Rebel's Romance (Ire)

Edited Press Release Now sitting atop the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings on 121, National Treasure (Quality Road) and Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) both began their 2024 campaigns in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. in January, which saw the former defeat Senor Buscador by a neck. Following that effort, they both travelled to the Middle East to compete in the G1 Saudi Cup. Senor Buscador raced in the back of the field before rallying to defeat Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) by a head, who was weighted on 120...

Just over 100 years ago, the Jockey Club's resident New York handicapper, William Vosburgh, knew the value of history and understood how it could be applied when he penned his magnum opus, Racing In America, 1866-1921. The turf wordsmith revealed his intent in the Preface when he said, "I shall show that, owing to want of popular support, racing had fallen so low, and so infrequent, as to excite little or no interest." What he was talking about was a sport in crisis, as progressive forces in America drove racing...

Last year's GI Breeders' Cup Turf winner Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) will make his next start in the GI Colonial Downs Arlington Million on Aug. 12, Godolphin tweeted on Tuesday. On Sunday the 5-year-old gelding clipped heels on the far turn during the running of the GII Bowling Green S. at Saratoga and unseated rider Richard Mullen. Trainer Charlie Appleby reported Rebel's Romance to be uninjured following the incident and Mullen also escaped unscathed after being taken to Albany Medical Center for evaluation. Godolphin also announced via Twitter that...

Equine or human, history is always about the six degrees of someone in racing's world. For instance, at 100-1 Jim Dandy beat Triple Crown champion Gallant Fox in the 1930 edition of the Travers S., which only featured four entries total. The horse who set up the longshot by engaging in a speed duel with the favorite over the mud was Whichone, a colt owned by Harry Payne Whitney (yes, that important family). And what other Thoroughbred did Whitney own? Well, that would be Upset, who did just that, when...

Godolphin's Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who won the GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland in November, will miss an intended start in Saturday's G2 Dubai City Of Gold due to inflammation in his foreleg, the operation announced via Twitter. Trained by Charlie Appleby, the 5-year-old is still an intended runner in the Mar. 25 G1 Dubai Sheema Classic on the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup undercard. "Rebel's Romance was found to have inflammation in his foreleg during a routine inspection this morning and will miss Saturday's City Of Gold,"...

Defending G1 Dubai World Cup hero Country Grammer (Tonalist) is one of over 1,600 entries, including 892 individual horses from 21 countries, entered in the $30.5-million Dubai World Cup night card. The featured event, sponsored by Emirates Airline, attracted 171 entries. Of the 24 Group or Grade 1 winners besides the Zedan Racing-owned and Bob Baffert-trained Country Grammer, is the duo's three-time Grade I winner Taiba (Gun Runner). Joining them could be a pair of longshot headliners from last year; namely, GI Kentucky Derby champ Rich Strike (Keen Ice) and...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's Insights features a half-brother to GISW Rebel's Romance. 6.30 Kempton, Mdn, £7,000, 3yo/up, 8f (AWT) MEASURED TIME (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is a significant newcomer from the Charlie Appleby stable as a half-brother to last year's GI Breeders' Cup Turf hero Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). From the family...

Charlie Appleby, fresh off two consecutive UK trainers' titles,  will have a host of stars to go to war with in 2023, among them Godolphin's undefeated G2 Gimcrack S. hero Noble Style (GB) (Kingman {GB}). The son of listed winner and Group 3-placed Eartha Kitt (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), named a 'TDN Rising Star' off his winning debut at Ascot in May, is earmarked for the G3 Greenham S. in April, before a possible bid for G1 2000 Guineas glory in May. He said, "Noble Style has not been seen since...

Flightline (Tapit) (139), who closed out his undefeated career in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, maintains his commanding lead in the ninth edition of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings for 2022. In the Breeders' Cup Classic, Flightline pulled away from the field to win by a record 8 1/4 lengths. Olympiad (Speightstown) (124) was second, while Taiba (Gun Runner) (123) was another half-length back in third. Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) (122) also impressed during the Breeders' Cup World Championships and joins the rankings following his 2 1/2-length win the GI...

LEXINGTON, KY--This was a day that seemed to hang suspended, if not quite on a single hair of his tail, then certainly on the fate of a single horse. Even the gale that blew through the afternoon had a portentous quality, as though the very elements were anticipating some complementary melodrama of wind and fire from Flightline (Tapit). Yet history is often made not to a blaring fanfare but in quiet increments--and the 39 steps taken by the Breeders' Cup since its inauguration in 1984 here brought the Europeans to...

Godolphin's Breeders' Cup team from Charlie Appleby's Moulton Paddocks will be led by multiple Grade I winner Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Already successful at the Breeders' Cup with a score in the GI Juvenile Turf at Del Mar last November, the chestnut returned to Europe for his seasonal bow and claimed the G1 French 2000 Guineas at ParisLongchamp on May 15. Third in the G1 French Derby in June, Modern Games was fifth in the G1 Prix Jean Prat on July 10 and rebounded to take second behind Baaeed...

Adding Sunday's G1 Preis von Europa at Cologne to his G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin victory, Godolphin's Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) upstaged some of Germany's premier performers as William Buick timed it to perfection again. Switched off in rear throughout the early stages, the 13-10 favourite was delivered towards the rail to hit the front inside the final furlong and beat Sammarco (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) by 3/4 of a length, with Amazing Grace (Ger) (Protectionist {Ger}) 2 1/4 lengths away in third. "He was nice and relaxed and showed...