Bragging rights belong to St Mark's Basilica (Fr), who topped the December Foal Sale at Tattersalls when a filly by the multiple Group 1-winning stallion out of Oaks winner Talent (GB) sold for 575,000gns. 

The St Mark's Basilica sale-topper was consigned by Ashbrittle Stud and bought by agent Jill Lamb on behalf of Newsells Park Stud, with the former labelling the filly as the nicest foal that she had seen by the stallion. 

Add that result to a 180,000gns colt to Camas Park Stud, a filly to Ronald Rauscher for 175,000gns and a colt to Yeomanstown Stud for 130,000gns, it's fair to say St Mark's Basilica stamped his authority as a force to be reckoned with.

Space Blue (Ire) was the other big name whose first foals were eagerly anticipated at Goffs and Tattersalls. A colt by the Kildangan-based stallion caught the attention of Baroda Stud at €140,000 at Goffs while the triple Group 1 winner enjoyed solid trade at Tattersalls with a filly making 95,000gns and two colts selling for 80,000gns apiece. 

'Yeomanstown Don't Come Up With A Bad One Too Often'

Peter Kelly summed Supremacy (Ire) up at Goffs when, after selling his half-brother by the stallion to Group 3-winning juvenile Caught U Looking for €180,000, he said, 'Yeomanstown don't come up with a bad horse too often.' The early signs are that the O'Callaghans could be on to a decent one with Supremacy with 31 foals selling at Goffs for an average of €30,952.

The Six-Figure Lots For Starman

Three foals–two colts and a filly–by Starman (GB) have cleared six figures between Goffs and Tattersalls. Two of those were snapped up by Tally-Ho Stud, where the Group 1-winning sprinter will stand at €10,000 for 2024. Jimmy Murphy of Redpender Stud was another notable supporter of the stallion when signing for a Starman colt for €120,000 at Goffs. 'Flash' Conroy, Timmy Hyde of Camas Park Stud and the Gleeson brothers were other notable buyers.

Vega Looking Lucky

One of the stories to emerge from Goffs was the positivity at which the market met Lucky Vega (Ire). The Group 1-winning juvenile, who stands at the Irish National Stud, achieved sales of €75,000, €72,000 and €65,000. The support continued at Tattersalls last week with Tinnakill House Stud selling a half-sister to Prix de l'Abbaye runner-up Good Vibe (Ire) (Dream Ahead) for 82,000gns.

Nando The Surprise Package

Fellow Irish National Stud-based stallion Nando Parrado (GB) could be viewed as something of a surprise package. Standing for just €6,000, he achieved a rock-solid average of €17,800 for 20 foals sold at Goffs with three foals clearing €30,000. A 20,500gns average for six foals sold at Tattersalls represented another good innings for the son of Kodiac (GB) who makes plenty of appeal to breeders operating on a budget.

Alkumait Packing A Punch

Similar comment could apply to Alkumait (GB), the Showcasing (GB) half-brother to 2,000 Guineas winner Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who stands for €5,000. Two foals by Alkumait sold for €32,000 and €30,000 at Goffs, with top judges Shane and Alex Power of Tradewinds signing for the latter.

Lope Y Looking Good

A 100,000gns colt capped a memorable debut performance for the foals by Lope Y Fernandez (Ire). Standing at the National Stud for £8,500, Lope Y Fernandez is averaging more than double that fee on 50 foals sold in Britain and Ireland. He has earned the plaudits of some top judges and, along with a 100,000gns colt sold at Tattersalls, Kelly Equine also signed for a colt by the stallion for 78,000gns.

Top Judges Row In Behind Pinatubo

Of the stallions with their first runners next year, it seems as though Pinatubo (Ire) is the one that the majority are rowing in behind. It was a fair achievement for Pinatubo to finish third in the sires table at Tattersalls in terms of aggregate. Granted, Pinatubo was well-represented with 14 foals selling throughout the week, but perhaps the metric to concentrate on here is that his average of 115,500gns and aggregate of 1,617,000gns is greater than what the brilliant first-season sire Blue Point (Ire) achieved through the very same representation. For Blue Point's 14 foals, he cleared an average of 109,929gns and an average of 1,539,000gns. Could Pinatubo chart a similar path next season?

Strong Support For Ghaiyyath

The strength behind Ghaiyyath (Ire) continued last week, with 10 foals selling for an average of 97,500gns, but most interesting was the support from within. Godolphin signed for just four foals last week, two of which were by Ghaiyyath–a colt and a filly respectively to the tune of 540,000gns. That followed on from a bumper performance from Ghaiyyath at Goffs where 23 foals sold for just shy of a €50,000 average and an aggregate of €1,127,500 which made him the second-highest performing stallion at the Irish sale. The figures held up at Tattersalls last week with 10 foals selling for an average of 97,500gns. It's probably an understatement to describe the Darley operation to be in good health with a view towards next season. Rare has there been a more exciting time for the outfit. 

Earthlight Adds To The Excitement At Darley

Earthlight (Ire) adds to that excitement at Darley. There were just six foals by the stallion at Tattersalls and they averaged 63,800gns. But the real story was how punters couldn't get enough of foals by Earthlight at Goffs with Yeomanstown Stud, Camas Park, Ballyphilip and Manister House Stud all featuring on the list of buyers where 13 sold for an average of €56,770.

Good Vibes Behind Mohaather 

Of the other stallions with runners next year, Mohaather (GB) is one who continues to earn the respect in the ring. Not only does Shadwell have eight horses by the Group 1-winning miler to look forward to next season, but plenty of shrewd buyers snapped up yearlings by Mohaather this year. The foals were equally well-received with Mark Dwyer, Eddie O'Leary, 'Flash' Conroy and Shadwell themselves signing for foals by the big-walking stallion at Tattersalls.

