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Modern Games Wins Wild Juvenile Turf for Purse Money Only

For Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby, not to mention the betting public, the lead up to Friday evening's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf could not have been more of a roller coaster. Godolphin's two charges, rail-drawn Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and GI Summer S. winner Albahr (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) to his immediate outside, stepped into the gate the top two wagering choices. But the latter, who had already been acting up before loading, reared in the gate and was briefly cast, perhaps bothering Dakota Gold (Freud) to his outside in the process. Modern Games was let out of the front of his stall, but didn't get far. Albahr was an automatic scratch at that point (he reportedly suffered only minor cuts), but as the rest of the field circled behind the gate waiting for the cue to re-rack, Modern Games–as low as 8-5 in the betting–was also scratched on the tote. That action turned out to be premature, and Modern Games was allowed to run for purse money only after being examined. You can probably guess what happened next…

Modern Games, the handsome chestnut last seen taking the G3 Tattersalls Somerville S. at Newmarket Sept. 23, did not break particularly alertly, but crept closer down on the fence approaching the first bend to sit just north of midpack behind an honest pace. William Buick pushed Modern Games along for more and swung him out after a :46.89 half and into a six-furlong split of 1:11.24. Grafton Street (War Front) took over and briefly opened up, but Buick unleashed Modern Games at the top of the lane and he blew right over the top of his competition, reporting home 1 1/2 lengths to the good and galloping out to a chorus of boos. Tiz the Bomb (Hit It a Bomb) was the “winner” as far as wagers were concerned, with local hope Mackinnon (American Pharoah) crossing the line third and Grafton Street fading to fourth.

“A testament to the horse and William,” said Appleby, now a three-time winner of this race for Godolphin, and possibly a would-be fourth if not for a disaster trip for eventual G1 Derby winner Masar (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) the last time the Breeders' Cup was contested at Del Mar in 2017. “On a big stage like that and things, a quite dramatic incident happening there in the gate. But for him to compose himself and get himself back in there, back in the mindset, and for William to also, like I say, taking on board at one minute you're not sure whether you are or are not in the race that day… But the horse came into the race with a lovely profile. He was a progressive 2-year-old, and he's really pleased us since he's been here. And so we were confident coming into the race that we were going to be a big player anyway.”

Appleby confirmed that Albahr, who was set to be ridden by Frankie Dettori, escaped the incident relatively unscathed, as did his rider.

“He went straight back, I saw him go out there under the pony rider,” Appleby said. “He jogged back to the barn and the team are looking after him. He's got some minor cuts, but no more than that. My vet's there now and just giving him a thorough examination. But, yeah, it looked uglier than, hopefully–we were expecting the worst and luckily horse and rider walk away from it.”

Buick also piloted the team's last Juvenile Turf winner, Line of Duty (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), in 2018.

“He does everything in his stride and not at any stage was I worried that he was not focused,” said Buick of Modern Games. “He remained calm. He remained focused. He didn't change complexion at all. And that makes it much easier.

“In regards to the race, we jumped a tad slow from the gate, but having the one hole you can get a bit more space on the inside and a bit more time. So we managed to get into a nice position. The pace was even, and look, the race–to be honest–was very straightforward. This place, the turf track at Del Mar, a lot of luck is involved in the way the race unfolds, but with a horse like him, you're able to put the luck in your own hands a little bit.”

Appleby and Godolphin have now won six Grade I events in North America this year, plus a Jockey Club Derby with Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), one of the connections' two hopes in Saturday's GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf to go with another pair of contenders for the GI Fanduel Breeders' Cup Mile. Appleby also has at least two more highly regarded juvenile colts for Sheikh Mohammed's operation back at home in four-for-four MG1SW Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and G3 Emirates Autumn S. hero Coroebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).

“I think one of the things Sheikh Mohammed enjoys the most is international competition and certainly with the Dubai World Cup he always loves to see so many participants from so many different places come to run. And the same here with the Breeders' Cup, a world championship whereby this is so exciting to bring European horses over here,” said Godolphin's Jimmy Bell. “It just adds such an element to it. And to be a homebred, to be a part of this thing, I know how proud he is of Charlie and how well he brought these horses over here and knows who to bring and so adept at doing that.”

