Breeders' Cup Turf: Auguste Rodin rides the rail to victory

ARCADIA, Calif. - Auguste Rodin was on the inside on the backstretch and turn of Saturday’s $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita, one of the last positions jockey Ryan Moore envisioned in his pre-race analysis.

“Going to the rail, that was Plan F,” Moore said.

Staying inside, Moore had Auguste Rodin in a clear position turning into the stretch, allowing the colt to quickly challenge Up to the Mark, the 3-1 third choice.

Even though Auguste Rodin appeared well positioned, the scenario that put the colt in that position left trainer Aidan O’Brien nervous.

“He was calm,” O’Brien said of Moore. “I was a wreck.”

Very soon, O’Brien’s nerves settled. Auguste Rodin, sent off favored in the nation’s richest turf race, took the lead from Up the Mark with more than a furlong remaining and won by three-quarters of a length.

Auguste Rodin ($7) ran 1 1/2 miles in 2:24.30, winning his fourth Grade 1 or Group 1 race this year and his first outside of Europe. He was given a 106 Beyer Speed Figure.

It was not immediately clear whether the BC Turf was Auguste Rodin’s final start. M.V. Magnier, of the Coolmore syndicate who owns the colt, said the options of retirement for a stud career or a 2024 racing season will be discussed. Magnier even said that a potential start in the BC Classic on dirt at Del Mar next November is an idea, if Auguste Rodin stays in training.

Moore has been aboard Auguste Rodin for the four major wins this year, plus two comprehensive losses in Group 1 races in Britain. While Moore had faith in his mount, Saturday’s race did not develop in an expected way.

Auguste Rodin raced on the inside and farther back than Moore envisioned. In the opening half-mile, Moore was forced to steady Auguste Rodin while racing in traffic toward the back of the field of 11.

“It didn’t go to plan at all in the first half of the race,” Moore said. “I got squeezed out. I didn’t really like where I was. What I wanted to do was let the horse find some sort of a rhythm. When I did that, I was able to keep going.”

Continuing on the inside, Auguste Rodin made rapid progress on the turn and was racing just behind the leaders.

“He got there very quickly and very easily,” Moore said.

Up to the Mark, starting at 1 1/2 miles for the first time, gave a bold performance despite being caught. The defeat ended a three-race winning streak in Grade 1 races for a 4-year-old colt who was also considered for Saturday’s BC Mile.

“I thought he ran a fantastic race,” trainer Todd Pletcher said.

“We picked what we thought was the right race for our horse. It was a gallant effort.

“It looked like Ryan got a dream trip at the top of the stretch.”

Shahryar, a 25-1 outsider from Japan, closed from seventh in the final half-mile to finish third in his first start in the United States.

“He ran a good race,” jockey Cristian Demuro said.

The remaining order of finish was Gold Phoenix, King of Steel, Onesto, War Like Goddess, Mostahdaf, Balladeer, Adhamo and Broome.

Onesto was third in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris last month. War Like Goddess was the only filly or mare in the field. She was third in the 2022 BC Turf at Keeneland. Mostahdaf was the 3-1 second choice on Saturday on the strength of two Group 1 wins in Britain in June and August.

Balladeer, the longest shot in the field at 63-1, set a decent pace of 24.85 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 48.79 for a half-mile, leading by as many as two lengths.

Balladeer was overtaken in early stretch and rapidly faded from contention. With a furlong remaining, Auguste Rodin held a one-length lead over Up to the Mark, who gave a sustained effort to remain in second in the final furlong.

Auguste Rodin, a colt by Deep Impact, has won three Grade or Group 1 races at 1 1/2 miles this year, including the English and Irish derbies. In September, in his final start before the BC Turf, Auguste Rodin won the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Leopardstown.

Auguste Rodin has won 7 of 10 starts and earned $4,958,538. He showed on Saturday in his American debut that he could win even when the best-made plans change rapidly.

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