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Nick Luck Joins the TDN Writers’ Room, Talks BC European Contingent

The Green Group Guest of the Week on the latest edition of the TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland, commentator Nick Luck, who works both sides of the Atlantic, was asked what are the best storylines out of Europe when it comes to this year's Breeders' Cup. With a deep and talented group of shippers coming to Keeneland, there was no shortage of answers, starting with the story of Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night of Thunder {Ire}).

“I think Highfield Princess is right up there as one of the great storylines,” Luck said of the Europen sprinting star who will contest the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. “She's in the Turf Sprint against Golden Pal, so this is one of those races where you can genuinely say the best American in his or her division is facing the best European in his or her division, both with brazen speed. That sets up as a perfect clash. You have the Coolmore ownership on one hand with Golden Pal against the slightly more blue collar origins on the other. It's got everything that a Breeders Cup race should have.”

Then there's jockey Hollie Doyle. She could have two favorites in Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf and The Platinum Queen (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

“Hollie Doyle is the most successful female jockey that's ever been in Europe,” Luck said. “She's a ground-breaker, someone who's really threatened to shatter the glass ceiling more than any other female rider has before. She's got meaningful chances with The Platinum Queen and Nashwa in the in the Breeders Cup Filly & Mare Turf, and that's a race that will test her a little bit more against some of the best American turf riders. So we'll see what she's made of tactically there.”

Trainer Charlie Appleby will be well represented with a group led by Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), the likely favorite in the Breeders' Cup Mile. Appleby is 14-for-28 in North America since 2021, including wins with Modern Games, Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in last year's Breeders' Cup. He is making it look easy.

“If you have the depth of talent that he has, obviously, that makes it easier,” Luck said. “But there have been plenty of high-profile trainers who've had the patronage of high-profile owners before who haven't done as well as him. Even Aidan O'Brien, who has a great record in the United States, pales by comparison when you look at strike rates. One of the things that motivates Appleby most is finding the right opportunities for his horses. And if he has a whole bunch of Grade I or Grade II horses finding where they fit best. He likes to use the international calendar to exploit that. If he has three dozen beautifully bred horses by Dubawi, he knows he can't target them all at the British classics. They'll find their natural metier running in those turf races in the United States. He's just exploited that to a tee. Then he gets them to get confident, then they get better still.

Elsewhere on the show, panelists Randy Moss, Zoe Cadman and Bill Finley took a look back at the stunning defeat suffered by Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the GI Champion S. at Ascot and a look ahead at the prospective fields for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic and the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff. The podcast, which is also sponsored by Coolmore, XBTV, The Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, Three Chimneys, West Point Thoroughbreds and Legacy Bloodstock, also included a discussion of what's next for Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux, whose return is unclear after he recently served a 60-day suspension. The writers jumped on the opportunity to implore other states beyond Kentucky to give the bettors a break and revert to penny breakage, but didn't hold out much hope that it would happen. The penny breakage system in Kentucky has meant an additional $1.1 million has been returned to bettors since the system was implemented at the start of the Ellis Park meet.

Click here to watch the podcast and here to listen.

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Godolphin Named National Owner, Breeder of the Year For 2021

Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin was named 2021 National Owner of the Year, presented by 1/ST, and also Breeder of the Year during the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA)'s National Awards Dinner held Sept. 10 at Keeneland. The event was emcee'd by TVG's Gabby Gaudet.

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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Torquator Tasso and Yibir Head GP Von Baden Entries

The 152nd G1 Grosser Preis von Baden, set to be run on Sunday, Sept. 4, has attracted an international entry of 48 horses, including the defending champion and Arc hero Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}).

The German champion is joined on the list by last year's runner-up, the 2021 Deutsches Derby winner Sisfahan (Fr) (Isfahan {Ger}), as well as recent Baden-Baden Group 2 winner Alter Adler (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}).

A strong overseas entry for the 2,400m contest at Iffezheim includes last year's Irish Derby winner Hurricane Lane (Ire) ((Frankel {GB}) and his Godolphin stable-mate, the Breeders' Cup Turf winner Yibir (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Also potentially making the trip from Newmarket is Kirsten Rausing's Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}), trained by Sir Mark Prescott and the winner of three Group 1 races in Germany last year, and the Saudi-owned, William Haggas-trained Grocer Jack (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who started his career in Germany. Richard Hannon has entered Amo Racing's Mojo Star (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who has been runner-up in the Derby, St Leger and Gold Cup.

Stephan Buchner, managing partner of Baden Galopp, said: “We are very happy with the outstanding number of entries for our highlight of the year. The response from home and abroad makes us look forward with great anticipation to a horseracing festival on September 4 on our beautiful racetrack.”

The €200,000 Grosser Preis von Baden is the feature race on the final day of Baden-Baden's 'Grosse Woche' which gets underway on Aug. 27.

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Gleneagles’s Highland Chief Upsets Yibir in Man o’ War

With heavily favored champion Yibir totally missing the start, Saturday's GI Man o' War S. at Belmont was thrown into a state of flux, and longest shot on the board Highland Chief took advantage. Away well himself and with no real pace on, Highland Chief shared early front-running duties with Abaan (Will Take Charge) past the wire for the first time while kept well off the fence by pilot Trevor McCarthy. Content to sit second on the first bend and down the backside through splits of :25.35, :51.84 and 1:17.60, Highland Chief turned the heat back up heading for home as last year's Jockey Club Derby Invitational and GI Breeders' Cup Turf hero Yibir and MGISW Gufo swept up to join the fray. Highland Chief poked a head in front after a mile in 1:42.04, and while it seemed like surely one of his more accomplished foes would come get him when they straightened, the bay kept finding and in fact pulled away slightly in the late stages.

