From Lahudood to Malathaat, Shadwell Blends the Old with the New

Celebrating 40 Years of the Breeders' Cup

When Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum passed away early in 2021 after decades of prominence in Thoroughbred racing and breeding, it was unclear in the sport what would happen to his vast bloodstock and farm holdings. Racing needn't have worried. His daughter, Sheikha Hissa, catapulted into the public eye as the head of Shadwell right at the same time the racing stable was seeing a resurgence. The bedrock laid over decades of success by Sheikh Hamdan was the perfect foundation for stunning new success under the guidance of his daughter.

Sheikha Hissa is not yet 30, yet she seems to be instilling confidence throughout the sport–on American shores and beyond–by reinvigorating the Shadwell brand. She's doing it in Europe with Shadwell homebreds like English highweight Baaeed (GB), whose granddam was a Breeders' Cup winner for Shadwell, and she's doing it in the U.S. with sales purchases such as 2021 and 2022 champion Malathaat, who closed out her career with victory in last year's Breeders' Cup Distaff.

“Shadwell Farm in America is rebranding as Shadwell Racing,” said Jonathan Smyth, general manager of the American arm. “Under the leadership of Sheikha Hissa, there is a strong passion for the business, much like her late father. It's truly exciting for all of us to be part of the next chapter of Shadwell.”

Few things in this sport inspire passion and hope more than a Breeders' Cup winner. Malathaat provided just that. The elegant bay closed out her stellar career last November with a scintillating final-stride win in the Distaff after finishing third in the same race as a sophomore in 2021. Winner of the Kentucky Oaks, Alabama, and Ashland at three, her Distaff alongside Spinster and Personal Ensign wins at four was icing on the cake.

“What a day to remember! Malathaat's Breeders' Cup win was truly spectacular,” said Smyth. “She's an extraordinary mare, and her victory was a testament to her remarkable talent and incredible determination. I remember the atmosphere at the Breeders' Cup, where the best of the best came together to put on a show.

Malathaat at Shadwell last month | Sarah Andrew

“Malathaat's victory was the result of her not only being physically gifted but also having a beautiful, composed mind. [Trainer] Todd [Pletcher] and his team did an exceptional job preparing her for that race, and Johnny [Velazquez] gave her a thrilling ride.”

With back-to-back Eclipse Awards secure, Malathaat was retired after the Breeders' Cup and bred to leading sire Into Mischief this spring. Smyth reported she caught on the first attempt and has been determined to be carrying a filly. Despite her competitiveness and athleticism on the racetrack, Malathaat was known for her kindness off the track, making her a fan favorite.

“Malathaat's famously sweet disposition at the track has continued on the farm,” said Smyth. “She's like a big teddy bear, as kind and gentle as ever. Her friendly and amiable nature has made the transition from the track to farm life a smooth and delightful experience. She still requires peppermints, though!

“Malathaat has settled into life on the farm remarkably well,” continued Smyth. “She has a great temperament and a sweet disposition, making her a joy to be around. She has formed a close bond with [Shadwell homebred and 2021 GII Mother Goose winner] Zaajel, which is heartwarming to witness.”

GSW Zaajel and Malathaat with Brittany Carter (broodmare manager), Larry Howard, PJ Dilger, and Maddie Danna | Sarah Andrew

Malathaat's presence in the Shadwell racing stable was a bit of a departure from the usual for Shadwell, as she was a $1.05-million buy at the Keeneland September sale from Stonestreet, who bred and consigned her, during Sheikh Hamdan's tenure. Shadwell has had a mountain of success with homebreds in the past, but hasn't shied away from sales purchases either.

“Shadwell has historically been known for its breeding-to-race approach,” said Smyth, “and that continues to be our primary focus in the American division. However, we do participate in sales as well. Sheikh Hamdan had a particular fondness for the Keeneland September sales, and it's been a wonderful tradition to carry on.