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Horses carrying the Godolphin blue won 84 races from 479 starts in America in 2021, for a strike rate of 18% and purse money of better than $17 million, led by champion Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf. Godolphin also won the GI Breeders' Cup Mile with Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf with Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). 'TDN Rising Star' and multiple Eclipse Award winner Essential Quality (Tapit) won the GI Belmont S. and GI Runhappy Travers S., while the operation's other U.S. Grade I winners included Maxfield (Street Sense) and Althiqa (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}).

National Owner of the Year finalists also included Klaravich Stables, Juddmonte, Hronis Racing and CHC Inc./WinStar Farm. National Breeder of the Year finalists includes Stonestreet, and Fred W. Hertrich III and John D. Fielding. Angie and Sabrina Moore were announced as National Small Breeder of the Year. National Small Breeder of the Year finalists that were also honored were Gail Rice and J&J Stables.

The2021 State and Canadian Breeders of the Year, sponsored by Coolmore, included:

• Arkansas Breeder of the Year–McDowell Farms (Bill and Mary McDowell)
• California Breeder of the Year–Lovacres Ranch (Terry Lovingier)
• Canada Breeder of the Year–Sam-Son Farm
• Canada Small Breeder of the Year–Terrance Greer and Brandon Greer
• Florida Breeder of the Year–Live Oak Stud (Charlotte C. Weber)
• Iowa Breeder of the Year–Allen Poindexter
• Kentucky Breeder of the Year–Godolphin
• Louisiana Breeder of the Year–P. Dale Ladner & Brett Brinkman
• Maryland Breeder of the Year–Robert Manfuso and Katharine Voss
• Minnesota Breeder of the Year–Lothenbach Stables
• New Jersey Breeder of the Year–Law Legacy Stables (Joel Weiner)
• New Mexico Breeder of the Year–Crystal Springs (Estate of R.D. Hubbard)
• New York Breeder of the Year–Chester Broman & Mary R. Broman
• North Carolina Breeder of the Year–Elizabeth Muirhead
• Oregon Breeder of the Year–Nirvana Farm (Andria Mengucci)
• Pennsylvania Breeder of the Year–Joe-Dan Farm and George Chestnut
• South Carolina Breeder of the Year–Franklin Smith Sr.
• Texas Breeder of the Year–Lisa Kuhlmann
• Virginia Breeder of the Year–Morgan's Ford Farm (Wayne and Susie Chatfield-Taylor)
• Washington Breeder of the Year–Rainbow Meadows Farm (Petra Lewin)

“Congratulations to all of the winners of the TOBA national and state awards,” said Dan Metzger, president of TOBA. “Keeneland provided a magnificent setting to celebrate the outstanding achievements of 2021 and we were honored to recognize all of tonight's winners, including the amazing success of Godolphin as both National Owner and Breeder of the Year.”

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It is no surprise that New Approach and Dawn Approach, as well as Bolger's “favourite sire” Teofilo (Ire), will feature prominently in his 2022 mating plans. But Bolger is also mixing in some young, fast sires to inject some speed into his families.

Bolger, who on Christmas Day celebrated his 80th birthday, explained that while he “would have a good idea” at this point as to his mating plans, he doesn't set them in stone until after his mares foal.

“Because I have access to so many stallions, and some of them we would have used in the last covering season, we're waiting to have a look at the foals first,” he said.

Looking for “speed up to a mile”, Bolger said, he will send eight mares to leading third-crop sire Mehmas (Ire) in 2022. Also fitting that bill on his list are Profitable (Ire), Galileo Gold (Ire), Blue Point (Ire), Belardo (Ire) and Space Blues (Ire).

“We used to be told–though I don't hear so much about it in recent years–that when you're breeding staying horses you need to go back to speed every now and then,” Bolger said. “It may not get you a great result in the first instance, but the progeny of the progeny of the speed attempt could be capable of getting you a Classic horse. In recent years some of the owner/breeders have been sending their Oaks winners to Derby winners and they seem to be making out alright. Whether that will continue now or not, I just don't know. I suspect that sometime in the future with those sorts of families that those breeders will be going back and trying to inject some speed.”

Darley's G1 King's Stand S. winner Profitable was fourth on last year's first-season sires' table and sired three stakes winners, including the G2 Queen Mary S. scorer Quick Suzy (Ire).

“Profitable doesn't have a terribly strong pedigree himself except that he's by a very good sire and a sire of sires,” Bolger said. “He's a gorgeous horse and a very good mover, and was a very good racehorse himself.”

G1 Dewhurst S. and G1 Lockinge S. winner Belardo got off to a fast start in 2020, siring four first-crop stakes winners. The Kildangan Stud resident was quieter in 2021, with just one black-type winner, but the son of Lope De Vega has started 2022 on the right note with Bellabel (Ire) winning the Listed Blue Norther S. at Santa Anita.

“He's a nice horse,” Bolger said of Belardo. “I trained some of his family and I liked them. I felt he was a horse with a chance, so much so that I bought a share in him, and I'll continue to use the share.”

Another young Kildangan stallion that will get Bolger's support this year is the four-time middle-distance Group 1 winner and 2020 world's highest-rated horse Ghaiyyath (Ire). Bolger said he has selected the son of Dubawi (Ire) based on his racecourse merits, and also to save face with Ghaiyyath's breeder.

“He's a world champion, so why wouldn't you use him?” Bolger reasoned. “Plus, if I don't use him, Dermot Weld won't talk to me again.”

Bolger will also support a pair of young Newmarket-based stallions in Time Test (GB), the sire of four first-crop stakes winners last year, and Masar (Ire), the son of his Derby winner New Approach who has his first yearlings next year. Bolger said he has earmarked a mare by Sea The Stars he purchased at the December Sales for Time Test.

