Nick Nurse, coach of the NBA Champion Toronto Raptors, is anticipating a different kind of championship as early as next month.
Nurse, who guided the Raptors to the franchise’s first championship in his first season as an NBA head coach, is a partner in a group that owns Donegal Racing’s Arklow, who is set to contest the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita on November 2.
Donegal Racing was founded in 2008 and two years later had its first Breeders’ Cup starter as Paddy O’Prado, a Grade 1 winner on turf and the Kentucky Derby third-place finisher, came in fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. The partnership has had at least one Breeders’ Cup starter every year since with the exception of 2013. Keen Ice was third in the 2016 Classic after taking fourth in 2015.
“Having Arklow in the Breeders’ Cup Turf is yet another accolade for Donegal and its knack for finding inexpensive horses that end up running in the biggest races,” Nurse said. “Nothing in horse racing is a slam dunk, but Donegal sure has a knack for hitting the 3 and I’m thrilled to be a partner.
“Unfortunately I won’t be able to attend the Breeders’ Cup as we have just started the defense of our NBA title. However, I hope my phone is blowing up the night of Nov. 2 with texts that I’ve been part of another world championship.”
Donegal also has won Grade 1 races with Dullahan (who was third in the 2012 Kentucky Derby), Finnegans Wake and Carrick. Unlike some partnerships, where horses are syndicated individually, Donegal partners buy into an entire crop of horses purchased each year so that everyone shares in the success.
Arklow’s trainer Brad Cox acknowledges that his 5-year old son of Arch is headed to the Breeders’ Cup in top form.
“I don’t know if Arklow can beat Bricks and Mortar or the Europeans,” said Cox. “But I do know that Arklow is coming into the race 100 percent physically and just had one of the finest workouts in his life at Churchill on Saturday.” Arklow was timed in 47 4/5 seconds, the fastest of 72 half-mile works at the distance over Churchill Downs’ dirt track.
ARKLOW will face the mighty BRICKS AND MORTAR and others including Canadian bred CHANNEL MAKER, who was second in the Joe Hirsch Turf.
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