Breeders’ Cup breakthrough for Buick on Godolphin’s Wuheida
William Buick filled a gap in his big race record that he thought he had addressed four years earlier when he guided Godolphin’s Wuheida to a victory that finally sealed his first Breeders’ Cup win.
The jockey had walked off the track in tears in 2013 when denied a breakthrough success in the Breeders’ Cup Turf on The Fugue by the Ryan Moore-ridden Magician who got up right on the line.
Having been forced to miss a key part of the summer due to fracturing vertebra in a horrible spill from Permian when riding in the US in August, Buick only got back into the saddle last month.
His 2017 Breeders’ Cup had got off to an inauspicious start when he lost his iron on the unlucky Masar in the Juvenile Turf on Friday and earlier on Saturday he had again been edged out late by Moore when Declarationofpeace nabbed Sound And Silence in a Listed race.
But in the Filly & Mare Turf there was to be no late drama as Buick executed the perfect ride on Wuheida, keeping close to the pace and kicking the filly into a clear lead out of the turn which Moore could not reel back on Rhododendron.
“It means everything to me, it’s very special,” said Buick, after riding his first Group 1 winner since scoring on Ribchester at Royal Ascot. “I’ve had plenty of goes at the Breeders’ Cup but haven’t been successful.
“She is incredibly professional. She has lots of ability and the trip really suited her. I was happy with her position throughout the race and she quickened down the straight really well.”
Wuheida had been Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby’s main Classic hope at the start of the year only to suffer injury. She had been due to contest the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup in Keeneland but had to be scratched because of a hoof injury.
Fully recovered she was never in serious danger as she crossed the line a length in front of Rhododendron with Cambodia third.
Appleby won the Juvenile Turf with Outstrip in 2013 in his first season with a licence and had not been back to the Breeders’ Cup until this year.
He said: “Wuheida deserved this – we always believed she was a Group 1 filly. She won a Group 1 at two but she’s had it tough at three, missed the first part of her campaign – she’s been ultra-consistent, running some great races. I am delighted – this is a big team effort.
“We knew the horse was in good order and William gave her a peach of a ride for his first Breeders’ Cup winner. His only instructions were to go out there and just give you the spin round there and she’s done that
“Going into first turn I knew we were in the right ‘possy’ and the fractions were going right for her as well. She’s a strong finisher and the breaks came – when they were coming into that final turn, William angled her out there. He knew the horse on the inner was gonna come back on her and she got first run on everything.”
Rhododendron was drawn widest and raced widest before Moore took her to the rail where she was momentarily checked as they made their run through.
Moore said: “They didn’t go quick enough. She rolled a bit in the straight, but she is very brave.”
Defending champion Queen’s Trust could only reach fifth, with the race distance – over a furlong shorter than last year – not playing to her strengths. Hot favourite Lady Eli was seventh, France’s Senga eighth and Nezwaah tenth.
Queen’s Trust’s trainer Sir Michael Stoute said: “She ran well, but it didn’t go quite right for her in the race. Although, she was running on at the finish. She may just lack instant acceleration and maybe needs a little further.”
Marsha and Lady Aurelia beaten as Stormy Liberal springs surprise win
It was a billed as a decider but in the end what happened between Lady Aurelia and Marsha became just a footnote to a Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint settled by a huge upset.
For the record Marsha, who beat Lady Aurelia by a nose in the Nunthorpe Stakes in the summer, again had the edge over her rival but Sir Mark Prescott’s first Breeders’ Cup runner could finish only sixth and the star of Wesley Ward’s stable tenth.
Victory went to 40-1 shot Stormy Liberal, from the stable of local trainer Peter Miller, who beat his own stablemate Richard’s Boy
(25-1) in the Grade 1, with Disco Partner in third.
Lady Aurelia, a dual Royal Ascot winner for Ward, was odds-on for her rematch but though away smartly enough to secure a prominent pitch behind the pacey Pure Sensation could find little in the straight.
On her final start Marsha was towards the rear early but came out of the bend on Lady Aurelia’s heels and though getting past her opponent was never gaining enough to reach the principals.
Jockey Luke Morris said: “They went very hard from the gate. The plan was to get close to Lady Aurelia. She just struggled on the track. I’d say she is best on straight tracks. She is tough and honest and has held her form right the way through the year.”
Prescott said: “I’ve got no complaints, I thought she was always in the right place, she travelled well, all the horrors you can have were avoided.
“Luke thought turning for home he was in with a shout then they picked up on the inner a little bit better than he hoped. He was following Lady Aurelia who he hoped would carry him a bit further. They’re marvellous those two fillies, there’s never much between them.”
Ward blamed the long campaign for Lady Aurelia’s failure to fire.
“He [John Velazquez] said he got a good trip, eased her out ready for her punch and it just wasn’t there today,” he said. “Probably the long year kinda caught up to us. She’s such a great horse, she was doing everything we liked to see in the morning but when you gotta dig down deep in your soul, you need that freshness.”
Pre-race, the plan for for Lady Aurelia was to stay in training as a four-year-old and return to Royal Ascot next year.
“She’ll get a good break and we’ll see what the owners want to do,” added Ward. “We’ll see how she comes out of the race.”
Washington DC finished eighth for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore and Cotai Glory (Charlie Hills/Oisin Murphy) ninth.
Miller, a former apprentice to legendary Charlie Whittingham, trains north east of Del Mar where he is a four-time leading trainer but had never won a Breeders’ Cup race.
