2017 Breeders’ Cup Stakes Recaps

DMTC News – From the Wire —-

Talismanic Wins Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf

DEL MAR, Calif. (Nov. 4, 2017) – Godolphin’s Talismanic ($30.20) reached the front in deep stretch to prevail by a half-length over Beach Patrol with defending champion Highland Reel another neck back in third in the 34th running of the $4 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) for 3-year-olds and up Saturday afternoon at Del Mar racetrack.
Trained by Andre Fabre and ridden by Mickael Barzalona, Talismanic covered the 1 ½ miles on a firm turf course in a course-record 2:26.19.
Talismanic is a 4-year-old son of Medaglia d’Oro and was posting his first Grade 1 victory.
The victory for Barzalona came on his initial Breeders’ Cup mount. For Fabre, it was his fifth Breeders’ Cup victory and second in the Turf, having won with In the Wings at Belmont Park in 1990.
Oscar Performance, winner of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), set the pace with Beach Patrol and Highland Reel tracking him all the way around with positions unchanged until upper stretch. There, Oscar Performance dropped back and Talismanic split horses to surge to the front.
Winning jockey Mickael Barzalona (Talismanic) – “Right I can’t believe it. I am thrilled to have won my first Breeders’ Cup race. I expected the horse to run well, but I’m not sure I thought I would win. Mr. Fabre is a great trainer.”
Second-place trainer Chad Brown (Beach Patrol) – “We had a very good trip. My horse ran really well. We were just second best.”
Second-place jockey Joel Rosario (Beach Patrol) – “Broke perfect. Beautiful. I followed the speed and saw (Highland Reel) to my inside, so I held my position. Turning for home, he took off, but (Talismanic) was far out from me, so my horse couldn’t see him and my horse is a fighter. He ran well. The fractions were fast but he likes to run like that. It was a good run. It’s just too bad one horse beat us right at the end.”
Third-place jockey Ryan Moore (Highland Reel, favorite) – “He seemed to be laboring today. He didn’t have that usual oomph. They went quick and he rolled a bit down the straight.”
Fourth-place trainer Tom Albertrani (Sadler’s Joy) – “He ran well. He ran his race. I really can’t find any excuses for him. We were a little further back than I’d hope, but that’s the way he runs. I thought he ran a pretty honest race.”
Fourth-place jockey Julien Leparoux (Sadler’s Joy) – “He ran a good race. He came from far back and made a strong run. He couldn’t catch the horses in front of him, but they are also nice horses.”

Stormy Liberal Nails Stablemate Richard’s Boy Late to Win Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint

DEL MAR, Calif. (Nov. 4, 2017) – Rockingham Ranch’s Stormy Liberal wore down stablemate Richard’s Boy in the final 30 yards to win the 10th running of the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) for 3-year-olds and up by a half-length Saturday afternoon at Del Mar racetrack.
Trained by Peter Miller and ridden by Joel Rosario, Stormy Liberal covered the five furlongs on a firm turf course in :54.75. The winner is a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Stormy Atlantic.
The victory was the first in the Breeders’ Cup for Miller. It was the sixth Breeders’ Cup victory for Rosario and second in the Turf Sprint. His previous victory in the came on Bobby’s Kitten in 2014 at Santa Anita.
Richard’s Boy finished a half-length in front of late-running Disco Partner for third. Favored Lady Aurelia was 10th in the field of 12.
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Winning and second-place trainer Peter Miller (Stormy Liberal and Richard’s Boy) – “I’m just elated to win a Breeders’ Cup at home. It’s just amazing. The first win I’ve ever had, I thought we had home court advantage and they ran to that. Richard’s Boy ran his butt off. I couldn’t be prouder of these horses. They’re just two gutsy, tough, hard-knocking horses.”
Winning jockey Joel Rosario (Stormy Liberal) – “He broke well. I asked him a little to get my spot. They were going very fast in front. But I listened to Peter. He said to stay inside and save some ground then make my run. I did that and it worked out perfect. He really was there for me. He did all the work.”
Second-place jockey Flavien Prat (Richard’s Boy) – “He ran a really good race. He just got beat by a neck.”
Third-place trainer Christophe Clement (Disco Partner) – “They both ran well (also finished fifth with Pure Sensation). I just wish they had run one-two, but that’s racing. I don’t know if the posts compromised them. I have to go back and watch the replay in a quiet place until I have an opinion. As long as they come back and safe to fight another day is the main thing.”
Third-place jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. (Disco Partner) – “I had a good trip. Five furlongs is just too short for him. Five and a half or six is better for him. He gave me a good kick.”
Jockey Luke Morris (Marsha, sixth) – “She’s run very well on an unfamiliar track and she wasn’t beaten far. She’s probably better on a straight track.”
Jockey Oisin Murphy (Cotai Glory, ninth) – “He just didn’t handle the turn. He’s been around Chester at home, but this is much tighter. If he hadn’t lost so much ground on the turn, he would have been in the mix.”
Jockey John Velazquez (Lady Aurelia, 10th) – “I had a perfect trip. There were a couple speed horses so I let them go. I got into a spot I wanted at the 3/8 pole and she was just flat down the lane.”

