Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint: Isivunguvungu will try to get South Africa on the board
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The Thoroughbreds pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup were bred in nine different countries – Argentina, Canada, Chile, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Japan, South Africa, and the United States. South Africa is among the countries seeking its first Breeders’ Cup win, and seeking to become a major player on the international stage.
The two South African-bred pre-entrants are Isivunguvungu in the Turf Sprint and Beach Bomb in the Filly and Mare Turf, both transferred to Graham Motion in the United States this year. If both start next week, it would be the second U.S. start for both, and they would double the number of their home country’s Breeders’ Cup starters. The two prior were Spook Express, second in the 2001 Filly and Mare Turf, and Super Brand, ninth in the 2004 Filly and Mare Turf. Both had several starts in North America prior to their Breeders’ Cup tilts, with Spook Express running in the country for several years.
Isivunguvungu – which translates to “storm” in Zulu – is one of 12 horses from an overflow 20 pre-entrants safely holding a spot for the Turf Sprint, in which he would face one of Breeders’ Cup weekend’s strongest favorites. Cogburn, who set a North American record in his virtuoso performance in the Grade 1 Jaipur, has been untouchable in three starts this year. He is the 2-1 favorite on Brad Free’s early morning line for Daily Racing Form. Bradsell, at 3-1, leads the European standouts Cogburn will have to face along with the South African colorbearer in a field with international flair.
A Breeders’ Cup score would be another occasion for celebration for South Africa. For more than a decade, export regulations from the European Union, mandating a convoluted, multi-country journey requiring several months of quarantine and time out of training, effectively choked off the flow of horses from the country to major international races. After years of deliberation – extended by the COVID-19 pandemic – EU officials gave the go-ahead in March to resume direct shipment of horses from South Africa to Europe. South African officials hope that other jurisdictions will follow suit – Hong Kong officials were vocal in their support of the changes – and that it will be easier to showcase the country’s horses on a global stage, thus attracting new interest in its bloodstock industry.
Prior to that ruling, Isivunguvungu and Beach Bomb, pathfinders to gauge how South Africa’s stars will stack up on an international stage, were already on their way to the United States and underwent a two-month quarantine before joining Motion at his Fair Hill base in Maryland.
The 6-year-old Isivunguvungu, a two-time Group 1 winner sprinting on turf when trained by Peter Muscott, got on the work tab in late June, and made his U.S. bow in the Da Hoss on Sept. 7 at Colonial Downs – the race Nobals used as a springboard to his 2023 Turf Sprint win. Isivunguvungu got a ground-saving trip, took over at the top of the stretch, and held on for a neck victory. The gelding, who has now won 7 of 16 lifetime starts, looks like he is thriving, with four straight bullet works after that win.
“I think we are going to see a lot more South African horses, especially after the performance of this horse,” Motion said after the Da Hoss. “South African horses by nature are very tough. Huge credit to Hollywood Syndicate for taking a gamble on bringing him over here. I feel very lucky to have him.”
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