“We can't emphasize enough how fortunate we feel to have her as part of our stable. Malathaat is a beautifully balanced filly, and her walk is simply amazing. It's been an incredible journey since that acquisition, filled with victories and a deep sense of pride for Shadwell for owning a horse of such exceptional quality.”

Malathaat's dam, Dreaming of Julia, was named 2022's Broodmare of the Year for Stonestreet, based in no small part on Malathaat's contributions to her accomplishments. Like Malathaat, both her dam and granddam were Grade I winners, which never hurts when one considers the potential of her future foals.

Malathaat with Maddie Danna (left) and Brittany Carter (right) | Sarah Andrew

“We have big hopes for Malathaat's future as a broodmare,” said Smyth. “We have a lot of options when it comes to selecting stallions for her, and our primary focus is on breeding to race. The plan is to race the offspring she produces and continue the tradition of excellence that Shadwell is known for in the world of horse racing.”

While it will be a minimum of nearly three years before Malathaat's first foal can have an opportunity at the races, Malathaat herself has represented new hope for the Shadwell team and an excitement for what the future holds.

“Having a successful American horse like Malathaat early on in the midst of all the changes at Shadwell, with Sheikha Hissa at the helm, is truly significant,” said Smyth. “Sheikha Hissa has achieved phenomenal success globally in the last two years and Malathaat's accomplishments are a testament to that. We hope to build on this success and uphold our commitment to continue the amazing operation her father built. It's a promising start to the next chapter of Shadwell under her leadership.”

While Malathaat may be part of the new look and new future of Shadwell Racing, the old also remains prominent. Nowhere is this more evident than with another Breeders' Cup winner, 2007 Filly & Mare Turf victress Lahudood (GB). Following a French campaign, the Shadwell homebred was supplemented to the Breeders' Cup for $180,000 after a win in the GI Flower Bowl. Eventually named champion grass mare in the U.S., Lahudood was part of the lone Breeders' Cup edition at Monmouth Park. That renewal tends to be remembered as much for the soggy conditions as for the winners.

Lahudood in the 2007 Breeders' Cup | Sarah Andrew/Equi-Photo

“On the day Lahudood triumphed at the Breeders' Cup,” remembered Smyth, “the ground was exceptionally soft due to the rain at Monmouth Park. Undeterred by the conditions, she displayed exceptional skill and resilience. She broke from the gate very well and encountered some tight spots in the pack. However, a remarkably tough-minded filly, [she] held her own and found herself in second place at the halfway mark. As they reached the final turn, she surged forward with unwavering determination and astonishing speed, never slowing down. Her victory was a testament to her remarkable spirit.

“The translation of Lahudood's name, meaning 'no frontiers', couldn't be more fitting. It perfectly encapsulates her fearless and boundless determination on the track.”

Yet, remarkably, Lahudood's Breeders' Cup win would not be her biggest contribution to the Shadwell program. Herself a third-generation Shadwell homebred tracing directly to the wonderful Height of Fashion (Fr), Lahudood has done much to boost that line since Sheikh Hamdan's death. Height of Fashion, of course, was famously acquired from Queen Elizabeth II and produced the magnificent Shadwell homebred champion and G1 Epsom Derby winner Nashwan, as well as additional highweights Nayef and Unfuwain and three more stakes winners. While a number of top-class winners trace to her through her daughters and their descendants, it's a safe bet Lahudood might be responsible for her greatest current legacy.

Lahudood last month at Shadwell | Sarah Andrew

Lahudood's French black-type winning daughter, the Kingmambo mare Aghareed, is the dam of not only Baaeed–a spectacular 10 for 11 in 2021 and 2022 at the most elite level–but also of Hukum (Ire), another multiple Group 1 winner in 2022 and 2023.

“The satisfaction of having a homebred like Lahudood win the Breeders' Cup,” said Smyth, “and then continue to provide excitement through her progeny is immense. Sheikh Hamdan's deep love for homebred fillies makes this accomplishment even more significant. It's a true testament to the success and legacy of their breeding program.”