Wuheida Wins Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf

DEL MAR, Calif. (Nov. 4, 2017) – Godolphin Stable’s Wuheida ($24.40) took charge at the top of the stretch from Zipessa and held off a late bid from Rhododendron by a length to win the 19th running of the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) Saturday afternoon at Del Mar racetrack.
Trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick, Wuheida covered the 1 1/8 miles on a firm turf course in 1:47.91. Wuheida is a 3-year-old Great Britain-bred daughter of Dubawi who was getting her first victory of 2017 in five tries.
She was forced to miss a scheduled start in Keeneland’s Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup on Oct. 14 because of a minor hoof injury.
The victory was the first for Buick in a Breeders’ Cup race and the second for Appleby but first in this race.
Rhododendron finished three-quarters of a length in front of Cambodia, who finished third with favored Lady Eli finishing seventh.
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Winning trainer Charlie Appleby (Wuheida) – “She deserves this. This ground suited her.”
Winning jockey William Buick (Wuheida) – “She is incredibly professional. She has lots of ability and the trip really suited her. I was happy with her position throughout the race and she quickened down the straight really well.”
Second-place trainer Aidan O’Brien (Rhododendron) – “It’s always tougher from a wide draw, but she ran well and I’m delighted with her.”
Second-place jockey Ryan Moore (Rhododendron) – “They didn’t go quick enough. She rolled a bit in the straight, but she is very brave.”
Third-place jockey Drayden Van Dyke (Cambodia) – “I had a perfect trip. No excuses. She ran great.”
Trainer Chad Brown (Dacita, 4th, Lady Eli, 7th as favorite & Grand Jete, 9th) – “Irad (Ortiz) said he got bumped pretty hard on the first turn and he dropped in. Then he got a little cover and then it seemed like she got him from behind again but she did have some clear run. She had a rough trip and did have clear spots to run and she just didn’t have it today. I don’t know if all the bumping discouraged her or she just didn’t have from some reason today. She’s never done that before obviously. It’s quite a surprise to me, it’s unfortunate but that’s horse racing.”
Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr (Lady Eli, 7th as favorite) – “Going into the first turn out of the chute she got a little bump and got rank. She was a little keen and I had to fight a little bit with her. After that I had a good trip. She didn’t give me that same kick in the end.”
Trainer Sir Michael Stoute (Queen’s Trust, 5th) – “She ran well, but it didn’t go quite right for her in the race. Although, she was running on at the finish. She may just lack instant acceleration and maybe needs a little further.”
Jockey Andrea Atzeni (Nezwaah, 10th) – “She was in a good position behind ht ewinner, but she just flattened out in the stretch. She’s had two runs on soft ground and they’ve taken their toll a little. And, her travel schedule from Canada was tough on her. She has not had a lucky year.”

Favored World Approval Wins Breeders’ Cup Mile

DEL MAR, Calif. (Nov. 4, 2017) – Live Oak Plantation’s World Approval ($7.40) became the first favorite to win a Breeders’ Cup race Saturday at Del Mar as he posted a 1 1/4-length victory over Lancaster Bomber in taking the 34th running of the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) for 3-year-olds and up Saturday afternoon.
Trained by Mark Casse and ridden by John Velazquez, World Approval covered the mile on a firm turf course in 1:34.55.
World Approval is a 5-year-old Florida-bred son of Northern Afleet and he posted his third consecutive Grade 1 victory going a mile.
The victory was the second for Casse in the Mile and fourth overall Breeders’ Cup win. Tepin won the 2015 renewal at Keeneland.
For Velazquez, it was his second victory of the weekend and 15th overall. It was his third victory in the Mile with others coming in 1998 with Da Hoss and 2012 with Wise Dan.
Midnight Storm and Heart to Heart set a contested pace with World Approval tracking a few lengths off the leaders. Velasquez swung World Approval to the outside on the far turn, collared Heart to Heart at midstretch and drew off.
Lancaster Bomber rallied to finish second, a head in front of Blackjackcat.
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Winning trainer Mark Casse (World Approval) – “I was a little concerned early on because there was so much speed But, this horse came into this race in just great order and he was ready. Norman (Casse, his son and assistant) and his team deserve so much credit for getting him to this point. This is quite a way to cap our last Breeders’ Cup together (now that Norman is going out on his own). Maybe now we’ll be running in Breeders’ Cups against each other. And, it means so much to win this race for Mrs. (Charlotte) Weber. I am so proud to train horses for her and to win this race for her. This is all really very special.”
Winning jockey John Velazquez (World Approval) – “He was between horses and switched leads coming down the lane. He always had it for me. Horses like him make you look good. He’s been perfect for me.”
Second-place jockey Seamus Heffernan (Lancaster Bomber) – “I had a peach of a position throughout the race and they all knew I was there on the inside. He’s been running well all year. He loves the fast ground.”
Third-place trainer Mark Glatt (Blackjackcat) – “It looked like he had a great shot at the top of the lane. He made that big sweeping move, but was way wide. He had to be because he was wide most of the way coming from the 13 hole. If he’d been able to save some ground that would have helped. But, (jockey) Kent (Desormeaux) did the right thing by swinging him out and going around all of them and then setting him down for the big run.”
Third-place jockey Kent Desormeaux (Blackjackcat) – “What an explosive move he made at the three-eighths pole. He ran his eyeballs out.”
Fourth-place jockey Danny Tudhope (Suedois) – “I was very pleased with his run. We knew it would be a tough assignment and it was. But he gave me everything as usual.”
Fifth-place jockey William Buick (Ribchester) – “I was a little bit disappointed as he came off the bridle a little sooner than I would have expected him to, but he has had a long season.”