2014 Breeders’ Cup Turf: American Runner or Not?

 

If you have been reading my coverage leading up to the Breeders' Cup Turf or watching the Horse Racing Nation webcast show, HorseCenter, then you know that I have a thing for Main Sequence. I have been lucky to attend all three of his super impressive grade one victories. In 2014 this son of Aldebaran became a different horse than he was in England. Thus, as I have followed him, there has been one nagging question: do we consider Main Sequence an American or European runner?

To help with this debate I will present the racing record of several horses that moved to America since 2000 and eventually became champions. At the end of each I will ask: American runner or not? Possibly with these examples in mind it might be easier to come up with an answer to the question.

Aldebaran (KY) came from the British barn of Sir Henry Cecil in 2001 to Bobby Frankel in the USA. In England, this Kentucky-bred son of Mr. Prospector won only a maiden race in seven tries on the grass. Owned and bred by Flaxman Holdings, which are the same connections as Main Sequence, he went on to win seven times while earning well over $1,000,000 and the Eclipse Award for Sprinter in 2003.

Golden Apple (IRE) won only one race in Ireland for trainer David Hanley before crossing the Atlantic Ocean to join the California barn of Ben Cecil. With the addition of Lasix, Golden Apple went on to be named Champion Turf Female in 2002. She won five races and over $1.5 million dollars for the nephew of renowned British trainer Sir Henry Cecil.

Intercontinental (GB) won four minor races in France for the legendary trainer Andre Fabre in 2002 and 2003, but in 2004 she came to Bobby Frankel, got Lasix, and won nine times including the 2005 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf. That year she was named the Eclipse Female Turf Award winner.

Invasor (Arg) came to the barn of Kiaran McLaughlin after winning his first five races in Uruguay in 2005. In 2006 and 2007, with the addition of Lasix, Invasor won six grade ones and over $7,000,000. After the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Classic win, Invasor was named the Horse of the Year.

Lahudood (GB) gave McLaughlin another chance to work his magic. This filly was victorious only once in France in 2006. A year later, however, she closed out 2007 with wins in the Flower Bowl and the BC Filly and Mare Turf at big prices. That was enough to earn her the title as best Turf Filly in North America.

Mineshaft (KY) began his racing career in England where he won only a maiden race in the barn of John Gosden. This son of AP Indy was transferred to Neil Howard in California and he got good very quickly on the dirt. He won twice as a three-year-old and continued the next year in 2003 without any time off. He ran in all grade one and two stakes putting up eight consecutive Beyer Speed Figures of over 114. A win in the Jockey Club Gold Cup clinched the Horse of the Year crown.

Main Sequence (KY) won his first four races in England, which included a grade three stakes race. From that point he was not able to find the winner’s circle again and he was sent to Graham Motion in America in December of 2013. He became gravely ill in quarantine and it took Motion until July to get him ready to run. Once he hit the American grass courses Main Sequence has been unbeatable.

These horses came to America and found success for a variety of reasons. For some it was a change from grass to dirt. For others it was a bleeding problem that called for the use of Lasix. Regardless, there are many America-bred runners in Europe and some of them flourish when they return to their native land.