Baaeed, a son of Sea The Stars (Ire), retired to Shadwell's Nunnery Stud in the UK at the end of 2022 and covered his first mares this year. Hukum, his full-brother, remains in the ownership of Shadwell but will stand his first season at Darley Japan in 2024.

“Without a doubt, the influence of a mare like Lahudood being the second dam of Baaeed and Hukum is nothing short of remarkable,” said Smyth. “She holds a special place within Shadwell's breeding program, and her impact is profound. Owning a mare of such caliber is a testament to the depth and quality of Shadwell's breeding families. It showcases a dedication to preserving and elevating the standards of Thoroughbred racing and breeding. The influence of this exceptional mare continues to shape Shadwell's breeding program, and her legacy is a source of pride for the Shadwell family and all who appreciate the beauty and power of these magnificent animals.”

Lahudood, now 20, had her final foal in 2021. By Kitten's Joy, the colt has been named Sumood and has not yet raced. Smyth said two of Lahudood's daughters remain part of Shadwell's broodmare band in Kentucky.

“We have great hopes that the mares will take after their older sister and produce high-end athletes,” said Smyth.

As for Lahudood, she's been pensioned “and is living her best life in our sheds with the other retired mares.”

Lahudood with Jose Valenzuela | Sarah Andrew

Shadwell has had other Breeders' Cup successes over the years, most notably with 2006 Classic winner Invasor (Arg), Horse of the Year in both the U.S. and Uruguay, and 2016 Dirt Mile winner Tamarkuz. Still owned by Shadwell, Invasor spent most of his stud career in Uruguay, where he was recently pensioned. Tamarkuz stands at Ballycroy Bloodstock in Canada. Shadwell's American arm is not currently standing any stallions.

“The American division of Shadwell–Shadwell Farm–was established in 1984,” said Smyth. “It has been a significant part of Shadwell's global success in the horse racing industry.

“As for the future of Shadwell, we're all looking forward to continuing the remarkable legacy of Shadwell and the exciting developments that lie ahead. It's a joy to see the Shadwell legacy continued with such dedication and enthusiasm.”

In addition to all those top-class homebreds gracing the fields, four yearling fillies purchased at the recent Keeneland September sale will be added to the racing stable and eventually the broodmare ranks. Sheikha Hissa attended the sale and personally picked them out, said Smyth. Among the purchases were a $2.3-million Into Mischief filly and a $1.1-million Medaglia d'Oro filly.

“It's an exciting blend of the old and new, combining our traditional breeding approach with strategic sales acquisitions to continue Shadwell's success in the racing world,” said Smyth.

From a freshly retired Breeders' Cup winner carrying her first foal to a pensioned Breeders' Cup winner who has contributed so significantly to the tremendous success synonymous with the Shadwell brand, the new Shadwell Racing is poised to honor the past as it melds into the future.

Later this week, Shadwell Racing has homebred Mostahdaf (Ire) pointing to the 40th renewal of the Breeders' Cup Turf. A win by the dual Group 1 winner would add yet another page to the sequel now being written at Shadwell. Win or lose, yet another Breeders' Cup contender seems a fitting way to honor Sheikh Hamdan's legacy and usher in the future with Sheikha Hissa at the helm.

The post From Lahudood to Malathaat, Shadwell Blends the Old with the New appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Wise Dan and Main Sequence, Two Glorious Geldings and the Breeders’ Cup

Celebrating 40 Years of the Breeders' Cup

John Henry famously didn't make it to the Breeders' Cup. Da Hoss famously did, after a two-year layoff with a mere allowance prep. In this industry, where geldings at the elite levels are the exception and not the norm, those geldings tend to become beloved fan favorites. Perhaps it's because they often have longer race careers than their compatriots whose breeding careers must be considered.

