Oleksandra caps stellar Saturday for Australia, New Zealand
The Team Valor mare becomes the first Australian-bred horse to win an American Grade 1 since the pattern was introduced in 1974
The Australian flag proudly flew over New York yesterday Australian time, when Oleksandra (Animal Kingdom) won the Jaipur Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) on the Belmont Stakes undercard, the first Australian-bred horse to win an American Grade 1 since the graded system was introduced in 1974.
Oleksandra (5 m Animal Kingdom – Alexandra Rose by Caesour) became the first Australian-bred galloper to score at the highest level in the United States or its equivalent since Sailor’s Guide (Lighthouse) won the Washington DC International (12f), the race commonly considered the predecessor to the Breeders’ Cup Turf (Gr 1, 12f), in 1958.
Strawberry Road (Whiskey Road) won the Arcadia Handicap (Gr 2, 10f) in 1986, a race that was upgraded to Grade 1 status in 2005, while mares Happyanunoit (Yachtie) and Black Mamba (Black Minnaloushe) are the only two New Zealand-bred US Grade 1 winners – Let’s Elope (Nassipour) was first past the post in the 1993 Beverly D (Gr 1, 9.5f) but was disqualified.
However, the Neil Drysdale-trained Oleksandra was able to achieve a feat that had been attempted without success by horses like Alinghi (Encosta De Lago) and Anamato (Redoute’s Choice) in the last 15 years by winning an American Grade 1.
“She had been training really well into this race,” said Drysdale, who was successful in a New York Grade 1 for the first time since A. P. Indy won the Belmont Stakes (Gr 1, 12f) in 1992. “She is so much fun to watch race. She makes life very exciting. At Santa Anita, going five and a half furlongs, it’s very difficult to run down speed. We were pleased with the way she ran and that’s why we sent her to Belmont.”
Sitting last in the eight-runner field after she was bumped at the start, Oleksandra saved ground under Joel Rosario as the field thundered down the back stretch at Belmont. He pulled her out on the turn, coming five-wide, before screaming home with a withering burst to grab Kanthaka (Jimmy Creed) by a neck. Texas Wedge (Colonel John) was another length and a quarter away in third.
“Coming out the gate, the horse to the inside, Kanthaka, got me a little bit,” said Rosario. “I just let her be there, which she likes to do. She put up a great performance and did well in the end. She’s an amazing horse. I’m very grateful that the connections have given me the opportunity to ride her.
“The fast pace was probably why I was further back, but she came with a great run in the end. We do well together. You just need to understand her and what she wants to do during the race.”
Drysdale added: “The speed up front helped her, but on the other hand I’ve seen her do well with slower fractions. The main thing is the turn of foot she had and she really put that on display.”
Oleksandra began her career with Bjorn Baker in Sydney, placing in three maidens at Hawkesbury, Randwick and Newcastle in late 2017 before she was exported in February, 2018.
She finished three lengths behind Eleazar (I Am Invincible) on debut, a gelding who has not won since and who finished midfield in a Dubbo Class 1 last week. The form from her second start, though, has stacked up with the two horses who finished in front of her, Epidemic (Lonhro) and Seaway (Ocean Park), both stakes winners.
The five-year-old has only had 12 starts in the US, breaking her maiden in October 2018 at Santa Anita and winning three allowances at Santa Anita and Belmont Park before she stepped up to stakes company.
Victory in the Smart N Fancy Stakes (Listed, 5.5f) at Saratoga and the Franklin County Stakes (Gr 3, 5.5f) at Keeneland earned her a berth in the Al Quoz Sprint (Gr 1, 1200m) on the Dubai World Cup undercard, but the Meydan meeting was cancelled due to Covid-19.
The Jaipur is a win-and-you’re-in for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (Gr 1, 5.5f), to be held at Keeneland this year, and connections indicated that would be her target and her likely swansong before she is retired to stud.
“We’ll have to discuss her next move with Barry Irwin,” Drysdale said. “Obviously, her final call of the year would be the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland, and she’s won there before.”
Team Valor confirmed on social media last night that Oleksandra had already been supplemented for the Breeders’ Cup at a cost of US$25,000 (AUS$36,500 approx).
Animal Kingdom (Leroidesanimaux), who won the Kentucky Derby (Gr 1, 10f) and the Dubai World Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) in the Team Valor green and red, now has two winners at the highest level to his name. The first was Angel Of Truth, last year’s ATC Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) winner, the tough on-pace stayer who could not be more of a departure from Oleksandra and her hold-up late-closing sprinting style.
Animal Kingdom stood for US$15,000 (AUS$22,000 approx) at Jonabell Farm in Kentucky this year.
Oleksandra is the fifth foal to race from the South African mare Alexandra Rose (Caesour), a stakes winner in South Africa and the United States and also stakes-placed in Dubai. Drysdale himself prepared Alexandra Rose to win the Monrovia Handicap (Gr 3, 6.5f) at Santa Anita in 2008.
Oleksandra’s year-younger brother Macedonian Ruler (Animal Kingdom) has also been shipped stateside, making his debut at Santa Anita on Friday after finishing third in two Pakenham maidens in August last year. Also with Drysdale, he finished eighth of nine over the turf mile.
Also among Alexandra Rose’s six foals to race is Hostwin Galaxy (Redoute’s Choice), a stakes placegetter in Macau, and Alice Springs (Hussonet), a four-time winner in South Africa.
Her Olympic Glory (Choisir) two-year-old remains unnamed, having been bought by the China-based Riyue Trading for $15,000 at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, while her Animal Kingdom yearling was retained by Team Valor and has been named Prince Alexander.
She is currently in foal to Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy).
Everest not on radar for Hello Youmzain
Australia’s success in the Jaipur came only hours after New Zealand was triumphant in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) at Ascot.
The feature sprint of the Royal Ascot meeting was won by Hello Youmzain (Kodiac), who had been acquired by Cambridge Stud in partnership with France’s Haras d’Etreham late last year. The four-year-old ran in the yellow and black checks of Brendan and Jo Lindsay for the first time.
The win sparked conversation about whether he could potentially target the world’s richest turf race, the $15 million The Everest (1200m) in October, but Cambridge Stud chief Henry Plumptre told the Sydney Morning Herald’s Chris Roots that The Everest wasn’t under consideration.
“The plan was clear before he won at Royal Ascot and I think we will be sticking to it because our partners in France plan to stand at the end of the year,” Plumptre said. “He will then come out here next year as a stallion, and he already has a very good profile.”
Hello Youmzain is likely to be seen next in the July Cup (Gr 1, 6f), where he will face Diamond Jubilee placegetters Dream Of Dreams (Dream Ahead) and Sceptical (Exceed And Excel) again, as well as current favourite and Commonwealth Cup (Gr 1, 6f) winner Golden Horde (Lethal Force).