Rebel’s Romance Storms to Victory In Longines BC’22 Turf

November 5, 2022

Photo by Courtney Snow for Past The Wire

Breeders’ Cup Press Release

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Godolphin’s Rebel’s Romance (IRE) ($13.92) stormed to the lead at the eighth pole and drew off for a 2 ¼-length victory in the 39th running of the $4 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) for 3-year-olds and up Saturday afternoon at Keeneland.

The victory was a record fourth for the weekend for Godolphin, which previously won the Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) with Cody’s Wish, the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) presented by PDJF and Friday’s Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) wit Mischief Magic (IRE).

Trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by James Doyle, Rebel’s Romance completed the 1 1/2 miles on a firm course in a course-record 2:26.35. The victory was the first in the World Championships for Doyle.

For Appleby, it was his third winner of the weekend and second in a row in the Turf coming on the heels of the victory by Yibir (GB) last year at Del Mar.

Bye Bye Melvin set the pace while being hounded by Channel Maker through fractions of :24.91, :49.42 and 1:14.15 as Rebel’s Romance raced in between horses in midpack.

On the far turn, Doyle tipped Rebel’s Romance to the outside and began picking off horses to enter the stretch in the clear and full of run. Rebel’s Romance took over at midstretch and was not threatened in the run to the wire.

Stone Age (IRE) saved second by three-quarters of a length over War Like Goddess who finished a neck ahead of Mishriff (IRE).

The victory was worth $2,080,000 and increased his earnings to $2,934,610 with a record of 12-9-0-0.

Rebel’s Romance is a 4-year-old son of Dubawi out of the Street Cry mare Minidress.

Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf Quotes

Winning trainer Charlie Appleby (Rebel’s Romance): “I am delighted to finish the meeting off with a winner. From the whole team’s point of view, it’s great to have James get first Breeders’ Cup win and I’m delighted for him. Over the moon for him. It’s been a great meeting. The horse has turned himself around, to be fair. You may think it was the switch to the turf, but I watched him train on the dirt here and I almost wished I was running him on the dirt here. Physically, you can just see that time has helped him. I don’t want to repeat myself too much, but it’s another son of Dubawi—what more can I say. I’m privileged to be associated with them.”

Hugh Anderson – Managing Director, Godolphin, UK & Dubai (Rebel’s Romance): “It’s actually quite difficult to find words. It’s exceeded our wildest expectations. It’s just a simple reality that Charlie has a brilliant track record at this meeting and he plans it a long way out. He is absolutely brought it home in spades. I’m so pleased for him. You also have to love the Cody’s Wish win—it couldn’t have been a better two days for Godolphin and I’m delighted for the whole time. He’s turned Rebel’s Romance around immensely and done an exceptional job with him.”

Winning jockey James Doyle (Rebel’s Romance): “It was a tremendous performance. Being back on fast ground suited him. He can be a quirky horse in the preliminaries, but he was good today. He was very relaxed and having the pony helped. The guys who look after him obviously, Charlie but also Rob Fitzpatrick who rides him out every day have once again done a great job. It’s a great result to have a winner here as obviously my sister Sophie has been based out here as a jockey for a while now and I’ve let her down before at this meeting but I hope she’s proud.”

He’s won Group One’s in Germany and it’s not easy there, they’ve got some good horses over there and he’s ran against the best horses they have so it’s proved there’s plenty of strength in those races.

“I have come over (to the United States) quite a few times and I have to say I was immature dealing with these type of tracks.  These tracks are very tight (compared to Europe). My sister (Sophie) has been based here for eight years and I’ve always come here with fancy ones and felt like I let her down a bit. I think she would be pretty proud. She didn’t get to make it here though.

(on riding for Charlie Appleby) “I knew that both he and Nations Pride were fancy and I knew William (Buick) was not 100 percent convinced. He chose (to ride Nations Pride) and stuck by it but do not think he was 100 comfortable with it. But any ride you get for Charlie Appleby in the Breeders’ Cup you have a chance.”

Second-place trainer Aiden O’Brien (Stone Age): “He probably liked the trip more than before and I think there’s more to come from him still. I absolutely hope to bring him back next year. He’s just a 3-year-old and he’s still progressing.”

On Broome: “He was a little bit slow away and got back a bit and maybe the pace was a little slow for him, but he ran well.”

Second-place jockey Ryan Moore (Stone Age):

Third-place trainer Bill Mott (War Like Goddess): “She ran good. He (jockey Joel Rosario) had to wait a while to produce her. He was in the stretch before he got to let her run. If he could have let her run maybe a little bit around the turn it might have been helpful, but she ran well. Take nothing away from her. I would have liked to see her start her run just a tick earlier. She saved a lot of ground, but she had to wait a little bit. When you are on the inside, that’s what happens. You get lucky to save a little ground, but it doesn’t always one exactly when you want it to.”

Third-place jockey Joel Rosario (War Like Goddess): “She did really well. When I got to the last turn, I had to wait a little bit to kick home. She finished very well and ran great.”

Fourth-place trainer John Gosden (Misriff): “He’s been an extraordinary horse. Throughout the lockdown years, he was winning French Derbies and Saudi Cups and then he’s won the Juddmonte International. His best distance is a mile and a quarter – that (12 furlongs) stretched him today – particularly going three- or four-wide. I tried to sharpen him with the blinkers, but it didn’t make any difference. Still, he’s a lovely horse and done nothing, but be consistent in his career. He was unlucky in the Eclipse this year and that’s really the race that got away from him. We are delighted with him. He was making a hell of a run and it was just the last bit there was a little beyond him stamina-wise. He ran a fabulous race, and we are really proud to have a horse like that.”

@jonathanstettin Your article re reading when a horse dead on board made me some $ just now. Untapable was, IMO, odds-on, but dead. TY!

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