breeders' cup mile | Horse Racing Free Tips

Global Superstar Goldikova Dies At Age 16

Goldikova, one of the world's top racehorses of any sex or surface preference over the past decade and a half, has died at age 16, Racing Post and the French publication Jour de Galop report.

Pierre-Yves Bureau, racing manager for Goldikova's owner and breeder Wertheimer et Frere, made the announcement via text to Jour de Galop on Wednesday morning, which read after translation; “It is with immense sadness that we inform you of the death of our champion Goldikova on Jan. 5, 2021. Goldikova will be remembered as the best racing mare on the team with her 14 Group 1 victories, including a splendid Prix Jacques le Marois in 2009 and her historic treble in the Breeders' Cup Mile. ”

Goldikova was nothing short of a dominant force over the course of her five seasons on the racetrack, winning 17 of 27 starts for earnings of $7,176,551. She was trained by Freddy Head.

After winning her first two starts as a juvenile at Deauville in France, the daughter of Anabaa soon climbed up the ranks at three, finishing second in the Group 1 French 1,000 Guineas and third in the G1 French Oaks. She earned her first taste of group stakes success in the Group 3 Prix Chloe, which kicked off a four-race winning streak in major races that included Group 1 scores in the Prix Rothschild and Prix du Moulin de Longchamp before making her first international start in the 2008 Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita Park, where she bested male competition by 1 1/4 lengths.

Goldikova's 3-year-old campaign was just a taste of what the Irish-born filly had to offer, and that was proven the following season, when she locked down Europe's champion older horse honors with four Group 1 wins in France, England, and the U.S., capped off by her second Breeders' Cup Mile score, once again at Santa Anita. Though she only made one start in the U.S. that year, her campaign wowed voters enough to give her the Eclipse Award as champion turf female.

The mare's 5-year-old campaign saw more of the same, once again earning Europe's championship as champion grass mare, and the Eclipse in the same category. What made this campaign unique was her debut at the prestigious Royal Ascot meet, where she conquered the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes, adding to her five total Group 1 victories that season. Once again, the season finished in the Breeders' Cup winner's circle, this time 1 3/4 lengths at Churchill Downs.

Goldikova's final season came during her 6-year-old campaign, which saw her win her fourth edition of the G1 Prix Rothschild and her second renewal of the G1 Prix d'Ispahan, both in France. She finished second in that season's Queen Anne at Royal Ascot, and her chase for a fourth consecutive Breeders' Cup Mile in her career finale came up short, finishing third to massive upset Court Vision at Churchill Downs.

Her legacy in the U.S. is apparent by the mark she left in the Breeders' Cup. Her $3,508,200 in Breeders' Cup earnings ranks fifth all-time, and the most by a horse to have never won the Classic. She was third on the all-time earnings list when she retired.

Additionally, Goldikova is the only horse in the event's history to win the same race three times, and only champion Beholder joins her as three-time Breeders' Cup winners, with the latter having taken the Juvenile Fillies before winning two editions of the Distaff.

Those Breeders' Cup efforts, paired with her outstanding global resume, earned Goldikova admission into the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame in 2017.

Goldikova was retired to the Wertheimer broodmare band in Ireland, where she produced six foals. She was not pregnant at the time of her death.

She has had two winners from four starters as a broodmare, highlighted by the Galileo filly Terrakova, who won the G3 Prix Cleopatre and finished third in the G1 Prix de Diane Longines, both in France.

Breeders’ Cup Heroine Goldikova Dead at 16

Wertheimer et Frere’s 14-time Group 1-winning mare Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa-Born Gold, by Blushing Groom {Fr}), the only horse to win the same race three times at the Breeders’ Cup, has died aged 16.

“It is with immense sadness that we inform you of the death of champion Goldikova on Jan. 5, 2021,” Wertheimer et Frere Racing Manager Pierre-Yves Bureau told Jour de Galop. “Goldikova will remain in our memories as our best racemare with her 14 Group 1 wins, among which was a splendid Prix Jacques le Marois in 2009 and her historic triple in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.”

Bred by Wertheimer et Frere out of their excellent producer Born Gold, Goldikova joined the yard of trainer Freddy Head in 2007 and was an immediate hit, winning her two juvenile outings with ease. She lost her unbeaten record on her 3-year-old debut when third in Longchamp’s Prix du Louvre, and found the great Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar) too good in both the G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches and Prix de Diane; she was second in the former, with Coolmore’s now-great producer Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) back in third, and third in the Diane, with she and Zarkava split by Gagnoa (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells), a half-sister to Derby winner Pour Moi (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}).

