Rebel's Romance breaks away to win Breeders' Cup Turf

Godolphin’s Rebel’s Romance stormed to the lead at the eighth pole and drew off for a 2 1/4-length victory in the 39th running of the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf for 3-year-olds and up Saturday afternoon at Keeneland.

The victory was a record fourth for the weekend for Godolphin, which previously won the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile with Cody’s Wish, the Breeders’ Cup Mile and Friday’s Juvenile Turf Sprint with Mischief Magic.

Trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by James Doyle, Rebel’s Romance completed the 1 1/2 miles on a firm course in a course record 2:26.35. The victory was the first in the Breeders' Cup for Doyle.

For Appleby, it was his third winner of the weekend and second in a row in the Turf, coming on the heels of the victory by Yibir last year at Del Mar.

Bye Bye Melvin set the pace while being hounded by Channel Maker through fractions of 24.91, :9.42 and 1:14.15 as Rebel’s Romance raced in between horses in midpack.

On the far turn, Doyle tipped Rebel’s Romance to the outside and began picking off horses to enter the stretch in the clear and full of run. Rebel’s Romance took over at mid-stretch and was not threatened in the run to the wire.

Stone Age saved second by three-quarters of a length over War Like Goddess who finished a neck ahead of Mishriff.

Rebel’s Romance paid $13.92 to win, $7.92 to place and $5.14 to show. Stone Age (12-1) paid $12.24 and $7.20. War Like Goddess paid $3.80 for the show.

The victory was worth $2,080,000 and increased his earnings to $2,934,610 with a record of 12: 9-0-0.

Rebel’s Romance is a 4-year-old son of Dubawi out of the Street Cry mare Minidress.