“I'm doing something that I don't tend to do, and I'm going with the mob,” Bolger said. “Time Test is one of the talking horses at the moment, and he has got off to a great start, so it would seem to be not a very big risk, and he's a great-looking horse.”

Masar won the G3 Solario S. at two and was a first Derby winner in the Godolphin blue at three, in addition to winning the G3 Craven S.

“He's a very good-looking horse himself and a very good-moving horse,” Bolger said. “You don't need me to tell you about his racing achievements, but I think he's a horse that could do very well. I'm very happy to use him; I'll be guaranteed to get horses that will be effective beyond a mile.”

Bolger will send 12 mares to his former star pupil New Approach, who like his son Masar resides at Dalham Hall Stud. Bolger is responsible for breeding and training New Approach's only two multiple Group 1 winners, Dawn Approach and Mac Swiney, and Dawn Approach, who started his stud career at Kildangan, was brought back to Bolger's Redmondstown Stud last year just months before Poetic Flare recorded his Group 1 double. Despite that, Bolger said there hasn't been much outside interest in Dawn Approach, a reality that suits him just fine.

“I don't know the reason for that, but I don't mind having the sole rights, so to speak,” he said. “It suits me fine to be able to send so many mares to him.” Bolger said he is expecting 2022 to be another good year for Dawn Approach; he has 12 to 15 homebred 2-year-olds by him in the yard, as well as others for clients. “I have a nice crop by him so I'm expecting him to do well,” he said.

The same goes for Teofilo, who will get 25 Bolger mares at Kildangan.

“He's given me two Classic winners already and I'm expecting to do well with his progeny this year,” Bolger said. “I have 2-year-olds by him and some 3-year-olds that didn't get the business done at two, so I'd be looking forward to a very good year with them.”

Bolger's stallion selections for 2022 are completed by Parish Hall (Ire), Vocalised and Verbal Dexterity (Ire), who stand at Redmondstown alongside Dawn Approach and will get “a few mares each.” And given Bolger's habit of drawing the very best from his stock as both a breeder and a trainer, any of them are fair game to produce the next big horse from Coolcullen.

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Unlike his sire, the brilliant but ill-fated Dubai Millennium (GB), he is not a horse who 'fills the eye' with those long classic lines and fluent stride. On the short side and fairly close-coupled, with a habit of growing a coat as thick as a native pony in midwinter, Dubawi is not your archetypal elegant Thoroughbred. But those same seasoned horsemen will doubtless have seen enough in their time to know that when it comes to racing and breeding, handsome is as handsome does. And Dubawi does it all.

That started on the racecourse. An unbeaten juvenile who became his sire's first stakes winner in the G3 Superlative S. and went on to land the G1 National S., Dubawi then graduated to his Classic season with a warm-up fifth in the 2000 Guineas before winning the Irish equivalent. The Derby distance proved too much for him, but he was not disgraced when third to Motivator (GB) and Walk In The Park (Ire). Dubawi then emulated his sire by winning the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois, and signed off by finishing second to Starcraft (NZ) in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S.

Since then, he has spent all bar one of the Northern Hemisphere seasons at Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket, while he also made three visits to Darley Australia in the early years of his second career. As his 20th birthday approaches on Feb. 7, Dubawi is rightly revered as an outstanding stallion, a burgeoning sire of sires and broodmare sire, and the main conduit of the Mr Prospector line in Europe, making him a more-than-useful mate for mares from the dominant Northern Dancer lines. For four years, he was accompanied on the Darley roster by another son of Dubai Millennium, the €1.2 million yearling purchase Echo Of Light (GB), who died in 2012.

“With one of his two stallion sons, the great Dubai Millennium has delivered for us, and that means everything,” says Sam Bullard, Darley's director of stallions.

“Now we want sons of Dubawi to be successful. Night of Thunder has got off to such an incredible start, and Time Test, Zarak and others doing so well is testimony to the horse. We are very fortunate that we've got horses like Ghaiyyath, Space Blues and Too Darn Hot all coming through on the roster.”

The first foal of his dam, the Italian Oaks winner Zomaradah (GB) (Deploy {GB}), Dubawi was born at Kildangan Stud, where he later stood one season, and he hails from the same family as a sire who was already ensconced in the Kildangan stallion unit at that time, the Breeders' Cup Turf and Coronation Cup winner In The Wings (GB). More pertinently, though, he was also one of a small number of foals expected that year by Dubai Millennium.

Sheikh Mohammed's pride in his homebred so prophetically named to win the Dubai World Cup of 2000 was renowned. Dubai Millennium's racing record was hugely impressive. He was beaten only once in ten starts when finishing ninth behind Oath in the Derby, and on what would transpire to be his final performance in the G1 Prince of Wales's S. at Royal Ascot, the applause started ringing out when he was only halfway up the straight, so emphatic was the manner of his victory. But a little over six weeks later his racing career was over when he suffered a hind-leg fracture on the gallops. Brutally, Dubai Millennium's stud career was even more brief when, during his first covering season, he was struck down with grass sickness and died on Apr. 29, 2001.

“The whole stallion operation at Darley was set up on the back of Dubai Millennium really,” recalls Bullard. “We had this wonderful racehorse, the greatest horse that Godolphin had ever had, and when he retired to stud that was the catalyst really for the stallion operation that is here now, and always the number one goal was to get the top stallions of tomorrow.”

Clearly, those mares to have visited Dubai Millennium before his untimely death were of a decent calibre, but the odds were stacked against him making a meaningful impression on the breed when the foaling season of 2002 was complete and his sole crop numbered just 56. Sheikh Mohammed set about buying up a number outside those bred by his operation, but ultimately it was a homebred who would become not only Dubai Millennium's best son, but one of the best stallions in the world.

