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Ivar Springs 14-1 Surprise In G1 Shadwell Turf Mile, Has Spot In Breeders’ Cup Mile

Ivar (BRZ) and jockey Joe Talamo surprised the field in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., coming from the clouds to take the colt's first American G1.

The Shadwell Turf Mile is part of the Breeders' Cup Win and You're In Challenge Series, which means Ivar now has an automatic berth in this year's Breeders' Cup Mile.

Sent off at odds of 14-1, Ivar wanted no part of the early pace, sitting third last for almost the entirety of the contest. The Paulo Lobo trainee began gradually moving up as the field narrowed the margins of early leaders Casa Creed and Born Great on the backstretch, but then seemed to linger far back through the turn. Midway down the final stretch however, he put on an impressive burst of late speed, eating ground with every stride and easily passing Raging Bull (FR) in the final moments.

The final time for the mile was 1:33.99.

Raging Bull was second, followed by Without Parole (GB).

Lobo trains Ivar for Bonne Chance Farm and Stud RDI LLC. The 4-year-old was bred in Brazil by Stud Rio Dios Imaos and is the son of Agnes Gold (JPN) and Smart Strike mare May Be Now. He came to the Shadwell Turf Mile off a third-place finish in the listed Tourist Mile at Kentucky Downs. Earlier in his career, he won the G1 Gran Criterium and the G1 Estrellas Juvenile, both in Argentina.

Ivar paid $30.80 to win. Favored Analyze It finished eighth of nine, never running better than fifth. See the full chart here.

Quotes from the $750,000 Shadwell Turf Mile (G1), courtesy Keeneland press office

Paolo Lobo (winning trainer of Ivar [BRZ])

On cheering for the horse as he raced down the stretch

“You know how hard it is to win a Grade 1, especially here at Keeneland. We need to celebrate.

“We were very worried about the (outside 11) post position, but his style if you see his races in Argentina, he always comes from off the pace – way off the pace. Today, it worked very well. I was very concerned because of the first turn. Joe (Talamo) rode him 100 percent magnificent.”

Joe Talamo (winning rider)

“Down the backside, he got in such a good rhythm, was so relaxed. Congratulations to Paolo. He did a great job training this horse, (changing) his tactics. When he won at Churchill (in June), he was in front. He took the blinkers off. Just an incredible training job on his part to get this horse to turn off like that. I was all smiles turning for home when I took him out there. He just exploded.”

Joel Rosario (rider of runner-up Raging Bull [FR])

“He ran well. He made a nice run. Too bad we couldn't get to the winner. The winner ran a monster race today. I was by myself in the clear in the back, and he made his move nice. I thought for a second that we were going to get there (for the win), but the winner was too good.”

The post Ivar Springs 14-1 Surprise In G1 Shadwell Turf Mile, Has Spot In Breeders’ Cup Mile appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Brazilian-Bred ‘Var’-y Impressive in Shadwell Mile

Undefeated in three Argentinian starts, including two daylight wins at Group 1 level, and competitive in stakes company in this country, Ivar (Brz) (Agnes Gold {Jpn}) settled in the latter third of the field, was ridden quietly into the final 2 1/2 furlongs by Joe Talamo and exploded through the Keeneland stretch to up-end a high-class field in Saturday’s GI Shadwell Turf Mile, locking up a spot in the gate for the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile over the same course and distance exactly five weeks down the line.

Drawn widest in a field reduced to nine by a pair of scratches–including GI Fourstardave H. winner Halladay (War Front)–Ivar was getting blinkers off for the Shadwell and settled off the rail in about seventh position passing halfway as Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) set the pace in advance of the lightly raced Born Great (Scat Daddy). Still traveling strongly around the bend, Ivar followed the move of favored ‘TDN Rising Star’ Analyze It (Point of Entry), was pulled off that one’s heels and into the clear and covered his final two furlongs in a slick :22.39 en route to a one-length success. Raging Bull (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) caboosed the field for the opening six panels and was home even more quickly than the winner (:22.13) while traveling 34 feet less, according to Trakus. Without Parole (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was a perfect-trip third. The final time of 1:33.99 was the fastest Shadwell Mile against the clock since the race sponsor’s Altibr (Ire) (Charnwood Forest {Ire}) covered the distance in 1:33.72 in 2000.

“We were very worried about the [outside 11] post position, but his style if you see his races in Argentina, he always comes from off the pace–way off the pace,” said winning trainer Paolo Lobo. “Today, it worked very well. I was very concerned because of the first turn. Joe [Talamo] rode him 100% magnificent.”

Winner at home of the G1 Gran Criterium and G1 Estrellas Juvenile, each by a half-dozen lengths, Ivar was a never-nearer fifth in his U.S. debut in Churchill allowance company May 21 before adding blinkers and Talamo for a coast-to-coast, two-length allowance tally June 18. He attended fractions of :44.77 and 1:07.86 when last seen in the Sept. 7 Tourist Mile at Kentucky Downs and was not disgraced in being defeated less than two lengths into third.

