British invader New Century stamped his ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) in Saturday’s $368,918 Summer (G1) at Woodbine. In the companion Natalma (G1), a “Win and You’re In” for the Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), longshot And One More Time spearheaded a trifecta for trainer Mark Casse.
Godolphin favorites were beaten in both, in a foreshadowing of stablemate Naval Power’s loss in the Woodbine Mile (G1). Al Qudra fared best of the trio when runner-up in the Summer, while Mountain Breeze wound up a non-threatening eighth in the Natalma.
Summer (G1)
Qatar Racing’s New Century had been beaten by Al Qudra in two prior meetings at home, but the Andrew Balding pupil was a different proposition in their rematch. Representing the same connections as his freshman sire Kameko, including jockey Oisin Murphy, New Century is following his pattern of improvement.
The international duo set the standard on form and accordingly went off as the top two in the wagering. While Al Qudra was preferred at odds of 1.05-1, New Century was well backed himself as a 3.05-1 chance.
The familiar foes both settled far off a fast early pace set by 45-1 shot Groot through splits of :22.60 and :45.54 on the firm course. Winterberry, the lone Casse filly who tried her luck in the Summer, chased in second. Stablemate Dream On, who had been tracking in a ground-saving third, burst through a yawning gap on the inside to take over before six furlongs in 1:09.27.
Turning into the straight, New Century fanned out widest of all to launch his bid, with Al Qudra also on the march just to his inside. As they bore down on Dream On, the tiring leader drifted out toward them. Al Qudra was arguably bothered the most as the horse in the middle, but his recoil also caused him to make contact with New Century.
New Century shrugged the bumping off and regained his stride, forging 1 1/4 lengths clear of Al Qudra. His final time for the mile, 1:32.80, was only a few ticks away from Woodbine Mile upsetter Win for the Money’s 1:32.11.
Dream On checked in third, 1 1/2 lengths to the good of First Resort, who was Godolphin’s other runner. Trained stateside by Eoin Harty, First Resort scratched from Saturday’s Iroquois (G3) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby in favor of trying turf. Plans called for him to revert to dirt in the future.
Next came Cairo Caper, Winterberry, Forty N Five, Special Session, Groot, and Coolcollected. Casse scratched six of his cross-entered fillies – Vixen, Nitrogen, Ready to Battle, Will Reign, and Thread, who all ran in the Natalma, along with Latin Fever, who defected from the Natalma too. Dewolf was withdrawn in favor of Sunday’s Ontario-restricted Bull Page S.
New Century’s biggest victory advanced his record to 5-3-1-0, $270,318. The bay was a debut fourth behind the experienced Al Qudra at Lingfield, but broke his maiden next time at Doncaster. Second to pace-controlling Al Qudra in the Pat Eddery S. at Ascot, New Century took another step forward to capture Salibury’s Stonehenge S. in his latest.
Sire Kameko developed into a Group 1-winning juvenile and 2000 Guineas (G1) hero at three, so New Century can spark classic hopes himself. The British-bred is a half-brother to Group 3 scorer Passion and Glory, both produced by the Street Cry mare Potent Embrace. New Century’s second dam is multiple Grade/Group 3 vixen Karen’s Caper, who suffered a couple of agonizing near misses at the Grade/Group 1 level.
Natalma (G1)
Live Oak Plantation’s And One More Time was the one Casse filly not cross-entered to the Summer, and her single-minded focus on the Natalma proved to be a tip in itself.
The daughter of Omaha Beach was overlooked at 16-1 as she made her turf debut in this spot. But she took to the surface like her half-siblings, stakes veteran Churchtown and recent Music City (G2) winner Simply in Front, who was runner-up in last year’s Natalma.
Their dam, the Blame mare Complicated, is perfect as a black-type producer. All four of her runners are stakes winners, including reigning Delaware H. (G2) winner Honor D Lady.
And One More Time had chased the pace in her off-the-turf maiden conquest at Saratoga. The dark bay again showed good tactical speed here, prompting stablemate Nitrogen through fractions of :23.28 and :46.57. Nitrogen got away from her cornering for home at the six-furlong mark in 1:10.79, but the advantage evaporated once her pursuers built up momentum in the stretch.
Fellow Casse trainee Vixen, always handy in third, loomed ominously nearer on the outside. Her proximity galvanized And One More Time to respond for jockey Rafael Hernandez. And One More Time stayed on between her stablemates to score by a neck in 1:33.99, rewarding her backers with $35.40.
Vixen, a 6-1 chance, outfinished the 45-1 Nitrogen by a half-length. Italian Soiree reported home fourth to prevent a Casse superfecta, relegating his Ready to Battle to fifth. Annascaul, Ready for Candy, Mountain Breeze, Will Reign, Thread, and a tailed-off Arctic Velocity concluded the order of finish.
And One More Time, who was purchased for $750,000 at the boutique Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, sports a mark of 3-2-0-0, $276,308. She was seventh as the favorite in her 4 1/2-furlong unveiling at Churchill Downs June 26.
Bred by William Harrigan and Mike Pietrangelo in Kentucky, And One More Time descends from multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Educated Risk. This is the further family of Hall of Famer Inside Information.