Right up there in the lexicon of the special 31 geldings to have won a Breeders' Cup are two industry favorites living their best lives as retirees with the people who knew them best: Wise Dan and Main Sequence. These two glorious geldings may now be retired from the racetrack, but they both still live with their trainers, Charlie LoPresti and Graham Motion, respectively.

“He lives with us and that should show how special he is,” said Motion of Main Sequence.

Neither had a future in the stud barn, neither was transformed into a show horse, neither became a track pony, neither is even a riding horse. Instead, both Wise Dan and Main Sequence are beloved pasture pets, each turned out with a buddy, each living the life of Riley, each with the assurance of LoPresti and Motion meeting their every need.

Wise Dan | Sarah Andrew

Both champions–one as a homebred always destined to race as such and one as a homebred originally intended for the sales–these two horses gave so many thrills to their connections. No wonder their trainers couldn't imagine them living anywhere else and plan to cater to each one's every need for life.

The two chestnuts took very different routes to each trainer's barn. Wise Dan has spent nearly every moment of his life, since he was a short yearling, in LoPresti's care. Motion doesn't remember laying eyes on Main Sequence until he was a 5-year-old who had already won a Group race in England and finished second in the G1 Investec Epsom Derby for trainer David Lanigan.

“Wise Dan was foaled at Patchen Wilkes Farm in Lexington and Mr. [Morton] Fink always sent those babies to us when they were short yearlings,” remembered LoPresti. “I don't remember the exact month, but we pretty much raised him from a short yearling. We broke him, we trained him, we did everything with him.

Wise Dan | Sarah Andrew

“He was a big, strong horse,” continued LoPresti. “I wouldn't say he was difficult, but the only thing that stood out in my mind early was how different he was than other horses. Once I figured out that his stride was so much longer than most horses, he was easy to get along with. At first, we were always trying to bottle him up or slow him down, but once we figured out his natural rhythm was :13 or :14 [for an eighth], he was just a natural athlete. He is just an incredible horse, so smart. Just different than most horses.”

Everyone remembers Wise Dan as a two-time Breeders' Cup Mile winner, but what might not be remembered as well is he started his career on the dirt. He was a graded winner on the main track at three and even ran in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, finishing sixth. It was midway through his 4-year-old year that Wise Dan tried turf for the first time, winning the GII Firecracker H. at Churchill, but he didn't stay on the surface, adding the GI Clark H. and GII Fayette S. on dirt before the year was over. More graded success on the main track at five followed. It wasn't until August at Saratoga at age five in the GII Fourstardave H. that Wise Dan moved permanently to the grass and started one of the most remarkable streaks in recent memory. He would win his next nine in a row, including his first Breeders' Cup, and 14 of his final 15 races.

Successful Dan and Wise Dan | Sarah Andrew

“I could tell you so many things about him,” said LoPresti, “but nothing really fazed him. He almost knew when he was going to run. He'd lay down or rest his head on the stall webbing. I would worry about post position, track condition, everything, but [rider] Johnny Velazquez would say, 'Don't' worry about it. He knows how to win, he knows how to get himself out of trouble.' And he did! He did it every time he won and pulled it off. Nineteen graded stakes he won.

“Part of the thing with him was how he took everything in stride,” continued LoPresti. “When he got to Santa Anita for his Breeders' Cup wins, the first thing he did was just stare at the San Gabriel Mountains like he knew what he was there for. He'd get in the stall–remember he'd never been there before–make two or three turns around and settle down to eat. Most horses take a little while to settle in. He wouldn't. He never got upset about anything. If there was a loose horse, he would just watch like he was saying, 'What's wrong with you?'

“That's the thing about him: he took everything in stride and he always knew how to win.”

He certainly did. During his five-year racing career, Wise Dan won 23 of his 31 starts. No fewer than 11 of his 19 graded wins were in Grade I races. He set track or course records at Santa Anita, Keeneland, and Woodbine. But not everything was smooth sailing. He came back from small injuries. And the sport held its collective breath when Wise Dan colicked and underwent surgery.

