Breeders' Cup Turf: European contingent looms large once again
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The European 3-year-old stars Auguste Rodin and King of Steel and the brilliant 5-year-old Mostahdaf will make a difficult trio for Team USA to beat in the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf on Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.
Auguste Rodin, winner of the English and Irish derbies in June and July, and Mostahdaf, who has won two of England’s leading races for older horses this year in an abbreviated campaign, will lead the betting in what is likely to be a maximum field of 14 in the BC Turf at 1 1/2 miles.
The foreign runners annually command attention. Foreign-trained horses have won the last three runnings of the BC Turf and eight of the last 10.
The BC Turf, the richest grass race in the United States, drew 17 pre-entries Monday, including eight foreign-trained runners and six domestic challengers selected for the main field of 14.
Three American-based runners – Adhamo, Masteroffoxhounds, and Cellist – were placed on an also-eligible list and will gain berths in the field should defections occur from the first 14.
Auguste Rodin has not raced since a win in the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown Racecourse on Sept. 9 in Ireland, while King of Steel won the Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot last Saturday in England.
Trainer Roger Varian cautioned earlier this week that King of Steel is not a certain runner for the BC Turf. King of Steel’s condition will be evaluated in coming days before a decision is reached on whether he is flown to California over the weekend.
The leading hopes among the American-based runners are the New York-based older runners Up to the Mark and War Like Goddess.
Up to the Mark, trained by Todd Pletcher, will start at 1 1/2 miles for the first time in the BC Turf. Since early May, Up to the Mark has won three consecutive Grade 1 races at Churchill Downs, Belmont Park, and Keeneland at distances ranging from a mile to 1 1/4 miles.
War Like Goddess, trained by Bill Mott, is the only filly or mare among the BC Turf pre-entries this year. The 6-year-old War Like Goddess was third in the 2022 BC Turf at Keeneland and was the convincing winner of the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at 1 1/2 miles at the Belmont at Aqueduct meeting on Oct. 7.
War Like Goddess is attempting to become the first American-trained filly or mare to win the BC Turf since the race was launched in 1984. Foreign-trained mares such as Enable in 2018 and Tarnawa in 2020 have won the race in recent years.
The most glaring absence from the pre-entries is a runner from Godolphin Racing, the powerful worldwide stable operated by Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai. Godolphin-owned runners have won the last two runnings of the BC Turf.
Earlier this month, Rebel’s Romance, winner of the 2022 BC Turf, was fourth in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, his third consecutive loss in as many races this year.
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