A second-out winner at Newbury in July, Modern Games was a close second at Leicester Aug. 8 before annexing a Doncaster handicap by daylight Sept. 8. He showed good speed and a strong late kick when dominating the Somerville last out.

Meanwhile, as disgruntled horseplayers took to social media to air their grievances, track officials attempted to sort through the chain of events.

The following explanation was released by the California Horse Racing Board: “Concerning the 10th race at Del Mar today, the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf: Prior to the start of the race, #1 Modern Games (IRE) reared up and hit the back of the gate; #2 Albahr (GB) flipped over and became lodged underneath the starting gate. The scratch of #2 Albahr was relayed to the stewards and that horse was taken out of the wagering pools. Albahr appears uninjured. The veterinary staff then relayed a second scratch of #1 Modern Games (IRE) to the stewards based on initial observation. Upon confirmation that #1 also was to be scratched, the stewards removed the horse from the wagering pools. After further discussion among the regulatory veterinarians at the gate and after further observation of #1 Modern Games, that horse was declared fit and racing sound, and this fact was relayed to the stewards, who pursuant to CHRB rule 1974 allowed the horse to run for purse money only. The CHRB and the Breeders' Cup are reviewing the current veterinary and scratching procedures to ensure that this does not occur going forward.”

Rule 1974 stipulates that “If a horse is removed from the wagering pool due to a totalizator error, or due to any other error, and neither the trainer nor the owner is at fault, the horse shall start in the race as a non-wagering interest for the purse only and shall be disregarded for pari-mutuel purposes.”

The Breeders' Cup later followed up with a release noting that the event was being held under the authority of the CHRB.

“We thank the CHRB for their thorough review of this situation, and we regret the impact this has had on the betting public,” said the statement. “The health and safety of our equine and human athletes is our top priority and we are thankful for the safety of all involved.”

Friday, Del Mar
BREEDERS' CUP JUVENILE TURF-GI, $920,000, Del Mar, 11-5, 2yo, c/g, 1mT, 1:34.72, fm.
1–MODERN GAMES (IRE), 122, c, 2, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Modern Ideals (GB), by New Approach (Ire)
2nd Dam: Epitome (Ire), by Nashwan
3rd Dam: Proskona, by Mr. Prospector
1ST GRADE I WIN. O-Godolphin LLC; B-Godolphin (IRE);
T-Charles Appleby; J-William T Buick. $520,000. Lifetime
Record: 6-4-1-0, $595,348. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Tiz the Bomb, 122, c, 2, Hit It a Bomb–Tiz the Key, by Tiznow.
($330,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL). O-Phoenix Thoroughbred Ltd;
B-Spendthrift Farm LLC (KY); T-Kenneth G McPeek. $170,000.
3–Mackinnon, 122, c, 2, American Pharoah–Scat Means Go, by
Scat Daddy. ($200,000 Ylg '20 FTKOCT; $285,000 2yo '21
FTFMAR). O-ERJ Racing LLC, Madaket Stables LLC & Dave
Kenney; B-International Equities Holding Inc. (KY); T-Doug F
O'Neill. $90,000.
Margins: 1HF, NK, HD. Odds: 0.00, 7.80, 6.30.
Also Ran: Grafton Street, Dakota Gold, Slipstream, Stolen Base, Portfolio Company, Coinage, Dubawi Legend (Ire), Great Max (Ire), Glounthaune (Ire), Credibility. Scratched: Albahr (GB), Detroit City, Ready to Purrform. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:

Modern Games's Breeders' Cup victory gives his prolific sire Dubawi his 47th Group 1 victory. The fourth of six foals out of Modern Ideals (Ire), the Godolphin homebred is one of three winners and the leading performer produced by the half-sister to G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere-winning Ultra (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}), G3 Prix Minerve scorer Synopsis (Ire) (In the Wings {GB}) and dual stakes-placed Epic Similie (GB) (Lomitas {GB}), herself the dam of MGSP Figure of Speech (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). The winner is a great grandson of MGSW Proskona (Mr. Prospector), a half-sister to MG1SP sire Keos (Riverman) and G3 Prix Chloe-winning blue hen Korveya (Riverman). The family also includes MG1SW sire Act One (GB) (In the Wings {GB}), G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains third Gharir (Ire) (Machiavellian), G1 Fillies' Mile runner-up Summer Symphony (Ire) (Caerleon) and GI Belmont Oaks Invitational third Summer Solo (Arch). This is also the family of Friday's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). Modern Games's 11-year-old mare is responsible for a yearling filly by Exceed and Excel (Aus) and a filly foal by Mastercraftsman (Ire).

