Godolphin Sweeps Leading Owner/Breeder Titles

For the fourth straight year, Sheikh Mohammed bin Maktoum's Godolphin has been named Eclipse champion owner and the operation was named champion breeder for the third straight year. During 2023, Godolphin was represented by Eclipse finalists Cody's Wish (Curlin), Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief), Mawj (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) and Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).

In addition to its Eclipse titles as leading owner from 2020 through 2023, Godolphin was also named champion owner of 2009 and 2012.

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First Mission Completes Pegasus Preparations in Big Easy

'TDN Rising Star' First Mission (Street Sense) breezed five furlongs in 1:00.40 (2/52) Saturday morning at the Fair Grounds in preparation for next Saturday's $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. at Gulfstream Park. The 4-year-old colt, who was put through his paces by exercise rider Kevin Perez, was clocked in 1:13.60 for six furlongs, according to trainer Brad Cox.

“He's been doing very well week after week,” Cox said of the Godolphin homebred, a latest second to the re-opposing Trademark (Upstart) in the GII Clark S. at Churchill Downs Nov. 24. “We're excited about giving him a shot at a Grade I. We weren't looking for anything really different than he'd done the last few weeks. We were just giving him an opportunity to go out there and stretch his legs, see how he's doing. And he's telling us he's doing as well as he ever has.”

First Mission is due to arrive at Gulfstream Monday afternoon. Luis Saez retains the mount.

The Saffie Joseph, Jr.-trained duo of GIII Harlan's Holiday S. hero O'Connor (Chi) (Boboman) and Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) got their final tune-ups during half-mile breezes up at Palm Meadows Saturday morning. Working on his own, O'Connor was timed in :48.55, while GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile runner-up Skippylongstocking went in the company of the stakes-winning Swirvin (Girvin) and was clocked in :47.55.

Dynamic One (Union Rags), Crupi (Curlin) and Harlan's Holiday runner-up Grand Aspen (Dialed In) each turned in drills at Palm Beach Downs for trainer Todd Pletcher Saturday morning. Dynamic One and Crupi went in company, with Crupi going in :48.29 and Dynamic One :48.39. Dynamic One, who was equipped with blinkers for the first time, started two lengths ahead of Crupi, who finished the breeze 1 1/2 lengths behind his stablemate, who was ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr. Grand Aspen went the same distance in :49.13.

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Godolphin Exacta In Cape Verdi, As Silver Lady The Latest Stakes Winner For Sea The Stars

It was a stirring game of jockeyship, as Mickael Barzalona and SILVER LADY (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}–Lumiere {GB}, by Shamardal) fended off the finishing rush of William Buick and English Rose (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) to win by a measured neck in the AED850,000 G2 Cape Verdi Presented by DP World CGG at Meydan on Friday. The Godolphin runners are both trained by Charlie Appleby. The duo had closed on stablemate Shining Jewel (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) who had set the pace for much of the race until midstretch.

Just off the leaders and tossing her head leaving the stalls, the bay eventually relaxed as Shining Jewel showed the way. Well covered up heading into the turn, positions were largely unchanged on the bend, and Mickael Barzalona cued his charge just before the quarter-pole. She promptly collared Shining Jewel to take the advantage. Meanwhile, the formerly undefeated English Rose was winding up with her run to the subsequent winner's outside, and gave every appearance of edging past, but her greenness told late, as Silver Lady proved game to the line.

“She's got a mind of her own, a bit of temperament,” said Barzalona of Silver Lady. “I took her down steady and she settled well during the race–it was rough the first part–but then she took a big breath and picked up well.”

A winner of a Newmarket maiden when unveiled last April, Silver Lady was promptly third in the Listed Michael Seely Memorial Fillies' S. in May. Given some time off, she returned to take sixth in another listed race at HQ in September and failed to menace when unplaced in the G3 Pride S. there in October, her final appearance prior to Friday's triumph.

Pedigree Notes

The 4-year-old is the 116th stakes winner and 70th Pattern winner for her sire, who stands at Gilltown Stud in Ireland under the banner of The Aga Khan Studs. The much-missed Shamardal now has 102 stakes winners and 52 group winners as a broodmare sire. The cross is also responsible for three other stakes winners led by four-time Group 3 winner Al Aasy (Ire).

