Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint: Libertango, with last-minute jockey switch, cruises past Hell of A Spin
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LEXINGTON, Ky. - Billy Loughnane made the weight, then the 20-year-old jockey and his 2-year-old filly Libertango made the grade, overcoming having to check going into the far turn with a stellar stretch rally that carried them to 1 1/4-length victory in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Friday at Keeneland.
Hell of A Spin, a 50-1 shot, got up for second by a head over Harper’s Corner, who was a length better than Mussab. Harper’s Corner, after a lengthy stewards’ review, was disqualified from third and placed eighth for leaning in going into the far turn, causing Moonrise to stumble, which in turn forced Libertango to check. Moonrise finished eighth and was moved up to seventh.
Loughnane overcame that checking incident to get outside and come with an unimpeded run in the lane to get his and trainer George Boughey's first Breeders’ Cup victory.
The win was extra sweet for Loughnane, who was the regular rider of Libertango but who was not named at entry time due being too heavy. Flavien Prat had been named to ride.
Loughane said he worked “consistently” all week to get to the proper weight, working out in the gym Saturday morning and then getting in the sauna at Keeneland for two hours. He texted Boughey about an hour before post to tell him he could make the weight.
“I never expected to be riding this filly at this weight,” said Loughnane, who had to lose about three pounds to make the weight. “But thankfully they have saunas here in America. I jumped in the sauna for a couple of hours and thankfully I made the weight. I got in that sweatsuit this morning bright and early and gave it a good crack in the gym.”
Boughey and racing manager Rob Speers reached out to owner Ibrahim Araci to see if he wanted to make the rider change. Araci agreed even though it meant paying the jockey’s mount fee, $52,000, to both Loughnane and Prat.
“When the opportunity came around, Mr. Araci didn’t think twice about it,” Speers said. “Billy has been such an important part of this filly’s journey.”
Libertango in Europe had a history of breaking poorly, but Friday she broke well and was sitting in fifth position down the backside while Ruiva, who drew in from the also-eligible list Friday morning when Good to Be King scratched with ankle filling, set fractions of 21.49 seconds for the quarter and 44.54 for the half. Loughnane loved his early position on Libertango.
“She broke good. I planned to get on the back of Moonrise. I thought that filly would carry me through the race very well,” Loughnane said. “Obviously on the turn, in front of me Oisin [Murphy on Moonrise] got a little bit tight of room. . . . It sort of broke the race up a little bit, I lost a length or two, but she cornered fantastically, which I had every faith she would, and she [handled] really well in the stretch.”
Libertango, a daughter of No Nay Never, covered the 5 1/2 furlongs over firm turf in 1:02.64 and returned $5.74 as the favorite. Libertango won for the fourth time from six starts, one of her losses coming to Sun Goddess in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket. Sun Goddess won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf later on the card.
“It wasn’t a huge surprise that she was able to put in a huge performance like that today, but first time around a bend it was pretty different for her and I thought Billy gave her a beautiful ride,” Boughey said. “The Breeders’ Cup for me is as good as it gets as a trainer.”
Mikey Sheehy, the rider of Hell of A Spin, said he got the trip he was hoping for on his colt.
“Super run, couldn’t have asked for any more,” Sheehy said. “I knew my horse was staying well, but the winner just kicked on better,” Sheehy said. “I always thought he was a horse that is meant for America and he’s proven that today.”
Paco Lopez, on Harper’s Corner, didn’t believe he did anything wrong during the running of the race. Cal Lynch, trainer of Harper’s Corner, agreed.
“Paco was clear. I thought he was clear,” Lynch said. “The winner was special with the trip she had, it was insane. Absolutely brilliant ride, brilliant race.”
For Loughnane, it was well worth the weight.
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