The expected European shippers for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 1 are a diverse cast. They range from a two-time winner of the BC Turf to a gelding who raced over hurdles earlier this year and has yet to win a graded stakes.
Rebel’s Romance, who won the BC Turf at Keeneland in 2022 and at Del Mar last year, will attempt to become the first three-time winner of the richest turf race in the United States. Trained primarily in Britain by Charlie Appleby for Godolphin Racing, Rebel’s Romance won the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Aqueduct on Saturday.
With four weeks remaining to the BC Turf, there are approximately seven other European candidates.
Ombudsman, trained by John and Thady Gosden, has won two Group 1 races at 1 1/4 miles in Britain this year. A winner of 6 of 8 starts, Ombudsman is scheduled to start in the Group 1 Champion Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Ascot Racecourse on Oct. 18.
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Goliath won his second Group 1 race in the Grosser Preis von Baden at 1 1/4 miles in Germany on Sept. 7, while Rashabar was second in a Group 2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano at 1 1/4 miles in France in August. El Cordobes, trained by Appleby, was a Group 2 winner in Britain in July and won his U.S. debut in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 9 before finishing third in the Joe Hirsch. Wimbledon Hawkeye, second or third in four group stakes in Britain earlier year, won his American debut in the Grade 3, $2.6 million Nashville Derby at Kentucky Downs on Aug. 30.
The BC Turf distance will be no problem for Amiloc or Ethical Diamond. Amiloc was beaten for the first time in six starts when second by four lengths in the Group 1 Irish St. Leger Stakes at 1 3/4 miles at the Curragh in Ireland on Sept. 14. Race winner Al Riffa is the early favorite for the Melbourne Cup in Australia on Nov. 4.
Amiloc won the Group 2 King Edward VII at 1 1/2 miles for 3-year-olds at Royal Ascot in June on good-to-firm turf. He will get similar conditions at Del Mar, which appeals to trainer Ralph Beckett, who on Monday described Amiloc as “versatile” and said “the whole gig” of the BC Turf on firm turf and on a course with a tighter layout than European courses will suit the gelding.
Ethical Diamond is trained by Willie Mullins, who dominates European jump racing. Ethical Diamond has won his last two starts on the flat in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes against 17 rivals at 1 1/2 miles at Royal Ascot in June, and by 2 1/2 lengths against 21 others in the $676,400 Ebor Handicap at 1 3/4 miles at York Racecourse on Aug. 23.
There are only a few American-based runners under consideration. Among them are Gold Phoenix, who finished fourth in the BC Turf the last two years, and Old Crazy Bone, who earned a fees-paid berth by winning the Group 2 Kentucky Downs Turf Cup on Sept. 6.
It is possible a runner or two for the BC Turf could emerge from Sunday’s Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris. The fillies Aventure and Minnie Hauk, Group 1 winners in their last starts, lead the expected field.
Minnie Hauk is trained by Aidan O’Brien of Ireland, who has won the BC Turf a record seven times.
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