THE NOTEBOOK: Santa Anita officials forced to press warning siren, Mostahdaf shows he’s looking forward to stud, and trainers share flight to California 

• 40th renewal of Breeders’ Cup World Championships takes place this weekend
• The two-day event features 14 races with horses from seven different countries 
• Mostahdaf will run his last race in California on Saturday before retiring to stud 

The 40th renewal of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships takes place at Santa Anita Park in California this weekend.

Fourteen races make up one of the biggest events in North American Thoroughbred horse racing, featuring the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

This year, two races will come after the Classic for the first time.

Across all 14 races are horses from seven different countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, France, Ireland and Chile. 

Mail Sport’s Dominic King brings you the latest from track side.

Mostahdaf will run his last race in the Breeders Cup Turf on Saturday before retiring to stud

Miracle there wasn’t a crash 

So many horses galloped at Santa Anita on Thursday it resembled the M25. 

How there wasn’t a crash when two rider-less horses got loose — prompting officials to press a warning siren — was a miracle. 

10,000 mile wasted trip 

A penny for Archie Watson’s thoughts. 

The trainer had Bradsell in perfect shape for his tilt at The Turf Sprint and the colt looked to have an outstanding chance but an eleventh hour setback means a 10,000 mile wasted trip from Lambourn.

Trainers share flight

Football clubs share planes to get players home from international fixtures but did you know trainers do something similar? 

One flight started in France last weekend, called into Stansted to pick up the Brits before another stop at Shannon in Ireland before heading to California.

Mostahdaf ready for career change

Mostahdaf, John Gosden’s hope for the Breeders Cup Turf, runs his last race before retiring to stud. 

Watching him this past week, especially when female stablemate Inspiral has been around, he is — shall we say — ready to change career!

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