“When they turned him over on the table and opened him up,” remembered LoPresti, “the surgeon turned around and gave me a thumbs up. He'd untwisted when they turned him over, so they didn't have to mess with anything and they just sewed him back up. The only thing we were dealing with then was the healing of the incision. Yes, that's a lot, but he was just so tough. That son of a gun came back from the clinic bouncing off the van! All we had to do was heal his incision.”

Wise Dan | Sarah Andrew

LoPresti said he got some flack for bringing Wise Dan back after the surgery and expecting him to perform at the same level. What some people forget is that no one knew him better than LoPresti and no one had his best interests more in mind.

“I knew a lot of people thought I was crazy to bring him back. His first couple of works were not brilliant and I can remember reading stuff after those works–he's not the same horse, you know, all the naysayers–but all I was trying to do was keep him from being stressed and bring him along slow. Then we started to build. That's where I wanted him. We didn't pressure him; we wanted to go along easy and make sure he wasn't going to colic again. Then he came back and he won. And he won again. I always worried. When people start talking, you start to second guess yourself, but I started to see the light come back on and I knew he was back.”

Back indeed. Wise Dan would close out his career as a two-time Horse of the Year and a legend.

“I just want everybody to realize what kind of horse he really was, everything he came through, everything he did. He won $7.5 million and 19 graded stakes and he didn't run for mega-purses. He earned it. If you look at all his races, a lot of them were small stakes. He didn't go to Dubai; there was no Pegasus Cup. I was very fortunate that I had a farm and owners who trusted what I did. I always gave my horses the winter off, never took them to Florida or Louisiana. That was to my demise as a trainer for business, but the old racing families, the old, true sportsmen, got it. I was just fortunate that I had owners that let me do that. Nowadays, if you don't travel and dance every dance, you're going to lose horses. I have really fond memories looking back.”

LoPresti, who quietly retired from training at the end of 2020, said it wasn't just his family and the public who loved Wise Dan. The horse also gave his owner-breeder a reason to live.

“Mr. Fink went to dialysis two or three days a week. That horse kept him alive. The idea of having to go watch him run and watch his next race. That was why we didn't go overseas or to Dubai or anything. Mr. Fink wanted to watch him in person and he really couldn't travel that far. We weren't there for the money. Mr. Fink enjoyed the horse and being able to go see him. I totally understood. I believe he could have gone over to Dubai and won, but that's not what Mr. Fink wanted to do. I was fine with that.”

Wise Dan's last race–and win–was in 2014 in the GI Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland. No one knew at the time it would be his last race, but some small, niggling injuries kept him from returning. When he was officially retired 11 months later just before an attempt at a third GI Woodbine Mile, it was decided 'Dan' would live out his days at LoPresti's farm. LoPresti indicated the Kentucky Horse Park and Old Friends were both interested in having him, “But this is what we all decided. We know him. He was raised here. Why send him somewhere he doesn't know and take him away from his brother?”

Successful Dan and Wise Dan | Sarah Andrew

That half-brother is the one-year older MGW & MGISP Successful Dan, also a Fink homebred campaigned by LoPresti. Successful Dan and Wise Dan are thick as thieves. They're turned out together, they play hard, and they keep themselves extremely fit, said LoPresti. They're also very attached to each other.

“Not too long ago, Successful Dan got a little hurt and needed some stitches. He needed to stay in the barn for a week. Wise Dan never went more than 30 yards away. He kept checking on him,” said LoPresti.

“Wise Dan is just different from other horses. He's so smart. All the great ones are just different. That's what makes them what they are. Of course, they have to have the athletic ability, too, and he did with that natural rhythm, that natural stride.

“He's very kind, but also very strong. When he decides he wants to go out to the paddock or when he went to gallop at the track, he's going to take you where he wants to go. It's impossible to slow him down.”

