10th-Keeneland, $120,000, Alw (NW2$X), Opt. Clm ($80,000), 10-14, 3yo/up, 1 1/16m, 1:45.63, ft, neck. FIRST MISSION (c, 3, Street Sense–Elude, by Medaglia d'Oro), making his first start since winning this track's GIII Lexington S. during the April meeting, validated 2-5 favoritism–if only just–to give Godolphin a sweep of the late Daily Double. Off alertly from the inside stall, the homebred allowed himself to be taken back to sit in the second flight of horses behind a pace that was slow to materialize. Up into third and remaining glued to the fence entering the far turn following a half-mile that was clocked in just :49.73, First Mission came under a Luis Saez ride with 2 1/2 furlongs to race, but was scrubbed on vigorously to pick up the bridle. Short of running room in upper stretch behind a wall of horses, First Mission was forced to come across the heels of several rivals to find daylight five off the rail with time ticking away and kicked home gamely to prevail. The homebred earned a 96 Beyer on Fair Grounds sprint debut Feb. 18, good for only second to 'Rising Star' Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo) before dusting rivals by 6 1/2 lengths to pick up his own 'Rising Star' laurels. After besting future GI Woody Stephens S. hero Arabian Lion (Justify) in the Lexington, First Mission was being pointed to a start in the GI Preakness S., but a left hind issue forced his withdrawal 36 hours prior to the race. A daughter of Argentinan champion Forty Marchanta (Arg) (Roar), Elude is bred on that same Medaglia d'Oro cross over Forty Niner mares that has resulted in the likes of Rachel Alexandra, Songbird and Elate, to name a few. The mare was purchased by Oussama Aboughazale's International Equities Holding for $105,000 infoal to Street Sense at Keeneland January in 2022 and that full-brother to First Mission was hammered down to Richard Santulli's Colts Neck Stable for $500,000 at Keeneland September last month. Elude produced a colt by Protonico in 2023 and was bred to Life Is Good this past season. Lifetime Record: GSW, 4-3-1-0, $348,110. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brad H Cox.
(1) First Mission prevails in a tight race to the finish in race 10. (9) Commandperformance comes in second and (7) Cooke Creek takes third. pic.twitter.com/ClBLET4Svw
The track has unveiled two huge murals of the Italian, one a massive image on the side of a stand of his flying dismount, which jockeys will see every time they pass the winning post.
Godolphin's English classic winner Mawj (IRE) took charge soon after the start but had to call upon all her reserves to hold off the closing rush of Lindy and win the $600,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Presented by Dixiana for 3-year-old fillies on Saturday at Keeneland.
Starting for the first time since capturing the 1000 Guineas (G1) May 7 at Newmarket, Mawj was making her North American debut for trainer Saeed bin Suroor, who was starting a horse at Keeneland for the first time since 2014.
Mawj, an Exceed And Excel half sister to champion and two-time Breeders' Cup winner Modern Games, had clear lead into the stretch while Elusive Princess (FR) and Mission of Joy loomed as threats. Under Oisin Murphy, Mawj looked en route to victory inside the final furlong, but she had to dig in nearing the finish line as Lindy, who unleashed a furious rally from fourth in early stretch, stormed up to her outside to just miss under Tyler Gaffalione.
Sent off the favorite, Mawj won by a half length and covered 1 1/8 miles 1:48.06 on turf rated as good. She returned $4.64 for the victory and became the 500th graded or group winner for Bin Suroor.
Mission of Joy was third, a half length behind Lindy.
Mawj took command immediately with Elusive Princess and Mission of Joy to her inside, but she assumed a clear lead going into the first turn. From there, she raced unopposed on the lead through fractions of :23.26 for the first quarter mile, :47.72 for a half mile, and 1:11.89 for six furlongs.
Entering the final turn, Elusive Princess applied mild pressure only to have Mawj kick clear again. In the stretch, Mission of Joy passed a tiring Elusive Princess to challenge Mawj only to have the Godolphin runner fend off that bid and have enough left in the tank to hold off a final challenge from Lindy.
With the win, Mawj stamped herself as a horse to watch for either the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) or Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) in November at Santa Anita.
