The storylines of the 41st Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Del Mar racetrack were fascinating. City of Troy and the Europeans, the huge Japanese invasion and a competitive but lacking-in-star-power Classic.
After 14 races had been run over two days, the theme was the first Breeders’ Cup wins for various owners and trainers, a very popular Canadian victory and Thorpedo Anna and Sierra Leone impress.
Of course, from a Canadian/Toronto view, Moira’s hardworking win in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) was the highlight. She is only the seventh (7th) Canadian-bred to win a Cup race in 41 years of the series. Kevin Attard, from the ‘first family’ of training horses at Woodbine, won his first Breeders’ Cup, as did a group of Ontario and Quebec friends who got together as the X-Men and bought a few horses four years ago.
Sadly, the monumental moment in Canadian horse racing was not mentioned in any local papers and only Canadian Thoroughbred had coverage of Moira or any of the other races.
The 2025 Breeders’ Cup will be held at Del Mar once again.
Sierra Leona Gets a Hot Pace
Peter Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg and Brook Smith’s Sierra Leone ($15.80) charged into contention exiting the far turn and then outdueled Fierceness through the lane to prevail by 1 ½ lengths to win the 41st running of the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar Saturday afternoon.
Trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Flavien Prat, Sierra Leone (Gun Runner – Heavenly Love by Malibu Moon) covered the 1 ¼ miles in 2:00.78. The victory is the 19th for Brown in the World Championships and first in the Classic. Prat picked up a second Classic victory to go with the Flightline triumph at Keeneland in 2022 and sixth overall.
Sierra Leone’s Beyer Speed Figure was 112.
Derma Sotogake (JPN) led the field through rapid early fractions of :22.43, :44.96 and 1:09.44 with Fierceness tracking just off his flank. Going into the far turn, Fierceness ranged up to the outside of Derma Sotogake and took over with Sierra Leone on the move right behind him.
Sierra Leone drew on even terms with Fierceness at the top of the stretch and shot on by and slowly extended his margin to the wire. Forever Young (JPN) rallied to finish third, 1 ¼ lengths behind Fierceness and a half-length in front of Newgate.
The much-hyped City of Troy broke a bit slowly and was never involved.
The victory was worth $3,640,000 and improved Sierra Leone’s earnings to $6,008,000 with a record of 9-4-3-2. The colt was a $2.3 million yearling purchase.
Quotes:
Winning trainer Chad Brown, Sierra Leone – “Awesome. It’s been a challenging Breeders’ Cup so far. A couple horses didn’t fire. A couple trips didn’t go our way. I’ve such an unbelievable team and had a lot of confidence in this horse. It sure looked like on paper that the race could set up for him.
“I am so proud and happy for the horse. He’s come up short a few times and had some excuses. He’s been so consistent and is such an honest horse. One of the best I’ve ever had. It’s such a great ownership group. Everyone is just so patient. He ran straight and it’s been a long season for him. I thought we took a tough beat in the (Kentucky) Derby, but we did it with class and respect and went back to the drawing board and worked on getting him straight. My team deserves a lot of credit along the way for working with this horse.
“A lot of experience I learned from my mentor Bobby Frankel helped, particularly here in Southern California. Bobby was a very rare person and generous person and a great mentor. At moments like this, I always think of him. My team really worked with this horse. My owners have been so patient. Flavien Prat has really gotten along with him. In hindsight, Saratoga was probably not his favorite track. Listen, he’s a great horse and he took to this track today, got the pace he needed and it was his day today.
“It means so much to have this box checked, if you will. A huge dirt race. Particularly for this horse and his Kentucky Derby. That was a tough moment for everyone involved because you never know when you’re going to get there again. It’s such a tough race to win. For him to redeem himself and close out the year as probably the best three-year-old in a very deep division, I could not be more happy for this horse. He really deserves it.”
Winning jockey Flavien Prat, Sierra Leone – “Obviously the pace was good and we found ourselves in a good spot. I was able to stay outside and the whole way around (the track) it felt like I was gaining ground on the leaders. Actually I was a bit worried that I got there (to the front) too soon but once I got the lead, I asked him to make his move and that was it.
(On if he knew there was a fast pace) “It felt like they were going fast and to me, it felt like they were all lined up and at no point I felt that anybody was going to hit the brakes so it was good.”
Trainer Todd Pletcher, second with beaten-favorite Fierceness – “Fierceness ran great. The fractions were very fast. I thought he was very courageous to keep fighting for second.”
Jockey John Velazquez, second with beaten-favorite Fierceness – “Yeah, there was nothing I can do about the fast pace. I tried to get keep him off the bridle a little but when the two horses came in outside, he grabbed onto the bridle and I knew then I was in trouble.”
(On if he saw Sierra Leone coming) “Oh, I saw him and there was nothing I could about it. I did all the work in the first part of the race. He did a little too much early.”
Thorpedo Anna, Horse of the Year?
Brookdale Racing, Mark Edwards, breeder Judy Hicks and Magdalena Racing’s brilliant Thorpedo Anna capped a banner 2024 by leading all way to post a 2 ½-length victory over Raging Sea to win the 41st running of the $2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) for fillies and mares Saturday afternoon at Del Mar.
