St Mark's Basilica takes measure of quality elders in Eclipse Stakes

St Mark’s Basilica stormed past tough older rivals Addeybb and Mishriff and won the Group 1 Eclipse Stakes by 3 1/2 lengths Saturday at Sandown Park in England.

Winner of classic races this spring over one mile and 1 5/16 miles in France, Ireland-based St Mark’s Basilica got 10 pounds from his elders on the weight-for-age scale and made the most of it. Waiting patiently under Ryan Moore as Addeybb led Mishriff in this four-runner field, St Mark’s Basilica was produced at the head of the long Sandown homestretch and had little trouble rolling right past a pair of established Group 1 horses.

"I was hugely impressed,” Moore said. “The two horses he had to run against have proven to be as good as any horses in the world, so he’s very exciting. He’s straightforward with a real turn of foot.”

:: Join DRF Bets and play the races with a $250 First Deposit Bonus. Click to learn more.

Addeybb, who raced in Australia earlier this year, made the running in the 1 1/4-mile Eclipse, Mishriff, his head held low, galloping along just behind and outside him. Mishriff this year already had won the Saudi Cup over 1 1/8 miles on dirt and the Sheema Classic over 1 1/2 miles on turf, and a quarter-mile from the finish, with Addeybb under pressure, St Mark’s Basilica still a few lengths behind, and Mishriff yet to be asked by jockey David Egan, it was he who looked like the winner. But when Egan pushed the button, he got no strong response, and as Mishriff plugged along, his younger rival sailed past on the outside.

Addeybb wound up coming back to get second, a neck in front of Mishriff. Overmatched El Drama brought up the rear but performed creditably, getting within 2 3/4 lengths of Mishriff.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien won his sixth Eclipse, but this was his first since So You Think in 2011. He said St Mark’s Basilica, by Siyouni out of Cabernet, by Galileo, would be aimed toward the Juddmonte International and the Irish Champion Stakes. St Mark’s Basilica paid $3.70 to win on the U.S. toteboard and was timed in 2:10.87 for the one mile, two-furlong, nine-yard distance over a course rated good to soft.