Several Cape based stallions gained notable updates to their female lines after the running of the 2023 Breeders’ Cup World Championships this past weekend.
Not only is G1 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Auguste Rodin out of a full-sister to Riethuiskraal Stud’s resident sire Flying The Flag, G1 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff queen Idiomatic hails from the same female line as both Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm’s young sire Talk Of The Town and the Sandown Stud based hot sire Pathfork.
It was very much mission accomplished for Auguste Rodin, who was given the perfect ride by Ryan Moore to bring his season to a brilliant climax in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita.
Aidan O’Brien had long had this race in mind for his dual Derby hero, a plan firmed up after his thrilling victory in the Irish Champion Stakes, which cemented his place in his trainer’s affections.As when tasting Derby success at Epsom, the son of Deep Impact was ridden with patience by Ryan Moore, who rounding the turn for home found a golden passage up the rail and wasted little time in snatching the opportunity.
The Coolmore number one soon sent his mount for home and he surged clear of top American turf challenger Up To The Mark to give O’Brien a record-extending seventh success in a race Europeans continue to dominate.
A son of Japanese superstar Deep Impact, Auguste Rodin has now won seven of ten starts, with his five G1 victories including this year’s Betfred Derby and last year’s Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes.
Auguste Rodin, who has now amassed $4,958,538, is out of G1 Fillies’ Mile/G1 Prix de l’Opera/G1 Lockinge Stakes winner Rhododendron -a full-sister to both seven time G1 winner Magical and G3 eFlow “YouFirst” International Stakes winner Flying The Flag.
A son of Galileo, Flying The Flag is the sire of G1 Betway Summer Cup hope Electric Gold, who caught the eye when he ran second in Saturday’s G3 Betway Victory Moon Stakes.
Top-class four-year-old Idiomatic slapped an exclamation mark on a championship season Saturday at Santa Anita by scoring a gritty victory in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
The half-length victory over Randomized was similar to most wins by Idiomatic this year. Her weapon is always speed. But the Distaff was different in another regard. After blowouts in two recent Grade 1 victories, Idiomatic had a fight on her hands in the stretch of the Distaff.Randomized and Jose Ortiz set the pace through a half-mile in :46.26 and six furlongs in 1:10.16. Idiomatic pressed on the outside. At the quarter pole, Idiomatic engaged the pacesetter, but Randomized would not go away, and the late-runners were closing in.
The win by Idiomatic, a 4-year-old Curlin filly produced by Lockdown, was her eighth from nine starts this year and her third straight Grade 1. It all but clinches an Eclipse Award as outstanding older filly or mare, but trainer Brad Cox was thinking beyond a divisional championship.
“I think she deserves votes for Horse of the Year,” Cox said. “It’s a serious record. She has had a tremendous year from start to finish.” The discussion can continue post-Breeders’
Idiomatic crossed the wire of the mile and one-eighth race in a slow 1:50.57 as the first five finishers were bunched at the wire, separated by less than a length and a quarter.
Idiomatic is the first starter for the stakes-winning First Defence mare Lockdown, who finished third in the 2017 G1 Kentucky Oaks. Lockdown is a full sister to champion older mare Close Hatches, dam of classic-placed 2019 G2 Wood Memorial Stakes winner Tacitus .
A daughter of Curlin, Idiomatic’s fifth dam is Best In Show -who also ranks as the fifth dam of both Pathfork and Talk Of The Town.