Trained by Kenny McPeek and ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., Thorpedo Anna completed the 1 1/8 miles on the fast main track in 1:49.10. It is the first Breeders’ Cup victory for McPeek and second for Hernandez, who won the 2012 Classic on Fort Larned.
Hernandez put Thorpedo Anna right on the lead and with Raging Sea tracking a close second to her outside through fractions of :23.81, :47.99 and 1:12.01. On the far turn, Raging Sea inched closer only to see Thorpedo Anna kick away again to claim her sixth victory in seven starts this year. Raging Sea held second by 3 ¼ lengths over Candied.
The victory was worth $1,040,000 and increased her earnings to $3,843,663. It was her fifth Grade 1 victory of the year with her only defeat coming against males when she fell a head short of catching Fierceness in the Travers (G1).
Thorpedo Anna is a three-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Fast Anna out of the Uncle Mo mare Sataves.
McPeek bought the filly for $40,000 at the 2022 Fasig Totpon October yearling sale. Her first two dams were unraced.
Quotes:
Winning trainer Kenny McPeek, Thorpedo Anna – “She keeps it rolling, doesn’t she? It was workmanlike. She just went out there and did her thing. There wasn’t a whole lot that was complicated about it. I didn’t have too many doubts. Just didn’t want anything silly to happen. Just let her do her thing and Brian did great. She just does everything so easily. We have every intention to run her next year. She is a filly that likes to do it and, hopefully, we’ll entertain a lot of people with her in 2025. Anytime you run a horse like her, it’s emotional.”
(On his first ever Breeders’ Cup win): “This is a humbling business; it’s not something that you can ever expect. I was actually proud of a lot of seconds and thirds I have had in the Breeders’ Cup because we have done it in many ways with modest money. We are pretty much outspent by a lot of players, but we run well. That’s all you can do.”
Winning jockey Brian Hernandez Jr., Thorpedo Anna – “It was just typical. She left there sharp, she was the best filly in the race, and I just rode her accordingly like I thought she was going to be the best filly. She went out there and proved it for us. She crossed the wire with her ears up, just proud of herself like always.
“It’s been an amazing year. To win the races we’ve won with her and to top it off with the Kentucky Derby as well has been a year we always dream about and every jockey hopes to be in those shoes. To be able to fulfill it has been very meaningful.
“[The key was] just making sure the first two jumps were in good order and she left there running and got herself in good position. She cruised, and once she gets in her rhythm and cruises along nicely, she just makes my job easy and I just kind of stay out of her way.
“That was kind of the coolest part of it when we were able to just kind of jog her back in front of the crowd and all the fans and stuff were cheering for her. It was a really special moment.”
More Breeders’ Cup Winners
C2 Racing Stable, Agave Racing Stable and Ken Reimer’s Soul of an Angel ($41.60) rallied from dead last to spring a 19-1 shocker by a half-length over Society to win the 18th running of the $1 million PNC Bank Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) to kick off the Saturday portion of the World Championships at Del Mar.
Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. and ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, Soul of an Angel completed the 7 furlongs over the fast main track in 1:21.59. The victory is the first in the World Championships for Joseph and the second for Van Dyke who won the 2018 Turf Sprint on Stormy Liberal.
Society and Pleasant dueled through early fractions of :21.94 and :44.22 as Soul of an Angel lagged far back. On the far turn with a wall of horses vying for the lead, Van Dyke took Soul of an Angel to the outside and hit the top of the stretch six wide.
With clear running, Soul of an Angel wore down the leaders to prevail by a half-length over Society, who finished a nose in front of Pleasant.
Soul of an Angel is a five-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Atreides out of the The Factor mare Factor One. Sprinting for only the third time in 41 career starts, Soul of an Angel earned $520,000 for the victory and increased her earnings to $1,192,675.
Mrs. Fitriani Hay’s Starlust (GB) ($69.20), last early on, found clear running along the rail in the stretch to score a neck victory over Motorious (GB) to win the 16th running of the $1 million Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) for three-year-olds and up at Del Mar on Saturday afternoon.
Trained by Ralph Beckett and ridden by Rossa Ryan, Starlust completed the 5 furlongs on a firm turf course in :55.92. It is the second World Championships victory for Beckett, who previously won with Muhannak (IRE) in the 2008 Marathon. It is the first Breeders’ Cup win for Ryan.
Heavily favored Cogburn rocketed out to an uncontested lead and maintained a daylight advantage until mid-stretch when the field began to close in. Ag Bullet and Star of Mystery (GB) closed in first on Cogburn while to the inside, Starlust had clear sailing and got up in the final strides for the victory. Motorious got up for second by a nose over Ag Bullet.
Third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita last year, Starlust is a three-year-old son of Zoustar (AUS) out of the Invincible Spirit mare Beyond Desire (GB). Now carrying a record of 18-6-3-3, Starlust picked up $520,000 for the victory that boosted his earnings to $915,137.
