Gleneagles adds spice to an already loaded BC Classic
As if we needed just a little more pepper to spice up the potential field for this year’s Breeders' Cup Classic, it was announced this week that one of Europe’s brightest stars will be coming to America.
After losing his first career start, Gleneagles, has finished first in eight consecutive races, including four victories against Group 1 competition. He was disqualified in the final race of his juvenile season, but still, it’s a record that compares closely to American Pharoah. He may not be a Triple Crown winner, but the European champion is a dominant runner across the pond, and like his American counterpart, the three-year-old son of Galileo, is being pointed for Keeneland, and a run in America’s richest race on October 31.
Trained by the ubiquitous Aidan O'Brien, for the Coolmore Stud connections of Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier, and Derrick Smith, Gleneagles (Galileo -- You'resothrilling, by Storm Cat) is scheduled to make his next start in the Group 1 QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes on September 12, provided the turf there is firm enough. O’Brien has proven reluctant to run Europe’s champion juvenile of 2014 on turf with too much cut, and consequently the Irish-bred star has not started since an electrifying performance at Royal Ascot on June 16. Still, he has already accomplished plenty within his three starts of 2015.
Two powerful victories in important miles in England bookend a prestigious victory in his native land. Most recently he dominated the Group 1 St. James’s Palace Stakes, but Gleneagles was thrown right into the deep end to start this year. He lived up to the challenge with a decisive victory against 17 others in the Group 1 English 2000 Guineas. He came right back to gut out a victory in Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh. That Irish Classic was the one race where he has been truly tested this season.
You will remember that the O’Brien trained star came into the Classic with excellent form at a mile, but was able to come just inches away from securing a huge win over ten furlongs at Churchill Downs, before ultimately being denied by Tiznow. Giant’s Causeway, a full brother to Gleneagles' dam, did have some experience at the distance, though, so that expected start over a route of ground in the Irish Champion, for O’Brien’s current star, could be of significant importance. Not for a lack of trying, but the Classic is still a race that has eluded O’Brien to this point.
Want a little more intrigue? Keep in mind, the owners of Gleneagles, Coolmore, is the same outfit that worked out a deal with Ahmed Zayat, the owner of American Pharoah, for the majority share of the breeding rights to the Triple Crown champion. Can you imagine if their European invader is the one to deny their new stallion jewel the right of becoming the first Triple Crown winner ever to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic?
While the potential showdown of a pair of sensational three-year-old colts on either side of the Atlantic is all I’ve mentioned so far in today’s blog, it goes without saying the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Classic has a ton more to offer than that dynamic duo. You can start with the speed of California’s history making mare, Beholder, or perhaps you prefer the late running power of the Shug McGaughey trained Honor Code. Either way you can quickly see that the Classic will be a destination for the stars to align. And Tonalist, Keen Ice, Liam’s Map, Effinex and Frosted, just to name a few, insure a deep Classic cast.
Clearly the European superstar will need to bring his best to join Raven’s Pass and Arcangues on the short list of European trained runners to have made it all the way to the winner’s circle in America’s richest race, but no doubt he will add just a little more flavor to an already extremely appetizing affair.