Announced as a season-ending target long before such announcements are typically made, the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf proved fertile ground for the Coolmore partners' Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who enjoyed what turned out to be a dream trip beneath Ryan Moore, got through when the real running commenced at the head of the lane and charged to the wire to defeat top U.S. hope Up to the Mark (Not This Time). It was a sixth victory in the mile-and-a-half second-richest race on the card for trainer Aidan O'Brien–three of which have occurred at Santa Anita–and first since Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) took the 2016 renewal at the 'Great Race Place' under a heady ride from Seamie Heffernan. O'Brien now sits on 18 Breeders' Cup winners overall, while Ryan Moore was riding his 14th championship winner.
Sent off the 5-2 chalk on the strength of a season that has included victories in the G1 Derby at Epsom, the G1 Irish Derby and the G1 Irish Champion S., the son of 2017 Filly & Mare Turf runner-up Rhododendron settled in about midfield for the run down the hill, but jinked noticeably to his right when not handling the dirt crossing particularly well. Rebalanced when linking back up with the turf course, he was maneuvered down towards the inside before the field made their way under the wire with a circuit to travel.
Racing with cover on the back of 2022 G1 Dubai Sheema Classic hero Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) as they reached halfway, Auguste Rodin was always moving sweetly and continued to follow the move of the Japanese raider past the half-mile peg and around the turn. When Cristian Demuro opted to let Shahryar drift away from the inside nearing the quarter pole, Moore gladly seized upon the opportunity to allow his mount to creep forward into striking position. Long-time leader Balladeer (Distorted Humor) still held the call after the opening 10 furlongs, but he hung to his right off the final corner and that was all that Moore and Auguste Rodin needed, as they hit the hole under a full head of steam and pinched a break before holding Up to the Mark in the run to the winning post. Shahryar, the son of 2011 Filly & Mare Sprint heroine Dubai Majesty, was a good third to complete a posthumous one-three finish for Deep Impact.
Despite the ease with which he won, the winning ride was far down in the playbook, said Moore.
“Ending up [on] the rail was like Plan F and I had to make the best of the opportunities,” he said. “My horse was getting a bad trip. He won because he's so good, I made the right call to stick to the rail but could have easily not been.
“The race didn't go to plan. The first part of the race was messy as everyone was in each other's way and I didn't really like where I was. All I wanted to do was get the horse to find his rhythm and he got there so quickly and easily and once he got to the front that's all he does. Considering how the race went against him it was probably his best performance. He's vindicated himself now. He had things do against him today and he overcame them.”
Pedigree Notes:
Auguste Rodin's granddam is Halfway To Heaven, purchased by Coolmore out of the 2006 Goffs Orby sale and winner of three top-level contests, including the 2008 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas. The mating that resulted in Auguste Rodin–quite simply a match made in heaven.
Rhododendron was among what became the final book of mares that visited the legendary Deep Impact in 2019 and Auguste Rodin is the second Breeders' Cup winner in three years for the late stallion, joining 2021 Filly & Mare Turf victress Loves Only You (Jpn).
The first foal for his dam, a sister to the globetrotting seven-time Group 1 winner Magical (Ire) and Irish Group 3 winner Flying the Flag (Ire), Auguste Rodin is bred on the same cross over Galileo responsible for English and Irish Oaks heroine Snowfall (Jpn) and G1 English 2000 Guineas hero Saxon Warrior (Jpn)–sire of 2022 Juvenile Turf winner Victoria Road (Ire)–in addition to the additional group winners Cantabile (Jpn), Vanquish Run (Jpn), Harajuku (Ire) and Drumroll (Ire).
There is a plethora of black-type under MGSW third dam Cassandra Go, as Halfway to Heaven's Group 3-winning half-sister Theann (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) is the dam of U.S. Grade I winner Photo Call (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and GSW sire Land Force (Ire) (No Nay Never).
Rhododendron's most recent offspring is a Dubawi (Ire) colt foaled Feb. 10.
Saturday, Santa Anita Park
LONGINES BREEDERS' CUP TURF-GI, $3,680,000, Santa Anita, 11-4, 3yo/up, 1 1/2mT, 2:24.30, fm.
1–AUGUSTE RODIN (IRE), 122, c, 3, by Deep Impact (Jpn)
1st Dam: Rhododendron (Ire) (Hwt. Older Mare-Eng- at 7 – 9 1/2 f., Hwt. Filly-Ire, Hwt. Older Mare-Ire- at 7 – 9 1/2 f., Hwt. Older Mare-Eur- at 7 – 9 1/2 f., G1SW-Fr, MG1SW-Eng, GSW & G1SP-Ire, GISP-USA, $1,786,763), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Halfway To Heaven (Ire), by Pivotal (GB)
3rd Dam: Cassandra Go (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire)
O-Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan P. O'Brien; J-Ryan L. Moore. $2,080,000. Lifetime Record: MG1SW-Eng & Ire, 10-7-1-0, $4,958,538. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Up to the Mark, 126, c, 4, Not This Time–Belle's Finale, by Ghostzapper. ($450,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables LLC; B-Ramspring Farm (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $680,000.