Lumiere (GB) claimed the G1 Cheveley Park S. and was also placed in the G2 Lowther S., G2 Challenge S. and G3 Sceptre S. throughout her career. She hit black-type pay dirt with her first foal, the G3 Darley S. winner Highland Avenue (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), and Silver Lady is her second group winner. She has a full-sister to Highland Avenue named Dazzling Jewel who just turned three, a juvenile filly by Siyouni (Fr) and a yearling colt by Dubawi still to come.

Lumiere is a full-sister to GI E. P. Taylor S. heroine Sheikha Reika (Fr) (Shamardal), herself the dam of the stakes-placed Arabic Legend (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).

 

Friday, Meydan, Middle East
CAPE VERDI (PRESENTED BY DP WORLD GCC)-G2, AED850,000, Meydan, 1-19, NH4yo/up & SH3yo/up, f/m, 1600mT, 1:34.57, gd.
1–SILVER LADY (GB), 126, f, 4, by Sea The Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Lumiere (GB) (G1SW-Eng, $329,674),
                                by Shamardal
2nd Dam: Screen Star (Ire), by Tobougg (Ire)
3rd Dam: Actoris, by Diesis (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Godolphin (GB);
T-Charlie Appleby; J-Mickael Barzalona. AED510,000. Lifetime
Record: SP-Eng, 5-2-0-1, AED1,476,000. *1/2 to Highland
Avenue (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), GSW-Eng, $185,405. Click for the
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Werk Nick
   Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–English Rose (Ire), 126, f, 4, Frankel (GB)–Sobetsu (GB), by
Dubawi (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE.
O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. AED170,000.
3–Stenton Glider (Ire), 126, f, 4, Dandy Man (Ire)–Crystal Malt
(Ire), by Intikhab. (£35,000 Ylg '21 TATSEP). O-Mrs J Mairs & T
S Mairs; B-Laurence Kennedy (IRE); T-Hugo Palmer.
AED85,000.
Margins: NK, 4, NO.
Also Ran: Nibras Angel (GB), Shining Jewel (GB), Mystic Pearl (Fr), Hunting Lady, Shymay (GB). Click for the ERA chart & video.

 

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Coral Distaff One-Two Eye Cape Verdi Riches

Friday's AED850,000 G2 Cape Verdi presented by DP World GCC run over 1600 metres on the grass has attracted a field of eight, with a pair of Euro raiders in Mystic Pearl (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and Stenton Glider (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) signed on for trainers William Haggas and Hugo Palmer, respectively. The duo ran one-two in the Listed Coral Distaff S. last year.

After her July score over Stenton Glider at Sandown, the then-3-year-old was a close third in the G3 Prix de Lieurey, just two heads behind the winner Elounda Queen (Ire) (Australia {GB}).

Stenton Glider boasts a pair of group placings, and connections regarded her highly enough to race her in the G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket last spring.

“This has been the target since she disappointed at Haydock [in August],” said Palmer of Stenton Glider. “She's had a break since then, the first real break of her life. She's grown and strengthened, filled out, and is a much stronger filly now.

“She's taken to Dubai really well; she's trained super and been very relaxed, so we hope she can run a very big race.”

Naturally, Godolphin has a strong presence in the lone group race of the nine-race card, and their trio includes the stakes-placed Silver Lady (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) at a mark of 101. William Buick is aboard the undefeated English Rose (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) who most recently took a Kempton novice in November, while Richard Mullen has the call on the two-for-four Shining Jewel (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), who is riding a two-race winning streak. The trio break from posts three, eight and four, respectively.

“Shining Jewel is a nice spare to get,” said Mullen. “She won her last two starts and looks like she's improving. I had a sit on her the other day and she's a lovely big filly by Siyouni and I think she'll get further in time, as well.

“Obviously English Rose looks the pick of them, but they're all unexposed horses. The William Haggas filly [Mystic Pearl] brings the best form into it.”

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