Most importantly, Dubawi's influence is now growing through his sons. He stands alongside five of them on the Darley roster: Ghaiyyath (Ire), Too Darn Hot (GB), Night Of Thunder (Ire), Postponed (Ire) and the recently retired Space Blues (Ire). And up to 20 sons of Dubawi are at stud around the world, including in America, Japan and India. 

Night Of Thunder, his second 2000 Guineas winner, was the champion first-season sire in Europe in 2019, while the Aga Khan Studs' Zarak (Fr) led the French freshmen last year, and the National Stud's Time Test (GB) was another young son to make a favourable impression with his first runners in 2021.

A top-five finisher in the stallion table in each of the last nine years, and on four occasions runner-up to Galileo (Ire), Dubawi had to settle for third in 2021 when Frankel (GB) nudged his own sire down a slot to second. But Dubawi's 54% winners-to-runners strike-rate was higher than both Frankel and Galileo, and was a figure that only his son New Bay (GB) could match in the top 50 stallions in Britain and Ireland. On worldwide earnings for last year he was at the top of the table, those lucrative Breeders' Cup victories no doubt helping in this regard.

In his 39 years with Darley, head stallion man Ken Crozier has worked with both Dubai Millennium and Dubawi and describes the horse now regarded as the king of the stallion yard as “straightforward, uncomplicated, a hard, gutsy horse”.

He continues, “When Dubawi first arrived here, he's obviously physically a very different animal to his father, but he was coming in as a Classic winner with a high profile and I guess we had high expectations given that, sadly, Sheikh Mohammed and Darley had lost Dubai Millennium so young.”

While Dubai Millennium's short stud career was beset with illness from an early stage, the only concerns Dubawi ever gives those looking after him is how to keep him trim. 

Crozier adds, “We have him on shavings. He would eat everything in sight. He gets fed a little and often. He will get fed hay three times a day because he would eat a bale of hay in a half an hour. So that's the only problem we have with Dubawi, keeping the weight off him.”

Even within the sons of Dubawi just on the Darley roster, it is easy to see that he is not a horse who stamps his stock in the manner of his old friend and rival Shamardal.

“They come in all shapes and sizes,” agrees Bullard. “You can't look at them and say, 'I can see Dubawi in that'. But what you can't see is what's between their ears, and that is consistent with all of them. They just have these extraordinary temperaments, he really does pass that on.”

Darley's head of nominations Dawn Laidlaw has, like Crozier and Bullard, worked with Dubawi throughout his stallion career and has witnessed the change in attitude towards him. 

“I think every breeder, agent and ourselves would be honest enough to say that we probably didn't see the success of Dubawi coming in those early days,” she says. “Obviously he was a great racehorse by a fantastic stallion, so he had a special place in our hearts from the beginning. But I think it would be fair to say that people didn't necessarily take to his early progeny. I mean, everybody's seen him and he's a little bit on the short side, a little bit dumpy, not the greatest walker. I think initially that's what people thought about his yearlings. I think right until they started running, and it was when they started winning that people very quickly realised he was a special stallion.”

Dubawi's first crop included the 2000 Guineas winner Makfi (GB), who, in an example of the blossoming of the line, sired the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Make Believe (GB) in his first crop, who in turn is the sire of G1 Prix du Jockey Club winner Mishriff (Ire) from his first crop. Along with Makfi in the class of 2007 were the Group 1 winners Lucky Nine (GB), Poet's Voice (GB), Dubawi Heights (GB), Monterosso (GB) and Prince Bishop (GB), as well as the Group 3 winner and Irish 1000 Guineas runner-up Anna Salai (GB), who would later become the dam of Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).

Among his 142 Group winners, Dubawi is now the sire of 48 Group/Grade 1 winners–six of those having come from his three stints down under–with the group including the 2020 Horse of the Year Ghaiyyath. From an opening fee of £25,000, he stood his fourth season at £15,000 before gradually climbing to his fee of £250,000 for the last six years, making him the most expensive stallion in Europe.

“It's very typical in a stallion, and his third and fourth years were a little bit more difficult to sell,” recalls Laidlaw. “Even the best of stallions usually go through that dip. Then as soon as he had his winners, he just absolutely took off. One of the most difficult things since then has been selecting the mares. There's always an upper limit on the numbers he'll cover, so unfortunately every year there have been mares that we would have loved to have that haven't always been able to come to him. The quality of mare that comes to him every year is fantastic. It's like a who's who of the broodmare band in Europe and beyond. We're lucky to have him and I say that every day.”

The sense of pride in their star stallion is quite clear at Dalham Hall Stud, where they have now had many years to bask in the reflected glory of Dubawi. Now entering his third decade and about to embark on his 17th stud season, he fortunately shows no waning in enthusiasm for his main task.

“When covering season comes, he will go down to that barn roaring and shouting, whether it's at the 8am covering session or the fourth session at midnight,” says Crozier. “You'll hear him coming. You know, if he was a human, he would have his neighbours round knocking on his door.”

With a reputation so hard earned, Dubawi has every right to shout about it.

The post Dubawi At Twenty appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Appleby was joined by Ralph Beckett, John and Thady Gosden and William Haggas on the contenders list, but it was Appleby who came out on top.

Charlie Appleby once again has had a fabulous season both in the UK and internationally. Horses hailing from his Moulton Paddocks base in Newmarket contested ten North American Grade 1 races during 2021 and won no less than eight of them, twice being followed home by a stablemate. Throw in the Jockey Club Derby at Belmont, a Grade 1 in all but name won by Yibir, and Appleby had an incredible nine big transatlantic triumphs during the year.

His crowning glory was, of course, the Breeders' Cup, where three of his four horses that did start at Del Mar came home in front, landing arguably the meeting's three most prestigious turf contests. His wins around Europe throughout the year were also impressive. Hurricane Lane took both the Irish Derby and the Grand Prix de Paris before his gallant Arc third; Space Blues landed the Prix de la Foret; and, over the Irish sea, Native Trail gave his handler a third National Stakes victory at The Curragh in the past four years.