Wise Dan's Breeders' Cup wins were in 2012 and 2013; he was undefeated in four starts in 2014, but didn't make the Breeders' Cup that year. Main Sequence, another turfer, did. The two never faced each other on the track, as Wise Dan specialized at a mile and Main Sequence wanted longer. The latter won the 12-furlong Breeders' Cup Turf in 2014. He took a far different road getting there than Wise Dan did.

“Honestly, he wasn't the most straightforward horse to train,” said Motion of Main Sequence. “He could be a little bit tricky. He certainly has a lot of personality.”

Lanigan, a former UK-based trainer who is now with Four Star Sales in Kentucky, laid it out plainly.

“He was a pain in the ass!” said Lanigan, who first trained Main Sequence in England, with a laugh. Lanigan and Motion both trained for the Niarchos family's Flaxman Holdings.

Main Sequence | Sarah Andrew

“He was a difficult horse, a little bit quirky,” continued Lanigan. “He didn't like to lead the string, didn't show much on the gallops. But he was a big, mature, good-looking horse who coped with everything very good. We were surprised when he won his maiden first time at two. None of mine usually won first time out. They improved more from first to second run. There was a good horse of Godolphin's in there that cost a lot of money and he beat him quite well. Then we sent him to a novice at Newmarket. It was more of a fact-finding mission to see if he was as nice as we thought he was. There were useful sorts in there and he won that very well.

“Then I managed to convince [owner] Maria [Niarchos-Gouaze of Flaxman Holdings] and [Flaxman's racing manager] Alan [Cooper] to supplement him for the Derby… The boldness in me! I couldn't leave a Derby horse on the table. I had to spend the next six months trying to convince Alan to run him.”

Main Sequence ended up going to the Derby undefeated in four starts, including in the G3 Betfred Derby Trial. He suffered his first career defeat in the Derby to Aidan O'Brien's Camelot (GB) with Queen Elizabeth II in attendance. The performance may have been assurance that Main Sequence was as good of a horse as Lanigan thought, but that loss was also tough to swallow.

“It broke my heart,” said Lanigan. “Nobody ever remembers second. He was beaten by a very good horse and ran his race, but I was gutted for myself because I knew we had a very nice horse. And I was very disappointed for Maria. She was one of the first people to send me a horse when I started training. She was always a very good supporter and friend, so it wasn't just my own selfishness. I was very disappointed for her.”

Main Sequence | Sarah Andrew

Main Sequence and Lanigan were together for approximately another year and a half after the Derby, long before the Breeders' Cup was on the table. Lanigan had actually picked the chestnut out of the Keeneland September sale as a yearling. The horse had been entered, but Lanigan said Niarchos-Gouaze had asked him if there were any of hers in the crop he liked. When Lanigan picked Main Sequence, he never went through the ring and was shipped to the UK instead. Lanigan and the horse were together for nearly three years total and came to an understanding.

“Like a lot of good horses, you could set your watch by him. He went out first lot every day, would have his breakfast, then go to sleep. He'd be comatose from 9-12, head under the shavings. I took him out for a pick of grass every day myself. He was a bit of a handful. Out of nowhere, he'd stand straight up on his hind legs.

“He overcame a lot. He had a tiny bit of a kissing spine after he won his novice as a 2-year-old, but after that never missed another day. We gelded him at the end of his 3-year-old year because he didn't really have a stallion's pedigree. He was a little bit of a bridesmaid at four. He'd get himself very warm in paddocks that year, which he never did before, so it was sort of a frustrating year.

“I told Maria, 'There's a better chance for him over in America. You could win a Breeders' Cup with him in America, but we're going to struggle with him in Europe.'”

Prophetic words, it turns out. Lanigan said shipping him back and forth was considered, but it was ultimately decided it would be better for the horse to be based in the same area he'd run, rather than to ship. Lanigan was fully on board.