“I wanted to get a good break, that was the most important thing,” said McCarthy, who was celebrating his first win at the highest level. “He broke well last time, but he just got annihilated at the break. Today, he was really handy the whole way for me. The pace was pretty slow, but the whole time he was just carrying me, carrying me, carrying me. At the 5/16 pole I let him go and started to make an early move. I just wanted to get away from the other guys and it sure paid off. He made up a ton of ground the first time he ran in America and got shut off really bad at the break, but he made a good rally.”

“It's a great feeling,” McCarthy said of winning his first Grade I. “To win it for [trainer] Graham [Motion], who has given me so much support in my career, it's really special. My father started riding for Graham and we got to be good friends with them and his family. I started at 15 and worked for Graham. As soon as I started to learn how to ride, I stayed at Fair Hill for three years. I would come in on the weekends and days off of school and ride out for him which was great. I learned so much from him and all his employees there at the time. To win it with so much history with him is great.”

Originally based with Paul Cole in England, Highland Chief was well thought of enough to contest the 2020 G1 Investec Derby, where he finished 10th before a pair of seconds going 1 1/2 miles at the Group level. He made just one start last year, checking in fifth in Epsom's G1 Coronation Cup June 4, and found 8 1/2 panels at Aqueduct too sharp when ninth while making up significant ground late in his Stateside debut Apr. 14.

“In fairness, Alex Cole, the manager for the owners, told me that if he runs back to his European form, he's very competitive with these horses,” said Motion. “He won a race at Ascot. That's not easy to do. Trevor had a strategy–he knew he couldn't leave him too much to do. He broke better today, which made a difference because he wasn't so held back at the start or too much ground to make up. Trevor gave him a great ride. I said to Trevor, 'I can't believe somebody broke slower than we did.”

Of potential future plans, Motion said, “We'd have to think about the [June 11 GI Resorts World] Manhattan, but it was mentioned to go to Europe after this race if he ran well. Originally, they talked about running in the Dubai World Cup and I knew he just wasn't ready for that. [The owners] think very highly of him.”

As for the beaten favorite, trainer Charlie Appleby said, “That's him. He did that here last year. That's his style. He did it [when second in the Mar. 26 G1] Sheema Classic as well. We intentionally did not want him to be as slow out, but his run style is to come off the pace… Unfortunately, we had rain here last night and rain again today and it's just on the slower side of where he likes to hear his feet rattling. For his acceleration, it just blunts it slightly. Take nothing away from the winner, he held decent form back in Europe in his 3-year-old career there and he had to be respected. We ran our race, but in an ideal world if you asked me what I'd like to have had, it would be no rain.”

Appleby said last year's champion turf horse would likely be back in the States for the Aug. 27 GI Sword Dancer S. at Saratoga.

Saturday, Belmont Park
MAN O' WAR S.-GI, $651,000, Belmont, 5-14, 4yo/up, 1 3/8mT, 2:17.04, fm.
1–HIGHLAND CHIEF (IRE), 118, h, 5, by Gleneagles (Ire)
1st Dam: Pink Symphony (GB) (GSW-Ire, MSP-Eng, $186,684), by Montjeu (Ire)
2nd Dam: Blue Symphony (GB), by Darshaan (GB)
3rd Dam: Blue Duster, by Danzig
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I
WIN. O/B-Mrs. Fitri Hay (IRE); T-H. Graham Motion; J-Trevor
McCarthy. $375,000. Lifetime Record: 12-3-2-2, $501,862.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: B.
2–Gufo, 124, h, 5, Declaration of War–Floy, by Petionville.
O-Otter Bend Stables, LLC; B-John Little & Stephen Cainelli
(KY); T-Christophe Clement. $130,000.
3–Yibir (GB), 124, g, 4, Dubawi (Ire)–Rumh (Ger), by Monsun
(Ger). O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charles Appleby. $70,000.
Margins: 1, NK, 2 3/4. Odds: 19.20, 2.45, 0.55.
Also Ran: Easter (Fr), Abaan. Scratched: So High (GB). Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:
Highland Chief hails from the first crop of MG1SW miler Gleneagles, who was a distant last in his lone U.S. start when trying the dirt in American Pharoah's GI Breeders' Cup Classic procession. He is one of 10 graded/group winners for the Coolmore Ireland resident.

Montjeu, meanwhile, has 37 Northern Hemisphere graded/group winners as a broodmare sire to go with 17 foaled south of the equator.

The winner's dam was a 400,000gns TATOCT yearling purchase in 2008 by Paul Cole on Hay's behalf, and she helped repay that investment with a score in the 1 1/2-mile G3 Irish Stallion Farms E.B.F. Give Thanks S. in 2011. A half to MGSW/MG1SP Fantasia (GB) (Sadler's Wells)–a Group 3-winning producer herself–and MGSW/MG1SP Western Hymn (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}), Pink Symphony is a granddaughter of Europe's 1995 champion 2-year-old filly Blue Duster. She has a 2-year-old full-brother to Highland Chief and a yearling filly by Churchill (Ire).

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