Team Godolphin’s Huge Weekend Continues in Turf

It wasn't a completely straight-forward weekend for Team Godolphin, given the unfortunate events prior to Friday's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf which resulted in the scratching of Albahr (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Stablemate Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) eased that disappointment with a convincing victory (for purse money only) in the Friday finale, and Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) capped a Saturday double for Sheikh Mohammed's operation with a fast-finishing victory in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, giving jockey William Buick, trainer Charlie Appleby and Darley's Dubawi three winners over the course of the two-day meet. Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) ran a cracking race to be second ahead of Teona (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in third.

Allowed to find his footing and taken back to sit near the tail of the field, Yibir switched off fairly in the early stages, as Tribhuvan (Ire) (Toronado {Ire}) and Acclimate (Acclamation) put the better part of eight lengths on their rivals as the field raced past the grandstand first time around. Tribhuvan was the clear leader racing under the wire and the pace was honest enough, as they turned up the backstretch following six furlongs in 1:12.41. Last and racing to the inside of Gufo (Declaration of War) with five furlongs to travel and with defending champion Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) just ahead of him, Yibir began to lengthen his stride on the turn and raced in the slipstream of Tarnawa into the final 2 1/2 furlongs. Pulled out about five wide at the head of the lane as Broome came calling for the lead outside of Channel Maker (English Channel) about six lengths ahead of him, Yibir began gobbling up the ground and 'swept' past Broome in the final 20 yards for the victory. Teona ran on gamely for third, while Tarnawa was up and down in the stretch, finishing a disappointing 11th.

“To be honest with you, I thought he was doing too much,” admitted Buick. “But then once we turned into the back, he dropped the bit and he was in a good mile-and-a-half, steady rhythm and I was just hoping that he stayed there for the finish. Halfway around the home turn, I could see Broome had gone, but I was always confident of picking him up. He's been an amazing turn of foot and I couldn't pull him up after the line.”

Twice a winner from four starts as a juvenile, Yibir was third in the G3 Sandown Classic Trial Apr. 23 and fourth as the favorite in the Listed Dee S. around tight-turning Chester May 6 ahead of a runner-up effort in the Listed Cocked Hat S. at Goodwood 15 days later. Subsequently gelded in an attempt to extract more consistency, the lengthy chestnut was victorious in the G3 Bahrain Trophy in July and won the Aug. 18 G2 Great Voltigeur S. at York two starts later. Ineligible for the G1 St Leger S. as a geldingm Yibir shipped stateside for the Jockey Club Derby Invitational Sept. 18 instead at Belmont and came with a powerful sweeping run into the lane to overwhelm his peers by 2 1/2 lengths.

Appleby indicated Yibir could be a candidate for races like the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic during the upcoming Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan Racecourse.

Pedigree Notes:

With the victory, Yibir becomes the 48th top-level scorer for Dubawi, now the sire of four Breeders' Cup winners following his productive weekend.

Yibir is a full-brother to connections' Wild Illusion (GB), winner of the G1 Prix de l'Opera and G1 Nassau S. and runner-up to Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) as the favorite in the 2018 Filly & Mare Turf. Yibir's second dam was a German highweight, while the extended female family includes Royal Highness (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), winner of the GI Beverly D. S. and dam od MGSW Free Port Lux (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}).

Rumh is the dam of Yibir's unraced 2-year-old full-brother Wild Crusade (GB) and a yearling colt by Breeders' Cup Turf runner-up Golden Horn (GB).