Bye Bye Melvin with Main Sequence and Benjamin Button (the mini) | Sarah Andrew

“I told Maria it was going to be a wasted opportunity for the horse and for her if she didn't do it. It all worked out very well. Maria and the horse were the most important two in the whole thing. She's an owner who deserves the very best. It was a pleasure to have had him and I feel very lucky to have had him.”

Motion was the lucky recipient in America. Although Motion had been to Lanigan's yard in Lambourn when he stabled his GI Kentucky Derby and G1 Dubai World Cup winner Animal Kingdom there prior to a run at Royal Ascot, he didn't have any particular memories of Main Sequence in the flesh before he came to America.

“Obviously he'd been in some nice races already, so you knew he was a good horse,” said Motion. “I was aware of him because we all trained for Flaxman and he'd certainly done well in some nice races–had that second in the Derby–but I didn't really know him before. I think the whole team felt that American racing might suit him. We kind of all made all those decisions together, with David Lanigan and Alan Cooper.

“Main Sequence actually got quite sick when he first came to me. Shipping over the winter is tough, having to travel and quarantine on both sides. It took him a while to get over it. We gave him a lot of time.”

Main Sequence and Bye Bye Melvin | Sarah Andrew

The repatriated Main Sequence would not make his American debut under Motion's care until July of 2014. He would win that day–the GI United Nations S.–and wouldn't lose that year, adding the Sword Dancer, Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, and Breeders' Cup Turf, all Grade Is. The campaign culminated in a championship.

“We did things with him that I hadn't really done with a horse,” said Motion, “in all the extra schooling. He required a lot of time in working with those things. He was always a little slow to come away from the gates, so we worked on that quite a lot. The first time he ran for us, in the UN, he walked out of the gate. He gave us fits with that.

“His first three races were by a neck, a head, and a neck. It was a testament to Rajiv [Maragh], who rode him so well.”

Maragh was not able to be aboard for the Breeders' Cup. Velazquez, who had piloted Wise Dan to his first Breeders' Cup win, but had gotten injured earlier on the card of Wise Dan's second Breeders' Cup victory and was hospitalized as the race ran, had to substitute for Maragh in this Breeders' Cup.

“It was tough,” said Motion, “because Rajiv had won on him in the Turf Classic and while we were up in the reception room after the race [just over 30 minutes later], Rajiv had his terrible accident and broke his arm. We were good friends with him and Angie, his wife, so there were a lot of emotions when he got hurt. I get emotional now just thinking about it. So Johnny rode him in the Breeders' Cup. That was the year he was coming off that bad accident of the year before in the Breeders' Cup.”

Maragh needed two plates and 13 screws to repair his arm and would win on Main Sequence again in 2015. Velazquez had emergency surgery after a spill in the Juvenile Fillies in 2014 that resulted in pancreas repair and spleen removal. Motion is close friends with both riders.

“On Breeders' Cup Day was the only time Main Sequence ever broke properly. He won handily,” said Motion. After winning the GII Mac Diarmida S. the next year, Main Sequence tried Dubai and for a repeat in the United Nations, but didn't perform as hoped in the latter and it was discovered he had suffered a tendon tear. He was retired.

“Alan and Maria were nice enough to let him stay here after his career,” said Motion. “These horses were so influential in my career.”

Graham Motion with Better Talk Now in 2008 | Sarah Andrew

Motion mentioned Better Talk Now, his very first Breeders' Cup winner. Better Talk Now, who also won the Turf a decade before Main Sequence, also retired to Motion's Fair Hill home base. He passed away in 2017 following complications from colic surgery.

“Main Sequence is a bit like Better Talk Now,” said Motion. “Neither one of them were particularly nice horses to ride. They both had the same kind of personality: pretty cantankerous, pretty tough, which is probably an indicator of how good they were.”