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Can’t Catch Corniche in the Juvenile

DEL MAR, CA – Following the unfortunate vet scratch of speedy morning-line favorite and 'TDN Rising Star' Jack Christopher (Munnings), unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Corniche (Quality Road) had things his own way on the front end and ran to the money as the 7-5 favorite for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert in Friday's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar.

Drawn widest of all in post 11, the $1.5-million OBS April topper shot out to the front beneath “Big Money” Mike Smith and cleared the field heading into the first turn. The Speedway Stables colorbearer sped through fractions of :23.03 and :46.15, kicked for home as the one to catch and kept finding down the lane to account for longshot Pappacap (Gun Runner) by 1 3/4 lengths. It was another 1 1/2 lengths back to Giant Game (Giant's Causeway) in third.

Corniche and Pappacap were also one-two across the line in Santa Anita's GI American Pharoah S. Oct. 1, the former's first try around two turns. Corniche previously rolled to a 'Rising Star' performance sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs on debut at Del Mar Sept. 4.

This is the fifth Breeders' Cup Juvenile victory for Baffert and 18th Breeders' Cup win overall.

“I knew from the [11]-hole that he was going to have to use him harder than he'd like to,” Baffert said. “Mike [Smith] is a great rider. I love him on a horse like that. You never know how good they are until you put them in a situation like that. He just kicked back in and held those horses off. It's so hard to win these races, especially when you have a favorite and you win. It's exciting. These young horses are what our whole program is about. It's a great win for the owners. I have tremendous clients.”

Baffert added, “Turning for home, this horse has a beautiful way of [going], he just, his movement, he just jumps a long ways. His mechanics, he almost has mechanics like American Pharoah. He's just got that long, loping stride. He covers a lot of ground.”

Baffert continued, “I felt bad for Chad Brown [trainer of Jack Christopher] when I heard that because I have been in those positions and you don't want to see that. You see horses scratching and it takes away from the Breeders' Cup–these races are really hard to win. You have to be lucky. You have to have a good horse. There's not a lot of margin for error.”

Smith, the all-time winningest rider in World Championships history, piloted his 27th Breeders' Cup winner aboard Corniche and third overall in the Juvenile.

“The only thing I was worried about was that he got hotter [before the race] than he ever had,” Smith said. “It just made me get calmer. I don't think I have ever been so calm in a big race. I just sat really still, he caught a flyer leaving the gate and just left him alone.”

As Medina Spirit's GI Kentucky Derby win remains in the balance due to a well-documented betamethasone positive, horses trained by Baffert were subject to enhanced scrutiny for this weekend's Championships. Furthermore, with Baffert banned from Churchill Downs Inc. racetracks for three years, Corniche didn't earn any points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby in Friday's Juvenile, which offered 20-8-4-2 points.

“Well the Derby is a long ways off, so right now my focus was just getting here and we'll see how it plays out,” Baffert said. “And there's still a lot of things going on and so… and, really, there's not much to talk about that right now, just, like I said, the main thing is to keep him healthy, that's number one, we have a really good horse, and we have to keep him healthy and the Derby, that's a long ways off still, so a lot can happen between now and then and we'll see how it–we got to see how it plays out.”

Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner's Speedway Stables have also campaigned the Baffert-trained GISW Collected, runner-up to Gun Runner in the 2017 GI Breeders' Cup Classic at this venue. The duo continued to show their support for Baffert in the post-race press conference.

“Actually, K.C. and I never thought about moving the horse to a different trainer,” Fluor said. “We talked to Bob right after we bought the horse, he liked the horse, and so the horse was always coming to Bob. And three races and kind of look how he's done, so, with a great deal of thanks to Bob, and that's where we are.”