Goldikova returned to the winner’s enclosure next out in the G3 Prix Chloe and went unbeaten the remainder of the season, taking in the G1 Prix Rothschild and G1 Prix du Moulin before her first score in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita, where she made Head the first individual to have ridden and trained a winner at the great meeting. He has since been joined by Joseph O’Brien.

Goldikova began her 4-year-old season with an uncharacteristically dull seventh in the G1 Prix d’Ispahan over the soft ground, but bounced back to win three consecutive Group 1s: the Falmouth S., Rothschild and the Prix Jacques le Marois by six lengths in what is credited as her best performance with an official rating of 131. Third when dropped back to seven furlongs in the G1 Prix de la Foret, Goldikova justified favouritism once again to defend her Breeders’ Cup Mile title back at Santa Anita, equaling the feat that Head had achieved aboard the great Miesque 21 years earlier in winning back-to-back Miles, a feat also accomplished by Lure in 1992 and 1993. Wise Dan won the race back-to-back in 2012 and 2013. Da Hoss had won non-consecutive Miles in 1996 and 1998. Goldikova was at the time one of 10 horses to win twice at the Breeders’ Cup, with Conduit (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}) interestingly having also accomplished the feat in the 2008 and 2009 Breeders’ Cups at Santa Anita. A further nine horses have since won twice at the Breeders’ Cup.

Redeeming herself in the d’Ispahan with a half-length score to kick off her 5-year-old campaign in 2010, Goldikova traveled to Royal Ascot for the first time to take the G1 Queen Anne S. before winning a third Rothschild. She was second to the Guineas winner Makfi (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) while attempting to defend her Marois title, but bounced back next out to go one better in the Foret before clinching a historic third Breeders’ Cup Mile win at Churchill Downs over the American champion Gio Ponti (Tale of the Cat). That feat has not been matched since.

Returned to training at six, Goldikova bested Cirrus des Aigles (Fr) (Even Top {Ire}) to win a second d’Ispahan before finishing second to Canford Cliffs (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}) in the Queen Anne. In what would prove to be her final victory, she won a fourth straight Rothschild before finishing second in the Marois and the Foret to Immortal Verse (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) and Dream Ahead (Diktat {GB}), respectively. Favoured for a fourth tilt at the Breeders’ Cup Mile, Goldikova looked to be sitting a dream trip stalking the pace on the rail and hit the lead a furlong from home, but lacked the necessary late kick to hold off the Woodbine Mile winners Court Vision (Gulch) and Turallure (Wando). Goldikova retired to the illustrious Wertheimer broodmare band thereafter with 17 wins from 27 starts, and just one off the board finish, and £4,364,886 in the bank. Goldikova earned three Cartier Awards (Horse of the Year in 2010 and Older Horse in 2009 and 2010), was the American champion female turf horse in 2009 and 2010 and was in 2017 inducted into the American racing Hall of Fame.

Peslier, who was in the saddle for all 27 of Goldikova’s starts, paid tribute to his former partner on Wednesday, saying, “It’s very sad that she has passed away. She was a champion and an amazing filly. We travelled all over the world together, going to America and winning three times at the Breeders’ Cup. We went to Royal Ascot and won and won many races in France as well, of course.

“It’s very similar to Frankie Dettori and Enable–when you ride an amazing filly like that, she will be in your life forever. We have both ridden many winners and many Group 1 winners, but a filly like this–winning 14 Group 1–it’s different. The owners were fantastic to keep her in training for as long as they did. She could have been retired, but the owners were like fans and they wanted to see her run.”

Goldikova was, somewhat remarkably, the ninth foal out of Born Gold, and the mare did her best producing in the twilight of her broodmare career, with Goldikova followed by the G1 Prix Vermeille scorer and Prix de Diane second Galikova (Fr) (Galileo {Ire}), the G1 Prix Paul de Moussac scorer and the five-times Group 1-placed Anodin (Ire) (Anabaa) and the G3 Prix Vanteaux victress Gold Luck (Fr) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}). Goldikova is also a half-sister to the Group 3 winners Gold Sound (Fr) (Green Tune) and Gold Round (Ire) (Caerleon), and the latter is the best producer out of Born Gold, having left behind five stakes horses including the G3 Prix Minerve scorer Golden Valentine (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}). Gold Round is also the second dam of Prix Vanteaux winner Platane (GB) (Le Havre {Ire}).

Goldikova produced a pattern race winner in her second foal, the G3 Prix Cleopatre winner and Prix de Diane third Terrakova (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), and from her four other foals of racing age just the filly Goldika (Ire) (Intello {Ger}) is a winner. Her newly turned 3-year-old is the Dubawi (Ire) filly Goldistyle (Ire) and she has a 2-year-old colt by Galileo (Ire) named Lehman (GB), both in training with Carlos Laffon-Parias. Goldikova was not in foal for 2021.

