
Despite pulling hard early in Thursday’s 1 1/2-mile Yorkshire Oaks (G1), Content had enough stamina in the closing stages to outlast You Got to Me and Emily Upjohn in this “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).
A landmark 100th individual Group 1 winner by the late supersire Galileo, Content was continuing the hot streak for her connections in Breeders’ Cup Challenge events at York’s Ebor Festival. Trainer Aidan O’Brien and jockey Ryan Moore also captured Wednesday’s Juddmonte International (G1) with City of Troy and the Acomb (G3) with The Lion in Winter. City of Troy has the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) squarely in his sights, while plans are more fluid for Juvenile Turf (G1) candidate The Lion in Winter.
Content is a natural type to pursue the Filly & Mare Turf. Campaigned by Westerberg in partnership with the Coolmore principals of Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith, the bay was a fast-finishing fourth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) at Santa Anita.
Content’s distance capacity was an open question at the start of the season, considering that her dam is European champion sprinter Mecca’s Angel. A daughter of Dark Angel from a speedy family, Mecca’s Angel twice won the five-furlong Nunthorpe (G1) at York, also during the Ebor Festival.
Few would have expected her to produce a winner of the Yorkshire Oaks. But such is the prepotency of Galileo, the source of Content’s stamina.
O’Brien himself wasn’t certain about her range until he tried Content in the 1 1/4-mile Pretty Polly (G1) at the Curragh on June 29. By closing for third to the older Bluestocking and Emily Upjohn, she thrust herself into the Irish Oaks (G1) picture. Content was favored on the step up to 1 1/2 miles in that Curragh classic, and she was arguably unlucky to finish second to You Got to Me.
In their Yorkshire Oaks rematch, Content appeared to compromise her chances by failing to relax early. Although Moore eventually got her to settle better in midpack, the concern was that she might have frittered away too much energy. You Got to Me was racing more smoothly on her outer flank.
Meanwhile, Emily Upjohn stalked Content’s pacemaker, Port Fairy, into the long stretch. Cruising up to take command, Emily Upjohn tried to get the jump on the three-year-olds You Got to Me and Content. But Emily Upjohn’s nine-pound weight concession eventually told, and the younger pair wore her down.
As You Got to Me challenged on the outside, Content stuck to the inner part of the track and proved relentless. Content prevailed by three-quarters of a length in a final time of 2:28.75 on the good-to-firm course.
Emily Upjohn checked in another length away in third. Next came Mistral Star, Sea Theme, Lava Stream, Port Fairy, and the tailed-off favorite Queen of the Pride, who was never traveling in her Group 1 debut.
Content returned $5.80 as the second choice in the world pool.
“She was still very keen early,” O’Brien observed, “and it’s very rare for a horse to run half as keen as that and win. I thought the petrol gauge would start emptying, and Ryan (Moore) said it was, but she kept coming and she’s a typical example of a Galileo; if there’s no more left, if their legs can move, they will put them out there and that’s what she did. She went right to the end. They are so genuine.”
Content advanced her record to 12-3-2-2, including a score in the Silken Glider (also known as the Staffordstown Stud) (G3) as a juvenile. She resumed at a mile this season, but a pair of eighth-place efforts in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas) (G1) and the Coronation (G1) at Royal Ascot implied that she needed to try a new distance.
The Coolmore homebred had been in the shadow of her younger three-quarter sister, Bedtime Story, who exploded on the scene in June. After a sharp debut victory at Leopardstown, the daughter of Frankel and Mecca’s Angel annihilated the Chesham S. at Royal Ascot. Bedtime Story stayed perfect in the July 25 Silver Flash (G3) back at Leopardstown, and she’ll bid to go 4-for-4 in Saturday’s Debutante (G2) at the Curragh.