After winning last year's edition, Whisper Hill Farm homebred Grand Sonata is back to defend his title in the $2.5 million Kentucky Turf Cup Invitational Stakes (G2T) Sept. 6 at Kentucky Downs.

In his stakes debut, Spendthrift Farm's Ted Noffey moved toward the front entering the stretch and drew off late for a decisive victory in the $300,000 Hopeful Stakes (G1) Sept. 1 at Saratoga Race Course.

Tom Pedulla offers takeaways from a pair of $1 million marquee events, the Pacific Classic (G1) Aug. 29 at Del Mar and the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, plus other Labor Day weekend races.

Following a dramatic edition of the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 30, contenders emerged in good order and will begin making plans for the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

Del Mar track management may need to rethink the name of the Del Mar Handicap (G2T) after Gold Phoenix captured the 1 3/8-mile turf event for the fourth year in a row Aug. 30.

Fierceness easily defeated 2-5 favorite Journalism in a highly anticipated clash between the 4-year-old star and this year's Preakness Stakes (G1) winner in the $1 million Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) Aug. 30 at Del Mar.

Traveling from across the pond and the widest gate in the field of 12, Wimbledon Hawkeye was given a perfectly timed ride by Frankie Dettori to outlast grade 1 winner Burnham Square in the Nashville Derby Invitational (G3T) at Kentucky Downs Aug. 30.

Motorious three-peats in the $153,500 Green Flash Handicap (G3T) at Del Mar, winning via disqualification.

Bellezza rallied from last to first to win the Flower Bowl Stakes (G2T) Aug. 30 at Saratoga Race Course, notching her second graded win and fourth in-the-money finish since being imported from her native Ireland.

Spendthrift Farm homebred Tommy Jo followed up a July 26 maiden score with an emphatic victory in the $300,000 Spinaway Stakes (G1) Aug. 30 at Saratoga Race Course.

Ryan Moore is set to miss the rest of the season with a stress fracture in his right femur, which will rule him out of the Irish Champions Festival, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1), and Breeders' Cup, as well as many other major autumn races.

Jupiter Stable's Phileas Fogg is already a graded stakes winner at 1 1/4 miles over the Saratoga main track and will look to repeat that feat in the Aug. 31 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) as he looks for his first top-level stakes victory. 

The 2-year-old colt Ted Noffey has a name based on a typo, a gaffe that also gave the sport American Pharoah instead of the correct American Pharaoh.

The Challenge, presented by Gainesway

You can basically thank timing for creating a stellar edition of the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) Aug. 31 at Saratoga Race Course.

Motorious aims for a Green Flash Handicap (G3T) three-peat Aug. 30 when he faces an overflow field of turf sprinters on Pacific Classic day at Del Mar.

A race like the Spinaway Stakes (G1) can reveal a great deal about the future for a collection of 2-year-old fillies.

Antiquarian, a major player in the Aug. 31 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, represents generational talent for both his breeder and owner.

Del Mar racing secretary David Jerkens assigns the weights at the track, including for the Green Flash Handicap, an Aug. 30 Breeders' Cup Challenge race.

While this weekend's Pacific Classic (G1) and Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) will bring the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1)  into a sharper focus, grade 1 winner Locked will be using the Sept. 27 Woodward Stakes (G2) as his prep for the Nov. 1 showdown.