Tom Pedulla presents five takeaways from a big weekend of action that included two races on Saturday that are part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series. The Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita Park awarded the winner an automatic, fees-paid berth in the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic to be held at “The Great Race Place” on Nov. 4. The winner of the Grade 3 Ack Ack Stakes at Churchill Downs secured a spot in the starting gate for the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

SPEEDING TO CLASSIC: California-bred Slow Down Andy broke sharply and never did slow down for trainer Doug O'Neill and jockey Mario Gutierrez in rolling gate to wire to win the $302,000 Awesome Again Stakes by 2 ¼ lengths over Defunded. Senor Buscador took third. The winner is a homebred for Reddam Racing, which also campaigned his sire, 2016 Kentucky Derby victor Nyquist. Slow Down Andy improved his record to five wins, four seconds, and three thirds from 14 starts while hiking his earnings to $1,276,600. “He’s becoming better with age,” Gutierrez said. “You can see it on his record. His last few races he’s given us his all. Right now, he’s fit. He’s ready to run in the Breeders’ Cup.” Slow Down Andy finished second in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap and third in the FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic ahead of the Awesome Again.

Zozos winning Ack Ack. (Eclipse Sportswire)

GRADED-STAKES BREAKTHROUGH: Zozos, a 4-year-old son of Munnings trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Florent Geroux, was a six-time winner but had never captured a graded-stakes race until he turned back Stage Raider by one length in the Grade 3 Ack Ack Stakes. He completed the mile in 1:35.32. While Zozos was impressive, Cox is not sure they will take advantage of the fees-paid opportunity to advance to the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. “I think he’s now a really good one-turn horse,” the Eclipse Award-winning trainer said. “We’ll see who’s going where in the Breeders’ Cup and make a decision on his next start soon. I don’t know what we’d do if we don’t go to the Breeders’ Cup. But we’ll let this horse tell us what’s next.”

WORTH THE WAIT: Trainer Mark Glatt and an understanding ownership group waited and waited some more for Dr. Schivel to return to form after he finished third in the Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Atlantis Dubai on March 26, 2022. He did not compete again for more than 13 months until he took an allowance race at Santa Anita on May 13 of this season. But he showed his readiness for a run at the Qatar Racing Breeders’ Cup Sprint when he defeated Speed Boat Beach by a valiant head in the $202,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes Presented by Estrella Jalisco. “He’s had his vacations and we’ve had to be patient,” Glatt said. “In some cases, at times we had to be double patient. And that’s why he’s around still because he wasn’t pushed once he gave us the warning light.” The 5-year-old son of Violence will look to atone for a defeat by the slimmest of noses in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

DIRT MILE PREP: Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott believes he got everything he needed out of a 1 ½-length score in the $250,000 Vosburgh Stakes on Sunday at Belmont at the Big A meet as Cody’s Wish prepares for a repeat bid in the Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. “It wasn’t so brilliant you worry about taking everything out of him,” Mott said. “But it was enough to see that he still wants to do it and can do it.” The Godolphin homebred found the seven-furlong Vosburgh to his liking after he appeared to show distance limitations during a nonthreatening third-place finish in the 1 1/8-mile Whitney Stakes on Aug. 5 at Saratoga. The 5-year-old son of Curlin earned his sixth graded-stakes win in the Vosburgh.

RUNNER-UP NO MORE: After runner-up finishes in the Westchester Stakes, Grade 1 Hill ‘n’ Dale Met Mile, and Grade 1 Whitney Stakes and eight straight losses overall, Zandon showed he will merit a shot in the Breeders’ Cup Classic in ruling the $400,000 Woodward Stakes by 4 ¼ lengths for trainer Chad Brown and jockey Flavien Prat. The 4-year-old Upstart colt reached the winner’s circle for the first time since the Toyota Blue Grass on April 9, 2022. “He will probably have his last career start in the Breeders’ Cup Classic,” Brown said. “Obviously, it’s going to be a much, much tougher race than [Sunday]. But at least we’re going in off a decisive victory and a horse that’s had a very consistent year. That’s all you can ask for and anything can happen in a horse race.”