Ryan Moore | Horse Racing Free Tips

Deep Impact’s Snowfall Routs The Irish Oaks Field

It was a mere 8 1/2-length margin on Saturday as Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) read the script to become the 15th filly to follow up her G1 Epsom Oaks success in The Curragh's G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks. Always travelling comfortably in fourth under Ryan Moore, the 2-7 favourite coasted to the lead two out and powered clear in now-customary fashion to put safe distance between her and stablemate Divinely (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), with Nicest (Ire) (American Pharoah) half a length back in third. While there was no repeat of her astounding 16-length victory in the June 4 Classic, this still represented another impressive marker laid down to the rest of Europe's middle-distance leaders by Ballydoyle's latest sensation. “She's a high-class filly, is straightforward and she has done what she was entitled to do,” commented Ryan Moore, who after a barren spell was bringing up a fourth group 1 or grade I win for the stable in five in the space of two weeks. “We went a good honest pace and we had to fight for a little bit of room off the bend, but she has plenty of class. She has done nothing wrong this year and is very exciting. I wouldn't say anything is too much of a problem for this filly.”

Breaking her maiden in the seven-furlong maiden at this meeting 12 months ago, having almost been brought down when clipping heels on her second start over the same course and distance, Snowfall gradually slipped down the pecking order with four efforts hardly screaming dual Classic winner at three. Fourth in Leopardstown's G3 Silver Flash S. and fifth in the G2 Debutante S. here in August, she was ninth in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. in September prior to running eighth when mistaken for Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) in the G1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket in October. Amazingly, she was 14-1 when dismissing the much-vaunted pair of Noon Star (Galileo {Ire}) and Teona (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in the G3 Musidora S. over an extended 10 furlongs at York May 12 and passed over by Moore in favour of Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the Oaks and it was Frankie Dettori who enjoyed the long-to-be-remembered cruise through the Epsom feature as a result.

Anything other than an emphatic win here would have been questioned and Snowfall did not disappoint to provide Aidan O'Brien with a sixth renewal to take him level with Sir Michael Stoute for the record. “She's very smart and she has a lot of quality,” he said. “We purposely let her down a little bit from Epsom, because the season is going to roll on and it was soft ground there. The plan was to come here, go on to the [G1] Yorkshire Oaks [at York Aug. 19] and then she'd be ready for the autumn. I'm delighted with her and she's done very well from Epsom physically, she's got very big and strong. Ryan said she has a lot of speed. She goes very strong and she finishes out very well.”

Reflecting on last term, the master of Rosegreen added, “She's a filly that always had a lot of natural ability and we had to get her to relax a little bit, so we didn't worry too much about it as we were always concentrating on switching her off. Things went against her. Her first run was over five-and-a-half furlongs in Navan and Mother Earth was second. Then she came back here to a maiden and Seamus nearly fell off her. That's why it took a few runs to win a maiden and it might have been a blessing in disguise, as she became very mature and grown up from it mentally. Because she was busy early in the season it might have took it's toll at the end of the season, even though she was perfect mentally. She and Mother Earth ran in the Fillies' Mile and we were nearly siding with her over Mother Earth. That's what we always thought of her. We always thought fast ground was her thing and I was very worried in Epsom about her with that ground.”

Bred in the purple she carries, Snowfall is the first foal out of Best In the World (Ire) by the much-missed Galileo (Ire) whose two successes came in the G3 Give Thanks S. and the Listed Silken Glider S. and who was also runner-up in the G2 Blandford S. She is a full-sister to the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and GI Breeders' Cup Turf heroine Found (Ire), who the winner could stand comparison with in time, as well as the G3 Weld Park S. winner Magical Dream (Ire) and the G3 Flame of Tara S. scorer Divinely (Ire) who was third in the Epsom Oaks and runner-up here. Found is in turn the dam of last year's G2 Vintage S. and Listed Chesham S. winner and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and G1 St James's Palace S.-placed Battleground (War Front). The second dam is the G1 Lockinge S. and G1 Matron S. heroine Red Evie (Ire) (Intikhab). Best In the World has the unraced 2-year-old full-brother to Snowfall named Newfoundland (Ire) and a yearling colt by Dubawi (Ire).

Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
JUDDMONTE IRISH OAKS-G1, €448,000, Curragh, 7-17, 3yo, f, 12fT, 2:34.36, gd.
1–SNOWFALL (JPN), 128, f, 3, by Deep Impact (Jpn)
1st Dam: Best In The World (Ire) (GSW-Ire, $141,246), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Red Evie (Ire), by Intikhab
3rd Dam: Malafemmena (Ire), by Nordico
O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Roncon, Chelston Ire, Wynatt (JPN); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €232,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, 10-4-0-1, $667,020. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Divinely (Ire), 128, f, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Red Evie (Ire). by Intikhab. O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €80,000.
3–Nicest (Ire), 128, f, 3, American Pharoah–Chicquita (Ire), by Montjeu (Ire). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Donnacha O'Brien. €40,000.
Margins: 8HF, HF, 2 3/4. Odds: 0.29, 11.00, 10.00.
Also Ran: Willow (Ire), Party House (Ire), La Joconde (Ire), Ahandfulofsummers (Ire), Mariesque (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Breeders’ Cup A Possibility For Bolshoi Ballet, Santa Barbara

The luck of the Irish was present at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. on Saturday when Irish-breds Santa Barbara and Bolshoi Ballet captured their respective 10-furlong first legs of the Turf Triple series for champion trainer Aidan O'Brien and Coolmore partners Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Westerberg.

Santa Barbara won the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational after some anxious moments around the far turn and into the stretch. Expertly piloted by jockey Ryan Moore, Santa Barbara saved ground between horses down the backstretch, but lacked racing room at the top of the stretch. Approaching the furlong marker, she angled into the clear and displayed a devastating turn-of-foot going from seventh to first in the final two points of call. The half-length victory garnered a 90 Beyer Speed Figure.

Two races later, the all navy blue Coolmore colors found prosperity once more when Bolshoi Ballet backed up his heavy favoritism in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby. The beaten favorite last out in the Group 1 Epsom Derby on June 5 saw redemption by making a wide, sweeping move at the top of the stretch under Moore to win by 1 ¼ lengths.

Bolshoi Ballet and Santa Barbara will head back to Ballydoyle Training Center in Ireland on Sunday evening, where further plans will be evaluated.

“They both ate up well last night and left nothing. They walked this morning and are a hundred percent,” said O'Brien's traveling assistant T.J. Comerford. “They'll head home tonight, but they're in good shape after running.”

Comerford said that a start in the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships on November 6 at Del Mar is possibly in play for both horses.

Santa Barbara would likely target the $2 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, while Bolshoi Ballet would be a candidate for the $4 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf – which O'Brien has won six times.

“That's the plan for them both,” Comerford said. “Wherever they go next is another thing, but now that they had a bit of practice coming over here, it will be easier the next time.”

The second legs of the Turf Triple for sophomores are the $1 million Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational on August 7 and the $700,000 Grade 3 Saratoga Oaks Invitational on August 8. Comerford said while both races have not been ruled out for either horse, they would be more likely to campaign in Europe before heading back to the United States for the Breeders' Cup.

“It's probably an option, but now that they have it done, maybe we'll find some other horses to come to Saratoga with,” Comerford said. “I'm sure we'll have something – maybe not these two – but Aidan will decide.”

Comerford said both Santa Barbara and Bolshoi Ballet have been highly regarded horses for O'Brien from the get-go.

“He brought two very good horses this time,” Comerford said. “The filly was favored in the Guineas and finished third. The colt was favored in the Derby, he just didn't get to running. The ground didn't come up the way we had hoped, but he took his chance. He did get galloped well into behind, but he came out of it very well.”

Santa Barbara, a daughter of 2012 Epsom and Irish Derby winner Camelot, arrived at the Belmont Oaks off three straight starts at Group 1 caliber, the most recent of which was a narrow defeat to older filly Thundering Nights in the Group 1 Pretty Polly at the Curragh, just 13 days before the Belmont Oaks. A similar route was taken with 2018 Belmont Oaks victress Athena, who won off six days rest when third in that year's Pretty Polly.

Prior to the Pretty Polly, she was a respective fourth and fifth in the British 1000 Guineas on May 2 at Newmarket and the Epsom Oaks on June 4 at Epsom Downs.

“In fairness to her, her last three races were top class Group 1 races so she had plenty of experience,” said Comerford. “She showed in the Oaks that she had a good turn of foot, even though they were going steady. Ryan never hit her. Even after the race, he said it was the easiest winner he's ridden.”

Breeders' Cup victories have been a family tradition for Santa Barbara, whose half-siblings Order of Australia and Iridessa captured the 2020 Breeders' Cup Mile and 2019 Filly and Mare Turf, respectively. Santa Barbara's grand dam, Starine, won the 2002 Filly and Mare Turf for late Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel.

“She's starting to progress like him [Order of Australia] and Iridessa,” Comerford said. “She's starting to go along the same lines as them. She's just getting better. The next time she'll be a lot more streetwise again. It was only her fifth start.”

Prior to the Epsom Derby, Bolshoi Ballet registered two Group 3 victories at Leopardstown going the Belmont Derby distance. Comerford said a mile and a half is easily within the athletic colt's ability.

“If it were a mile and a half yesterday, he would have won further,” Comerford said. “He wants a mile and a quarter, but a mile and a half isn't a problem to him either.”