Main Sequence now lives in a paddock with Bye Bye Melvin, another former Motion runner who ran in the 2022 Breeders' Cup Turf.

“I have to be very careful who we put out in the paddock with him, because he's pretty tough on other horses, but he and Bye Bye Melvin get along great.”

Main Sequence served as an ambassador at the Maryland 5* event earlier this month.

“That was quite a shock to him to come out of his field for the first time in years,” said Motion with a laugh. “He was a little wound up, but it was very cool. A lot of people came by to see him. I heard he only bit one person, but we made it through. It was just a mile up the road, so we decided to do it.”

Like LoPresti with Wise Dan, Motion has incredibly fond memories of his Breeders' Cup win with Main Sequence.

“It was very rewarding,” said Motion. “It was really a team effort to win a Breeders' Cup race for the Niarchos family. I grew up watching them, so it was like a dream to win for them. It was sort of coming full circle. We love the Breeders' Cup.”

The post Wise Dan and Main Sequence, Two Glorious Geldings and the Breeders’ Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Catching Up with 2007-08 Breeders’ Cup Sprint Winner Midnight Lute

Midnight Lute gave a masterclass in devastating closing speed in his back-to-back Breeders' Cup Sprint wins, with his 4 3/4-length score in 2007 an eye-popping performance visually and his 1:07.08 time in 2008 still holding the Sprint record. Veteran yearling-to-juvenile reseller Eddie Woods broke the champion, who was a $290,000 RNA at OBS March in 2005 as a 2-year-old.

“He was a wonderfully big, good-looking black horse,” said Woods. “Tom McGreevy bought him to pinhook him to OBS. It's shameful to say for a champion sprinter, but he didn't work quick enough. If you look at his style of running, he sashayed out of the gate. He had no early speed at all.

“He was always good-looking and he turned into a big, handsome horse with crazy finishing speed. His Breeders' Cup at Monmouth in the slop was one of the best races I've seen.”

Midnight Lute (2003 dark bay or brown horse, Real Quiet–Candytuft, by Dehere)

Lifetime record: Ch. sprinter, MGISW, 13-6-3-1, $2,690,600

Breeders' Cup connections: B-Tom Evans, Macon Wilmil Eq, & Marjac Fm (KY); O-Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Weitman Performances, LLC; T-Bob Baffert; J-Garrett Gomez.

Current location: Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, Paris, Ky.

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Catching Up with 2020 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Winner Essential Quality

As the wide-reaching Godolphin operation has used the names of different arms throughout the years–for example, 2001 Juvenile Fillies winner Tempera (A.P. Indy) was bred by Darley Stud Management, LLC but raced for Godolphin, LLC–it may be a surprise to learn Essential Quality was the first official Godolphin homebred to win the Breeders' Cup. Remarkably, in the two renewals since his win, another seven Godolphin homebreds have added to that number.

Undefeated at two, Essential Quality was a Belmont and Travers winner at three. His first foals were born this year.

Essential Quality was one of our best yearlings in his crop and he later proved to be the best of his whole crop,” said Michael Banahan, Director of Bloodstock at Godolphin, USA, “winning the Eclipse Award for being Champion 2-year-old and 3-year-old. He also holds a special place in the Godolphin honor roll as a homebred Classic winner. What really distinguished Essential Quality from other horses is that when he left our yearling farm to go into training, he never had a day off until after his last race. He never raced on any medication, was fast, tough, sound and durable. Hopefully, he will pass on those traits to his offspring which will propel him into having a great second career as a stallion.”

Essential Quality (2018 gray or roan horse, Tapit–Delightful Quality, by Elusive Quality)

Lifetime record: Ch. 2yo colt, Ch. 3yo colt, MGISW, 10-8-0-1, $4,755,144

Breeders' Cup connections: B-Godolphin (KY); O-Godolphin, LLC; T-Brad Cox; J-Luis Saez.

Current location: Jonabell Farm, Lexington, Ky.

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