3–Shahryar (Jpn), 126, h, 5, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Dubai Majesty, by Essence of Dubai. O-Sunday Racing Co. Ltd.; B-Northern Farm (JPN); T-Hideaki Fujiwara. $360,000.
Margins: 3/4, HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 2.50, 3.40, 25.50.
Also Ran: Gold Phoenix (Ire), King of Steel, Onesto (Ire), War Like Goddess, Mostahdaf (Ire), Balladeer, Adhamo (Ire), Broome (Ire). Scratched: Bolshoi Ballet (Ire), Get Smokin.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
REPLAY: Auguste Rodin (IRE) wins the $4 Million @LonginesEq #BreedersCup Turf! Congrats to all connections! #BC23 pic.twitter.com/7Ob6wtFN9i
— Breeders' Cup (@BreedersCup) November 4, 2023
The post Auguste Rodin Pretty As a Picture in the BC Turf appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.
In 2022, Hill 'n' Dale's super sire Curlin got a record-setting three winners on Saturday's Breeders' Cup card. In 2023, the remarkable sire equaled that as Juddmonte homebred Idiomatic (Curlin–Lockdown, by First Defence) gave her sire a hard-fought victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff sandwiched between the encore wins by Cody's Wish in the GI Dirt Mile earlier on the card and Elite Power later in the GI Sprint. Idiomatic, who has had a stellar year with eight wins from nine starts, has almost certainly sewn up the Eclipse Award as older female and put herself squarely in the middle of Horse of the Year consideration as well with the win.
“I think she definitely deserves some votes for Horse of the Year,” said trainer Brad Cox. “It's a serious record. It's Horse of the Year, not horse of the fall, horse of the summer, horse of the spring, or horse of the Breeders' Cup. She has had a tremendous year from start to finish. Today was just icing on the cake.”
Idiomatic kicked off 2023 with two optional allowance wins at Turfway Park, followed by her first black-type win in the listed Latonia S. in March. While it's safe to say Idiomatic is the first Breeders' Cup winner to come out of that race, it would catapult Idiomatic to graded company. After a runner-up finish, her only 2023 loss, in the GII Ruffian S., Cox teamed her up with Florent Geroux. The two have never lost in their five consecutive pairings, all graded stakes, and have hit triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures every time. Those five straight included both the GI Spinster S., sponsored by her owner and breeder, and GI Personal Ensign S. in her last two starts.
Geroux reflected on the year immediately following the Distaff: “Her prior victories have been very easy for her, but this one she had to earn it. She showed how great she was, and she deserved to be the champion just because of how much fight she showed today and how much heart.
“Sometimes that's what makes the difference between good horses and great horses, and I think she's one of the greats for sure.”
Idiomatic | Benoit
In Saturday's older-mare showcase, GI Alabama S. winner Randomized (Nyquist) shot to the Distaff lead when the gates flew as Idiomatic, under a hard hold, tracked her in second behind :22.31 and :46.26 fractions. Idiomatic began moving on Randomized with three furlongs to go as MGISW Clairiere–another daughter of Curlin–found a dream seam from the back of the field and threatened menacingly from the inside. Idiomatic and Randomized hooked up on the turn to fight down the lane–yet another great battle in a race which has seen some of the sport's top skirmishes. Idiomatic wore down Randomized to shake loose, but not by much, as a mad scramble ensued behind her and the wire loomed. In the end, Idiomatic, a super-sized filly, prevailed by a half-length over Randomized as Spinster second Le Da Vida (Chi) (Gemologist) outfinished Clairiere for third.
“When I needed her the most, the last eighth of a mile when I really went after her and gave her the indication of going forward,” said Geroux, “she just put her head down and start digging for me really hard. She was all heart in that victory.”
Cox and Geroux had previously partnered for Distaff wins in 2018 and 2020 with Monomoy Girl (Tapizar). It was Juddmonte's first win in the Distaff, although the organization has had a number of other top fillies and mares on the grass in the Breeders' Cup, including 2018 Turf winner Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and 2001 and 2005 Filly and Mare Turf-winning full-sisters Banks Hill (GB) (Danehill) and Intercontinental (GB) (Danehill). Like Idiomatic, they were all homebreds sporting the famed green and pink silks.
After the Distaff, Juddmonte's Garrett O'Rourke added: “[Idiomatic] comes from a pedigree that is Juddmonte through and through. And her dam is Juddmonte, granddam is Juddmonte, her maternal grandsire is Juddmonte. That's tremendously satisfying for an owner/breeder operation like Prince Khalid and his sons.”
On Saturday, Juddmonte also won the aforementioned Sprint with Elite Power, although he was a $900,000 Keeneland September purchase rather than a homebred.