Fluor added, “This race was such a big race for Corniche and what it means to him and his 2-year old standing. And we have said–and Bob's doing a great job and we have a better chance of winning this race with our friend Bob Baffert and that's what happened. So we're kind of enjoying moment and down the road we'll focus on that later on, but thank you.”

Pedigree Notes:

Corniche–the $1.5-million OBS April topper selected by Speedway advisor Marette Farrell–is one of 51 stakes winners/28 graded stakes winners/12 Grade I winners for Quality Road. Quality Road is also the sire of fellow Breeders' Cup winners: Caledonia Road, City of Light and Hootenanny. Corniche, a son of six-time GSW and GI Matriarch S. runner-up Wasted Tears (Najran), was led out unsold on a bid of $385,000 at KEESEP last year, but turned in a smooth sales breeze in :10 flat to become one of two horses to eclipse the seven-figure barrier in Ocala. Wasted Tears, also responsible for the late stakes-placed Coffee Crush (Medaglia d'Oro), had a filly by Mendelssohn in 2020. She brought $750,000 from B.B.E. at this year's Keeneland September sale. Speedway Stables and Baffert also teamed up for a win with Quality Road's 'Rising Star' Roadster in the 2019 GI Santa Anita Derby and a runner-up finish in the GI Malibu S.

Friday, Del Mar
TVG BREEDERS' CUP JUVENILE PRESENTED BY THOROUGHBRED AFTERCARE ALLIANCE-GI, $1,840,000, Del Mar, 11-5, 2yo, c/g, 1 1/16m, 1:42.50, ft.
1–CORNICHE, 122, c, 2, by Quality Road
                1st Dam: Wasted Tears (MGSW & GISP, $941,463),
                                by Najran
                2nd Dam: Wishes and Roses, by Greinton (GB)
                3rd Dam: Anniversary Wish, by Beau's Eagle
'TDN Rising Star'. ($385,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP; $1,500,000
2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-Speedway Stables LLC; B-Bart Evans &
Stonehaven Steadings (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Mike E. Smith.
$1,040,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $1,262,000. Werk Nick
Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Pappacap, 122, c, 2, Gun Runner–Pappascat, by Scat Daddy.
O/B-Rustlewood Farm Inc (FL); T-Mark Casse. $340,000.
3–Giant Game, 122, c, 2, Giant's Causeway–Game for More, by
More Than Ready. ($500,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL). O-West Point
Thoroughbreds and Albaugh Family Stables LLC; B-H. Allen
Poindexter (KY); T-Dale L. Romans. $180,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 1HF, 2HF. Odds: 1.40, 15.10, 21.90.
Also Ran: Commandperformance, Oviatt Class-(DH), Pinehurst-(DH), American Sanctuary, Double Thunder, Barossa, Jasper Great, Tough to Tame. Scratched: Jack Christopher.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Pizza Bianca Gets Clement Off the Schneid

In the 1997 Breeders' Cup not far away at old Hollywood Park, trainer Christophe Clement made a favorable impression with his first-ever starter at the championships, sending out Allen Paulson's Flag Down (Deputy Minister) to a sound third-place effort behind Chief Bearhart (Chief's Crown) in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. Thirty-nine starters had represented the stable in the 22 years since, each walked back to the barn a defeated animal.

You couldn't have faulted the Frenchman if he'd begun to feel a bit like the late Bobby Frankel, who saddled 36 starters in the Breeders' Cup before Squirtle Squirt (Marquetry) snapped his own dubious streak in 2001. But for trainers as capable as Christophe Clement, skids like this are bound to end sooner and not later, and so it was Friday afternoon when Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), a homebred for celebrity chef and Breeders' Cup ambassador Bobby Flay, slalomed home down the Del Mar lane to give the owner a second win in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, joining 2010 victress More Than Real (More Than Ready). Ryan Moore worked out a good trip from an awkward draw aboard French raider Malavath (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), whose rails run through the final furlong fell just short, while 'TDN Rising Star' Haughty (Empire Maker), who just snuck into the race, finished a promising third.

