NEWS
Juddmonte takes eight chances at more Breeders’ Cup glory
Posted: Thursday, November 05, 2009 5:33 PM
by Jeff Lowe
Prince Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farms has been the most active owner in the 26-year history of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, and the stable may have its deepest contingent for this year’s edition at Santa Anita Park.
Last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Ventura will be joined by Blue Square Nassau Stakes (Eng-G1) winner Midday (GB), Emirates Airline Champion Stakes (Eng-G1) winner Twice Over (GB), Group 1 winner Zacinto (GB), Group 2 winners Father Time (GB) and Spanish Moon, Juddmonte Spinster Stakes runner-up Proviso (GB), and Yellow Ribbon Stakes (G1) runner-up Visit (GB) this weekend as Juddmonte sends out its largest Breeders’ Cup group.
Ventura and Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) winners Banks Hill (GB) (2001) and Intercontinental (GB) (2005) are Juddmonte’s three Breeders’ Cup winners from 50 starters, the most of any individual ownership entity. Godolphin Racing ranks second with 39 starters and has 15 in line for this year’s Breeders’ Cup, which would narrow Juddmonte’s lead to three at 57-54. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum has had more than 70 Breeders’ Cup starters alone and in partnership, including his Darley and Godolphin operations.
Juddmonte has finished second in three Breeders’ Cup races and third six times, earning a total of $4,856,450, which is fifth on the overall list.
Trainers Henry Cecil, Sir Michael Stoute, and Bobby Frankel, all with long, distinguished associations with Juddmonte, account for the seven horses this year. Frankel trained all three of Juddmonte’s winners. Sadly, he has been away from the racetrack since the spring because of a serious illness, maintaining oversight of his stable through his assistants.
Cecil can relate. He has been receiving regular treatments for stomach cancer since 2006. Over the same period, his stable has experienced a renaissance. He won the Vodafone Epsom Oaks (Eng-G1) for the eighth time in 2007 with Light Shift.
Midday finished second by a head to Sariska in this year’s Epsom Oaks.
“It’s lovely really, the Prince loves the Breeders’ Cup and he has a lot of interest in American racing as well as Europe,” Cecil said. “It’s nice that he is coming here with what we hope is a very strong hand and quite a few runners. I think [the] three I run have a very good chance of being in the first three. You can’t say you’re going to win. As long as they adapt they could run very well, and I’d love to have a win for him. He’s a great supporter of mine, he always has been, and a great friend. I think he deserves it, probably more than I do.”
Twice Over traveled to Santa Anita in the wake of his biggest victory, a half-length score in the Champion Stakes. He is listed at 20-to-1 on the morning line for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).
Trainer John Gosden, who won last year’s Classic with European invader Raven’s Pass, pointed to Twice Over as a dangerous threat.
“I very much like Henry’s horse, coming from Europe,” said Gosden, who also trains for Juddmonte. “He won the Champion Stakes and I was fourth in it [with Pipedreamer] and it was a great performance. I think at 20-to-1 he is fantastic value, and he’s a tough, hard horse and he’s freshened him for it. I could see him being a tough fellow to beat.”
Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer
