Going into the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T), it seemed as if Gold Phoenix was the horse for the turf course at Del Mar.
After all, this summer he had won the grassy Del Mar Handicap (G2T) for the third straight time.
Yet all of that changed in the 2:26.07 it took for Godolphin’s Rebel’s Romance to resurrect some sweet memories from two years ago.
Serving up an encore of his 2022 victory in the BC Turf at Del Mar, the 6-year-old gelding posted a neck victory over Rousham Park in the Nov. 2 Turf at Del Mar that lifted the highly accomplished world traveler’s earnings past the $10 million mark.
“He never lets us down,” said trainer Charlie Appleby after the homebred Dubawi gelding won for the 15th time in 22 starts and pushed his earnings to $11,777,574.
Yet the joy of the victory by Rebel’s Romance was tempered by the death of Jayarebe, who collapsed during the gallop-out for the 1 1/2-mile turf stakes.
The 3-year-old colt trained by Brian Meehan who finished seventh suffered what is believed to be a cardiac episode and died despite treatment by a team of veterinary experts led by Dr. Brent Cassady. Jockey Sean Levey was not hurt in the incident.
“We know what this sport is like and how brave these horses are. I feel extremely sorry for the connections and for the horse himself,” Appleby said. “It’s a tough game with this side of it and it makes you appreciate it when a horse like (Rebel’s Romance) does it at the age of 6. It shows how tough these horses are and how much they enjoy it.”
In becoming the first horse to win two editions of the Turf in non-consecutive years, Saturday’s win put an exclamation point on an outstanding training job by Appleby and his team that brought Rebel’s Romance back to top form after his 2023 campaign was upended by clipping heels and falling in the Bowling Green Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga Race Course.
“We were planning to come back to the Breeders’ Cup (in 2023), but then he had that hiccup at Saratoga,” Appleby said about a gelding who was won in Asia, Europe, and North America. “He clipped heels and then he lost all his confidence. He lost all of his mojo and we had to build all of that backup.”
After a fourth-place finish in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1T), Appleby gave Rebel’s Romance two months off and the gelding responded with a Dec. 23 win at Kempton. He then won four of five 2024 starts before the Turf, including three group 1 victories.
“He went to (Kempton) and won, and, like any athlete, once they get into that rhythm and routine of winning, it does wonders for them,” Appleby said.
Under William Buick, Rebel’s Romance was close to the pace throughout in the Turf. He was third after a half-mile in :48.77 and moved into second behind the pacesetting 51-1 longshot Cabo Spirit (who finished 12th in the field of 13) with a quarter of a mile left.
From there, Rebel’s Romance surged to a 3 1/2-length lead at the eighth pole and held off a late charge by Japan’s Rousham Park to pay $5.80 as the 9-5 favorite.
“He’s an amazing horse. He always seems to find a way,” Buick said.
As for the possibility of a third BC win at Del Mar next year, Appleby said, “You never know with this old boy.”
Japanese runners from Sunday Racing completed the trifecta as Rousham Park, a son of Harbinger trained by Hiroyasu Tanaka, finished 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Shahryar , a son of Deep Impact trained by Hideaki Fujiwara who was also third in last year’s Turf.
The top American hopeful, LSU Stables’ Far Bridge , had some traffic issues on the final turn and finished ninth.
A son of the Street Cry mare Minidress, he is the fourth of her seven foals and a half brother to grade 1 winner Measured Time . She also has a yearling full brother to Rebel’s Romance.
The victory was the 19th for Godolphin at the Breeders’ Cup, the most by an individual ownership entity. The total for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum’s premier worldwide operation extends to 20 with a win by Darley Stud.
“We get the whole business of international campaigning and what Charlie has done with Rebel’s Romance is a classic example of what we can do so well in Europe, Asia, Dubai, and here at the highest level,” said Godolphin representative Hugh Anderson. “It’s what we do best.”
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