Written by TDN America and Renee Geelen
Cover image courtesy of Breeders' Cup
All-sources handle for the 10-race program on the first day of the 41st Breeders' Cup World Championships November 1 at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club was US$63,679,944 (AU$97.1 million), the second-highest handle for a Breeders' Cup Friday and the fourth consecutive year the Friday handle has topped $60 million.
The Future Stars Friday card featured five Breeders' Cup races for 2-year-old horses, the seventh-straight year the Breeders' Cup has carded all its juvenile races on the same day since the event expanded to its two-day format in 2007.
Friday's on-track attendance was 30,982 and on-track handle was US$6,683,373 (AU$10 million).
G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Citizen Bull gives Baffert his sixth win in race
by Steve Sherack, TDN America
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert entered Friday’s GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar with three contenders vying for a record-extending sixth win in the race—none of whom were among the favourites.
Let go at odds of 15-1, Citizen Bull (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) made every pole a winning one while leading home a one-two-four finish for Baffert's powerhouse stable. It was 1.5l back to Gaming (USA) (Game Winner {USA}) in second. Irish raider Hill Road (USA) (Quality Road {USA}) rallied from last of 10 to tag Getaway Car (USA) (Curlin {USA}) by a neck for third. Baffert's Breeders' Cup count now stands at 19.
“I told all my riders, your plan is to win the race,” Baffert said. “So, they rode their horses the way they thought. Getaway Car, he has speed. We know Citizen Bull is very quick, very fast. Gaming, I don't think he got away as good as he could have. I was surprised to see him laying second. And I figured they weren't going too fast because Gaming, he was wanting to go. But, in order to win these races, you need a good horse. And you have to have the right trip, the right luck. I wish they could dead-heat–one, two, three–but it didn't happen.” Citizen Bull now has three wins from four starts.
Citizen Bull becomes the eighth Breeders' Cup winner for out-of-this-world sire Into Mischief (USA).
The Summer Wind Equine-bred and unraced No Joke (USA) (Distorted Humor {USA}) was a US$750,000 (AU$1.1 million) Keeneland September yearling purchase by Robert E. and Lawana Low. No Joke is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Moonshine Memories (USA) (Malibu Moon {USA}). The Into Mischief x Distorted Humor (USA) cross is also responsible for GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Life Is Good (USA) and Grade 1 winner and sire Practical Joke (USA). Distorted Humor is also the broodmare sire of the gone-to-soon 2016 GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Arrogate (USA).
This is also the extended female family of Favorite Trick (USA), who capped his 1997 Horse of the Year campaign with a win in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Freshman sire and GI Belmont S. winner Tiz The Law (USA) appears further down on his page as well.
Lake Victoria strikes for Ballydoyle in G1 Juvenile Fillies Turf
by Alan Carasso, TDN America
Lake Victoria (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) was first to strike for the Irish-based outfit in the GI John Deere Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf under a typically savvy steer from Ryan Moore. She remains unbeaten in five starts and this was her third Group 1 win.
Pounded into 7-10 favouritism to add the Juvenile Fillies to her previous elite-level conquests in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. at the Curragh and in the G1 Cheveley Park Stud S. at Newmarket just 13 days apart last month, Lake Victoria was taken in hand and made best use of her inside draw to save every inch of ground as top American hope Thought Process (USA) (Collected {USA})–the only other of Lake Victoria's rivals to jump at single-digit odds–led from Kilwin (USA) (Twirling Candy {USA}) and a three-wide Abientot (USA) (Not This Time {USA}). She was nursed along into the second turn by Moore, who went for her in earnest at the five-sixteenths marker as Thought Process continued to hold the call as the Juvenile Fillies Turf field faced the judge. Threading the needle from there, Lake Victoria took a gap between Kilwin and Abientot and just in advance of May Day Ready (USA) (Tapit {USA}) shortly after turning into the lane stormed down the centre and easily took care of business from there.
It was a second Breeders' Cup winner in as many years for Juddmonte's Frankel (GB) following Inspiral (GB) at Santa Anita last year, a 15th for Moore and the 19th for trainer Aidan O'Brien.
“She did quite well there,” O'Brien said. “She got crowded and bumped a bit on the first bend, so Ryan (Moore) was very cool on her and obviously ended up farther back than he wanted to be. It was her first time on a turning track and she was uneven on the straight and it was her first time over a mile. We're so delighted for everybody. Just wanted to say our very best wishes to Clem Murphy (Bloodstock consultant for Coolmore), who is usually here. Without him, none of this would ever be happening.”
One of 35 Group 1/Grade I winners for Juddmonte's Frankel, Lake Victoria is one of three winners from four to race out of Quiet Reflection (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), popular winner of the 2016 G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and a multiple champion at five to seven furlongs. On behalf of Coolmore, M.V. Magnier went to 2.1 million guineas (AU$4.3 million) for Quiet Reflection at the 2017 Tattersalls December Mares sale.
Wootton Bassett adds G1 Juvenile Turf winner
by Stefanie Grimm, TDN America
The outside draw was no problem for Henri Matisse (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) who came flying late to award trainer Aidan O'Brien another win in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.