International racing has once again been hugely popular with UK trainers. Remarkably, given the negative impact of Covid upon international travel, 2021 could yet become the highest grossing year ever in terms of overseas prize money earned by British trainers. At the time of writing, the total is a little shy of the blockbusting £29.7m accrued in 2018 but it is already the second largest tally. And, given the riches on offer at the Longines Hong Kong International meeting this coming Sunday, the £30 million barrier could yet be broken.

Adrian Beaumont said: “It has been an amazing year for international racing, especially given the extra protocols caused by Covid. British based trainers have won major races in Bahrain, Canada, Dubai, Saudi Arabia and the States as well as throughout Europe. It is remarkable that John and Thady Gosden won the world's richest race, the Saudi Cup with Mishriff, but didn't win our award due to Charlie Appleby's stellar season.”

The post Charlie Appleby Crowned International Trainer Of The Year appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The John Deere Award, presented by Breeders' Cup Limited and NTRA Advantage, emphasizes the contributions of breeders to the Breeders' Cup program. The industry's breeders and nominators provide funding for the purses of the World Championships through the annual nominations of foals and stallions.

NTRA Advantage and John Deere will award a John Deere TS Gator Utility Vehicle to Godolphin.

The John Deere Award winner is determined by the breeder who received the highest number of first-place finishes in the 86 Breeders' Cup Challenge Series stakes races held in 10 countries, and in the 14 Breeders' Cup World Championships races (13 Grade 1 races and 1 Grade 2 race), which was held on Nov. 5-6 at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, Calif. Each Grade/Group 1 win was worth 10 points; Grade/Group 2 wins were worth six points; Grade/Group 3 wins were worth four points; and listed stakes wins were worth two points.

Godolphin-bred runners earned 68 points by breeding winners of three Breeders' Cup World Championships races and five Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races. Northern Farm, from Japan, finished second in the competition with 40 points, and St. George Stables finished third with 36 points.

In accumulating its 68 points, Godolphin's three Breeders' Cup Champions, all sired by Dubawi (IRE), led the way with Modern Games winning the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), Space Blues capturing the $2 million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile presented by PDJF (G1), and Yibir taking the $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1). Prior to the World Championships, Godolphin began its march to the 2021 John Deere Award in June with a string of five Breeders' Cup Challenge Series victories. First, Maxfield won the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs, and one month later at Ascot, Adayar (IRE) won the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes (G1). In September, Godolphin garnered three Breeders' Cup Challenge races on one weekend. On Sept. 18 at Belmont Park, Yibir earned an automatic berth into the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf when he won the listed Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes. The following day at Woodbine, Godolphin collared two more “Win and You're In” races, taking the Natalma Stakes (G1) for 2-year-old fillies with Wild Beauty (GB) and the Summer Stakes (G1) for 2-year-olds with Albahr (GB).

“We congratulate Godolphin on their extraordinary group of progeny which led them to their fourth consecutive John Deere Award, and a record three wins by homebreds at the World Championships,” said Dora Delgado, Breeders' Cup Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Officer. “Godolphin's success is emblematic of their longtime commitment to international breeding and racing. We thank them and all participating breeders for their enormous support, which has been vital to the sustained growth of the Breeders' Cup program over the past 38 years.”

“We also thank John Deere and NTRA Advantage for joining us in placing the breeding community in the spotlight by sponsoring this award,” added Delgado.

“Godolphin is delighted to once again be the recipient of the Breeders' Cup/John Deere breeder award,” said Michael Banahan, Godolphin Director of Farm Operations. “The industry is indebted to John Deere for the sponsorship of the Breeders' Cup for many years and so grateful for their continued support. This award goes to all the Godolphin personnel that work incredibly hard behind the scenes to achieve the fantastic results we have had with our homebreds on the track this year.”

“On behalf of John Deere, congratulations to Godolphin as 'Outstanding Breeder of the Year' for the fourth consecutive year at the Breeders' Cup World Championships,” said Auston Till, Manager Partner Sales, John Deere Ag & Turf. “Like John Deere, Godolphin epitomizes excellence. Nowhere was that more apparent than at this year's World Championships, where Godolphin won three races on Thoroughbred racing's biggest stage! As we traditionally do each year, we are thrilled to award Godolphin a John Deere Gator Utility Vehicle for this outstanding accomplishment.”

Finishing second in the John Deere Award competition, Northern Farm led Japan's breakthrough at the 2021 Breeders' Cup with its progeny winning two races: Loves Only You (JPN) captured the $2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) and Marche Lorraine (JPN) won the $2 million Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1). Northern Farm also bred Breeders' Cup Challenge Series winners Gran Alegria (JPN), who claimed the Victoria Mile (G1) at Tokyo Racecourse and Chrono Genesis (JPN), who won the Takarazuka Kinen (G1) at Hanshin.

The outstanding 5-year-old mare Letruska accounted for all 36 points accumulated by third-place finisher St. George Stables. Letruska won four Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races, taking in succession the Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park, the Fleur de Lis Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs, the Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, and the Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (G1) at Keeneland.

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Twelve sires have supplied two winners in a single Breeders' Cup. That was first accomplished by Cox's Ridge in the second Breeders' Cup in 1985 when Life's Magic took the Distaff and Twilight Ridge the Juvenile Fillies. Four other sires did it when the Breeders' Cup was a single-day event: Nureyev in 1987 with Miesque and Theatrical (Ire); Kris S. in 1993 with Hollywood Wildcat and Brocco; Sadler's Wells in 2003 with High Chaparral (Ire) and Islington (Ire); and Awesome Again in 2004 with Ghostzapper and Wilko.

