Irish Assault on Breeders' Cup 2024 at Del Mar
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The 2024 Breeders’ Cup, held at the picturesque Del Mar Racetrack in California will showcase the talent of several Irish-bred horses. Two days of spectacular racing will feature five World Championship races exclusively for 2yos on the 1st of November with the 2nd of November featuring no fewer than nine Breeders’ Cup Championship races. Ireland has sent 275 horses over across the Atlantic to the Breeders’ Cup and produced 28 winners which is more than any other outside North America.
Among them is American trained Gold Phoenix (IRE), making his third start in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf. A private purchase after winning his maiden in Dundalk with Kieran Cotter in 2021. Trained by Phil D’Amato, the Belardo gelding is owned in partnership with Little Red Feather Racing, Sterling Stables, and Marsha Naify. This year’s G1 Coronation Cup winner, the Irish-bred and trained Luxembourg (IRE) is a ferocious contender for this year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf. The 5yo colt, bred by Ben Sangster and owned by Coolmore partners, quickly established his career as a force as a juvenile winning the G1 Futurity Trophy Stakes. He was runner up in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup last year behind Romantic Warrior (IRE).
The winner of the 2022 G1 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf, Rebel’s Romance (IRE) is back to reclaim his title. The 6yo gelding has had an impressive season winning five of his six starts including valuable G1 successes in Dubai and Hong Kong. He will face this year’s G1 Betfred St. Leger runner up Illinois (IRE) who is coming from a Group 2 win at Longchamp. The Coolmore homebred and son of Galileo has had a strong season, including an impressive G2 at Royal Ascot.
Aidan O’Brien’s Content (IRE) won her ticket in the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks (G1) as she stormed past some older rivals, one of which she will face again in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, Emily Upjohn (GB). Another one of Aidan O’Brien’s, owned by the Coolmore partners, Wingspan (IRE), is also pre-entered.
Last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint champion Big Evs (IRE) will return to chase victory once again in Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1). Aidan O’Brien has six Juvenile Turf Sprint wins and has engaged Henri Matisse (IRE) and Monumental (IRE). Henri Matisse’s latest run when fifth in a G1 for juvenile colts on soft ground at Longchamp was a tough effort. Among the opposition will be the Ten Sovereigns colt Zulu Kingdom (IRE), unbeaten in two starts this year with top American trainer Chad Brown.
Epona Bloodstock-bred Diego Velazque is running in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile after back-to-back wins in Ireland. He is unplaced in three G1 starts to date, however.
Also in contention is the Fifth Avenue Bloodstock-bred Carl Spackler (IRE), another in the care of Chad Brown. The Lope De Vega colt has had a tremendous season winning four of his five starts including two Grade 1s.
Probably the most talked about filly this season is Donnacha O’Brien’s Porta Fortuna (IRE). She will compete for her fourth top-level victory this season in the Breeders’ Cup Mile on Saturday and it will be the daughter of Caravaggio’s first time competing against the opposite sex.
It has been six years since Aidan O’Brien has had a horse entered for the Breeders’ Cup’s richest race. O'Brien has won 18 races at the Breeders' Cup but is yet to win the Classic. One near miss was in 2000 with Giant’s Causeway’s (USA) narrow defeat. Giant’s Causeway like Coolmore’s homebred City of Troy (USA) arrived in America with a formidable reputation. He had already made waves in Europe, winning the prestigious G1 titles, the Coral-Eclipse Stakes and the Juddmonte International. City of Troy, Europe’s champion juvenile after winning all three of his starts in 2023, also won the Epsom Derby in June. This brilliant colt might just have what it takes to give O’Brien and the Coolmore team a historic breakthrough in the Classic before he retires to stud.
The 2024 Breeders' Cup is shaping up to be a thrilling world championship clash between the best of America, Asia and Europe - and Irish thoroughbreds are poised to make a significant impact. With so much at stake, all eyes will turn to Del Mar next weekend for a meeting of the ages.
