Breeders' Cup berths are on the line in a pair of top-tier races Jan. 4 at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth in South Africa when the Cape Town track stages the King's Plate (G1) and the Paddock Stakes (G1).
The winner of the 1,600-meter (about one-mile) King's Plate will gain an automatic berth into the $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) and the winner of the 1,800-meter (about 1 1/8-mile) Paddock Stakes will receive complimentary entry into the $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T) via the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series. The Breeders' Cup will be held Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
See It Again, a Twice Over gelding owned by Nick Jonsson and trained by Mike Roberts, will seek to bounce back from a 2024 campaign that fell short of his 2023 accomplishments when he won three stakes, including the Cape Derby (G1) and Daily News 2000 (G1). In 2024 he won just one race and settled for minor awards at the highest stakes level. He did run competitively, however, including when second in the 2024 King's Plate to Charles Dickens.
One Stripe (SAF) brings sharp form into the King's Plate for trainer Vaughan Marshall and owner Rikesh Sewgoolam, having won two straight and five of his last six starts. Among these victories was his first in elite company when he scored in the Dec. 14 Cape Guineas (G1) for 3-year-olds.
Gimme a Prince and Royal Aussie both hit the board in their latest start. Gimme a Prince ran third in Nov. 16 Cape Mile (G3), while Royal Aussie was second in the Dec. 7 Green Point Stakes (G2).
Saturday's race features record purse money of R3 million (approximately US$158,736), increased from R2 million a year ago. Post time for the King's Plate, the seventh race on the card, is 16:10 local time (9:10 a.m. ET).
Paddock Stakes
Oisin Murphy, a Breeders' Cup-winning jockey and four-time champion in the United Kingdom, is aboard Mike de Kock-trained Silver Sanctuary in the R1 million (approximately US$53,078) Paddock Stakes. They break from the outside post in the field of 12 fillies and mares carded as the sixth race, scheduled to go off at 15:35 local time (8:35 a.m. ET).
Drakenstein Stud's daughter of Silvano captured the Woolavington 2000 (G1) in 2024 and was a last-out second in the Dec. 16 Ipi Tombe Challenge (G2) at Turffontein.
Drakenstein is also represented in the Paddock Stakes by the Justin Snaith-trained Double Grand Slam, who stretches out in distance after competing primarily in races at seven furlongs or a mile. The Vercingetorix filly is owned in partnership with Suzette Viljoen, Dave MacLean, and retired golfing legend Gary Player.
Double Grand Slam finished in front of several of her leading rivals when winning a Nov. 23 tune-up going a mile. Among those trailing her were Rainbow Lorikeet, Saartjie, Rascova, Gold Poker Game, Knockout, and Red Palace.
As a part of the benefits of the Challenge series, the Breeders' Cup will pay the pre-entry and entry fees for the winners of Saturday's races to start in the World Championships. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 20 to receive the rewards.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