The post Breeders’ Cup Heroine Goldikova Dead at 16 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

‘Everything Looks Perfect’ For O’Brien Trio Ahead Of Sunday’s Hong Kong International Races

Aidan O'Brien is satisfied with reports out of Sha Tin as his stable's travelling trio Magical, Order Of Australia and Mogul wind up for Sunday's (Dec. 13) HK$95 million (US$12.25 million) LONGINES Hong Kong International Races, but believes the task of winning will be as tough as ever.

“We don't expect it to be easy. Those races in Hong Kong are absolutely world class standard,” O'Brien said by telephone from his Ballydoyle base. “The horses just did a canter (on Tuesday) and the lads seem happy with them at the moment.”

The master trainer has – as is usual, even in non-pandemic days – entrusted on-the-ground preparations to loyal lieutenant Pat Keating and his small team of experienced travelling staff. Unable to jet in for the big races this year due to Covid-19 travel restrictions, O'Brien will mastermind maneuvers from County Tipperary, hopeful that his contenders will add to his famous stable's two previous Sha Tin glories, achieved when Highland Reel took the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase in 2015 and 2017.

Magical, with three of her seven G1 wins accrued this year, is the event's international bill-topper, while Mogul brings with him a big home reputation and a G1 success in the Grand Prix de Paris; Order Of Australia shocked America and beyond last time out with a long-odds upset in the G1 Breeders' Cup Mile and presents as a fascinating rival to Hong Kong's old and new star milers, Beauty Generation and Golden Sixty.

“It's a tough place to win, which is good for competitive racing,” O'Brien said. “Unless you go there with good horses, it's very hard to win.”

Magical has enjoyed another profitable year in her stellar career and would become O'Brien's most prolific G1 winner should she collect her eighth top-flight victory in the HK$28 million (US$3.61 million) LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m, about 1 1/4 miles).

The five-year-old has earned her status as one of the sport's finest race mares, her talent and her character having combined to produce an athlete capable of competing at the top level in 20 of her 27 career races, with wins achieved at home in Ireland and in Britain, and fine efforts in defeat in France and the USA, notably when a close second to Enable in the 2018 Breeders' Cup Turf.

“Magical has travelled plenty and she likes travelling, and Pat has been happy with her since she arrived there. Everything looks perfect at the moment,” O'Brien said.

“She's a relaxed filly with a good mind and she's raced all the way from seven furlongs to a mile and a half. She's a mature adult now and she's very easy to handle, very straightforward and very genuine.”

The Galileo mare started her 2020 campaign with rolling wins in the G1 Pretty Polly Stakes and G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup before running a gutsy second to the world's current top-rated galloper Ghaiyyath in the G1 Juddmonte International Stakes. But Magical avenged that reversal in style at her next outing when snaring her second G1 Irish Champion Stakes, having raced at her rival's quarters, exerting pressure throughout and then quickening on by; her latest two efforts saw her place third in the G1 QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot and second again in the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland.

Magical faces a typically difficult assignment this weekend and will need to see off last year's victor Win Bright and his fellow Japanese raiders Danon Premium and Normcore, as well as Hong Kong's revitalized 2019 BMW Hong Kong Derby hero Furore. And then there is Time Warp, the Cup victor in 2017, whose front-running style is likely to determine the shape of the race.

“She'll be very happy if there's a good pace on: that would suit her,” O'Brien said.

A sound tempo was lacking when Magical failed to defend her Champion Stakes crown two starts back, and again last month in Kentucky when touched off behind Tarnawa over two furlongs further at the Breeders' Cup.

“She just likes a high tempo really and that's what catches her sometimes over a mile and a half, the tempo's not strong, like the last time. The time before that it was a mile and a quarter but it was the same thing, slow tempo early; she likes to be at a high tempo to be seen at her best,” her trainer added.

Few people if any outside of Ballydoyle would have seen Order Of Australia as a G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile candidate before his shock win in the G1 Breeders' Cup Mile last time out.

“The plan we had was the Breeders' Cup Mile but we weren't sure if we were going to get in,” O'Brien said. “We weren't going to, so he was going to run in a nine-furlong race out there the day before and we always had in our heads that if he got in and ran a big race, we would see if he would get invited to Hong Kong because the two races we thought would suit him were the Breeders' Cup Mile and the Hong Kong Mile. Both are flat tracks with nice ground.”

The 3-year-old only just made the Breeders' Cup Mile cut at Keeneland, having gone there with the profile of a middle-distance galloper. The colt won at a mile and a half two starts prior with his only race at a distance as short as a mile being his career debut one year earlier when fifth. But, while the colt is by a Derby winner, his half-sister Iridessa – also by a Derby winner – not only won the G1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at a mile and a quarter, but also the G1 Matron Stakes and G1 Fillies' Mile, both over a mile.