Pizza Bianca was the recipient of a very quiet Joel Rosario ride at just over 5-1 on Saratoga debut July 22, and came with a wide sweep off no pace whatsoever to outfinish odds-on Expand the Map (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) by three-parts of a length. Tested for class in the GI Natalma S. at Woodbine Sept. 19, the homebred was more forwardly placed while clipping the hedge for the opening half-mile, traveled nicely into the race nearing the straight and was short of room a furlong and a half out before boxing on gamely for second to Godolphin's Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who'd have likely gone favored for Friday's race had she made the trans-Atlantic journey.

With Rosario opting for the undefeated Koala Princess (More Than Ready)–somewhat surprisingly sent off the betting favorite at 9-2–Jose Ortiz inherited the ride on Pizza Bianca, and the duo was off to an uneventful beginning from gate one. Allowed to drift back through the field, the dark bay raced with about three behind early as the positively ridden G1 Fillies' Mile third Cachet (Ire) (Aclaim {Ire}) set a moderate pace in advance of Turnerloose (Nyquist), with Mise En Scene (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) posted three wide for Oisin Murphy. With only GII JP Morgan Chase Jessamine S. upsetter California Angel (California Chrome) in her rear-view passing the half-mile pole, Pizza Bianca was outfooted into the turn by the latter, relegating her to last with three furlongs to race, but she nevertheless traveled strongly, appearing only to need somewhere to run when push came to shove.

Sent through an opening one off the fence between the rail-skimming Malavath and Consumer Spending (More Than Ready) as they neared the eighth pole, Pizza Bianca hit another gear to whoosh past a stubborn front-running Cachet and Hello You (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) with time ticking away and flashed under the wire first.

“Very nice. Great win,” said Clement. “I'm delighted. I was surprised [agent] Ron Anderson and Rosario didn't ride the filly because we always thought that she a nice one and she proved us right today. I'm absolutely thrilled with the confidence showed in us. It's nice.”

Pedigree Notes:

On behalf of Flay, renowned bloodstock agent James Delahooke went to 1.25 million guineas ($2,122,050) for White Hot at the 2014 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. The fifth-priciest offering in Book 1, White Hot was, at the time, a half-sister to 2011 G1 Investec Derby hero Pour Moi (Ire) and to MGSW & MG1SP Gagnoa (Ire) (Sadler's Wells). Flay entered White Hot carrying to Fastnet Rock (Ire) in the 2017 Tattersalls December Mares sale, but elected to withdraw her and that decision had proved fruitful, even prior to Friday's event.

Gagnoa's foal of 2017, the filly Etoile (War Front), took out the G3 Juvenile Fillies Sprint at Naas in 2019, while the current 2-year-old colt out of Gagnoa, Ancient Rome (War Front), has done his part to flatter the family with a victory in this year's G3 Prix des Chenes and runner-up efforts in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and G1 Criterium International this season. White Hot's full-brother Dawn Patrol (Ire) was the winner of the G3 Loughbrown S. and was third in the G1 Irish Derby in 2020. This is also the female family of G1 Epsom Derby hero Lammtarra, Hector Protector and Bosra Sham, et al.

Pizza Bianca is the first Breeders' Cup winner for the exceptional dual-hemisphere stallion Fastnet Rock (Aus) (Danehill) and is his seventh championship starter from his Northern Hemisphere-foaled crops. Pizza Bianca is the 42nd top-level winner for her sire, joining GI Man O'War S. heroine Zhukova (Ire), who is also out of a Galileo mare. She is also the stallion's 182nd worldwide black-type winner and 114th graded/group winner. Pizza Bianca is a mind-boggling 227th SW, 123rd GSW and 37th G1/GISW out of a daughter of the late Galileo. Cover Song, a daughter of Misty For Me (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), won the 2016 GIII Autumn Miss S. for Spendthrift Farm and was purchased by Flay (James Delahooke, agent), for $1.6 million at FTKNOV a short time later. He RNAd Cover Song, in foal to Dubawi (Ire), for $3.9 million at FTKNOV in 2018.

White Hot was barren to Quality Road for 2020, but foaled a colt by Uncle Mo this past Feb. 4 and was most recently bred to Not This Time.