Since the Breeders' Cup became a two-day event in 2007, seven more sires have joined the ranks of turning out two winners in a single year. The seemingly ageless More Than Ready earns first mention, having done it twice, in 2010 and 2017. More Than Ready remains the Breeders' Cup's leading sire by winners, with a cumulative seven, edging out Sadler's Wells and Unbridled's Song with six apiece.

Smart Strike notched a high-profile double at that first two-day Breeders' Cup at Monmouth Park with Curlin in the Classic and English Channel in the Turf. Chester House added his name the following year and was then joined by Mizzen Mast in 2012, City Zip in 2014 and Medaglia d'Oro in 2017. Into Mischief was the most recent sire to pull off the double with Authentic and Gamine in 2020.

And then, along came the Dubawis (and their trainer Charlie Appleby, jockey William Buick and owner/breeder Godolphin) to Del Mar to tear apart the history books. Modern Games (Ire) got things going (in admittedly dramatic fashion) to give his trainer a third win in eight years in the Juvenile Turf. Like Modern Games, Space Blues (Ire) was sent off favourite for the Mile and delivered a seamless victory under Buick. The third of the trio, Yibir (GB), however, didn't allow connections to breathe easy in the Turf, pulling hard out of the gates and fighting Buick before finally settling in a joint last after a few furlongs. Yibir began to wind up heading into the last of three turns and–as his stablemates had done while sitting closer to the pace-employed a sustained rally to wear down his rivals.

The Breeders' Cup was a jewel in the crown of a remarkable season for Dubawi, during which he has had stakes winners in seven countries. His tally of 37 stakes winners in 2021 is greater than any other sire standing in Europe or America, with Into Mischief-the only sire bettering him by prizemoney-next at 26 and Frankel third on 24. Dubawi also leads all European and American sires in 2021 by group winners (23) and is tied with Frankel on six Group 1 winners.

As is typical for Dubawi, his six Group 1 winners this year have been versatile distance-wise, ranging from six furlongs up to a mile and a half. Rebel's Romance (Ire) was an eye-catching winner of the G2 UAE Derby on the dirt, and he is one of 23 stakes winners for his sire on that surface. The likes of Prince Bishop (Ire), Monterosso (GB), North America (GB), Lucky Nine (Ire), Mubtaahij (Ire) and Hunter's Light (Ire) are further proof that Dubawis act on the dirt, and it would be fascinating to see if Dubawi could extend his Breeders' Cup dominance down the road with a few runners pitched onto the dirt.

As for Appleby, his accomplishments this weekend likewise deserve examination in a historic context. Richard Mandella set the mark for a trainer when winning four races on the single-day Breeders' Cup card at Santa Anita in 2003, and 17 years later Brad Cox equaled that tally at Keeneland last year. Chad Brown has twice sent out three Breeders' Cup winners in a meeting, in 2014 and 2019, and Todd Pletcher accomplished the feat in 2010. It is also worth noting that, with the highly unlikely double gate scratch of Appleby's Albahr (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Master Of The Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Walton Street (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) in the Turf was Appleby's only Breeders' Cup starter that did not win. The last-out GI Canadian International winner finished ninth behind Yibir.

So Appleby-in his best year yet as a trainer–joins elite company. It is fair to point out, too, that no other trainer has provided three Breeders' Cup winners in a weekend all by the same sire, though two of Pletcher's three in 2010 were by that Breeders' Cup sire extraordinaire More Than Ready, who he also trained. More Than Ready is also one of four of the 13 sires with multiple Breeders' Cup winners in a year to have them on both dirt and turf-the others are Medaglia d'Oro, Smart Strike and City Zip.

Dubawi will turn 20 in the New Year, and will stand his 17th season with Darley, all but one of those being at Dalham Hall. The stallion that started out at £25,000-and dipped to £15,000 before his first runners hit the track-has continued to write his extraordinary story through each passing season, and there is every reason to think there is plenty still to come.

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The Shoemaker Award goes to the jockey who won the most races in the 14 World Championship races this weekend with the tiebreaker being a 10-3-1 point system for second- through fourth-place finishes.

Ortiz and William Buick both won three races, but Ortiz also had a runner-up finish and three fourth-place finishes while Buick finished fifth with his only other mount.

Ortiz won the first Championship race of the weekend on Twilight Gleaming (IRE) in the Grade 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and then added Saturday victories in the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint with Golden Pal and the G1 Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile with Life Is Good.

Buick also had one victory Friday on Modern Games (IRE) in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and then two on Saturday with Space Blues (IRE) in the G1 FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile presented by PDJF and Yibir (GB) in the G1 Longines Turf.

Two other riders posted multiple wins: Joel Rosario and Jose Ortiz.

Rosario took the richest race of the weekend, the $6 million G1 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic with Knicks Go and Friday's G1 NetJets Juvenile Fillies with Echo Zulu.

Ortiz's victories came on Pizza Bianca in Friday's G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and Aloha West in the G1 Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint.

The Shoemaker Award is named in honor of one of the greatest jockeys in the history of Thoroughbred racing. Bill Shoemaker, who captured the Kentucky Derby four times, won 8,833 races in a career that spanned more than 40 years. In 1987, at age 56, Shoemaker won the Breeders' Cup Classic aboard Ferdinand at Hollywood Park.

Bill Shoemaker Award winners:

2003: Alex Solis

2004: John Velazquez

2005: Garrett Gomez

2006: Frankie Dettori

2007: Garrett Gomez

2008: Garrett Gomez

2009: Julien Leparoux

2010: Garrett Gomez

2011: John Velazquez

2012: Mike Smith

2013: Mike Smith

2014: John Velazquez

2015: Ryan Moore

2016: Mike Smith

2017: Javier Castellano

2018: Irad Ortiz Jr.

2019: Irad Ortiz Jr.

