Ethical Diamond delivers 25-1 stunner in Breeders’ Cup Turf

Del Mar, Calif.

A gift from the grandparents paid massive dividends Saturday, when Ireland-based, 25-1 long shot Ethical Diamond rallied from well back to win the 1 1/2-mile, $5 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar by 1 1/4 lengths in course-record time.

Trainer Willie Mullins, who won his first Breeders’ Cup race with his first starter, explained that the decision to enter Ethical Diamond in the Breeders’ Cup was a last-minute call after realizing that it was impractical to send the horse to Australia for Tuesday’s Group 1 Melbourne Cup.

“My assistant trainer David Casey came up with this plan. He said let’s go for the Breeders’ Cup,” Mullins said. “I thought why not? We’re not going to try to win it. We’ll come over here to finish 5 or 6 hopefully.”

A similar bit of serendipity led Mullins, 70, to train Ethical Diamond for H O S Syndicate, an Ireland-based racing operation of the Heffernan family, longtime racing owners with numerous other international races to their credit.

“These guys’ grandparents ... Andrew and Margaret Heffernan rang me up one day and said, ‘Willie, I want you to get me a horse or two for my grandchildren,’ ” he said, flanked by grandchildren Michael and Andrew Heffernan. “I only meet them at funerals and weddings, and none of the little feckers are getting married anymore, and I don’t want to meet them at my funeral.’ She said, ‘I want an excuse to go to big meetings, to bring all my grandchildren to the race meeting.’ ”

Mullins soon purchased Ethical Diamond, a 5-year-old gelding, at auction for the equivalent of just over $380,000 on the Heffernans’ behalf.

In a race that has historically been dominated by European runners, Ethical Diamond was relegated to the also-ran category by most bettors who were focused primarily on Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) runner-up Minnie Hauk, the 3-2 favorite, and the globe-trotting warhorse Rebel’s Romance, who at 2-1 was trying to capture his third Breeders’ Cup Turf following victories in 2022 and 2024.

The son of the Ireland-based stallion Awtaad out of Germany-bred mare Pearl Diamond broke alertly from outermost post 14 under Breeders’ Cup newcomer Dylan Browne McMonagle. He slid to the rear of the pack in the early stages as pacesetter Silawi loped along on a clear lead.

Passing the grandstand the first time through fractions of 47.53 seconds and 1:11.99, McMonagle eased Ethical Diamond out to the two path and moved forward a place and then two entering the backstretch.

The eventual winner began to move closer as the field passed the mile mark at 1:37.04. Silawi began to tire on the far turn and was quickly passed by Minnie Hauk and Goliath with Rebel’s Romance in close pursuit. McMonagle, meanwhile, speared between horses and wheeled into the stretch six wide with a full head of steam.

Rebel’s Romance wrested the lead away from Minnie Hauk and Goliath with a furlong to run but had no answer as Ethical Diamond roared down the center of the track under right-handed encouragement and pulled clear late to win by 1 1/4 lengths. Rebel’s Romance finished second, three-quarters of a length clear of late closing El Cordobes.

The final time of 2:25.45 was nearly a half-second faster than the previous course record set by Yibir in the 2021 Turf.

The winner paid $57.40 for a $2 win ticket and keyed a $282.80 payout on a $2 exacta.

Mullins said he used an unusual training technique to get Ethical Diamond to relax after the gelding pulled too hard after breaking from the gate in his early races. He jumped the gelding with steeplechase experience over hurdles to get him to relax and finish.

“He’s a very keen horse, and I often find jumping settles them down and teaches them not to over race,” he said.

Mullins had only a few hours to savor Ethical Diamond’s victory before boarding a midnight flight to Australia, where he will saddle Absurde in the Melbourne Cup.

But he vowed to enjoy himself in the allotted time after being handed a glass of liquor midway through the news conference to replace the water bottle that had been placed on the table in front of him.

“I guarantee you,” Mullins said, “this is the last bottle of water you’re going to see me with today.”