“We always had it in our heads that he could be a miler but he's by Australia so we started him as a Derby-type horse and he ran very well when fourth in the Irish Derby, then we went back to a mile and a quarter and he ran very well in a French Derby, so it was always possible that we were going to go back in distance but with the season that we had, it looked like we were going to run out of time,” O'Brien explained.

“We gave him a break after the French Derby and it was a bit of a rush to get him fit again. We had to go to Dundalk over a mile and a quarter and he won there, and then he went to The Curragh and the ground got very bad, we ran him and we shouldn't have – that was a mile and a quarter. It became obvious that day that the trip wasn't for him: he travelled well but just didn't get home at all.”

Order Of Australia will face Japan's defending champion Admire Mars in the HK$25 million (US$3.22 million) contest, as well as Hong Kong's great new hope, Golden Sixty. But a reproduction of his Breeders' Cup win would put him right in the mix; on that occasion, the bay overcame a wide gate, showed smart early pace and raced eagerly in fourth before quickening and driving homeward to a neck success over stablemate Circus Maximus.

“In the Breeders' Cup he looked like a horse you could shorten up a little bit more because he travelled strongly through the race,” O'Brien said. “He had a terrible draw, especially the way the races were run out there – he was as wide as you could possibly be on a tight track over a mile. It was a massive effort for him to do what he did. To get a position from where he was drawn, Pierre-Charles (Boudot) did brilliantly. We were over the moon with the run.

“Often, horses win and everything was in their favor but it wasn't in his favor, given where he was drawn and things, and he still won. We've been happy with him since and we're looking forward to seeing him running again.”

Order Of Australia has worn blinkers in every race this season but has shown no shortage of resolution in his races, even when stretching his reserves over a mile and a half.

“He's always worn the blinkers because he was lazy and we had them on him just to keep him concentrated,” O'Brien said. “But, looking at him in the Breeders' Cup Mile, you wouldn't say that he really needed them because he travelled very strongly through the race. Obviously, after doing that, we were afraid to leave them off, especially going into a race like this, we didn't want to change too much.”

The master of Ballydoyle knows exactly what it takes to win the HK$20 million (US$ 2.58 million) G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m, 1 1/2 miles): Highland Reel achieved the first of his two wins at the end of his 3-year-old season and O'Brien is looking for Mogul to do the same.

Like his stablemate Magical, Mogul was undone by the steady pace in the Breeders' Cup Turf last time but ran on well enough from deep to finish fifth of 10.

“He wants an even pace, he can quicken off even pace but in America it was only a dawdle, it was a mess really,” O'Brien said. “We had taken the decision that we were going to take our time on him but when you're doing that you're always at the mercy of the race. He still ran very well and we were happy with his run and we've been very happy with him since.”

The handler is hoping for something more akin to the Grand Prix de Paris (2400m) at Longchamp in September when Mogul quickened strongly under Boudot to win in a time more than five seconds quicker than standard.

“We always thought a lot more of him than he was showing in his runs until Longchamp. He's a big, powerful horse and you would be hoping the plan is to keep him in training next year as well,” he said.

“It was a good race and it was the first time we really took the decision to drop him out completely, take our time on him and ride him for pace. That's what we did and it worked very well – it was a properly-run race.”

Ryan Moore will partner Mogul and Magical on Sunday, with Boudot retaining the ride on Order Of Australia. Neither rider will partner in trackwork.

“The jockeys know them and the lads are there, Pat (Keating) and John (Manton), Dean Gallagher and Emmett McNamara and Patrick (Murphy), they're all there with them so they'll handle all that,” O'Brien said.

“It's all absolutely world class out there and it's a credit to everybody in Hong Kong, the way Hong Kong racing is run. This meeting is top of the tree, standard-wise, the way everything is done there – the track, the competition, the stewarding, the way everyone is looked after, the facilities, it's second to none really and we're always delighted to have horses good enough to go there.”

The post ‘Everything Looks Perfect’ For O’Brien Trio Ahead Of Sunday’s Hong Kong International Races appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Magical to the Hong Kong Cup

MG1SW Magical ((Ire) (Galileo {Ire}–Halfway to Heaven {Ire}), by Pivotal {GB}), runner-up behind Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) in the Nov. 7 GI Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland, has remained in training and is expected to make her next start in the G1 Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin Dec. 13.

Earlier this season, the 5-year-old mare won the G1 Irish Champion S., G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup and the G1 Pretty Polly S.

“She ran very well in America, we were very happy with her at the Breeders’ Cup,” said trainer Aidan O’Brien. “At the moment the plan is to take her to Hong Kong. She’s still in full work at the moment and that’s what we are looking at the minute.”

The post Magical to the Hong Kong Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post