The only O'Brien runner in the race, the son of Wootton Bassett (GB) likely would have been a shorter price if not for his last-out fifth as the beaten favourite in the G1 Prix JeanLuc Lagardere at Longchamp, a race in which he wore blinkers for the first time over soft turf. Otherwise sporting a nearly unblemished record including a second by just three-quarters of a length two back in the G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. in Ireland, Henri Matisse brought a two-time Group-winning form line to Del Mar where he tried firm going for the first time.
Favoured in now five of his six lifetime starts, the 7-2 chalk drew the unfavourable 13 hole for this one-mile affair, the longest distance the colt had tried to date. Guided by Ryan Moore and racing without the blinkers that O'Brien admitted may have affected his performance in France, Henri Matisse broke in stride but was happy to let nearly the entire field go ahead of him. Able to shift down to be two wide into the first turn, he had just Aomori City (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who briefly delayed the start after breaking through the gate, behind him as 15-1 longshot Dream On (USA) (Not This Time {USA}) rushed up to lead through the opening quarter in :22.65. Shifted out to be three wide nearing the half-mile marker, the favourite began a gradual charge up along the outside but still had a lot of ground to make up as he swung widest of the field off the far turn. Coming down the crown of the track, Henri Matisse stayed outside of drama as jockey James Doyle almost came out of the saddle when Al Qudra (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) hooked legs with New Century (GB) (Kameko {USA}) at the furlong marker. All runners stayed up and the favourite, who began to drift down to the inside, sealed the deal narrowly over 29-1 American hopeful Iron Man Cal (USA) (Collected{USA}) while a late run from Aomori City netted third.
With the win, Aidan O'Brien earned his 20th Breeders' Cup victory, a number that equals him with the legendary D. Wayne Lukas. Ryan Moore added his 16th win after earning the victory in GI Juvenile Fillies Turf earlier in the card. Henri Matisse now has four wins from six starts.
Of matching that record, O'Brien said: “It's incredible (to get to 20 Breeders' Cup wins and equal D. Wayne Lukas), obviously, and we all know what an unbelievably special man Wayne is. I'm honored to equal his record. He's the most special man and always been such a help to us. He rang me during the week and he spoke to me about this track and the way to ride; what to do and what not to do. He was explaining about the Classic and the way he thought we should ride it, so we feel very grateful and privileged that he was so good to tell us everything; honored really.”
Of the winner, Moore added: “He was very easy today and did it beautifully, we've been learning about him. He needed stepping up to a mile on a turning track on some nice ground helped him. We've just had to figure him out a little bit and I said to Aidan (O'Brien) before the race I thought he was by far the best horse in the race and he's done it easily. He just traveled into it. I was wide on the bend but he just took me there very comfortably. At home we race a lot in straight lines so on the turn some horses appreciate that. Everyone does such an amazing job at home and back at the stud to get these horses here. I just had to keep him out of trouble and not mess it up. He's showed today what an incredible horse he could be.”
Coolmore's Wootton Bassett has now sired three winners from seven starters in the Breeders' Cup. Henri Matisse’s dam, dual Group 1 winner Immortal Verse (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) sold at the end of her racing career to BBA (Ireland) for a sales-topping 4,700,000gns (AU$9.71 million) at the 2013 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. From six foals to race, five have won including the likes of dual Group 1 winner and Champion 2YO Filly in Europe Tenebrism (USA) (Caravaggio {USA}) and Group 2 winner Statuette (USA) (Justify {USA}). This is the family of French champion sprinter Last Tycoon (Ire) and there is plenty of international top-level success to be found under the third dam with the likes of G1 French One Thousand Guineas winner Valentine Waltz (Ire) (Be My Guest {USA}) and GI Matron S. winner Sense of Style (USA) (Thunder Gulch {USA}).
Godolphin's Immersive wins G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies
by Steve Sherack, TDN America
Immersive (USA) (Nyquist {USA}) capped a perfect four-for-four championship season with a powerhouse performance in Friday's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar.
Off as the 2-1 favorite, the Godolphin homebred was away in good order from post three. The GI Spinaway S. and GI Darley Alcibiades S. heroine settled in mid-pack beneath Manny Franco, racing inside of impressive GI Frizette S. winner and second-choice Scottish Lassie (USA) (McKinzie {USA}) as US$1.8 million (AU$2.7 million) OBS March breezer Nooni (USA) (Win Win Win {USA}) sped off through fractions of 0.22s and 44.99s with Japan's American Bikini (Jpn) (American Pharoah {USA}) in closest pursuit.
Franco began to go to work on Immersive, now racing in fifth, three furlongs from home. Narrow GI Del Mar Debutante S. runner-up Vodka With a Twist (USA) (Thousand Words {USA}) and Scottish Lassie, meanwhile, made runs in unison to strike the front as Nooni backed out of it into the lane, but Immersive, widest of all in the four path, was absolutely rolling now. Immersive switched over to her right lead right on cue and exploded from there to win going away by 4.5l. Vodka With a Twist stayed on to finish second while making her two-turn debut. Quickkick (USA) (McKinzie {USA}) rallied from last of nine to round out the top three.