“I think I’ve lost my voice,” Miller said. “It was just a surreal experience to see Richard’s Boy look like he was going to win, and I’m watching Joel [Rosario on Stormy Liberal], and I’m rooting for Joel, and I’m like just one of you win, just one of you win.
“And to run one-two here for my first Breeders’ Cup and here at home, I live ten minutes away in Encinitas, is special. It doesn’t get any better than this.”
America, #BreedersCup 1° parte: Arrivi shock nella prima fase, ci pensa #Wuheida nella Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf
20-40-66. 9-25-16. 33-6-18. Non sono numeri del lotto ma le quote degli arrivi, rispettivamente dei vincitori, dei secondi e dei terzi arrivati, dei primi tre G1 della seconda serata Breeders’ Cup da Del Mar.
E ci viene in mente una riflessione: Il purosangue da corsa è un animale meraviglioso ma estremamente complicato. Il bello delle competizioni è anche il tatticismo giusto, non esasperato, secondo il quale i cavalli possono esprimere tutto il loro potenziale. Andare troppo piano o troppo forte, a volte, rende complicata una corretta valutazione di una corsa che si dice propriamente di selezione. Ma agli americani piace correre così, a tutta randa, con il gas sempre a manovella, senza pause, senza giustificazioni per gli sconfitti per dirla tutta, ma per le quali molto spesso non emergono i veri valori di una competizione. Questione anche di gusti, senza mai mancare di rispetto ad uno sport che oltreoceano è da considerare perennemente al top, con un mercato florido, mentre da noi è misteriosamente cancellato dai media. Noi Italia, ovviamente. Senza dimenticare che ci sono specialità e specialità come dirt e turf.
Di fatto è, in sintesi, quello che è successo nelle 14 Hands Winery Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies G1 sul dirt, vinte da Caledonia Road (Quality Road) con Mike Smith alla 52° affermazione in una prova di questo tipo, poi nella Breeders’ Cup Sprint G1 vinta da Stormy Liberal (Stormy Atlantic) ed ancora nella Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (Grade 1) sui 7 furlongs dove a vincere è stata Bar Of Gold (Medaglia D’Oro) a 66/1. TUTTI I RISULTATI DELLA SERATA QUI. Raccontiamo quello che ci è piaciuto di più in queste poche righe, in una prima parte di serata molto da nerd.
Indipendentemente da questi deliri di mezza nottata, resta da raccontare quello che di interessante abbiamo visto. Nella Breeders’ Cup Sprint G1, sui 1000 metri, per esempio, a vincere come detto è stato Stormy Liberal, un castrone di 5 anni con Joel Rosario a bordo per Peter Miller, che ha tenuto una testa su Richard’s Boy (Idiot Proof) in un finale intensissimo dove il migliore degli europei è stata Marsha (Acclamation) che è stata montata così così da Luke Morris per venire forte dalle corsie esterne, superando anche Lady Aurelia (Scat Daddy), favorita a 8/11, sulla quale Wesley Ward si era sperticato in superlativi per far capire quanto sia veloce. Di solito queste dichiarazioni preannunciano inspiegabili boutades, e così è stato con la campionessa americana che non è ne partita ne è ha corso d’attesa, rimanendo a mezza botta e calando vistosamente. Il tempo finale, con la curva, è stato 56.12s. IL VIDEO QUI. IL RISULTATO QUI.
Cioè, per capire come vincere alle corse dei cavalli in questi ambiti, è come bendarsi e mettere un dito sul programma. Non sai mai come escono i cavalli dalla curva, se con azione giusta o no. Ma non è una accusa, lo precisiamo, è una questione di gusti. Viva l’Inghilterra!
Un pò della cara vecchia Albione l’abbiamo vista nella Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf G1 dove gli europei, onestamente, sono favoriti. A vincere è stata la saura Wuheida (Dubawi), a 10/1, con Guglielmo Buick in sella e Carlo Appleby al training, che ha preso sul tempo tutte anticipando al momento giusto, presentandosi in curva ancora tutta in mano, e respingendo Rhododendron (Galileo) sulla quale Ryan Moore stava per compiere un miracolo. Complicato, per una cavalla della sua taglia, partire dal parcheggio di Del Mar e non sprecare. Di fuori, di dentro, tampona qui, tampona li. Sta di fatto che dopo essersi industriata in un percorso stranissimo, è riuscita quasi ad insidiare la Godolphin la quale però spiccava per condizione ed era reduce da linee buonissime, tipo Roly Poly, fortissima in questo ambito. Non fortunata Queen’s Trust(Dansili), solo settima la favorita Lady Eli (Divine Park). IL VIDEO QUI. IL RISULTATO COMPLETO QUI.
Peter Miller, un signore pelato che ha le fattezze di Jorge Sampaoli (il ct dell’Argentina), non si è accontentato di vincere lo Sprint in erba con un cavallo a a 40/1, ha vinto anche la TwinSpires Breeders’ Cup Sprint G1 ma in sabbia sui 1200 metri grazie ad uno strepitoso Roy H (More Than Ready), stavolta quasi un favorito a 9/2, che dopo aver vinto a Santa Anita un G1, ha replicato nella prova da $1,5 milioni dominando sul suo avversario con in sella Kent J Desormeaux e stoppando il cronometro sui 1:08.61 nei confronti di Imperial Hint (Imperialism), che dall’esterno aveva fatto quasi i conti bene. IL VIDEO QUI.