2020: Irad Ortiz Jr.

2021: Irad Ortiz Jr.

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Space Blues was one of two Godolphin runners sent postward in a full field of 14 for the Mile, but Master of the Seas, in post one, reared up in the gate twice, hitting his head on an overhead bar. With that, much like Friday's incident with Albahr in the Juvenile Turf, Master of the Seas was a late scratch, leaving only Space Blues to contest in the blue silks.

“Yeah, well, we, Yogi said it best. It's deja vu all over again. About the time you don't think something can happen just come around the next day. Certainly didn't see this coming,” Godolphin racing manager Jimmy Bell said in the post-race press conference. “But as William and Charlie both say, we got to appreciate these horses. This is a live situation and these things happen. It's a part of the race. We all hate to see these things but it just goes to show you that there's just so many uncontrollable events.

After the field reloaded, the break was a clean one, with Smooth Like Strait going to the lead in the race's opening strides, with Blowout and Space Blues running second and third. After a first quarter in :23.51 and the half mile in :47.38, Smooth Like Strait maintained a one-length lead down the backstretch, with Space Blues and William Buick on the rail in third.

On the far turn, Buick moved Space Blues to the outside, as Smooth Like Strait looked poised to go wire to wire. The Godolphin horse turned on the jets midstretch and wore down Smooth Like Strait to win by a half-length. Ivar came on to finish third, with Raging Bull fourth.

The final time was 1:34.12. Find this race's chart here.

Space Blues paid $6.20, $4.60. and $3.40. Smooth Like Strait paid $9.00 and $6.20. Ivar paid $11.40.

“I'm absolutely delighted. He's been a fantastic horse and will now be retired to stud. William gave him a great ride in the perfect position throughout. Space Blues has been a great servant and it's another well-deserved win. I'm thrilled for team Godolphin both here and back home at Moulton Paddocks in Newmarket and obviously His Highness Sheikh Mohammed. It was an interesting race beforehand with Master of The Seas being scratched but we're getting used to that now! Rules are rules and we have to abide by them,” said trainer Charles Appleby after the Mile.

“Coming here I knew I had some very good rides. Space Blues traveled to America very well and Charlie has been delighted with all of our horses coming into the races. We know how tough it is to come here and everything needs to pan out for you to win. He's a great little horse and I don't think he's had the recognition he deserves. A mile round here suits him down to the ground. I was a bit nervous going into the race as I wanted to give the horse what he deserved,” winning jockey William Buick told the Del Mar Press Office after the race.

As for Master of the Seas, Appleby gave an update on the colt's condition: “Master Of The Seas is fine and James is fine. And I say deja vu, so I'm getting used to this sort of speech now, but the most important thing is he came back safe.

Space Blues is by Dubawi (IRE) out of the Noverre mare Miss Lucifer (FR). The 5-year-old horse has four wins in six starts in 2021, including the Group 1 Prix de la Foret at Longchamp in France and the Group 2 City of York Stakes at York in England, for a lifetime record of 11 wins in 19 starts and career earnings of $2,585,725.

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“He didn't have much of a race at Ascot, so that race didn't seem to knock him back too far physically,” John Gosden said. “He's won four Goodwood Cups in a row, which takes some doing. It's going to be a fascinating race, with some very nice horses turning up and you're always going to need some luck in running around Goodwood given it's not exactly a big, open galloping track. Goodwood is quintessentially different–rolling in and out, left, right and has cambers. It should make for an exciting day on Tuesday. He's been a pleasure and a lot of fun to train through the years, but as a 7-year-old full horse, he probably knows a great deal more about the game than I do! It'd be wonderful if he puts in a big performance and runs well or wins, but even to have him there for a fifth time is an achievement for everyone here in itself.”

If the soft ground deteriorates any further, then a proper specialist like Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}) comes into the reckoning with his 7 1/2-length defeat of Search For a Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in Ascot's G2 Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup in October still fresh in the memory. Second attempting to give Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) five pounds in the G3 Ormonde S. over an extended 13 furlongs at Chester May 6, he was a respectable sixth as top weight in the Northumberland Plate H. over this trip on the Tapeta June 26. “To see Trueshan at his best, it's a case of the more rain the better,” trainer Alan King said. “He looked very good at Ascot on British Champions Day and we've been very pleased with him this year. I was very pleased I ran him at Newcastle in the Northumberland Plate, because you can't keep these horses simmering away forever and he had a proper race there. Everything has gone very smoothly in the build-up since and we'll see what happens.”

Another major threat to Stradivarius is Team Valor and Gary Barber's Spanish Mission (Noble Mission {GB}), who was sixth in this last year but who has emerged in 2021 as a stayer to be reckoned with. Handing Santiago three pounds and a beating in the May 14 G2 Yorkshire Cup over nearly 14 furlongs, he holds Sir Ron Priestley on that form and had Stradivarius behind when third in the Gold Cup. “This has been the plan for a long time and we are really pleased with him–we just wouldn't want too much rain,” trainer Andrew Balding commented. “Stradivarius is a fairly awesome opponent and if he's anywhere near his best he's going to be very tough to beat, but on his Yorkshire Cup win and his Gold Cup third, Spanish Mission ought to be very competitive.”

Below-par in the Yorkshire Cup, Sir Ron Priestley has high-class form at a mile and a half on fast ground this term with his two Newmarket successes in the May 1 G2 Jockey Club S. and the July 8 G2 Princess of Wales's S. coming at the expense of Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) in the former contest and Al Aasy (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in the latter. If he needs it that quick, he will be in trouble here over a longer distance in a contest he is unlikely to be able to boss. “I'd have put Subjectivist alongside Attraction and Shamardal as one of the three best I've trained,” trainer Mark Johnston said. “He was one of those rare horses with which you weren't really concerned about the opposition, because he was better than anything out there and I can't obviously say the same about Nayef Road or even Sir Ron Priestley.”

