This weekend features key prep races across major international and U.S. circuits ahead of prominent upcoming events. In Japan, English contender Docklands faces a strong local field in the Group 1 Mile Championship at Kyoto, including last year’s winner Soul Rush and top milers like Jantar Mantar and Ascoli Piceno. Docklands’ performance is seen as a gauge for Calandagan’s prospects in the Grade 1 Japan Cup later this month. Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s top horses, including Ka Ying Rising, Romantic Warrior, and Lucky Sweynesse, compete in Group 2 races at Sha Tin as final tune-ups for the December Longines Hong Kong International Races.
In the U.S., graded stakes action continues at Churchill Downs, Del Mar, and Fair Grounds. Churchill hosts the Grade III Commonwealth Turf with a competitive 3-year-old field, while Del Mar features Bob Baffert’s Nevada Beach in the Grade III Native Diver Stakes, stepping down in distance after a tough Breeders’ Cup Classic run. Gulfstream highlights juvenile sprinting with Local Knowledge favored in the Juvenile Sprint. These races set the stage for the winter racing season, showcasing emerging talent and established stars across multiple distances and surfaces.
