Auguste Rodin and Ryan Moore fly up the rail to secure the win (Jenny Doyle/Past The Wire)
Breeders’ Cup Press Release
ARCADIA, Calif.— Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Mrs. John Magnier et al.’s Auguste Rodin (IRE) ($7) cut the corner at the top of the stretch to surge to the front en route to posting a three-quarters of a length victory over Up to the Mark in the 40th running of the $4 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) for 3-year-olds and up Saturday afternoon at Santa Anita.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Ryan Moore, Auguste Rodin covered the mile and a half over a firm turf course in 2:24.30. It is the seventh win in the race for O’Brien and 18th overall in the World Championships and fifth for Moore, 14th overall in the Breeders’ Cup.
Longshot Balladeer led the field of 11 unopposed early on with Broome (IRE) and Adhamo (IRE) tracking in second and third with Up to the Mark fourth. Auguste Rodin was in mid-pack racing the rail and that is where he stayed as the field entered the far turn.
On the turn, Auguste Rodin was following Shahryar (JPN) while still on the rail and at the top of the lane slipped inside Balladeer to shoot to the front as Up to the Mark was making a four-wide bid. By getting the jump on Up to the Mark, Auguste Rodin was able to maintain the advantage to the wire.
Up to the Mark finished a half-length in fron of Shahryar with Gold Phoenix (IRE) another 1 ¼ lengths back in fourth.
Auguste Rodin is a 3-year-old son of Deep Impact (JPN) out of the Galileo (IRE) mare Rhododendron (IRE). The victory was worth $2,080,000 and improved his bankroll to $4,958,538 with a record of 10-7-1-0 and five Group or Grade 1 victories.
Stakes Quotes:
Winning trainer Aidan O’Brien, August Rodin (IRE) – “He has a beautiful action, very intellectual, just a dream horse. What an incredible horse he is bringing Japanese and European pedigrees together. So delighted for the lads and Ryan (Moore) gave him a brilliant ride. After three furlongs the race was havoc as everyone wanted to be in the rail then away from the rail. Ryan knew at the top of the bend where was he going to go as he had horses on his outside. He knew when he gets to the front he stops and hoped his momentum would get him home. An incredible ride.”
Winning jockey Ryan Moore, August Rodin (IRE) – “The race didn’t go to plan. The first part of the race was messy as everyone was in each other’s way and I didn’t really like where I was. All I wanted to do was get the horse to find his rhythm and he got there so quickly and easily and once he got to the front that’s all he does. Considering how the race went against him it was probably his best performance. Going into the race it looked a deep field and now he’s won two Derbies, Irish Champion Stakes and now come here and beaten some proper horses. He’s vindicated himself now. He had things do against him today and he overcame them. Ending up the rail was like Plan F and I had to make the best of the opportunities. My horse was getting a bad trip he won because he’s so good I made the right call to stick to the rail but could have easily not been.”
Second-place trainer Todd Pletcher, Up to the Mark – “I thought he ran fantastic; kept trying to the wire and gaining on the winner in the closing yards. (Jockey) Ryan (Moore on winner Auguste Rodin) got a dream trip. We had a lot of people questioning whether we picked the right race and we picked what we thought was the right race for our horse despite the fact that you could argue that it was a tougher race than the mile. I think he showed that he belongs with all the tough turf horses in the world. It came down to one guy getting through on the inside at the critical moment. That’s turf racing. I think he lost nothing in defeat. It was a gallant effort and I am very proud of him, Look, credit to the horse and Aidan and Ryan; the horse delivered. That was the critical point in the race when the rail opened up at the top of the stretch. If he has to wait a moment or tap on the brakes, that could have been the difference. No excuses for us. We’re proud of our horse.”
Second-place jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., Up to the Mark – “I liked the way he ran and I was happy where I was during the race. I thought I might win from the top of the stretch, but the winner got through along the rail. I saw him, but there was nothing I could do about it. That was the difference in the race.”
Third-place jockey Cristian Demuro, Shahryar (JPN) – “He ran very good. The horse has come back like he was in Dubai when I won the Sheema Classic. He tried hard and he finished very close. I wish to him all the best next in Hong King. If he can keep this form he can be competitive again.”
Seventh-place trainer Mott, War Like Goddess – “She had to wait a little bit. (Junior Alvarado) said he was following the winner and they spurted clear and he couldn’t quite keep step with them. By the time he got there, it kind of closed up on him. She didn’t run bad. She just wasn’t able to get going and get her run going, she had to kind of fish for some room.”
Eighth-place trainer John Gosden, Mostahdaf (IRE) – “He’s a mile and a quarter horse. He simply ran out of stamina. He’s off to stud now, but a mile and a quarter horse, through and through.”
