In lower than 2 ½ minutes – 2:26.07 to be actual – Godolphin’s Insurgent’s Romance resurrected some candy Breeders’ Cup recollections Saturday, Nov. 2 at Del Mar.
The 6-year-old gelding took over within the stretch of the $5 million Longines Turf and had simply sufficient power late to publish a neck victory over Rousham Park within the 1 ½-mile occasion, tallying his second Longines Turf victory following a 2022 win at Keeneland.
“He by no means lets us down,” mentioned coach Charlie Appleby after the homebred Dubawi gelding gained for the 15th time in 22 begins and pushed his earnings to $11,777,574.
In changing into the primary horse to win two editions of the Turf in non-consecutive years, Saturday’s win put an exclamation level on an excellent coaching job by Appleby and his group that introduced Insurgent’s Romance again to high type after his 2023 marketing campaign was upended by clipping heels and falling within the Bowling Inexperienced Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.
“We had been planning to come back again to the Breeders’ Cup (in 2023), however then he had that hiccup at Saratoga,” Appleby mentioned a couple of gelding who has gained in Asia, Europe, and North America.
Below William Buick, Insurgent’s Romance was near the tempo all through within the Turf. He was third after a half-mile in :48.77 and moved into second behind the pacesetting 51.40-1 longshot Cabo Spirit (who completed 12th within the subject of 13) with 1 / 4 of a mile left.
From there, Insurgent’s Romance surged to a 3 ½-length lead on the eighth pole and held off a late cost by Japan’s Rousham Park to pay $5.80 because the 1.90-1 favourite.
“He’s an incredible horse. He at all times appears to discover a method,” Buick mentioned.
As for the potential for a 3rd BC win at Del Mar subsequent 12 months, Appleby mentioned, “You by no means know with this previous boy.”
Japanese runners owned by Sunday Racing accomplished the trifecta as Rousham Park completed 1 ½ lengths forward of Shahryar, who was additionally third in final 12 months’s Turf.
The enjoyment of the victory by Insurgent’s Romance was tempered by the dying of Jayarebe, who collapsed through the gallop-out.
The three-year-old colt educated by Brian Meehan who completed seventh suffered what’s believed to be a cardiac episode and died regardless of therapy by a group of veterinary consultants led by Dr. Brent Cassady. Jockey Sean Levey was not harm within the incident.–Bob Ehalt
Late-running Soul of an Angel Takes Filly & Mare Dash
A 12 months after watching a horse transferred from him, White Abarrio, win the Longines Breeders’ Cup Traditional for coach Rick Dutrow Jr., Saffie Joseph Jr. now is aware of what it’s prefer to expertise Breeders’ Cup success.
The 37-year-old Florida-based coach picked up his first victory on the Breeders’ Cup Nov. 2 when his late runner Soul of an Angel rallied to edge Society and Nice by a half-length within the $910,000 PNC Financial institution Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Dash to kick off Championship Saturday at Del Mar. She was her coach’s fourth profession Breeders’ Cup starter.
Meaningfully for Joseph, who choked up with emotion following the race and within the postrace press convention, the victory got here for a few of the similar connections as these behind White Abarrio, who was returned to his care this 12 months and has been breezing in current weeks at Gulfstream Park. Clint and Mark Cornett’s C2 Racing Steady is a component proprietor in White Abarrio, as they’re in Soul of an Angel, who they marketing campaign with Agave Racing Steady and Ken Reimer.
White Abarrio had been transferred to Dutrow over eligibility considerations for Joseph in Kentucky and New York after two of Joseph’s trainees collapsed and died mysteriously throughout Kentucky Derby week at Churchill Downs in 2023. An investigation that took a few months cleared Joseph of any rule violations.
“I feel what we went by way of final 12 months, the most important factor they ever did for me was giving me a method of (getting White Abarrio) again. … I feel that helped me heal a bit, to present me that confidence,” he mentioned through the press convention, wiping away tears.
He was not the one one sky excessive Saturday – so was Drayden Van Dyke, a former main rider at Del Mar who shifted his base to Florida and rides for Joseph, a transfer meant to kickstart a lull in his alternatives in California.
