Longshot Score Earns 4-Year-Old Gelding an Automatic Berth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita Park
Breeders’ Cup Press Release
YORK, England ― Live In The Dream (IRE) scored a major upset at odds of 28-1 to win the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes (G1) at York on Friday, with defending champion Highfield Princess (IRE) finishing second. The victory secured Live In The Dream a guaranteed start in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In.
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 80 Graded/Group stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, scheduled to be held Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.
Live In The Dream had been due to run at Keeneland in the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint before costs prevented connections from traveling over, but after securing a spot in this year’s race through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, trainer Adam West confirmed that all roads lead to the World Championships.
West said: “We’ve booked our ticket to the Breeders’ Cup through ‘Win and You’re In’. It’s an amazing opportunity and something we never thought we’d be able to do.”
Live In The Dream, a 4-year-old son of Prince Of Lir (IRE) campaigned by Steve & Jolene De’Lemos, had never competed in a Group 1 before but took his York rivals by surprise with a frontrunning victory in the hands of apprentice rider Sean Kirrane for trainer Adam West. Live InThe Dream was fourth in a Listed race Aug. 6 at Deauville and took a huge step forward from that run to give West and Kirrane their first victories at the Group level.
After breaking from the gates swiftly, Live In The Dream was sent straight to the front by Kirrane and was soon clear of the 16-strong field. Defending champion and 7-5 favorite Highfield Princess and King’s Stand (G1) victor Bradsell (GB) tried in vain to hunt him down.
When asked about the track at Santa Anita, West said he is excited for Live In The Dream to run around a bend.
“I think he’s 10 pounds better on a turning track,” he said. “That’s a big statement, but I do. He can get a breather round a bend whereas on these straight courses, he usually can’t, but he just nicked enough today.”
Highfield Princess ran another brave race to be a 1 length back in second, and her trainer John Quinn was proud of her.
“Highfield Princess has run a fantastic race and she’s a horse of two lifetimes,” he said.
Bradsell finished three-quarters of a length behind Highfield Princess in third. Commenting on his performance, his trainer Archie Watson said: “The draw had probably worked against us because the winner had blazed a trail and stuck on really well and that has probably favored Highfield Princess in our battle for second. Looking ahead, I would prefer to go to Ireland for the Flying Five Stakes (G1) and then America for the Breeders’ Cup.”
Live In The Dream completed the 5-furlong contest in a time of 56:87 on ground listed as good to firm, good in places.
As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders’ Cup will pay the entry fees for Live InThe Dream to start in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita, which will be run over 5 furlongs. Breeders’ Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program by the Championships’ pre-entry deadline of Oct. 23 to receive the rewards.
