Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) winner Henri Matisse is entered for his 3-year-old debut March 30 in the Leopardstown Two Thousand Guineas Trial Stakes (G3) at Leopardstown, a seven-furlong turf target which trainer Aidan O'Brien nominated earlier this week as a means to getting the freshness out of the son of Wootton Bassett.
In last year's Juvenile Turf, Henri Matisse broke a step slow under Ryan Moore but then rallied from 11th to edge Iron Man Cal by a neck. Henri Matisse completed the one-mile test in 1:34.48 to secure the first group or grade 1 victory of his career.
That effort also marked the United States debut for Henri Matisse, who was sent off the 7-2 favorite in the Juvenile Turf off a pair of group 2 wins in Ireland—the Railway Stakes and the Irish E.B.F. Futurity Stakes—both at the Curragh.
For Sunday's test, Henri Matisse has drawn the inside gate and Moore is scheduled to ride.
Awaiting Henri Matisse Sunday will be another Breeders' Cup competitor. Adrian Murray-trained Arizona Blaze also was in action at Del Mar last November, finishing second to Magnum Force in the five-furlong Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T), and steps up to seven furlongs Sunday.
Last year Arizona Blaze won the Marble Hill Stakes (G3) at the Curragh and placed in three other group stakes, including a third in the Phoenix Stakes (G1), before his Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint run.
Delacroix Starts Sophomore Season in Ballysax Stakes
In the feature race of the day, the PW McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes (G3), O'Brien will unleash 2024 Autumn Stakes (G3) winner Delacroix, who was last seen when finishing just a nose behind Hotazhell in the Futurity Trophy Stakes (G1) at Doncaster last October.
Delacroix must concede 3 pounds to his six rivals, including stablemates Puppet Master and Lambourn. A son of Dubawi, Delacroix is the last foal out of 2015 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) and 2016 Queen Anne Stakes (G1) heroine Tepin.
Amo Racing's retained rider David Egan will be aboard Dundalk maiden winner Tiberius Thunder for Adrian Murray, with the same owner/trainer combination responsible for another all-weather graduate, Spicy Margarita.
The field is completed by the Joseph O'Brien-trained pair Wemightakedlongway, who last seen when third to Sigh No More in the Eyrefield Stakes (G3) last October and is the mount of Dylan Browne McMonagle, and Kibris for leading jumps owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.
