Belvoir Bay (GB)

Considered one of the best female turf sprinters in America, Belvoir Bay went over to Dubai earlier in 2019 and proved that she is one of the best of any sex, anywhere. A hard-trying, compact mare who loves a fight, she put it to stablemate and defending two-time Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) winner Stormy Liberal and top-class multiple Grade 1-winning Blue Point in March’s Al Quoz Sprint (G1) only to split the two in a battle to the line in the six-furlong straight sprint. Blue Point went on to sweep both the King’s Stand (G1) and Diamond Jubilee (G1) four days later at Royal Ascot in June. 

Bred in Great Britain, the 6-year-old daughter of Equiano began her career in the care of Englishman Richard Hannon, racing five times and winning twice before finishing fourth in Group 3 company. Sent to America and the care of Bill Mott, she raced twice to end her freshman season, including a 7 1/4-length win over a mile at Santa Anita in the Blue Norther Stakes. 

Kept in California since that start and turned over to trainer Peter Miller by owner Gary Barber, she has been kept to brief racing seasons at age 3, 4, 5 and now this year in her 6-year-old season. She has had 16 starts under his care, winning seven and proving herself one of the swiftest in the land. Unraced since finishing fourth to World of Trouble in the Jaipur Invitational (G1) at Belmont in June, she comes in fresh, but has won or placed off her last five layoffs. 

Belvoir Bay was originally owned by Team Valor International during her European campaign, then Team Valor and Barber during her two races with Mott and finally solely by Barber. Barber, from South Africa, is one of the most prolific owners in horse racing, but more famously was the chairman and CEO of MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer). He was also the co-founder of Spyglass Entertainment, which has been behind such movies as ‘Seabiscuit’ and ‘The Sixth Sense.’  

Barber, 62, won the Breeders’ Cup Mile with Tourist in partnership with WinStar Farm and Wachtel Stable and Juvenile Fillies Turf with Catch a Glimpse in partnership with Michael James Ambler and Windways Farm. Barber has never won a Breeders’ Cup event solely in his name, with his closest coming when War of Will finished fifth in last year’s Juvenile Turf. He was second in partnership with WinStar Farm with Laugh Track (Sprint 2013) and third in partnership with brother Cecil Barber with Cost of Freedom (2009 Sprint) and Delegation (2012 Dirt Mile).

San Luis Rey Downs-based Peter Miller has had 18 starters in the Breeders’ Cup and won four times with two seconds and a third. His total earnings in prize money are $3,469,000. He most notably trained a double-double with Stormy Liberal (Turf Sprint) and Roy H (Sprint) winning their respective races in consecutive years, 2017 and 2018.