Soul of an Angel appeared an unlikely winner early within the Filly & Mare Dash, falling again to final within the subject of 9,12 lengths off the tempo within the seven-furlong contest.
“I simply needed to keep after her and imagine in her,” mentioned Van Dyke, who notched his second Breeders’ Cup win after taking the Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash with Stormy Liberal in 2018.
Quick fractions of :21.94 and :44.22 set by Society and Nice gave Soul of an Angel the setup she wanted. She pulled inside 6 ¼ lengths of the leaders after a half-mile, fanned out broad into the stretch, and reeled within the leaders and different fatigued pace-chasing rivals.
Runner-up Society and third-place Nice had been narrowly in entrance of fourth-place Scylla and fifth-place Methods and Means.
Soul of an Angel ran seven furlongs on a quick observe in 1:21.59 at odds of 19.80-1.
Having additionally gained the Princess Rooney Invitational Stakes at seven furlongs in September, Soul of an Angel will doubtless garner help from voters for an Eclipse Award. Fourteen of the earlier 17 Filly & Mare Dash winners had been later honored as North America’s champion feminine sprinter.–Byron King
Starlust Upsets Turf Dash as Favored Cogburn Fizzles
Not that there’s ever a certain factor in horse racing – however one of many races during which many followers and gamblers had been anticipating to be a simple single in multi-race wagers was Cogburn within the $1 million Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash on the Championship Saturday card.
It actually seemed that method for the primary half-mile of the five-furlong sprint, however inside the ultimate furlong, speedy Cogburn hit the wall and opened up a free-for-all to the end. Because the closers rushed on by, it was Starlust who emerged victorious at 33.60-1.
“This horse has been knocking on the door all 12 months,” mentioned successful jockey Rossa Ryan. “It’s simply nice to see him do it on the massive stage. He’s been a bridesmaid. However good, unbelievable efficiency.”
Ryan discovered himself final of 11 within the early phases of the race whereas 4-5 favourite Cogburn blazed on the lead by way of fractions of :21.59 and :43.72. Affected person on the rail, Ryan picked off horses as they entered the stretch and was ready for a gap to open.
“Luck was on our aspect, (the outlet) opened so effectively,” Ryan mentioned. “By the point it did open, I used to be there, I had the horse.”
As Cogburn grew leg weary, he drifted out into Starlust’s path which created a series response. South Africa’s Isivunguvungu received the worst of it and needed to test as Starlust asserted his path and pushed on to the lead. He hit the wire a neck forward of Motorious and Ag Bullet to assert victory, finishing the space in :55.92.
An inquiry was held into the stretch run, however no change was made by the stewards.
The victory was Starlust’s third in 10 begins this season, and first in graded firm since successful the Group 3 Sirenia Stakes at Kempton Park final 12 months. He was third within the 2023 Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Dash at Santa Anita Park, and coach Ralph Beckett was desperate to convey him again for the World Championships.
“The (necessary) level about why we got here right here, it was round a bend,” Beckett mentioned. “He was excellent on the bend final 12 months within the Juvenile Turf (Dash). We actually felt that if he was capable of maintain onto their coattails, that will play for him.”
It was Beckett’s second win within the Breeders’ Cup, having beforehand gained the Breeders’ Cup Marathon with Irish-bred Muhannak in 2008. Ryan and Beckett have had fairly the autumn, having gained the Oct. 6 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with Bluestocking.
“The truth is that while you’re in it, it’s very arduous to take pleasure in it,” Beckett mentioned. “I feel in all probability we are going to take pleasure in it on the finish of the 12 months.”
As for Cogburn, his Corridor of Fame coach Steve Asmussen merely summed up the feelings created by the fifth-place end: “That sucked.”
Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. mentioned he used Cogburn just a little an excessive amount of early after a not-the-best starting.
“I simply let him be him,” Ortiz mentioned. “I didn’t wish to struggle an excessive amount of with him. I turned for residence, I requested him to present me kick, however they glided by me.”–Sean Collins
