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Essential Quality Finishes No. 1 In Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings

Benefiting from Grade 1 victories in the Belmont Stakes and the Runhappy Travers Stakes, Godolphin's 3-year-old Essential Quality has finished No. 1 in the final voting of the 2021 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings, a weekly poll of the top 10 horses in contention for the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). This year's Longines Breeders' Cup Classic will be run at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California, on Nov. 6 as the final race of the 38^th Breeders' Cup World Championships.

Trained by Brad Cox, Essential Quality earned 290 votes, and finished four votes ahead of stablemate Knicks Go, who had 286 votes in second place. Last year's TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1) winner and Champion 2-Year-old Male, Essential Quality has won five of six starts this year, with his only defeat being a fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby (G1). Korea Racing Authority's 5-year-old Knicks Go had been in first place in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings until Essential Quality overtook him two weeks ago.

Also trained by Cox, Knicks Go has won four races in 2020, including the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park and the Whitney (G1) at Saratoga in August, in which he earned an automatic starting position into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. Knicks Go won his final prep for the Classic on Oct. 2 when he registered a 4-length victory in the Lukas Classic (G3) at Churchill Downs. In addition to Essential Quality, two other 3-year-olds finished in the top four.

Roadrunner Racing, William Strauss, Boat Racing and Gainesway Stable's Hot Rod Charlie finished in third place with 269 votes. Trained by Doug O'Neill, Hot Rod Charlie won the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) on Sept. 25 in his most recent race.

Zedan Racing Stables' Medina Spirit, who won Santa Anita's Awesome Again (G1) on Oct. 2, accumulated 189 votes to finish in fourth place.

Godolphin's 4-year-old Maxfield finished in fifth place with 168 votes. Trained by Brendan Walsh, Maxfield earned an automatic starting position in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic when he captured the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs in June.

George E. Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds Corp's Max Player, who won two Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races in the Longines Classic Division this year, finished in sixth place with 150 votes. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Max Player was victorious in the Suburban Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park in July, and followed up that score with a triumph in The Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Saratoga on Sept. 4.

Bruce Lunsford's Art Collector finished in seventh place with 142 points for trainer Bill Mott. Art Collector was a frontrunning winner of the Woodward Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park on Oct. 2 in his final tune-up for the Classic.

Prince A A Faisal's 4-year-old Mishriff (IRE) finished in eighth place with 67 votes. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Mishriff gained an invitation to the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic when he won the Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) at York Racecourse in England on Aug. 18.

The John Sadler-trained Tripoli finished in ninth place with 50 votes. Owned by Hronis Racing, Tripoli secured a free berth in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic when he won the TVG Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar in August.

St. Elias Stable's Dr Post rounded out the top 10 with 38 votes. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the 4-year-old Dr Post finished third in the Woodward Stakes.

FINAL Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings – Oct. 12, 2021*

Rank	Horse	Votes	First-Place Votes	Previous Week
1	Essential Quality	290	14	1
2	Knicks Go	286	12	2
3	Hot Rod Charlie	234	1	3
4	Medina Spirit	189	1	4
5	Maxfield	168	1	5
6	Max Player	150	0	6
7	Art Collector	142	1	6
8	Mishriff (IRE)	67	2	9
9	Tripoli	50	0	10
10	Dr Post	38	0	10

*Note – The Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings have no bearing on qualification or selection into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.

The 2021 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, which will be run at 1 ¼ miles on the main track, is limited to 14 starters. The race will be broadcast live on NBC.

The Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings were determined by a panel of leading Thoroughbred racing media, horseplayers, and members of the Breeders' Cup Racing Directors/Secretaries Panel. A list of voting members can be found here.

In the Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings, each voter rates horses on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 system in descending order.

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Jimmy Bell To Retire From Godolphin USA; Michael Banahan Accepts Expanded Role

Godolphin announced today that president and racing manager Jimmy Bell will retire from his day-to-day involvement at its USA division by the end of the year.

Dan Pride, chief operating officer of Godolphin, USA, said, “Jimmy Bell is the bedrock that Godolphin USA is built upon. His history with Jonabell is well known and he has faithfully served 20 years molding us into what we are today. He is a friend to many of us and always an example of how to live your life and focus on what is important.”

When the Bell family's Jonabell Farm was acquired by HH Sheikh Mohammed in 2001, Bell was retained in his current role which guaranteed a smooth transition after the purchase. Bell commented, “My 20 years with Godolphin have been nothing short of a dream come true. More special have been the friendships and fellowships I've developed with so many folks here at Team Godolphin. It's been my privilege and pleasure to work alongside so many wonderful colleagues.”

