Suedois another million-dollar marvel for O'Meara in Turf Mile

Report: USA, Saturday

Keeneland: Shadwell Turf Mile (Grade 1) 1m | turf | 3yo+

There is something about David O'Meara and million-dollar races in North America. In 2015, the North Yorkshire trainer saddled Mondialiste to win the Woodbine Mile, and the same horse followed up last year in the Arlington Million.

On Saturday, with Mondialiste coming fifth, it was the turn of stablemate Suedois, who surged home after racing in mid-division under Danny Tudhope for another hugely lucrative Stateside success – this one worth $600,000 of the $1m purse – in the Shadwell Turf Mile in front of a crowd of 28,763 at Keeneland.

The six-year-old's connections are now considering a crack at the Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar on November 4 after a half-length victory over front-running favourite Heart To Heart, who led from the gate before succumbing inside the final furlong as Suedois swept down his outside.

"We've targeted horses in this country before quite successfully and the money was very big," said O'Meara, who had sent Suedois to Ireland last month to win a Group 2 event at Leopardstown.

"We wanted to keep him at a mile," added the trainer. "He contested five or six Group 1s last year and he was hitting the woodwork in them all, placing all the time.

"It was a toss up over taking him to France for seven furlongs or here for a mile but it's something I always wanted to do, to step him up to a mile. Since he's come up to a mile now, he's won two out of two. Maybe I was running him at the wrong distance."

Given that the Shadwell Turf Mile offered a fees-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Mile as part of the 'win and you're in' series, Del Mar must rate a tempting option for O'Meara and Suedois' owners, George Turner and Clipper Logistics. "We'll chat with the owners and see what they want to do," said O'Meara.

Suedois, a gelded son of Le Havre, was running on the anti-bleeding medication Lasix for the first time. He was sent off just short of a 10-1 chance as he won his first top-level race in 32 starts.

"I thought I had a nice position," reported Tudhope. "He travels really well and I didn’t want to get there too soon. He handled the track really well and finished really strong."

Three-time Grade 1 winner Miss Temple City is likely to be retired after finishing sixth. She is due to be sold at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale.

Full result

Ace North America adventure continues

Number 13. Unlucky for some, a familiar theme of what continues to prove a fruitful North America adventure for David O’Meara.

A first trip to Toronto on September 13 two years ago with Mondialiste provided the North Yorkshire trainer with a taste of what was to come, courtesy of a memorable success in the Woodbine Mile.

A withering late run, delivered by Fergal Lynch, secured a high-profile triumph, with O’Meara revealing: “I've watched an awful lot of Woodbine Miles on YouTube and they always seem to be won from the back.”

A career-best second to Tepin in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland followed and it was a return to North America last year, after trips to Hong Kong, France and back on home soil, that sparked a return to the winner’s enclosure for Mondialiste.

The Geoff and Sandra Turnbull-owned miler proved it was no one-year wonder with a memorable success in the Arlington Million on August 13 last year, after which Tudhope declared: “He seems to love it over here.”

Trailing in last in the Breeders’ Cup Turf three months later is the only blip on Mondialiste’s consistent North America record with three top-five finishes on his other visits, including on Sunday, when glory went the way of stablemate Suedois.

It was a change in fortune for Suedois on his travels, having previously been pulled out of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint last year after sustaining a stress fracture of a foreleg in the week leading up to the race.

A tilt at the Breeders’ Cup Mile is now in the offing. Another chapter awaits.

Also on Saturday

Belmont Park: Jockey Club Gold Cup (Grade 1) 1m2f | dirt | 3yo+

It had been a long time between drinks for connections of New York-bred gelding Diversify (Rick Violette/Irad Ortiz), who made all to land this prestigious $750,000 contest.

The four-year-old gelding's trainer had not tasted top-level success for a decade, while owner Ralph Evans had never won a Grade 1 in more than 50 years in the game.

Making his Graded-stakes debut, the 4-1 shot got loose on the lead before holding the late-running favourite Keen Ice by a length. The winner, who stopped the clock in a decent 2m0.96s, earned an expenses-paid berth in the Breeders' Cup Classic as part of the 'win and you're in' challenge.

Belmont Park: Champagne Stakes (Grade 1) 1m | dirt | 2yo

A first Grade 1 winner for trainer Jason Servis as 11-1 shot Firenze Fire (Irad Ortiz) rallied five wide from the rear to beat Good Magic by a half-length in New York's most prestigious two-year-old race. The Breeders' Cup Juvenile beckons.

Keeneland: First Lady Stakes (Grade 1) 1m | turf | 3yo+ f/m

A surprise result as 16-1 chance Zipessa (Mike Stidham/Joe Bravo), without a win in her last eight starts, runs down the formerly Hugo Palmer-trained Hawksmoor inside the final furlong to claim her first Grade 1 success.

Keeneland: Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (Grade 1) 1m½f | dirt | 2yo

An impressive four-length victory for the 6-4 favourite Free Drop Billy (Dale Romans/Robby Albarado), who seized control at the head of the stretch in a race marred by the fatal breakdown of Grade 3 winner Ten City.

Santa Anita: Santa Anita Sprint Championship (Grade 1) 6f | dirt | 3yo+

After a luckless effort in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby at Del Mar, Roy H (Peter Miller/Kent Desormeaux) put himself firmly on track for the Breeders' Cup Sprint with a comfortable success.

Keeneland (Friday): Darley Alcibiades Stakes (Grade 1) 1½f | dirt | 2yo fillies

Heavenly Love (Mark Casse/Julien Leparoux) put herself in line for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies with a sparkling five-and-a-half length victory.

Keeneland (Friday): Phoenix Stakes (Grade 2) 6f | dirt | 3yo+

Whitmore (Ron Moquett/Manny Franco) heads for the Breeders' Cup Sprint after touching off Awesome Banner in a blanket finish.

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