Friday, Del Mar
BREEDERS' CUP JUVENILE FILLIES TURF-GI, $920,000, Del Mar, 11-5, 2yo, f, 1mT, 1:36.08, fm.
1–PIZZA BIANCA, 122, f, 2, by Fastnet Rock (Aus)
                1st Dam: White Hot (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Gwynn (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)
                3rd Dam: Victoress, by Conquistador Cielo
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I
   WIN. O/B-Bobby Flay (KY); T-Christophe Clement; J-Jose L.
Ortiz. $520,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $637,635. Werk
   Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Malavath (Ire), 122, f, 2, by Mehmas (Ire)
                1st Dam: Fidaaha (Ire), by New Approach (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Ceist Eile (Ire), by Noverre
                3rd Dam: Sharafanya (Ire), by Zafonic
(£29,000 Ylg '20 GOFFUK; €139,200 2yo '21 ARQDEA).
O-Everest Racing, Redvers, David and Keller, Barbara; B-Tally
Ho Stud (IRE); T-Francis – Henri Graffard. $170,000.
3–Haughty, 122, f, 2, by Empire Maker
                1st Dam: Soaring Emotions, by Kingmambo
                2nd Dam: Luminous Beauty, by A.P. Indy
                3rd Dam: Caerlina (Ire), by Caerleon
'TDN Rising Star'. ($70,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP; $310,000 2yo
'21 OBSAPR). O-Bradley Thoroughbreds, Belmar Racing and
Breeding, LLC, Tim & Anna Cambron & Team Hanley;
B-Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd. (KY); T-Chad C. Brown.
$90,000.
Margins: HF, NK, HD. Odds: 9.90, 17.70, 6.00.
Also Ran: Cachet (Ire), Hello You (Ire), Consumer Spending, Koala Princess, Helens Well (Ire), Cairo Memories, Mise En Scene (GB), California Angel, Bubble Rock, Sail By, Turnerloose.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Echo Zulu Fires Big in Juvenile Fillies

DEL MAR, CA – During an interview in these pages earlier this week, Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen described returning to Del Mar–the site of Gun Runner's 2017 GI Breeders' Cup Classic victory–with a member of his first crop favored for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies as “dreaming.”

The dream run certainly continued for L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds' Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) Friday, capping a perfect four-for-four championship season with a powerhouse, 5 1/4-length, wire-to-wire performance in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Juju's Map (Liam's Map), winner of the GI Darley Alcibiades S. at Keeneland, was second; Tarabi (First Samurai) was third.

“A very special filly,” said Asmussen after saddling his second winner in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and eighth overall at the World Championships. “She means so much to us, and the fact that she is from the first crop of Gun Runner, everything that he did for us, it's surreal that we're back here at Del Mar for the second Breeders' Cup when his crowning moment was the Breeders' Cup [Classic] here in 2017.”

He continued, “She's just brilliant. She's faster than they are. It's as simple as that. We're just so fortunate to be around her.”

Any similarities to her sire, the 2017 Horse of the Year?

“I think what we've seen, especially today, is how she carries [her speed], what a fluid mover she is and the middle fractions where Gun Runner just seemed to move so effortlessly and horses didn't stay at the same rate he did, that's how she seems to be in her races,” Asmussen replied.

On the engine beneath Joel Rosario while drawn widest of all in post six, Echo Zulu quickly cleared the field passing the stands for the first time and it was pretty much over from there. The 4-5 favorite clicked off sensible fractions of :23.42 and :47.01, began to give them the slip rounding the far turn and was handridden to a championship-sealing performance. The final time of 1:42.24 was a tick faster than the 1:42.50 final clocking established by fellow 'Rising Star' Corniche (Quality Road) later on the card in the Juvenile.

“She is amazing,” said Rosario after riding his 14th Breeders' Cup winner. “She is fast, has so much speed and it looks like she is not going that fast. Today, she liked what she was doing up there and when I asked her, she just took off. She's just amazing.”

Tabbed as a 'Rising Star' in a flashy Saratoga unveiling going 5 1/2 furlongs, Echo Zulu made good on the promise, with dominating front-running wins with matching 90 Beyer Speed Figures in Saratoga's GI Spinaway S. going seven furlongs Sept. 5 and Belmont's one-turn mile GI Frizette S. Oct. 3, respectively. The aforementioned Tarabi was second in the Spinaway. Frizette runner-up Gerrymander (Into Mischief) returned to capture Friday's Tempted S. at Belmont.

