GI Breeders' Cup Turf

In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the Breeders' Cup meeting. Ethical Diamond Hands Mullins The Turf Training maestro Willie Mullins landed the biggest Flat victory of his career with Ethical Diamond (Awtaad) in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf on Saturday (video). A winner of a brace of valuable handicaps across the pond, the five-year-old gelding has also run seven of his lifetime starts over hurdles. Bred by W. Kennedy, Ethical Diamond is owned...

There have been some seriously unpredictable results in the 42-year history of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. Think Lashkari at 53-1 in the inaugural Breeders' Cup Mile in 1984. How about Arcangues at 133-1 in the '93 Classic up at Santa Anita? Spain at 55-1 at Churchill in 2000, Bar of Gold in the 2017 Filly & Mare Sprint right here at Del Mar, what of Order of Australia (Ire) at almost 70-1 at Keeneland in 2020. You get the picture. A little more than two months ago, Ethical Diamond...

Group 1 winner Diego Velazquez will not contest the Breeders' Cup and has been retired, according to syndicate manager Sam Sangster. The son of Frankel--who was bought by Sangster's syndicate directly before his Jacques le Marois victory-- is set to stand at the National Stud in Newmarket. Last seen finishing fifth under Frankie Dettori in the GI Coolmore Turf Mile at Keeneland, he has won six of his 12 starts for trainer Aidan O'Brien. Raced by the Coolmore partners through his win in the G2 Minstrel Stakes in July, the...

The Coolmore partners' Minnie Hauk (Frankel) is under consideration for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf in November, Aidan O'Brien has revealed. The winner of the G1 Oaks, G1 Irish Oaks, G1 Yorkshire Oaks and second in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the bay was just touched off in that ParisLongchamp cornerstone. "Minnie is very good, everything seems well with her and it's possible she could be trained for the Breeders' Cup Turf," O'Brien told the PA news agency. "It would be good to see her in that, it's...

Multiple group and graded winner Wimbledon Hawkeye will run next in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar in November, according to trainer James Owens. The son of Kameko, who won the 2024 G2 Royal Lodge Stakes and ran third in the G1 Futurity Trophy Stakes at two, was second in the G3 Craven Stakes to kickstart his sophomore year. Only fifth in the G1 2000 Guineas in May, he was third in York's G2 Dante Stakes and fourth in the G2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot....

Multiple Grade I-winner Locked (Gun Runner) looms the big favorite in the scratch-decimated GII Woodward Stakes on Saturday at the Belmont Big A meet, but is far from the only marquee name this upcoming weekend across the country. One of three confirmed runners for Saturday's co-feature in New York, Locked comes into the race with a two-race skid to break after he missed the board May 2 in the GII Alysheba Stakes when returning to the races after a tour de force effort in the GI Santa Anita Handicap Mar....

In case anyone was worried that the turf marathon would be boring, how's your heart rate after this finish? It was a battle down to the wire, but class prevailed as MGISW Far Bridge (English Channel) made a successful 2025 seasonal bow in the GIII Pan American Stakes. Far Bridge was last seen Nov. 2 fading to ninth in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf but had come into that championship race with back-to-back elite victories under his belt in Belmont Big A's Sept. 28 GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes...

Every few years the Eclipse Award goes to a horse (always a turf horse) who ships in from overseas--usually fresh--and wins a Breeders' Cup race and our designated voters make the horse an American champion. I remember going down to New Orleans 25 years ago to watch the 9-year-old gelding John's Call (Lord At War {Arg})--a people's horse if there ever was--be named champion turf horse after watching him win the Sword Dancer (by nine lengths) and the Man o' War. Unfortunately in the GI Breeder's Cup Turf he got...

A Grade III stakes race that is on the 'Road to the Kentucky Derby' isn't exactly the easiest place for a trainer to start his career, but that's what Nick Vaccarezza, 25, will be doing when he sends out Golden Afternoon (Goldencents) in Saturday's Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds. The 25-year-old trainer is in this position because his father, Carlo, has decided to step away from training to focus his attention on trying to save racing in South Florida. The situation could be dire because of the tenuous future of...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This column is highlighted by the second victory of Rebel's Romance in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. Another Turf Title For Rebel's Romance Godolphin's Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) delivered his second GI Breeders' Cup Turf in three years at Del Mar for trainer Charlie Appleby on Nov. 2 (video). He also took out the 2022 renewal at Keeneland. A Group/Grade 1 winner in Hong Kong, the UAE, and Germany besides his...

European shipper Jayarebe (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}) died following the running of Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Turf. The 3-year-old finished the race, but collapsed during the gallop out. According to a statement put out by the Breeders' Cup, Jayarebe suffered what appears to have been a cardiac event.  He was immediately attended to by a team of veterinary experts led by Dr. Brent Cassady, but unfortunately passed away. His jockey, Sean Levey, was uninjured. "Our thoughts and condolences go out to Jayarebe's connections and the many fans whose lives he touched,"...

Marathon specialist Next (Not This Time) worked five furlongs in 1:00.60 Wednesday morning at Turfway Park and, as long as things stay on track, he will start in a Breeders' Cup race, reports trainer Doug Cowans. It was Next's first work since his 10-length romp in the Sept. 21 Greenwood Cup at Parx. "The update is that he breezed well this morning," Cowans said. "We'll see how he comes out of the work and if all goes well he'll be nominated to both the [GI Longines Breeders' Cup] Turf and...