MyRacehorse’s Straight No Chaser ($14.20) rallied from just off the pace to take command in deep stretch and post a half-length victory over Bentornato to win the 41st running of the $2 million Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) for three-year-olds and up at Del Mar Saturday afternoon.
Trained by Dan Blacker and ridden by John Velazquez, Straight No Chaser covered the 6 furlongs on the fast main track in 1:08.62. It is the first Breeders’ Cup victory for Blacker and the 21st for Velazquez and second in the Sprint. His first Sprint victory came 20 years ago at Lone Star Park with Speightstown.
Federal Judge set the pace with fractions of :21.74 and :44.12 with Bentornado in closest pursuit and Straight No Chaser stalking in third. In the upper stretch, Bentornado took over, but was immediately challenged by Straight No Chaser who gradually pulled away.
Favored Mullikin finished another 2 ½ lengths back in third with stablemate Federal Judge fourth.
The victory, the first Grade 1 for Straight No Chaser, was worth $1,040,000 and improved his earnings to $1,416,300 with a record of 10-6-0-1.
Straight No Chaser is a five-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Speightster out of the Johannesburg mare Margarita Friday. Third dam Big Dreams produced Grade 1 sprinter Housebuster.
Victory Racing Partners’ More Than Looks ($15.80), last early in the field of 10, rallied strongly in the stretch to post a 3 ¼-length victory over Johannes to win the 41st running of the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) Presented by PDJF for three-year-olds and up Saturday afternoon at Del Mar.
Trained by Cherie DeVaux and ridden by Jose Ortiz, More Than Looks completed the mile over a firm turf course in 1:32.65. It is the first Breeders’ Cup victory for DeVaux and the sixth for Ortiz.
Goliad led the field through fractions of :22.73, :45.90 and 1:08.89 while receiving light pressure from Ten Happy Rose (JPN) and Geoglyph (JPN). Heading into the far turn, Ortiz moved More Than Looks off the inside and began picking off horses. Swinging into the stretch six wide but in the clear, More Than Looks quickly overtook the field and coasted to victory.
Johannes held off favored Notable Speech (GB) by a head to hold second.
More Than Looks is a four-year-old Kentucky-bred son of More Than Ready out of the Harlan’s Holiday mare Ladies’ Privilege winner of the Hall of Fame S. in her 14-race career. The victory was worth $1,040,000 to boost his earnings to $1,870,715 with a record of 11-5-3-1. He was a $135,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase.
Woodbine Mile (G1) winner Win for the Money finished 10th and last.
# # #
Godolphin’s Rebel’s Romance (IRE) ($5.80) surged to the lead on the far turn and then held off a late bid from Rousham Park (JPN) by a neck to win the 41st running of the $5 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) for 3-year-olds and up on Saturday afternoon at Del Mar.
Trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick, Rebel’s Romance covered the mile and a half on a firm turf course in 2:26.07. It is the second win in the race for Rebel’s Romance, who was victorious at Keeneland in 2022.
For Appleby it is his third win in the race and the second for Buick, who teamed with Appleby to win the 2021 running with Yibir (GB).
Cabo Spirit shot out to the early lead, but by the time the field reached the first of three turns, Rebel’s Romance had drawn up alongside and hounded the leader through fractions of :24.33, :48.77 and 1:13.82. Going into the far turn, Rebel’s Romance shot to the front and opened a daylight advantage entering the stretch.
He maintained that comfortable margin until deep stretch when Rousham Park was closing rapidly only to come up a neck short. It was another 1 ½ lengths back to Shahryar (JPN), who was third in the race for the second consecutive year. Gold Phoenix (IRE) was another 1 ¾ lengths back in fourth, his second consecutive year of finishing in that position.
The victory was worth $2,600,000 and increased Rebel’s Romance’s earnings to $11,777,574 with a record of 22-15-0-1.
Hronis Racing’s Full Serrano (ARG) ($28.80) swept to the front at the top of the stretch and had more than enough to hold off Post Time by 1 1/2 lengths to win the 18th running of the $1 million Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) to conclude the two-day World Championships program at Del Mar.
Trained by John Sadler and ridden by Joel Rosario, Full Serrano completed the mile on a fast main track in 1:35.48. It is the third Breeders’ Cup victory for Sadler and 16th for Rosario. Rosario previously won the Dirt Mile with Dakota Phone in 2010 and Knicks Go in 2020.
Longshot T O Saint Denis (JPN) led the field through fractions of :22.30 and :45.47 with Full Serrano lurking just to his outside. On the far turn, Full Serrano went looking for the lead and in the stretch quickly opened up. Post Time rallied from last to get second, 2 ¼ lengths in front of favored Domestic Product.
Full Serrano is a five-year-old son of Full Mast out of the Jump Start mare Serra Do Mar (ARG). The victory, which came on the heels of a runner-up effort in the 1 ¼-mile Pacific Classic (G1), was worth $520,000 and increased his earnings to $797,223 with a record of 17-6-5-2.
Thorpedo Anna (4), ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., wins the Longines Breeders Cup Distaff on Breeders Cup Championship Saturday at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, California on November 2, 2024. (Tim Suddith/Eclipse Sportswire/Breeders Cup)
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