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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Oct. 22 Insights: Expensive Debuters Assemble at Keeneland Post-Dowager

8th-KEE, $100k, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 4:44p.m. ET
After the turf marathon mares dazzle the Kentucky crowd in Keeneland's GIII Dowager S. a race prior, the juveniles will take to the main track to open their dockets in this maiden dash led by Pin Oak Stud's PHANTOM SPEED (Arrogate) from the rail. A $700,000 KEESEP purchase, the grey is a half-brother to GSW Biddy Duke (Bayern) who hails from the extended female family of juvenile champion MGISW Forte (Uncle Mo); Japanese Triple Crown winner, three-time champion MG1SW Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}; champion juvenile filly, MGISW Folklore (Tiznow); and two-time champion MGISW Essential Quality (Tapit).

To his immediate inside breaks Legalize (Constitution), a $500,000 OBSAPR purchase this past spring for a large partnership led by Twin Brook Stables, Belladonna Racing, Nice Guys Stables, and West Point Thoroughbreds, et. al, who is a half-brother to SW Workaholic (Sky Mesa); MSP Fouette (Nyquist); and GSP Tomato Bill (More Than Ready). This is the direct female line of GI Kentucky Oaks victress Summerly (Summer Squall).

Call Protection (Good Samaritan), a $340,000 pick up for Klaravich Stables at OBSAPR, will head to post for Chad Brown while the Heiligbrodt and Spendthrift Farm color-bearer Skelly Road (Mitole) will look to get his connections into the same winner's circle that 'TDN Rising Star' Booth (Mitole) did earlier in the meet. Ethan Energy (Uncle Mo), a homebred half-brother to MGSW Royal Charlotte (Cairo Prince) for Stonestreet will head out from the barn of Brad Cox. TJCIS PPs

3rd-GP, $50k, Msw, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, 1:50p.m. ET
Going to post for MyRacehorse and Mathis Stables, $375,000 OBSAPR grad Here's the Kicker (Liam's Map) will start her career in the sunshine state against a field of seven. Out of a half-sister to GISW Patternrecognition (Adios Charlie) and MSW Florida Fuego (Kantharos), the Todd Pletcher trainee hails from the family of GISW Battle of Midway (Smart Strike) and MSW & MGSP Moretti (Medaglia d'Oro). This is the extended family of champion female sprinter MGISW Musical Romance. TJCIS PPs

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Cody’s Wish, Proxy, Join Darley 2024 Stallion Roster Headed by Nyquist

With a fee of $85,000, Nyquist (Uncle Mo) will lead the way among a total of 13 stallions who will stand at Darley's Jonabell Farm in 2024, including two new additions in GI winners Cody's Wish (Curlin) and Proxy (Tapit), according to Darley America.

Cody's Wish, out of GI winner Dance Card (by Tapit), is expected to make his final start in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile after winning the race in 2022. A winner of 10 of 15 career starts, Cody's Wish has never finished out of the first three during his career. He heads into the Breeders' Cup boasting additional GI victories in the Met Mile, the Churchill Downs S., and the Forego S. He matched his career-high Beyer of 112 in this year's Met Mile, the same figure he achieved in last year's Forego, which is the co-top Beyer in 2023, along with Echo Zulu (Gun Runner). In addition, his 112 Beyer last year was bettered only by Flightline and future Darley stud mate Speaker's Corner.

Proxy is expected to make his next appearance on Breeders' Cup Saturday in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. By Tapit, he has won or placed in a total of 10 graded stakes, including a victory in the GI Clark S. and was within a nose and a neck of two additional Grade I wins in the Santa Anita H. and the Jockey Club Gold Cup. He is out of multiple GI winner Panty Raid (Include), making him the only son of Tapit out of a multiple Grade I-winning mare. The dam has also produced Grade II winner Micheline, a daughter of Bernardini.

Fees for Cody's Wish and Proxy will be announced following the Breeders' Cup.

Said Darley Sales Manager Darren Fox, “It's been another fantastic year for our racing program, highlighted by the likes of Grade I winners Cody's Wish and Proxy. Being able to retire six homebred stallions to our ranks over the past three years speaks volumes to the hard work and dedication of our team from top to bottom.”

