2013 Breeders' Cup Turf: Who's Already In
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Thanks to the international appeal of the Breeders’ Cup Turf, it has more ‘Win
and You’re In’ challenge races than any of the other thirteen championship
races. The Turf challenge series began back in May with the Gran Premio 25 de
Mayo in Argentina and has since spanned a total of 3 continents and 7 countries.
With nine races already on the books and one yet to be run, 7 horses from all
over the world have already stamped their tickets to this year’s Breeders’ Cup
Turf.
Ordak Dan became
the first horse to earn a berth to this year’s Turf when he sprang the upset
over favored Soy Carambolo in the 12 furlong Gran Premio 25 de Mayo at San
Isidro Racecourse in Argentina. The ¾-length winner was making his stakes
debut, having previously won four allowance races in 10 career starts. Ordak
Dan and jockey Pablo Carrizo utilized a stalking trip before striking the lead
in the final furlong and holding off a strong rally by Soy Carambolo.
Japan-based Gold Ship
overtook front running Silport from mid-pack to defeat both that rival and
Gentildonna to win the 1 3/8 mile Group 1 Takarazuka Kinen by 3 ½-lengths. The
victory was Gold Ship’s fifth in a Group 1 or Group 2 race since September of
last year.
Four-year old Novellist
took the challenge series by storm. The German-based colt has won three
Challenge races, the first horse to ever do so in one year. The son of Monsun
won the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in France, the Group 1 King George VI
& Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in the United Kingdom by 5 lengths, and
most recently beat a short field as the odds on favorite in the Group 1
Longines Grosser Preis Von Baden in Germany.
The Fugue, a
four-year old daughter of Dansili, is a bit of a wildcard. She won the 10 furlong
Group 1 Red Mills Irish Championship Stakes at Leopardstown in Ireland earlier
this month, but she also earned a berth to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf via a win in the Group 1 Darley
Yorkshire Oaks at York in the United Kingdom. Last year The Fugue finished
third to Zagora in the Filly &
Mare Turf.
Real Solution,
who recently returned to the United States from Italy, earned his way to the
Turf via a disqualification in the Grade 1 Arlington Million. South
African-bred The Apache struck the
lead during the stretch drive and held off Real Solution’s strong rally to just
reach the wire in front. However, replays showed The Apache, under left-handed
handling from jockey Christophe Soumillon, bumping and carrying out Real Solution,
which led to his disqualification from first to second.
Ken and Sarah Ramsey, who own Arlington Million winner Real
Solution, will go the Breeders’ Cup Turf with more than one card to play.
Homebred Big Blue Kitten, who no one
would purchase or claim early in his career, rode the rail with Jersey Joe
Bravo in the irons to post a decisive 1 ¼-length score in the Grade 1 United
Nations. The 5-year old son of Kitten’s Joy has quietly put together a more
than respectable résumé but really seems to have blossomed this year.
Rounding out the list of those that have earned a fees-paid
berth to Santa Anita is Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap winner Vagabond Shoes. This is the Irish-bred gelding’s first season in
the United States, but he was a multiple Group 3 winner in France. It took him
several races to really get the feel for the Southern Californian tracks, and
even though the field he beat in the Del Mar Handicap wasn’t particularly deep,
he did post a very good 2nd place finish to Jeranimo in the Grade 1 Eddie Read Stakes one start prior to that
one.
Others under consideration are defending champion Little Mike, Grade 1 Man O’ War Stakes
winner Boisterous, Arlington Million
7th place finisher Grandeur,
multiple Group 1 winner Indy Point,
multiple Grade 1 winner Marketing Mix,
12-furlong world record holder Twilight
Eclipse, Grade 3 winner Notacatbutallama,
Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap runner-up Optimizer, and Grade 3 winner Temeraine.
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