“We agonised over paying £25,000 to supplement Sir Ron Priestley and I had to convince myself I was doing it for the owner, not myself, because there's some uncertainty about the trip,” he added. “In the Yorkshire Cup, it looked very much as if he didn't stay but it's hard to equate that with his St Leger second or his Nottingham win and at the beginning of the year we had no doubt he would stay two miles. Nayef Road's recent runs have been mixed, but in some of them he's shown a glimmer of his best and he deserves to be there on past performance.”

Of Aidan O'Brien's Gold Cup trio of also-rans, Ryan Moore has stayed loyal to last year's G1 Epsom Derby hero Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who could trade at a huge price given that he returns to a more suitable trip over an undulating track. Eighth in the Gold Cup, the fact remains that he was a 5 1/2-length winner of the blue riband with a remarkable show of strength from the front and if he can get near the lead this time he could be hard to peg back. The fourth of the Coolmore contingent is the Donnacha O'Brien-trained Emperor of the Sun (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who was fifth in the Gold Cup and far adrift but who had previously impressed when winning Leopardstown's Listed Saval Beg Levmoss S. over 14 furlongs on rain-eased ground May 14. His 3 1/2-length defeat of Search For a Song there, with Twilight Payment (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), Amhran Na Bhfiann (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Master of Reality (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) well beaten, is form that places him close to the top and he remains unexposed over staying trips.

Space Makes Goodwood Return

There is a fascinating renewal of the G2 Unibet Lennox S. preceding the feature race, with Godolphin heavy-handed in the seven-furlong contest as last year's winner Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) returns off a four-month lay-off. Also successful in Deauville's G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest over 6 1/2 furlongs in August and in Riyadh's 1351 Turf Sprint over slightly shorter than this Feb. 20, the 'TDN Rising Star' was a disappointing ninth in the six-furlong G1 Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan Mar. 27 but is back in his comfort zone here. William Buick has stayed loyal to the 5-year-old, leaving James Doyle to pick up the plum ride on the June 19 G3 Jersey S. winner Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) who was such an eye-catcher when fifth in the G1 July Cup at Newmarket July 10. “It was always the plan to go straight here after Dubai with Space Blues and his preparation has gone well,” Charlie Appleby said. “He ticks all the boxes–it should be lovely ground and we know that he is a seven-furlong specialist who handles the track. He has flopped every time he has run at Meydan and six furlongs seems to catch him out, so you can put a line through his run in the Al Quoz Sprint. We are excited to get him back on track. We are looking forward to stepping Creative Force back up to seven furlongs–it's a sharp seven at Goodwood, which will suit him. The ground was a bit quick for him at Newmarket last time, but should be more to his liking here. He is a very solid horse, who is getting a 3-year-old allowance, and he goes there in great shape.”

Sunday's heavy rain will not have been a welcome sight for Ralph Beckett as he prepares Marc Chan's 'TDN Rising Star' Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) for action, having made his first start since a gelding operation a successful one in the G3 John of Gaunt S. at Haydock May 29. The runner-up Njord (Ire) (Roderic O'Connor {Ire}) has subsequently upheld the form by finishing in the same berth behind Order of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in the G2 Minstrel S. and provided the ground has not impacted too much on his chances he may have more upside than the three-years-older G2 City of York S. and G2 Solonaway S. scorer Safe Voyage (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}).

Shadow Cast

In the G2 Unibet Vintage S., Berkshire Shadow (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) steps up in trip having beaten the re-opposing Eldrickjones (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) in Royal Ascot's G2 Coventry S. June 15. “The likelihood is he's going to encounter different ground conditions to what he did at Ascot, which is an unknown, but I'm very happy with the horse and I think the extra furlong will suit him well,” trainer Andrew Balding said. “It was a very good performance in the Coventry and likewise first time out he was very impressive. He's obviously a horse with a huge amount of talent. It was always the intention to step up to seven furlongs after Ascot and I hope if he handles the ground he'll go very well.”

Al Shaqab Racing's Lusail (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) has already won over this trip in a smart novice contest at Newmarket June 19 and has subsequently dropped to six to take the G2 July S. also at that venue July 8. He had Eldrickjones back in fifth there and may have the edge over the Coventry runners on that evidence. “Obviously Lusail has been over seven before, so that's a plus for him,” trainer Richard Hannon commented. “He's got a decent draw and if he handles the ground he'll go very close. I hope he'll handle the ground, but you never know until you try.”

Nick Bradley, who runs the syndicate concerned with Eldrickjones, said of their contender, “I'd be hopeful we could at least finish a bit closer to Berkshire Shadow, based on the fact I think we were on a less favoured part of the track than the winner at Ascot. I think the step up to seven furlongs will be a help for us and probably a help for him as well. Lusail is probably the one to beat, in my opinion. But with horses like this, there's only so many races you can go for and I've had this race in mind for some time for our horse.”

Monday saw the declarations confirmed for the G1 Qatar Sussex S. and Wednesday's feature will be boosted by the presence of 'TDN Rising Star' Snow Lantern (GB) (Frankel {GB}) after connections opted to take the plunge in the mile contest. Successful in the G1 Falmouth S. at Newmarket July 9, Rockcliffe Stud's homebred will be partnered by Jamie Spencer as she renews rivalry with the G1 Coronation S. winner and Falmouth third Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never) as they face Jim Bolger's G1 2000 Guineas and G1 St James's Palace S. hero Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}). Ryan Moore has picked the GI Breeders' Cup Mile winner and G2 Minstrel S. winner Order of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}) over the G1 Queen Anne S. runner-up Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), who is the mount of Frankie Dettori, while Aidan O'Brien withdrew Battleground (War Front) immediately after declaring the 3-year-old due to a bad scope.

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