Echo Zulu was making her two-turn debut while ridden by Rosario for the first time in the Juvenile Fillies. Ricardo Santana, Jr. piloted Echo Zulu to all three of her previous victories.

Winchell Thoroughbreds, of course, campaigned Gun Runner in partnership, and has also won Breeders' Cup races with Untapable (Distaff) and Tapizar (Dirt Mile), respectively.

“It's something you always dream about when you have a horse like Gun Runner, and first crop getting a, what will be, a champion 2-year-old filly,” Ron Winchell said. “So for us to actually own it and what we did with Gun Runner like Steve [Asmussen] was saying it just makes it that much more special.”

L and N Racing-a partnership comprised of Lee Levinson, his sons Michael and Andy, and family friend Don Nelson-had its colors carried by GISW Echo Town (Speightstown) as well as Kentucky Derby runner-up Lookin At Lee.

“I'm still in shock,” Lee Levinson concluded with a laugh. “And I'm an attorney. I speak for a living, and I can't talk.”

Pedigree Notes:

Echo Zulu, a $300,000 KEESEP graduate, is a half-sister to the Asmussen-trained fellow 'Rising Star' and GI Runhappy H. Allen Jerkens S. winner and young Ashford Stud sire Echo Town. Standing at Three Chimneys Farm, freshman sire Gun Runner is responsible for a leading four graded stakes winners, including the Asmussen-trained GI Hopeful S. winner Gunite. Gun Runner's Pappacap also completed the exacta in the Juvenile later on the program. Echo Zulu is a half-sister to another 'Rising Star' in J Boys Echo (Mineshaft), GSW, $377,543; and Unbridled Outlaw (Unbridled's Song), GSP, $253,478. Letgomyecho's 2020 filly by American Pharoah brought $1.4 million–the highest price for a filly–from Northshore Bloodstock on behalf of Joe Allen at this year's Keeneland September Sale. Echo Zulu's dam was talented herself, winning by 5 1/2 lengths in her Calder debut as a newly turned 3-year-old and streaking to a three-for-three record in the 2005 GII Forward Gal S.

Friday, Del Mar
NETJETS BREEDERS' CUP JUVENILE FILLIES-GI, $1,760,000, Del Mar, 11-5, 2yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:42.24, ft.
1–ECHO ZULU, 122, f, 2, by Gun Runner
                1st Dam: Letgomyecho (GSW, $136,200), by Menifee
                2nd Dam: Echo Echo Echo, by Eastern Echo
                3rd Dam: Kashie West, by Sir Ivor
'TDN Rising Star'. ($300,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-L and N Racing
LLC & Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC; B-Betz/J. Betz/Burns/
CHNNHK/Magers/ CoCo Equine/Ramsby (KY); T-Steven M.
Asmussen; J-Joel Rosario. $1,040,000. Lifetime Record:
4-4-0-0, $1,480,000. *1/2 to Unbridled Outlaw (Unbridled's
Song), GSP, $253,478; 1/2 to J Boys Echo (Mineshaft), GSW,
$377,543; 1/2 to Echo Town (Speightstown), GISW, $410,020.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Juju's Map, 122, f, 2, by Liam's Map
                1st Dam: Nagambie, by Flatter
                2nd Dam: Charming N Lovable, by Horse Chestnut (SAf)
                3rd Dam: St Lucinda, by St. Jovite
($190,000 Ylg '20 KEEJAN; $300,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP).
O-Albaugh Family Stables LLC; B-Fred W. Hertrich (KY); T-Brad Cox. $340,000.
3–Tarabi, 122, f, 2, by First Samurai
                1st Dam: Indian Bay, by Indian Charlie
                2nd Dam: Buy the Barrel, by E Dubai
                3rd Dam: Affordable Price, by Drouilly (Fr)
($240,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-LBD Stable LLC, Manganaro
Bloodstock & David Ingordo; B-Hinkle Farms (KY); T-Cherie
DeVaux. $180,000.
Margins: 5 1/4, HF, 7 3/4. Odds: 0.80, 3.00, 9.80.
Also Ran: Hidden Connection, Sequist, Desert Dawn.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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