Luxembourg, shown training for the 2023 Hong Kong Cup, reappears in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar. Photo courtesy of Hong Kong Jockey Club
DEL MAR, Calif., Nov. 1 (UPI) — When Breeders’ Cup boldly rebranded its annual showdown as the World Championships, it could hardly have imagined the global quality of this year’s big turf races Saturday at Del Mar.
Even with Ireland’s superstar City of Troy rerouted to the Classic on the dirt, the turf races are chock full of top international runners from as far afield as Japan, England, Ireland and Argentina.
The big prize is the $5 million Longines Turf, featuring Rebel’s Romance, a 6-year-old Godolphin gelding who won the race in 2022 at Keeneland. He skipped last year’s edition, but in the interim, he won top-level stakes in Dubai, Hong Kong and Germany, while compiling a record of five wins from his last six starts.
Shahryar represents Japan in the Turf. He finished third last year at Santa Anita and finished second to Rebel’s Romance in the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic in March.
Luxembourg will carry the silks of Ireland’s Coolmore partners, with Ryan Moore riding for Aidan O’Brien.
Jayarebe comes from England off a win in the Group 2 Prix Dollar in France.
Argentina’s El Encinal got into the field by winning a Breeders’ Cup “Challenge” race, but showed little in two U.S. starts.
Fillies and mares are in the mix. Wingspan, a 3-year-old O’Brien charge, was second in the Group 1 Irish Champion Fillies & Mares Stakes on Oct. 19.
Trainer John Gosden hands Frankie Dettori the reins on Emily Upjohn, last seen a close third in the Group 1 Prix Vermeille in France.
Long or longish odds will be available on some of the U.S.-based runners. Far Bridge, last-race winner of the Grade I Turf Classic at Aqueduct, is 6-1 on the morning line. Grand Sonata, winner of the Grade II Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs in September, is 20-1. Cabo Spirit, last seen winning the Grade II John Henry Turf Classic at Santa Anita, is 30-1.
Fillies and mares not taking on their male rivals will square away in the $2 million Maker’s Mark Filly & Mare Turf at 1 3/8 miles. Thirteen are entered, with 3-year-old Europeans well-represented in a generally well-balanced bunch.
The favorite, however, is War Like Goddess, who finished third in the Turf two years ago and seventh last year and now returns to female competition.
Cinderella’s Dream, a Godolphin homebred by Shamardal, won the UAE 1,000 Guineas, but then was seventh in the English 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket. Trainer Charlie Appleby then dispatched her to New York where she promptly won the Grade I Belmont Oaks and the Grade II Saratoga Oaks.
Arch rival Coolmore and trainer Aidan O’Brien field Content, won the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks, but floundered on soft turf in two subsequent starts, and Ylang Ylang has yet to live up to the promise she showed in winning the Group 1 Fillies Mile last October.
Also in the Filly & Mare Turf are South African import Beach Bomb and Canada’s 2021 Queen’s Plate winner, Moira, who finished third last year.
The $1 million Prevagen Turf Sprint promises a memorable, albeit quick, 5 furlongs, also with international intrigue.
Kentucky-based Cogburn is the deserving 7-5 morning-line pick with six wins from his last seven starts. He faces a stunningly talented field including Europe’s best sprinter, Bradsell, and last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner, England-based Big Evs. South Africa’s Isivunguvungu won his U.S. debut and can’t be dismissed. Some very good horse will be at long odds.
The $2 million FanDuel Mile, as usual, drew a solid field of overseas entries.
Notable Speech won the English 2,000 Guineas and the Group 1 Sussex Stakes for Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby. Ramatuelle, trained by Christopher Head, comes from France on the heels of a win in the Group 1 Prix de la Foret on Arc day.
Coolmore’s Diego Velazquez exits two convincing graded stakes wins in Ireland. Porta Fortuna, conditioned by Joseph Patrick O’Brien, won the Grade I Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Grade I Matron in Ireland. A Japanese pair will be long shots.
The local group is unusually strong for this Mile, with Goliad, Johannes and Carl Spackler sporting flashy winning streaks.
Photo Cal Montney, Los Angeles Times CC BY 4.0 Horse racing is one of the most popular sporting events to attend in Los Angeles
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