Pedigree Notes:

The sire of 31 winners from three crops in his time in Japan, Agnes Gold has since been responsible for 23 group winners in South America and seven top-level winners in addition to Ivar. The 4-year-old’s American-bred dam was a Group 2 winner in Brazil and was represented there by three winners from as many to race before being sold for $67,000 in foal to Hard Spun at Keeneland November in 2017. That produce, a colt named Hard Strike that cost $75,000 as a FTKJUL yearling last year, is campaigned by Walking L Thoroughbreds and Ken McPeek and was a maiden winner at first asking going a mile over the Ellis Park turf course July 4. May Be Now, closely related to GISW Al’s Gal (English Channel) and his SW/GSP full-sister Ann of the Dance, is also the dam of a yearling filly by Cupid and a filly foal by Hard Spun and was among the first book of mares bred to dual-surface GISW Yoshida (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}), like Agnes Gold a paternal grandson of the legendary Sunday Silence. The cross of Sunday Silence over Smart Strike mares is also responsible for GSWs Bright Thought (Hat Trick {Jpn}) and Epos (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}).

Saturday, Keeneland
SHADWELL TURF MILE S.-GI, $750,000, Keeneland, 10-3, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:33.99, fm.
1–IVAR (BRZ), 126, c, 4, by Agnes Gold (Jpn)
1st Dam: May Be Now, by Smart Strike
2nd Dam: Dans La Ville (Chi), by Winning
3rd Dam: Syracuse, by Sharp-Eyed Quillo
O-Bonne Chance Farm LLC & Stud R D I LLC; B-Stud Rio Dois Irmaos (BRZ); T-Paulo H Lobo; J-Joseph Talamo. $450,000. Lifetime Record: 7-5-0-1, $579,413. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: B.
2–Raging Bull (Fr), 126, h, 5, Dark Angel (Ire)–Rosa Bonheur, by Mr. Greeley. (€90,000 Ylg ’16 GOFORB). O-Peter M Brant; B-Dayton Investments Limited (FR); T-Chad C Brown. $150,000.
3–Without Parole (GB), 126, h, 5, Frankel (GB)–Without You Babe, by Lemon Drop Kid. (650,000gns RNA Ylg ’16 TATOCT). O-John D & Tanya Gunther; B-Mr John Gunther (GB); T-Chad C Brown. $75,000.
Margins: 1, 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 14.40, 3.00, 10.10.
Also Ran: Casa Creed, Flavius, Parlor, Bowies Hero, Analyze It, Born Great. Scratched: Halladay, Spectacular Gem.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton

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Essential Quality Nabs Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Spot With Dominant Breeders’ Futurity Score

Essential Quality entered the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland with the wind behind him after an electric debut score last month, and he lived up to the hype on Saturday with another powerful victory.

The Breeders' Futurity also earned the 2-year-old son of Tapit a “Win and You're In” berth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, which will be held next month at Keeneland.

Essential Quality got a clean start out of the gate and past the finish line for the first time, and he entered the first turn in second behind pace setter Upstriker. Those two led the proceedings through an opening quarter in :23.97, and they remained a relatively untested lead duo through the backstretch. Jockey Luis Saez pressed the leader aboard Essential Quality as they cleared the half-mile in :48.86, but Upstriker continued to hold off his adversary.

That changed as the backstretch turned into the bend, when Essential Quality drew even with Upstriker, then put a head in front on the outside, with the pacesetter fighting to hold off his rival. Essential Quality finally put away the early leader heading into the stretch, and he kicked clear to win by 3 1/4 lengths.

Keepmeinmind, a 52-1 longshot, staged a rally from the middle of the pack to finish second, ahead of third-place Super Stock. Upstriker carried on for fourth.

Essential Quality won the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:44.37 over a fast main track for owner Godolphin and trainer Brad Cox. He paid $5.80 to win as the favorite.

The colt is undefeated in two starts heading into this year's Breeders' Cup, after winning his debut at Churchill Downs by four lengths on Sept. 5. Saturday's race was his first around two turns.

Essential Quality is a Kentucky homebred for the Godolphin operation, out of the Grade 3-placed Elusive Quality mare Delightful Quality; herself a Godolphin homebred.

To view the race's chart, click here.

Quotes from the $400,000 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity, courtesy of the Keeneland notes team

Brad Cox (winning trainer of Essential Quality)

“We've had some very nice 2-year-old fillies, but this is probably the best (2-year-old colt) I've had as far as talent goes. He's our first Grade 1 winner as a 2-year-old colt. He means a lot to us. He showed us from Day 1 that he's special, very talented. Luis (Saez) did a good job of getting him to relax. He's a very green horse. That was my concern today – could he put it all together? And he did. He pulled up a bit on the backside. He's got some learning to do. If he can figure it out, he's a serious animal.”

Luis Saez (winning rider)

“I thought he was gonna be right there. Second start. I never rode him before. I was watching the replay when he ran last time, and he looked like 'Wow, what a horse.' And today he proved that he's a very good horse. He did it pretty easy. He was a little green when he came to the track – he was looking around a little bit, but he took off. He was running. What a horse. I'm so glad I'm on this horse.”

David Cohen (rider of runner-up Keepmeinmind)

“We had a little bit of trouble in the first turn with horses on the outside coming in, but I was happy I was able to maintain somewhat of a position. Down the backside, he got into a beautiful spot. He's still a bit green. I was very happy with his courage and his finish. His gallop-out was tremendous.”

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