A victory in the Belmont Derby came on the same day as the passing of Bolshoi Ballet's internationally acclaimed sire Galileo, who captured the Epsom Derby, Irish Derby, and King George & Queen Elizabeth Diamond, all Group 1, in 2001.

“There are going to be other Galileo horses that come along, but we were fortunate to win yesterday,” Comerford said. “He's proven to be a decent horse and we've always thought a lot of him.”

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Bolshoi Ballet Brings Home Belmont Derby Win For Galileo

On the day that the world said goodbye to his sire Galileo, Bolshoi Ballet was looking to return to the familiar confines of the winner's circle in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. Fresh off a win on Santa Barbara in the Belmont Oaks, Ryan Moore was more than happy to guide Bolshoi Ballet to another Grade 1 victory for the colt's legendary sire.

Breaking from post two, the son of Galileo hung toward the middle of the field of nine, content to sit behind Hard Love on the lead with Sainthood and Safe Combat behind him for the first part of the ten furlongs. Hard Love maintained his lead by a length on the backstretch, with Cellist moving past Sainthood to take over second as they approached the final turn.

On the turn, Cellist took over the lead, with Hard Love just behind him on the hedge as Bolshoi Ballet went wide and then accelerated into the stretch. That turn of foot allowed Bolshoi Ballet to take over the lead within the race's last sixteenth of a mile, with Tokyo Gold surging late to take second and Cellist holding on for third. Du Jour, Sainthood, Palazzi, Hard Love, Safe Conduct, and Hidden Enemy rounded out the field. The final time for the mile and a quarter was 2:04.62.

Find this race's chart here.

Trained by Aidan O'Brien, Bolshoi Ballet follows up his seventh-place finish in the Group 1 Epsom Derby with today's victory in the G1 Belmont Derby, the first leg of the New York Turf Triple, improving his record to four wins in seven lifetime starts for total winnings of $638,434. The 3-year-old colt is by Galileo out of the French mare Alta Anna, by Anabaa. He was bred by Lynch-Bages & Rhinestone Bloodstock and is owned by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Westerberg.

Ryan Moore saw the slow pace of the Belmont Derby and knew what Bolshoi Ballet needed. “It felt like they were going very slow. This horse, we know he gets the 10 [furlongs] very well. It was a messy race and he won comfortably without being able to show how good he is. We're happy with him. He's the most beautiful horse you'll see. He's a real athlete. He's a class horse.

“With a furlong to run, you could see he was just waiting; having a look and his ears were going. He's still getting used to knowing what he has to do. We think there's more to come. Potentially, I suppose he could be a Breeders' Cup Turf horse.”

T. J. Comerford, assistant to trainer O'Brien, was pleased with the colt's performance on less-than-ideal turf. “The ground was probably a little bit slow for him, because he likes quick ground, but he did well at the finish because he had a good gallop and that helped him. Ideally, he probably wants tougher ground. In fairness to him, his class pulled it out at the end of the day and you have to be happy with it.”

Bolshoi Ballet paid $4.10, $3.20, and $2.80. Tokyo Gold paid $10.60 and $6.20. Cellist paid $7.20 to show.

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Santa Barbara Digs Deep, Surges Late To Win Belmont Oaks

In a race that looked like Con Lima might win wire-to-wire, Santa Barbara capitalized on the potential she showed as a 2-year-old and surged past Con Lima to steal the victory in the waning strides of the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

After finishing second in her last race at the Curragh June 27, Santa Barbara came into the mile and a quarter Belmont Oaks winless in her previous starts of 2021. Aidan O'Brien had been high on the daughter of Camelot (GB) and sent her stateside for the G1 Belmont Oaks, with jockey Ryan Moore on board. At the break, it was all Con Lima, taking an easy lead and controlling the pace throughout the first nine furlongs. Behind her were Spanish Loveaffair, Nazuna, and Higher Truth, all biding their time for the stretch. Santa Barbara hung toward the back of the pack, and, as the field came into the final turn, Santa Barbara had a challenge ahead of her.

With a wall of horses in front of him, Moore tried to take Santa Barbara along the hedge on the turn, coming into the stretch searching for running room somewhere. With Con Lima still leading, Moore moved Santa Barbara toward the middle of the track, finally finding running room between horses with only a sixteenth of a mile to go. Santa Barbara accelerated, quickly shrinking the gap between her and Con Lima and flashing under the wire a half-length to the good. Con Lima just held on for second, with Higher Truth in third and Gam's Mission fourth. The final time for the mile and a quarter was 2:03.76.

Bred in Ireland by Whisperview Trading Limited, Santa Barbara is by Camelot out of the Danehill mare Senta's Dream. The 3-year-old filly is owned by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Westerberg. With her win in the Belmont Oaks, Santa Barbara improves to a record of two wins in five lifetime starts.

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