Saturday, Del Mar
LONGINES BREEDERS' CUP TURF-GI, $3,680,000, Del Mar, 11-6, 3yo/up, 1 1/2mT, 2:25.90 (NCR), fm.
1–YIBIR (GB), 122, g, 3, by Dubawi (Ire)
                1st Dam: Rumh (Ger) (SW-Eng), by Monsun (Ger)
                2nd Dam: Royal Dubai (Ger), by Dashing Blade (GB)
                3rd Dam: Reem Dubai (Ire), by Nashwan
1ST GRADE I WIN. O/B-Godolphin, LLC (GB); T-Charles
Appleby; J-William T. Buick. $2,080,000. Lifetime Record:
MGSW-Eng, 12-6-1-2, $2,895,580. *1/2 to Really Special (GB)
(Shamardal), SW-Eng, SP-UAE, $108,180; Full to Wild Illusion
(GB), G1SW-Eng, MG1SW-Fr, GISP-USA, $1,590,217. Werk
Nick Rating: A+++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross
pedigree.
2–Broome (Ire), 126, h, 5, Australia (GB)–Sweepstake (Ire),
by Acclamation (GB). (€120,000 RNA Ylg '17 GOFOR;
150,000gns Ylg '17 TATDEY). O-Masaaki Matsushima, Mrs.
John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, & Derrick Smith; B-Epona
Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan P. O'Brien. $680,000.
3–Teona (Ire), 119, f, 3, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Ambivalent (Ire),
by Authorized (Ire). (280,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT).
O/B-Rabbah Bloodstock LLC (IRE); T-Roger Varian. $360,000.
Margins: HF, 1HF, 1HF. Odds: 8.50, 9.50, 9.80.
Also Ran: Japan (GB), Channel Maker, Bolshoi Ballet (Ire), Sisfahan (Fr), Rockemperor (Ire), Walton Street (GB), Gufo, Tarnawa (Ire), Astronaut, Tribhuvan (Fr), Acclimate. Scratched: Domestic Spending (GB), Friar's Road, Mogul (GB), United.
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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Space Blues Rockets To Lead In Late Stretch To Take Breeders’ Cup Mile

In the last race of his career, Space Blues (IRE) goes out a winner in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif. After a delayed start, the Godolphin bred and owned horse overtook frontrunner Smooth Like Strait in the final furlong to win by a half-length.

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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Space Blues Gets Another for Godolphin, Appleby and Buick

Following a bit of unwelcomed deja vu when Godolphin's rail-drawn Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was scratched after rearing up in the gate, stablemate Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) became the shortest-priced winner on what became a pretty quirky day at the Breeders' Cup, coming away late to best pacesetting local Smooth Like Strait (Midnight Lute) in the GI Fanduel Breeders' Cup Mile, presented by the Permanently Disabled Jockeys' Fund. Ivar (Brz) (Agnes Gold {Jpn}), a well-backed fourth in last year's Mile, went a good race to finish a close third.

Smooth Like Strait, the lesser preferred of the two remaining California-based milers at 10-1–Hit the Road (More Than Ready) was scratched Saturday, while Mo Forza (Uncle Mo) was the 3-1 second choice–jumped straight into the bridle for Umberto Rispoli and although he had some early company in the form of the negatively ridden Blowout (GB) (Dansili {GB}), was allowed a fairly soft time of things from the front, negotiating the opening two furlongs in :23.51. Space Blues fell into the perfect spot from third, just to the inside of 2019 Mile runner-up Got Stormy (Get Stormy), and had the leaders in the crosshairs after a half in a moderate :47.38. Given the hurry-up by William Buick five-sixteenths of a mile out, Space Blues took up the chase in earnest, pushed away from the inside with a furlong and a half to travel, had dead aim on Smooth Like Strait at the eighth pole and surged past to register a cozy success. Ivar, worse than midfield and wide into the turn, switched out in upper stretch and was along late to grab third spot. Mo Forza never landed a blow, finishing last of the 13, a field that was covered by just over six lengths in the end.

Space Blues capped his 4-year-old campaign on a three-race winning streak, landing the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville last August, then returned to action with a 3/4-length tally in the STC 1351 Turf Sprint Cup on the Saudi Cup undercard Feb. 20. Never truly in it when only ninth in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan Mar. 27, the chestnut hinted at a return to his best form when a half-length fourth in the G2 Lennox S. at Goodwood July 27 ahead of a sparkling 1 1/2-length score in the G2 City of York S. Aug. 21. Space Blues proved that he was in no way ground-dependent when running out a two-length winner of the G1 Prix de la Foret at ParisLongchamp in heavy going Oct. 3, a race that has served as a useful pointer to the Mile.

“I had a good plan in my head how I thought it would work out and I wanted it to work out and it worked out a little bit better than what I hoped,” said winning jockey William Buick, who doubled up on Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the Turf two races later. “I was a little bit worried if I was going to be too close to a hot pace, but the horse, Blowout, she didn't go on today, and the leader set favorable fractions, so I was right behind him and I was very happy where I was.