Produced by the New Approach (IRE) mare Modern Deals (GB), Mawj has a 6-1-1 record from nine career starts. The $294,000 winner's share of the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup purse boosted her lifetime bankroll to $956,585.
Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Quotes:
Saeed bin Suroor (winning trainer of Mawj [IRE]): “Thank God. This is great (for me) to win 500 (grade and) group (races) and a Group 1 with the filly Mawj (IRE), a classic winner. To come to America, to Keeneland, to win is a great result for everybody.”
On whether he believes she would fit better in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) against males or the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) at 1¼ miles: “It looks to me she has plenty of speed as a miler and she made it today 9 furlongs. But we'll see. The mile might be the best for her, sure, but I want to decide closer to the race.”
Oisin Murphy (winning rider): “(Trainer) Saeed (bin Suroor) was delighted with her work at home and he asked me to sit on her last week just before she flew (to the U.S.) and she felt brilliant. She felt back to her best. We did quite quick sections (fractions) in the first half of the race, but she is a superstar filly. She found plenty. She's got a great heart and mind. I'm delighted to win for (owner) Godolphin and Saeed here; it's his 500th group winner, so for me to ride it for him means the world.”
Brendan Walsh (trainer of runner-up Lindy [FR]): “She ran super. You couldn't really ask her to run any better. We're disappointed that we didn't win because she was flying so fast at the end, but I am not disappointed in her and I am not disappointed in (jockey) Tyler (Gaffalione) or anyone on our team. I am proud of them all.
“She's really turned into a lovely filly, and I think she can be a helluva filly going forward. She's very versatile, and I think she can do anything between a mile and a mile and 3/16ths. We'll go back to the drawing board and see where we go from here.”
Tyler Gaffalione (rider of Lindy [FR]): “We just got a little further back then we would've liked to, last position going into the first turn, but my filly traveled great throughout. She gave me a huge run down the lane. Very proud of her, but a little upsetting that we didn't get the win. We feel like we had the best horse, but we'll get there.”
John Velazquez (rider of third-place finisher Mission of Joy): “I expected the trip that I had. I got a little excited going to the eighth pole (because I thought Mission of Joy would win). She just gave me everything she had to run a really good race.”
In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Nations Pride in the Canadian International at Woodbine and two other graded wins for Godolphin colourbearers.
Nations Pride Adds Another Graded Win To His Resume
Autumn in North America is a rich seasonal hunting ground for Godolphin's European raiders, particularly those trained by Charlie Appleby, and Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) scooped Woodbine's GI Canadian International S. recently (video). The royal blue homebred had landed the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational S. and GIII Jockey Club Derby Invitational S. last year.
Also a top-level winner in Germany, the 4-year-old colt is a half-brother to Crystal Of Time (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), a weanling colt by Ghaiyyath (Ire), and he has a yearling full-sister. Their dam, the Oasis Dream (GB) mare Important Time (Ire), won at the listed level in Germany and is a daughter of Satwa Queen (Fr) (Muhtathir {GB}), who won the G1 Prix de l'Opera. Australian standout Militarize (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}) and G1 Phoenix S. hero Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) are also in the family.
The best North American runner by Darley veteran Teofilo, Nations Pride is one of four stakes winners in that jurisdiction for the 19-year-old. Seventeen of his 27 runners have won in America (63%), including dual Grade II winner Amira's Prince (Ire).
Bold Act Another Graded Winner In The Royal Blue
Just a few days after Nations Pride won in Canada, Godolphin and Charlie Appleby celebrated another homebred graded winner, this time with New Approach (Ire) gelding Bold Act (Ire) in the GIII Sycamore S. at Keeneland (video).
Successful in the Listed Prix Nureyev in August, the multiple group-placed 3-year-old is out of the listed winner Dancing Sands (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who placed three times at the group level. His year-younger half-sister Dazzling Star (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}) was third in the GI Natalma S., while Dancing Sands's latest pair are colts by Cracksman (GB) and Frankel (GB), respectively. G1 Futurity S. hero and sire Bakharoff (The Minstrel) is under the third dam.
The 13th winner from 23 runners (56%) in the U.S. for his Darley sire, Bold Act is New Approach's fourth black-type winner there. Both Ceisteach (Ire) and Messi (Ger) are Grade III scorers.
