El Cordobes rallies to take WAYI Sword Dancer; Laurelin remains perfect in Saratoga Oaks

Saturday’s graded turf stakes action at Saratoga featured a pair of exciting finishes.

Sword Dancer (G1)

Godolphin’s El Cordobes spilt rivals in midstretch and drove to a game score in the $750,000 Sword Dancer (G1), proving best in his North American debut for Charlie Appleby and earning a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) via the “Win & You’re In” Challenge series. 

Winner of the July 10 Princess of Wales (G2) at Newmarket in his previous outing, the four-year-old gelded son of Frankel picked up the services of Flavien Prat, and El Cordobes improved his overall record to 10-4-2-2 when finishing up 1 1/2 miles in 2:25.04 over the firm ground.

“It’s fabulous,” Appleby’s traveling assistant Chris Connett said. “It’s one of the (North American Grade 1 turf) races Charlie hasn’t won, and spending so much time out here, it’s nice to get a big win.”

El Cordobes left the starting gate as the 4-1 third choice among eight rivals. The Irish-bred made his move into contention on the far turn and closed boldly between multiple Grade 1-winning stablemate Nations Pride to his inside and Rebel Red to take control in the final sixteenth of a mile.

“We wanted a target, but it was the one hole, so I wanted to break with some intention and not be shuffled back so far,” Prat said. “So, I made sure I was able to move, then it got a little messy in front of the grandstand for the first time, so I lost a spot, but I just didn’t want to get him back on the bridle again. After that, I was behind Far Bridge, where I thought he was going to take me somewhere regardless, and then after that, I was able to split horses, and he did the rest.”

Purchased for more than $2.3 million at auction overseas, El Cordobes has started to come on at age four, recording three wins from his last five starts this season.

“He’s the kind of horse we knew he’d hit the line hard, and it was just a matter of him getting out in the clear, and Flavien was able to do that,” Connett said. 

Stakes winner Rebel Red, an English-bred son of Frankel, wound up second-best at 14-1, nearly a length better than Nations Pride. Last year’s Arlington Million (G1) winner powered his way to a clear lead in upper stretch, but Nations Pride ultimately came up empty at a 1 1/2-mile distance that appears beyond his best scope.

Utah Beach and El Razeen were next under the wire. Multiple Grade 1 winner Far Bridge, who was nearly odds-on in a title defense and a sharp winner of the Bowling Green (G2) earlier in the meet, made an early move to challenge for the lead but came up empty in the final furlongs, weakening to sixth. Vote No and Padiddle rounded out the finish.

El Cordobes is the first stakes winner from the Sea the Stars mare Bold Lass.

Saratoga Oaks (G2)

Newstead Stables’ Laurelin stalked in third until the completion of the far turn, offering a sharp turn of foot to seize control while straightening into the stretch, and drew clear to a comfortable victory in the $500,000 Saratoga Oaks (G2). Now unbeaten from five starts, the four-time stakes winner notched her first graded win and continued to enhance her credentials in a deep three-year-old filly turf division. 

Kendrick Carmouche was up on the 2.20-1 second choice for Graham Motion, and Laurelin completed 1 1/8 grassy miles in 1:52.60. Winner of the Tepin S. in her juvenile finale at Aqueduct last November, the Irish-bred daughter of Zarak was exiting a game tally in the Penn Oaks on June 27. Laurelin notched her fourth consecutive stakes win with the 1 3/4-length decision.

"It was pretty darn impressive. Kendrick just gave her an absolutely fabulous ride,” said Ian Wilson, assistant to Motion. “Every time he rides her, I tell him afterwards, he just gets on really well with this filly. Sat a perfect trip outside. When it was time to get running, she ran and ran them all down, and it was pretty cool to watch." 

"I had a perfect trip,” Carmouche added. “I kept this filly in the clear because I didn’t want nobody to come outside of me; she did everything on her own. When I was ready to ask her at the top of the lane, she exploded herself. This horse is a Grade 1 horse; you can feel the confidence and the relaxedness in this horse - to become a good horse - that’s what we look for in this industry, and I think I really got one with this one. I'd like to thank Graham Motion and these owners.”

Evershed rallied to be a non-threatening second, three-quarters of a length better than 7-5 favorite Opulent Restraint, who tracked the pace in second but lacked the necessary rally in the latter stages. Go Go Boots came next in fourth and was followed by pacesetter Totally Justified and Sigh No More.

Laurelin is the second stakes winner from the Cape Cross mare Bari.