This year's Breeders' Cup appearance for Modern Games was less dramatic than last year, when he crossed the wire first in the Juvenile Turf and was greeted by a chorus of boos from upset horseplayers.
Where last year he was a last-minute gate scratch and eventually ran as a purse money only entry, this year the Charlie Appleby-trained 3-year-old exited the gate with everyone else, albeit a step slower than his rivals and tucked into midpack along the rail going into the first turn. Smooth Like Strait and Pogo led the way through the backstretch.
Jockey William Buick took Modern Games to the outside of the pack around the turn, moving in step with Order of Australia then driving from the center of the track, shedding his rivals and taking aim at closing Ivar. Ivar fought back but Modern Games kicked away by one length at the wire.
“I'm delighted,” said Appleby afterward. “He is what he is. He's ultra-professional and runs with his heart on his sleeve every time. He's one horse, as Rishi (Persad) said earlier in the week, you'd love to play poker with him, because he shows his hand every time. He's just done it again, there. Fantastic ride by William (Buick). Great for the team, great for His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and great for Godolphin.”
Shirl's Speight was second, followed by Kinross.
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Support our journalism while accessing bonus behind-the-scenes content, Q&As, and more. Subscribe to our Patreon stream.Domestic Spending was pulled up by rider Flavien Prat ahead of the final turn. Prat took his mount to the outside rail and quickly unsaddled before the Chad Brown trainee was loaded into the equine ambulance on his own power. American Association of Equine Practitioners On Call Veterinarian Dr. Alan Ruggles told NBC reporters the horse appeared to be lame in his left hind limb but that he was not obviously unstable in that leg. The race was the first for Domestic Spending since August 2021, though Brown told the Daily Racing Form's David Grening that the injury was unrelated to the issue that kept off the track for the past year.
A statement later released by the Breeders' Cup indicated that Domestic Spending “was immediately attended to by an expert team of veterinarians led by KHRC Chief Veterinarian Dr. Nick Smith and was transported back to his barn by equine ambulance for evaluation by attending veterinarian Dr. Bo Landry. Domestic Spending was radiographed and does not appear to have a lower limb fracture. At this time, he is being stabilized for transfer to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital for further evaluation.”
The final time for the mile was 1:33.96. Favorite Modern Games paid $4.76 to win.
The win for Appleby was his seventh Breeders' Cup victory, and his second in the Mile after Space Blues last year. It is the sixth win for Buick, who was also on Space Blues.
Modern Games came to the Mile off a second in the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot, and has also won the G1 Woodbine Mile and G1 Poule d'Essai de Poulains this year. He is a homebred for Godolphin.
Modern Games is by Dubawi and is out of New Approach mare Modern Ideals.
His trainer said you can expect to see Modern Games on the track next year.
“Next year, the Queen Anne is the obvious target,” said Appleby. “He's getting a fanfare around world and it was great to see him applauded this year not like last year which was no fault of his own. We'll look to bring him back here next year. From this July onward he really changed physically and got stronger in all the right places. I thought he looked a picture in the paddock today and I was always quite confident when I saw him look that well.”
Twice is nice!
Modern Games gets the job done once again at the #BreedersCup. pic.twitter.com/w9cxkPzYX7
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) November 5, 2022
The post No Games This Time: Modern Games Takes Breeder’s Cup Mile In Decisive Fashion; Domestic Spending Vanned appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