He continued, “We had a perfect trip and I knew today was all about getting a trip for this horse, and the way the race panned out it really played to Space Blues' strengths, and I'm delighted that he could show everyone over here what he's all about. He's been a great horse for me personally and for everyone on this team.”

Pedigree Notes:

Space Blues was the second of three winners on Breeders' Cup weekend for the outstanding Dubawi, whose lone previous winner on championship weekend came courtesy of Wuheida (GB), ridden by Buick to victory in the 2017 Filly & Mare Turf here at Del Mar.

Space Blues is a half-sister to MGSW Shuruq, who has also left her mark on American racing as the dam of Godolphin's GSW & MGISP Antoniette (Hard Spun) and Javanica (Medaglia d'Oro), runner-up in this track's GIII Jimmy Durante S. last fall. This is also the female family of G1 English 1000 Guineas winner Virginia Waters (Kingmambo).

Miss Lucifer is the dam of the unraced 3-year-old filly Beautiful Future (Ire), a daughter of Dubawi's son Night of Thunder (Ire), and a yearling filly by Dark Angel (Ire).

Saturday, Del Mar
FANDUEL BREEDERS' CUP MILE PRESENTED BY PDJF-GI, $1,840,000, Del Mar, 11-6, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:34.01, fm.
1–SPACE BLUES (IRE), 126, h, 5, by Dubawi (Ire)
               1st Dam: Miss Lucifer (Fr) (GSW-Eng, $193,403), by Noverre
               2nd Dam: Devil's Imp (Ire), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB)
               3rd Dam: High Spirited (Ire), by Shirley Heights (GB)
O/B-Godolphin, LLC (IRE); T-Charles Appleby; J-William T.
Buick. $1,040,000. Lifetime Record: 'TDN Rising Star',
19-11-3-1, $2,585,725. *1/2 to Shuruq (Elusive Quality),
Hwt. Older Mare at 4-UAE- at 7 – 9 1/2 f., MGSW-UAE,
GSW-Tur, GSP-Eng, $658,709. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Smooth Like Strait, 126, c, 4, Midnight Lute–Smooth as
Usual, by Flower Alley. O/B-Cannon Thoroughbreds, LLC
(KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy. $340,000.
3–Ivar (Brz), 126, h, 5, Agnes Gold (Jpn)–May Be Now, by
Smart Strike. O-Bonne Chance Farm, LLC & Stud R D I, LLC.;
B-Stud Rio Dois Irmaos (BRZ); T-Paulo H. Lobo. $180,000.
Margins: HF, 1, 3/4. Odds: 2.10, 10.20, 24.90.
Also Ran: Raging Bull (Fr), Got Stormy, Pearls Galore (Fr), In Love (Brz), Casa Creed, Real Appeal (Ger), Mother Earth (Ire), Blowout (GB), Vin de Garde (Jpn), Mo Forza. Scratched: Hit the Road, Master of The Seas (Ire), Queen Supreme (Ire).
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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Modern Games Crosses Juvenile Turf Wire In Front, Greeted By Chorus Of Boos After Wagering Kerfuffle

The Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf may have followed the centerpiece Juvenile on the Del Mar card, but it provided more than enough drama to cap off the first day of the 2021 Breeders' Cup. Modern Games (IRE) was the winner of the race while running for purse money only, while Tiz The Bomb was the winner for parimutuel wagering purposes, a confusing situation which set off frustration from the gathered California crowd.

The full field of 14 had loaded into the gate uneventfully and was waiting for the start when Modern Games grew restless and reared in the one gate, triggering stablemate Albahr (GB) to spook, rear, and fall onto the turf under the gate. Jockey Frankie Dettori, aboard Albahr, managed to extricate himself from the gate without being hurt, as the 2-year-old Charlie Appleby trainee thrashed on the ground. Around the same time, stablemate Modern Games (IRE) under William Buick came out of the adjacent gate. Buick later said that an assistant starter had opened the gate to allow him to escape any injury from Albahr, but that he wasn't sure how many people realized in the moment that his horse had been let out, rather than breaking through the gate.

