Tom Pedulla presents 5 takeaways from coast-to-coast motion that included the Champagne Stakes at Belmont on the Large A, the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland and the American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita. All three races afforded the winner a fees-paid entry within the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Offered by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, the centerpiece of Future Stars Friday, on Nov. 3 at Santa Anita.

BLINKERS OFF: Blinkers are sometimes added to younger horses to assist them focus. Within the case of Timberlake, who managed the one-turn mile Champagne by 4 ¼ lengths, it seems that coach Brad Cox’s resolution to take away the blinkers made all of the distinction. Timberlake was coming off a runner-up effort within the Sept. 4 Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga on behalf of WinStar Farm and Siena Farm. “He was very rank final time when he didn’t break nicely and was up behind heels,” famous Elliott Walden, WinStar’s CEO. “Brad labored him twice with out blinkers and made the choice to not have them [Saturday]. All of it labored out nicely.”

DOUBLING UP: Six horses have used the Breeders’ Futurity as a springboard to success within the Juvenile. Corridor of Fame coach Todd Pletcher was the newest to perform that, with Forte final yr. He’s in place to take one other shot at that difficult double after Locked fended off The Wine Steward by half a size on Saturday. “He’s a colt that we at all times felt just like the additional the higher,” Pletcher mentioned, including, “He’s simply been a colt that’s finished every little thing proper since day one.” Locked, a colt by 2017 Horse of the 12 months Gun Runner, is owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Companions and Walmac Farm.

NO STOPPING HIM: Corridor of Famer Bob Baffert educated American Pharoah in 2015 when that colt accomplished the primary Triple Crown sweep in 37 years. Now, it appears there isn’t a stopping him within the American Pharoah Stakes. Muth, with Juan Hernandez aboard, supplied Baffert together with his twelfth victory general in that race and his fifth win within the final six years when he handed his first two-turn take a look at impressively. “I like the way in which Muth settled,” Baffert mentioned. “After I noticed that, I mentioned, ‘Effectively, we’ll see how good he’s.’ ” Expectations have been excessive for Muth, a son of Good Magic and an April 28 foal, since Zedan Racing Stables lavished $2 million on him as a 2-year-old in coaching.

DECISIONS, DECISIONS: As much as the Mark, owned by Repole Steady and St. Elias Steady, is sitting in an excellent spot after nosing out Godolphin’s Grasp of The Seas within the $1 million Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland. His reward for his large late surge: a fees-paid slot within the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile Offered by Completely Disabled Jockeys Fund. The $4 million Longines Turf represents one other engaging possibility. “Both race might work, the mile or the mile and a half,” Pletcher mentioned. “We’ll simply see how he comes out of it, assess every little thing, and decide. However it’s nice to have a horse that versatile.” As much as the Mark, partnering with jockey Jose Ortiz, notched his third consecutive Grade 1 victory within the Coolmore Turf Mile.

ON A ROLL: It might be laborious, if not not possible, to look previous Idiomatic within the $2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 4 at Santa Anita. The Juddmonte homebred made it consecutive commanding victories in Grade 1 occasions when she registered a front-running, 4 ¼-length victory towards Le Da Vida within the $600,000 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes on Sunday at Keeneland. In her earlier begin, she coasted on the entrance finish to a four-length resolution within the Aug. 25 Private Ensign at Saratoga. She is going to ship to the West Coast as a winner of 4 straight, and 7 of eight, for coach Brad Cox. “She’s a monster. She has an amazing stride and actually covers lots of floor. She’s actually a freak,” Cox mentioned. He’s cautiously optimistic concerning the Distaff. “California is velocity. She’s obtained velocity and we’ll see who else indicators on. It’ll be a showdown, I’m certain,” he mentioned.