REPLAY: Idiomatic wins the $2 Million @LonginesEq #BreedersCup Distaff! Congrats to her connections! #BC23 pic.twitter.com/eWsJuG29Kt
— Breeders' Cup (@BreedersCup) November 4, 2023
Pedigree Notes:
Juddmonte is recognized across the sport for one of the most extraordinary breeding programs in modern times; in few horses is that more evident than with Idiomatic. A fourth-generation Juddmonte-bred, Idiomatic hails from the direct female line of Broodmare of the Year Best in Show (Traffic Judge), her fifth dam, whose daughters and descendants have produced elite horses for five decades. Among that number was 'TDN Rising Star' and champion Close Hatches, a full-sister to Idiomatic's stakes-winning and multiple Grade I-placed dam, Lockdown. Close Hatches produced 2019 GII Wood Memorial S. winner Tacitus (Tapit), who also placed in both the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Belmont S.
Idiomatic | Benoit
Juddmonte homebred and broodmare sire First Defence, sire of Close Hatches and Lockdown, hails from Juddmonte Broodmare of the Year Toussaud (El Gran Senor) and is out of that legendary mare's GISW daughter Honest Lady (Seattle Slew). Honest Lady finished second against the boys in the 2000 GI Breeders' Cup Sprint and the 2000 GI Met Mile. First Defence has 14 stakes winners out of his daughters and currently stands in Saudi Arabia, while Lockdown died in 2022 after producing just three foals. Idiomatic is the only one to race to date; her final foal is a yearling filly by Into Mischief named Chasten.
The accolades also continue for Idiomatic's sire Curlin, who notched his sixth individual Breeders' Cup winner Saturday with the Distaff winner. Idiomatic's Breeders' Cup win, combined with Curlin's other Saturday repeat victories, made eight winning World Championship races as a sire for the chestnut. It was also his second consecutive year with the Distaff crown, as he also had 2022 winner Malathaat. The tremendous Curlin has 21 Grade I winners to his credit, as well as 55 graded winners and 98 black-type winners worldwide.
Saturday, Santa Anita Park
LONGINES BREEDERS' CUP DISTAFF-GI, $1,820,000, Santa Anita, 11-4, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/8m, 1:50.57, ft.
1–IDIOMATIC, 124, f, 4, by Curlin
1st Dam: Lockdown (SW & MGISP, $445,900), by First Defence
2nd Dam: Rising Tornado, by Storm Cat
3rd Dam: Silver Star (GB), by Zafonic
O/B-Juddmonte Farms Inc. (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Florent Geroux. $1,040,000. Lifetime Record: 12-9-1-2, $2,456,840.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Randomized, 121, f, 3, by Nyquist
1st Dam: French Passport, by Elusive Quality
2nd Dam: Air France, by French Deputy
3rd Dam: Twin Propeller, by Known Fact
($420,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.; B-Cove Springs, LLC (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $340,000.
3–Le Da Vida (Chi), 124, m, 6, by Gemologist
1st Dam: Viene Cantando (Chi) (MG1SW-Chi, $119,875), by Gstaad
2nd Dam: Cantan Las Flores (Chi), by Dynamix
3rd Dam: Lanza Flores (Chi), by Gallantsky
O-Masaiva Inc.; B-Haras Santa Olga (Chi); T-Ignacio Correas, IV. $180,000.
Margins: HF, NO, NK. Odds: 1.80, 7.90, 16.60.
Also Ran: Clairiere, Desert Dawn, Search Results, Adare Manor, Wet Paint, Hoosier Philly. Scratched: A Mo Reay, Pretty Mischievous. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by Fanduel TV.
The post Juddmonte’s Distaff Win by Idiomatic Helps Curlin Equal his Own Breeders’ Cup Record appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.
Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Sunday's Observations features a full-sister to a Group 1 winner.
13.58 Deauville, €30,000, Mdn, unraced 2yo, f, 9 1/2f (AWT)
Gitte Poulsen-Allaire's AQUA AUGUSTA (IRE) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) is a Yann Barberot-conditioned daughter of Listed Prix Dahlia victrix Alzubra (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and thus kin to a trio black-type winners, which includes her G1 Tancred S.-winning full-brother Arapaho (Fr). She was the highest-priced filly at last term's Arqana October sale when knocked down for €310,000 and the March-foaled chestnut encounters nine opponents in this debutantes' heat. They include Antonia Devin's homebred Sailors Delight (Fr) (Cloth Of Stars {Ire}), who is out of a full-sister to the owner-breeder's G1 Prix de l'Opera and G1 Dubai Duty Free heroine Terre A Terre (Fr) (Kaldounevees {Fr}); and Pierre Groualle trainee Iberia (Fr) (Bated Breath {GB}), who is a €50,000 Arqana October half-sister to MGSW GI Rodeo Drive S. third Elysea's World (Ire) (Champs Elysees {GB}).
The post Full-Sister To G1 Tancred Hero Arapaho Primed For Deauville Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.