An unidentified assistant starter was given medical attention for injuries sustained in the incident, according to TVG broadcasters. California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) officials were unable to provide an update on that assistant starter late Friday, or his/her name.

The horses were unloaded and Albahr was extricated from the gate, and Appleby later said the horse seemed to have escaped with minor cuts. While the horses were walking behind the gates awaiting reloading, the public was told Albahr and Modern Games were scratched. Then, an announcement came that Modern Games would run for purse money only.

CHRB officials later explained that two veterinarians standing behind the gate — Dr. Dana Stead and Dr. Chuck Jenkins — saw Modern Games rear and thought the horse hit the back of the gate, and that they believed he subsequently broke through the front gates.

Dr. Jeff Blea, equine medical director for the CHRB, explained that a horse breaking through a gate which has not been opened for the horse can result in a shoulder fracture that may not be detected until the horse began galloping. Such an injury could prove fatal.

CHRB executive director Scott Chaney said that veterinarians radioed to the stewards that Modern Games would be a scratch before the horse had been brought back around behind the gate. The scratch was announced and the horse was taken out of the wagering pools for around four minutes before veterinarians examined Modern Games and spoke with Buick. They concluded the horse had not broken the front gates and was in a fit state to race.

California Horse Racing Board rule 1974(B) states that “if a horse 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 money only and shall be disregarded for pari-mutuel purposes.”

At that point, the stewards could have left the horse scratched, or they could have allowed it to run for purse money only. Chaney said he did not think they could have put the horse back into the pools once it had been out for several minutes.

The stewards later released the following statement about the incident:

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.

There is no rule in California requiring that a horse who breaks through a gate is an automatic scratch; rather, that decision is left up to the official veterinarian on the ground.

Buick said later he was unaware his horse ever had been scratched, because he knew the horse had not been injured in the incident. He was asked by veterinarians on the ground what had happened, and after he explained that he was let out of the gate by the starter, his horse was examined and he was reloaded.

“Usually horses get backed out the back of gate and everyone gets reorganized and goes again,” Buick said afterwards. “The stall handler there, he obviously meant well and tried to do the right thing, but he opened the front gate without anyone being ready for it and my horse did what he's taught to do and jumps out. Fortunately he got my message and we pulled up and went around the back. To be honest I was unaware of the situation. The vet team wanted to know what happened, I told them what happened and the guy who opened my gate told them thankfully exactly what he did and what happened there. They had all the information. Maybe there was a bit of confusion and panic back there.”

The horses were reloaded into the gates, and Modern Games sat fifth or sixth early leaders Coinage and Portfolio Company, who set the early pace through the backstretch. Grafton Street was sent after them at the top of the stretch, but Modern Games swung wide and found an extra gear in mid-stretch, drawing clear by 1 1/2 lengths at the wire.

Tiz The Bomb crossed the wire behind Modern Games, with Mackinnon and Grafton Street following. Due to Modern Games' status as “purse money only,” bettors were paid as though Tiz The Bomb had won the race: he returned $17.60, $7.40, and $5.20.

Modern Games returned to the Del Mar grandstand to a loud and persistent wave of boos from 20,536 race attendees who were upset about the wagering situation, creating a strange reception for Buick, Appleby, and Godolphin, who were awarded the trophy.

Modern Games came to the Breeders' Cup off a win in the G3 Sommerville Stakes at Newmarket on Sept. 23, having previously won the Take The Reins Handicap two weeks earlier. He is a 2-year-old son of Dubawi (IRE) out of New Approach (IRE) mare Modern Ideals (GB). He was bred in Ireland by the owner.

The race gave Appleby his fourth Breeders' Cup win. He won the same race in 2018 with Line of Duty.

Horseplayers expressed outrage and confusion at the mix-up online. Chaney attributed the sequence of events, in part, to the fact the race was the last of the day and already had an 18-minute delay as officials waited for the injured assistant starter to be transported by ambulance and for another ambulance to come onto the course to chase the field. The sun was setting by the time the race went off at 5:48 p.m. local time.

Additionally, Chaney pointed out, the current climate with regard to animal welfare probably had veterinarians and officials eager to take every precaution to prevent any kind of equine injury.

“This might be an example of trying too hard,” said Chaney at a press conference Friday night.

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