Bell also indicated that while he's stepping back from his responsibilities at Godolphin's Jonabell location, he'll still be very active with the organization as its representative on several industry boards. He currently serves as president of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and is a member of the board of the Breeders' Cup and the Fayette Alliance, as well as the Keeneland Advisory Board.

Michael Banahan, currently the director of farm operations and the longest serving Darley/Godolphin USA employee, will transition to the role of director of bloodstock by the end of the year. This new role will encompass Bell's racing responsibilities as well as overseeing all aspects of managing the Godolphin USA horse population. Pride said, “Michael is an integral part of the success of the entire operation here in the US. His knowledge base covers everything from farm infrastructure needs, our stallion program, to planning the matings of such horses as Essential Quality and Maxfield. I know he's excited to assume this new and important responsibility.”

Banahan, who was named Kentucky Farm Manager of the Year in 2019, began his tenure with Darley in 1993. Banahan said, “For 20 years I've had the honor to work alongside Jimmy, and while there's going to be quite a void with his departure, I am very glad for him as he enters a new phase of life. Godolphin USA has a strong team and I'm excited about taking on this new challenge.”

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Bell Set to Retire from Godolphin

Jimmy Bell, president and racing manager for Godolphin's U.S. division, will retire from his day-to-day involvement with the operation by the end of the year, according to a release from the operation.

“Jimmy Bell is the bedrock that Godolphin USA is built upon,” said Dan Pride, Chief Operating Officer of Godolphin, USA. “His history with Jonabell is well known and he has faithfully served 20 years molding us into what we are today. He is a friend to many of us and always an example of how to live your life and focus on what is important.”

The Bell family's Jonabell Farm was acquired by Sheikh Mohammed in 2001 and Jimmy Bell was retained in his current position.

“My 20 years with Godolphin have been nothing short of a dream come true,” Bell said. “More special have been the friendships and fellowships I've developed with so many folks here at Team Godolphin. It's been my privilege and pleasure to work alongside so many wonderful colleagues.”

Bell said he plans to remain active with Godolphin as a representative on several industry boards. He currently serves as President of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and is a member of the board of the Breeders' Cup and the Fayette Alliance, as well as the Keeneland Advisory Board.

Michael Banahan, currently the Director of Farm Operations and the longest-serving Darley/Godolphin USA employee, will transition to the role of Director of Bloodstock by the end of the year. This new role will encompass Bell's racing responsibilities as well as overseeing all aspects of managing the Godolphin USA horse population.

Pride said, “Michael is an integral part of the success of the entire operation here in the US. His knowledge base covers everything from farm infrastructure needs, our stallion program, to planning the matings of such horses as Essential Quality and Maxfield. I know he's excited to assume this new and important responsibility.”

Banahan, who was named Kentucky Farm Manager of the Year in 2019, began his tenure with Darley in 1993.

“For 20 years I've had the honor to work alongside Jimmy, and while there's going to be quite a void with his departure, I am very glad for him as he enters a new phase of life,” Banahan said. “Godolphin USA has a strong team and I'm excited about taking on this new challenge.”

The post Bell Set to Retire from Godolphin appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Adayar Possible For QIPCO Champion S.

Godolphin's G1 Cazoo Derby and G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. winner Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) might be seen once more this season in the G1 QIPCO Champion S. at Ascot on Oct. 16. Fourth in the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe after leading into the home straight, the bay has been pleasing trainer Charlie Appleby since his run in Paris.

“He will be left in the Champion S. tomorrow, for the simple reason at the moment he has come out of the Arc well,” Appleby told Racing TV's Luck On Sunday. “Should connections ask me next week how the horse is, and I say 'jumping around' and they say 'where can we go?', I'd look a bit daft saying I'd taken him out of the Champion S. on the Monday.

“He will stay in tomorrow. We've an open book and should connections want to run him again and I can't at that time give a negative for not to run him, then the Champion S. will be looked at.”

Appleby also provided an update on G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas runner-up Master Of The Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who will run in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. The G3 Craven S. hero was last seen running third in the G2 Joel S. at Newmarket on Sept. 24. Godolphin stablemate and Group 3 winner Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) will also be in action on QIPCO Champions Day, but in the G1 Champions Sprint.

“The way the weather forecast is potentially looking, Master Of The Seas will run in the QEII and Creative Force will head to the Champions Sprint. Two handy horses,” he said. “Creative Force is learning how to sprint now. We've seen what he can do over seven. He's been competitive at six and he's still learning. As we all know, dropping back into sprinting divisions at that level it takes a bit of getting the hang of, but he's getting there and he'll go into the weekend a big player.

“Master Of The Seas has definitely come on for that run in the Joel and we're looking forward to him.”

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