NTRA Thoroughbred Notebook – Thursday, September 20

Artiste Royal edged The Tin Man by a length Saturday in the $250,000 Clement L. Hirsch Handicap at Santa Anita’s Oak Tree meeting. Ridden by Joe Talamo, Artiste Royal ran 1 miles on the turf course in 1:59.89 and paid $11.20, $3.80 and $2.80. The Tin Man returned $2.20 and $2.10, and Isipingo paid $3.80 to show.

Diamond Stripes and Magna Graduate will take their next steps toward the Breeders’ Cup Classic when they face off in the $500,000 Meadowlands Cup on Friday night. The Grade 2 event is one of the last major preps for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships on Oct. 26-27 at Monmouth Park. Diamond Stripes, who has won four of seven career starts, was the early favorite in the field of seven.

Gun Runner’s final race might be a bit of a challenge. The 4-year-old colt is the overwhelming 4-5 favorite for Saturday’s $16 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park.

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