The champion first-crop sire of 2020, Nyquist, who stood for $55,000 in 2023, has had a strong 2023 as the sire of GI Alabama S. winner Randomized, GI Awesome Again S. winner Slow Down Andy, GII Amsterdam S. winner New York Thunder–where he ran a 110 Beyer–and the Royal Ascot-winning two-year-old Crimson Advocate. Randomized and Xigera both head next to the Breeders' Cup Distaff, while Crimson Advocate is expected in the Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Medaglia d'Oro (El Prado {Ire})'s stud fee will be $75,000 for 2024, down from $100,000 in 2023. The stallion is North America's leading active sire of worldwide stakes winners with 176. His son Golden Sixty (Aus) is currently the highest-earning horse in training with a bankroll of nearly $19 million. He was the sire of a $1.1 million yearling at Keeneland September, bringing his career total to 55 million-dollar sales horses.

Multiple Eclipse champion Essential Quality (Tapit) and dual Grade I winner Maxfield (Street Sense) will stand at fees of $65,000 and $35,000, respectively, next year. Their first foals will sell at Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton next month.

Street Sense (Street Cry {Ire})'s fee will be at $60,000, Hard Spun (Danzig)'s at $35,000, while second year stallions Speaker's Corner (Street Sense) and Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) will stand for $17,500 and $12,500, respectively.

 

DARLEY AMERICA FEES — 2024

Cody's Wish (Curlin)–TBD

Proxy (Tapit)–TBD

Nyquist (Uncle Mo)–$85,000

Medaglia d'Oro (El Prado {Ire})–$75,000

Essential Quality (Tapit)–$65,000

Street Sense (Street Cry {Ire})–$60,000

Maxfield (Street Sense)–$35,000

Hard Spun (Danzig)–$35,000

Speaker's Corner (Street Sense)–$17,500

Midshipman (Unbridled's Song)–$15,000

Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper)–$12,500

Frosted (Tapit)–$10,000

Enticed (Medaglia d'Oro)–$5,000

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Tapit Trice, Il Miracolo Work Towards Belmont

'TDN Rising Star' Tapit Trice (Tapit), a latest seventh to Mage (Good Magic) in the GI Kentucky Derby May 6, went five furlongs in 1:00.22 over a fast Belmont main track Friday morning in his penultimate work ahead of the GI Belmont S. at Big Sandy June 10. He galloped out three-quarters of a mile in a strong 1:12.60 and was up seven furlongs in 1:25.

“Super breeze, big gallop out,” trainer Todd Pletcher said following the work. “He seems to really like the main track here. I'm very, very happy with the way he's been training. He hasn't missed a beat since the Derby. He's settled in well. He's been galloping over the main track. He had a breeze last week [half-mile in :49.04 May 19] and a more serious breeze today. It was a major piece of work today, we'll come back for a maintenance- type breeze next week. We always thought the mile and a half would suit him.”

A win would make Tapit Trice the fifth son of Tapit to take the Belmont, adding to the previous successes of Tonalist (2014), Creator (2016), Tapwrit (2017) and Essential Quality (2021). Pletcher likes the colt's chances of seeing out the 12 furlongs.

“He's out of a Dunkirk (Unbridled's Song) mare who I trained and ran second [to Summer Bird] in the [2009] Belmont. From a pedigree standpoint, you would think he's capable,” Pletcher said. “He's got that big, long galloping stride. I think the main thing is making sure that he gets into that comfortable rhythm and doesn't give himself too much to do early on. The Belmont is not necessarily a closer's race, but it seems like he's really coming up to it the right way.”

Would-be Derby favorite and 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence) and Kingsbarns (Uncle Mo) were scheduled to breeze Friday, but the former will now work Saturday morning at 8:45. Pletcher was unsure when Kingsbarns would return to the tab.

“He's got a little bit of a bellyache today, so we weren't able to breeze him,” Pletcher said of Kingsbarns.

At Gulfstream Park Friday morning, trainer Antonio Sano sent out Il Miracolo (Gun Runner) for a five-furlong move over a sloppy main track that was clocked in 1:01.06.

“He had a very good work. He leaves for Belmont next Saturday,” Sano said. “It's a very strong race and the horse is a little green right now, but I hope he can run well and run a strong race.”

Sixth and well-beaten behind Forte in the GII Fountain of Youth S. and again in the GI Curlin Florida Derby, Il Miracolo was the wire-to-wire winner of a one-mile allowance/optional claimer at Gulfstream May 11.

 

 

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