Immersive is the 11th Breeders' Cup winner for trainer Brad Cox and his second in this race. “Obviously, they were rolling pretty quick up front and Manny (Franco) did a great job putting her in a great position,” Cox said. “She broke well. Showed her stamina and ability to handle two turns. I think the further the better. She's a very good filly and showed it today, again. That was a huge performance. I think 2-year-old fillies, she's the best we've had. To accomplish what she has, we've not had one win three Grade 1s at two. Excited about what she accomplished, proud of her, and looking forward to next year.”
Nyquist, an unbeaten winner of the 2015 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile and the following term's GI Kentucky Derby, is now the sire of two Breeders' Cup winners. The Darley Stallion's seven Grade I winners also include the 2020 Juvenile Fillies heroine Vequist (USA).
Sheikh Mohammed's operation paid US$2 million (AU$3.05 million) for Immersive's second dam, GI Ballerina Breeders' Cup S. winner Dubai Escapade (USA) (Awesome Again {USA}), at the now-defunct 2004 Barretts Selected 2-Year-Olds in Training sale. Immersive is out of three-time winner Gap Year (USA) (Bernardini {USA}). This is also the extended female family of the very talented Madcap Escapade (USA) (Hennessy {USA}) and her Grade 1-winning daughter Mi Sueno (USA) (Pulpit {USA}).
“Being by Nyquist made it that extra special for us today,” Godolphin USA Director of Bloodstock Michael Banahan said. “So grateful for our founder, Godolphin's founder Sheikh Mohammed, to put us in the position so we can raise horses like that for him and Brad (Cox) can train horses like that for him as well. And I know it gives him great enjoyment to win on the biggest stage, and there's no bigger stage than the Breeders' Cup.
“This filly's granddam was a very good race mare, just a little bit of a disappointing broodmare, but then her daughter produces this triple Grade I winner, Breeders' Cup winner and champion-elect. We have a really nice broodmare band. That's where it starts from. We've been put in that fortunate position by the collection that Sheikh Mohammed has developed over the years to be able to put us in this position.” Dubai Escapade produced six winners from as many to race.
Mehmas son wins G1 Juvenile Turf Sprint
by Stefanie Grimm, TDN America
Europe drew first blood Friday, albeit with an upset choice, as Magnum Force (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) came from off the pace to win the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint and kick off the Future Stars Friday action at Del Mar. Magnum Force now has two wins and three placings from five starts.
Lined up inside for trainer Ger Lyons with regular pilot (and Ireland's champion jockey for the sixth time this season) Colin Keane aboard, the 12-1 shot broke with the field but was swarmed on both sides in the opening jumps and quickly fell back to be one of the last three runners as American hopeful Governor Sam (USA) (Improbable {USA}) rocketed out to pace the field. Situated against the fence but stymied behind a wall of horses in front of him midway around the turn, Keane stayed committed to the inside route, letting his runner hug the fence as he navigated a turn at race speed for the first time. As room opened ahead of him but with Governor Sam still finding in his way, Keane tipped Magnum Force outside at the sixteenth pole to dive past the pacesetter in the final jumps to seal the win for Abdulla Al Khalifa. With the ride, Keane earned his second Breeders' Cup victory from five starters. It was also the first Breeders' Cup winner for Lyons from three attempts. Arizona Blaze (Ire) (Sergei Prokofiev {USA}) also stormed home from off the pace to grab second while Governor Sam won the photo for the trifecta.
“Listen, I knew the horse was the right horse for the job, but if he was good enough, we didn't know until today,” admitted Lyons. “When you have Colin Keane riding for you, probably the most underrated jockey in the world just because he's a little bit like his trainer and likes to stay at home and walk his dogs and stay at the farm and not go around the world. Believe me, he's had two rides and two wins in the Breeders' Cup and it's about time the world opened up to him. It's fantastic. It's huge credit to the horse, my team and Abdulla my owner. There's plenty of us guys at home who could do this if we get the horses. And the secret to training winners is getting the horses–it's as simple as that. If a clown like me can train a winner of a Breeders' Cup (race), anybody can.”
Lyons noted that Magnum Force would return home in preparation for a 2025 campaign, adding: “Hopefully we'll get him home safe and sound, we let him down and the sky's the limit next year because it was all about next year. We came here to teach him how to sprint. So, fast ground, five furlongs, I don't know where it leads him, but we've won a Breeders' Cup. So I presume we've just semi made a stallion. So we're going to go enjoy him.”
Tally Ho's Mehmas (Ire), champion first and second-crop sire in Europe in 2020 and 2021 respectively, is represented by his first Breeders' Cup winner here. First dam Tropical Rock (GB), a daughter of Australian champion Fastnet Rock, sold to Melchoir Bloodstock for 38,000gns (AU$78,600) at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale in 2020 carrying her second foal, a filly by Ribchester (Ire). From three to race, she's produced two winners as her first foal, Tropical Talent (GB) (Nathaniel (Ire) was victorious over jumps in England. Second dam Tropical Treat (GB) was a stakes winner in England and also picked up a placing in the G3 Cuisine de France Summer S.