Lucky Girl Returns A Winner At Santa Anita
Already a dual American stakes winner, Lucky Girl (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) made it a hat trick for Panic Stable, LLC and trainer Phil D'Amato in the Swingtime S. at Santa Anita a few days ago (video).
Bred by Paul Hyland, the 4-year-old filly was originally a £19,000 yearling buy out of the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale by Meadowview Stables. She did not meet her reserve when a £24,000 buy-back at the Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale in 2021, and duly made one start at Gowran Park for Helen Slattery and trainer Andrew Slattery, where she finished third. The four-time winning dam Abbey Angel (Ire) (Arcano {Ire})'s latest produce is a yearling colt by Kodi Bear (Ire) whose latest trip through the ring resulted in a 110,000gns buy-back during the Tattersall October Yearling Sale.
Former reverse shuttle stallion Exceed And Excel has sired an even 10 black-type winners from his 41 U.S. runners (24%). Of those 41, 22 have earned at least one victory (54%). The Darley stallion's American best are GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Outstrip (GB) and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Mischief Magic (Ire).
Peter Brant and Chad Brown's Notinamillionyears (Ire) (No Nay Never) won at second asking during the Belmont at the Big A meeting earlier this week (video).
Bred by Lynch-Bages & Rhinestone Bloodstock, the daughter of Dancing Shoes (Ire) (Danehill) was acquired by BSW/Crow for $450,000 out of the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The winner is a half-sister to GII La Canada S. winner Striking Dancer (Smart Strike) and G2 Gran Premio del Jockey Club hero Raymond Tusk (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}). Emmaline (Affirmed), the winner's second dam, is a half-sister to American champion Bates Motel (Sir Ivor).
Coolmore stallion No Nay Never has sired 43 winners from 78 runners (55%) in the U.S. Breeders' Cup winner Meditate (Ire) is one of three graded winners, and he has nine stakes winners overall in the Land of the Free.
Red Baron's Barn, LLC and Rancho Temescal Thoroughbred Partners' Star Of The Night (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) won at Santa Anita this month (video). The Sunderland Holding-bred 3-year-old was making her second start for trainer Mark Glatt after a runner-up finish at Del Mar.
Out of the winning Simple Elegance (Street Cry {Ire}), Star Of The Night has juvenile half-brother by Gleneagles (Ire) and a yearling half-brother by the late Le Havre (Ire) who was picked up by Ross Doyle and Ciaran Murphy for €37,000 out of the recent Goffs Orby Book 2 Sale. Lackendarra Stables and Eddie Linehan bought the dark bay for €40,000 out of the 2021 Goffs Orby Sale, and sent her back through the ring at the 2022 Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale where she made 140,000gns on the bid of her current owners. Her dam is one of six winners out of the Pulpit mare Rutherienne, who landed the GI Del Mar Oaks.
The Aga Khan's Studs' Sea The Stars has 17 winners from 37 runners (46%) in the U.S. His sextet of stakes winners are led by GII Fort Marcy S. winner and GI Manhattan S. third Ottoman Fleet (GB).
Repeat Winners
Repeat Making Waves alumni have been in outstanding form in recent weeks, and the GI Beverly D. S. heroine Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) doubled her Grade I tally with a stalking score in the E. P. Taylor S. at Woodbine on Oct. 8 (video). Raced by Tracy Farmer, the Mark Casse pupil is pointing toward the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita in November.
Eternal Hope (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) was the latest Making Waves alum to display her abundant talent in the GII Sands Point S. as the Belmont at the Big A meeting continued on Saturday (video). The Godolphin homebred was winning her second graded race in a row for Charlie Appleby, after taking the GIII Jockey Club Oaks Invitational S. last month.
Klaravich Stables' McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}), best known as the winner of the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. in 2022, also claimed her second graded victory of the year in the GIII Waya S. earlier in October (video). The Chad Brown trainee won the GII Glens Falls S. at the Saratoga meeting in August.
She's a star! It's Fev Rover who takes out the G1 E. P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine for Javier Castellano and Mark Casse! pic.twitter.com/yT9ZM8P3CG
