charcoal’s second.

G2 Thoroughbred Club of America: Zeitlos blew to the lead in the stretch to win the $350,000 stakes for filly and mare sprinters by 2 3/4 lengths under Jose Ortiz over Spirit Wind at Keeneland. We speak with Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen about Zeitlos, who earned a fees-paid spot to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Del Mar.

Friday’s stakes videos

Grade 1, $600,000 Darley Alcibiades: The 2-year-old filly Immersive followed up her victory in Saratoga’s Grade 1 Spinaway with a 1 1/4-length victory under Manny Franco over Saratoga maiden winner Quickick in Keeneland’s opening-day headliner, the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades. Immersive, now 3 for 3, gave owner Godolphin, whose international breeding operation comes under the Darley banner, won the stakes it has long sponsored for the first time. Afterward we speak with winning trainer Brad Cox; Tom Amoss, trainer of running-up Quickick and John Ortiz, trainer of third-place Quietside, who had finished second in the Spinaway. The Alcibiades is a “Win and You’re In” stakes for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Grade 2, $350,000 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (Win and You’re In for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint): Federal Judge rolled to a front-running 5 1/2-length victory over favored Nakatomi in Keeneland’s $350,000, Grade 2 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix on opening day. It was the 4-year-old’s first stakes victory, coming in his third start after being off more than a year, during which time he was gelded. We speak with winning trainer Brad Cox and Elliott Walden, president and CEO of co-owner WinStar Farm.

G2, $350,000 Jessamine Stakes presented by Keeneland Sales: After years as an assistant for some of the top outfits in the world, New York-based Joe Lee earned his first graded-stakes victory as a trainer as May Day Ready, winner of the $1 million Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies in her prior start, wore down Totally Justified and held off favored Destino d’Oro to prevail by the slimmest of margins in a three-horse photo. It was a race which each horse could have won on a head bob. Afterward we speak with Lee and Rusty Arnold, trainer of Totally Justified. The Jessamine was a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, giving May Day Ready a fees-paid spot in that $1 million stakes at Del Mar near San Diego on Nov. 1.