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Conduit scorches Turf in Breeders' Cup record time
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Conduit was electric in his Turf victory
(Ed Van Meter/Horsephotos.com) |
A mere month ago, plans called for Ballymacoll Stud Farm's homebred CONDUIT
(Ire) (Dalakhani) to be put away for the season, kick back, relax, and enjoy the
leisure of his paddock. But when the chestnut colt exited his St Leger (Eng-G1)
triumph full of energy, Sir Michael Stoute scrapped Conduit's early vacation,
and aimed him for Saturday's $2,926,620
Breeders'
Cup Turf (G1), his first tilt against older horses. His trainer's wisdom was
vindicated. Not only did the three-year-old unleash a ferocious late kick to
outfinish Eagle Mountain (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]), but he also sizzled 1
1/2 miles in 2:23 2/5 on Santa Anita's firm turf to post the fastest final time
in the 25-year history of the event.
Stoute was recording his fourth Breeders' Cup triumph, three of them for
Ballymacoll. The first two to carry the time-honored silks were Pilsudski (Ire)
in the 1996 Turf at Woodbine and Islington (Ire) in the 2003 Filly & Mare Turf,
right here at Santa Anita.
The early pace was strenuous, courtesy of Red Rock Canyon (Ire) (Rock of
Gibraltar [Ire]), the designated pacemaker for 8-5 favorite Soldier of Fortune
(Ire) (Galileo [Ire]). The front runner sped through splits of :24 1/5, :47,
1:10 1/5 and 1:33 4/5, with Out of Control (Brz) (Vettori) prompting in second
and Soldier of Fortune a close-up third. Perfectly positioned in fourth was
Eagle Mountain, while Conduit was biding his time beneath Ryan Moore far back in
the field..
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On the far turn, Soldier of Fortune and Out of Control left the pacesetter
behind as they dueled for the lead through 1 1/4 miles in 1:58 3/5. Eagle
Mountain was still moving conspicuously well on cruise control behind them, just
waiting to make his move. Soldier of Fortune maintained a narrow advantage in
midstretch, but the favorite had no answer when Eagle Mountain finally produced
his challenge and powered to the front. He in turn was soon to be conquered by
the deep-closing Conduit, who had stealthily advanced into striking range.
Rallying on the outside in deep stretch, Conduit deployed his wicked
acceleration and burst past Eagle Mountain by 1 1/2 lengths.
"We were in a gallop early," Moore said. "I was a little further back than I
wanted to be. I thought maybe earlier the leaders would be coming back to me.
I didn't know if he could close enough ground coming down the stretch,
but he has a great stride, and he showed it. Once he hits his stride, he gets
in a real good rhythm and just keeps going. As soon as he chimed in, I knew I
had them. It's great to ride a true Group 1 winner."
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Conduit was supposed to end his season in the St Leger, but had one more left
(Charles Pravata/Horsephotos.com) |
"The jockey rode a masterful race and had him in the right position," Stoute
said. "When he asked him,
the jockey got him into gear and I thought from a long way out that he was going
to come and pick them up and he did. I was very confident running him on the
course here because he's raced well on firm turf before. I was not worried about
the heat today because he's a young horse and quite fit."
Dancing Forever (Rahy) also made headway from far off the pace to snatch
third from Soldier of Fortune by a head. It was another 5 1/4 lengths back to
Out of Control, trailed by Red Rock Canyon, Winchester (Theatrical [Ire]),
Better Talk Now (Talkin Man), Spring House (Chester House), Red Rocks (Ire)
(Galileo [Ire]) and Grand Couturier (GB) (Grand Lodge).
Leaving the gate as the nearly 6-1 third choice, Conduit yielded $13.60,
$8.40 and $5.80. Eagle Mountain, the fourth choice at 9-1, returned $9.60 and
$6.40, while the 25-1 Dancing Forever rewarded his faithful with $12.80 to show.
The $1 exacta paid $53.60, the $1 trifecta gave back $1,406.70, and the $1
superfecta with Soldier of Fortune in the anchor spot was worth $5,622 (9-11-6-4).
Conduit, who now sports a 9-5-1-2 mark, boosted his bankroll to $2,486,379. A
smashing winner of a heritage handicap on Epsom Derby Day, the chestnut
finished a troubled second in the King Edward VII S. (Eng-G2) at Royal Ascot. He
has yet to taste defeat since then. Conduit displayed grit to take the Gordon S.
(Eng-G3) at Goodwood, but he was much more impressive in the St Leger, where he
quickened in devastating style to win the about 1 3/4-mile classic by three
lengths.
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Out of the unraced Sadler's Wells mare Well Head, the Irish-bred colt is a
half-brother to English Group 2 winner Hard Top (Ire) (Darshaan), most recently
third in the Strawberry Burrah S. at Belmont. Well Head is herself a half-sister
to Spectrum (Rainbow Quest), hero of the 1995 Irish Two Thousand Guineas
(Ire-G1) and Champion S. (Eng-G1), and Stream of Gold (Ire) (Rainbow Quest),
victor of this year's Mac Diarmida H. (G2). Conduit hails from the stellar
family of multiple English and Irish highweight Petrushka (Ire) (Unfuwain), 2000
St Leger hero Millenary (Rainbow Quest), and English and French champion
filly Sun Princess (English Prince).
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