For the reason that inception of the Breeders’ Cup in 1984, simply two horses have scored back-to-back victories within the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T), with Excessive Chaparral the first to do so in 2002-03 and Conduit repeating in 2008-09. High Chaparral even had to share victory the second time when dead-heating with Johar in 2003.
Now His Highness The Aga Khan’s Tarnawa (IRE), trained by Dermot Weld, will seek to join this select company when she defends her Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf title in the $4 million race going 1 1/2 miles at Del Mar Nov. 6. She faces a stacked discipline, together with top-class People Gufo , Domestic Spending , and United , and a high-performing group of fellow international runners.
A further hurdle exists for the 9-5 morning-line favorite. In winning the Turf last fall at Keeneland, she scored over ground officially rated as firm but with some give following rain earlier in the week. Del Mar’s grass in sunny Southern California is expected to be firmer than Keeneland’s course.
“I think this is what makes (them) a really, true champion if they can go and defend their crown over different surfaces, you know what I mean, a year apart,” trainer Dermot Weld said on a media teleconference Oct. 27. “That will be the big challenge. This will actually be a bigger challenge for her this coming year than last year, mostly because of the ground, which I expect will be firmer than ideal for her. But equally, she is a really, really good race mare that responds to every challenge that she gets.”
The 5-year-old homebred Shamardal mare has started just three times this year. She won her seasonal debut in the Aug. 5 Grant Thornton Ballyroan Stakes (G3) before runner-up finishes in the Sept. 11 Irish Champion Stakes (G1) and Oct. 3 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1). Both losses—each coming by three-quarters of a length—came with excuses: She was carried out in the final furlong in the Irish Champion Stakes and raced over heavy turf in the Arc. She’ll start from Post 13 Saturday in the expected field of 14.
“She fought like a lioness and sadly she got here up brief on floor that was extraordinarily testing,” Weld mentioned of the Arc.
The Arc is without doubt one of the few main worldwide races the Irish-based Weld hasn’t received. His checklist of accomplishments contains having educated the winners of greater than two dozen European classics, two winners of the Melbourne Cup (G1), and a winner of the Belmont Stakes (G1).
“She’s a courageous filly, very robust, very real,” Weld mentioned. “She offers it 110% each time she runs. So naturally when she got here again from Paris, she was drained for every week. We let her have a pleasant simple time, freshened her up, took my time bringing her again, and am very joyful together with her work over the previous week. I believe she’s come proper again.”
Weld mentioned that is her remaining season of racing, with a begin in Hong Kong into consideration, pending her efficiency and situation following the Breeders’ Cup.
Colin Keane, who rode Tarnawa to victory final yr at Keeneland, giving the rider and Weld their first Breeders’ Cup victories, is again aboard.
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Main the U.S. cost is Klaravich Stables’ Home Spending. The strong-finishing turf horse received three consecutive grade 1s for coach Chad Brown earlier than working second behind a loose-on-the-lead longshot Two Emmys in the Mr. D Stakes (G1T), formerly the Arlington Million, at Arlington International Racecourse Aug. 14.
Brown, a 15-time Breeders’ Cup winner who received the 2019 Turf with William Lawrence and Klaravich Stables’ Bricks and Mortar , has prepped Domestic Spending similarly for his first attempt at 1 1/2 miles, starting him fresh, straight out of the Arlington race.
Flavien Prat sticks with Domestic Spending, forgoing his usual seat aboard LNJ Foxwoods’ United, whom he rode for 16 consecutive races dating back to May 25, 2019.
Domestic Spending passes Tribhuban en route to victory in the Manhattan Stakes at Belmont Park
Domestic Spending is one of three Brown entries, along with fellow 2021 grade 1 winners Rockemperor and Tribhuvan .
A 6-year-old Giant’s Causeway gelding trained by trainer Richard Mandella, United has been California’s top grass horse for the past two years. He is three-for-five this year, narrowly winning the John Henry Turf Championship (G2T) at Santa Anita Park Oct. 2 after a troubled fourth within the Del Mar Handicap (G2T) this summer time when he was stymied by visitors.
“He is doing nearly as good as he can do. I am positive it is a robust race, however I believe he’ll be giving ’em hell,” mentioned Mandella.
A Corridor of Famer, Mandella received a file 4 Breeders’ Cup races in 2003 when it was a one-day occasion with fewer races. He has 9 Breeders’ Cup victories total.
Fellow Corridor of Famer John Velazquez replaces Prat within the irons.
Each Home Spending and United are stakes winners over the Del Mar course, although the breaks haven’t all the time fallen United’s means there. He’s 3-2-0 in six native turf begins. All three of his losses have come by margins of lower than a size, together with his defeats usually following difficult journeys.
“He is nearly as good as he could be proper now,” Mandella mentioned. “We have had just a little unhealthy luck in a number of of the races, but when we win the Breeders’ Cup, I am going to give that unhealthy luck up from these different races.”
OFFICIAL: Publish Positions for the $4 Million @LonginesEq #BreedersCup Turf at @DelMarRacing.
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— Breeders’ Cup (@BreedersCup) November 1, 2021
Entries: Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T)
Del Mar, Saturday, November 06, 2021, Race 11
- Grade IT
- 1 1/2m
- Turf
- $4,000,000
- 3 yo’s & up
- 4:40 PM (native)
