With two ‘Springbok’ Gr1 stars in the shape of Beach Bomb and Isivunguvungu in the mix at Del Mar for the first weekend in November, South African interest is at an all-time high in advance of the 41st running of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
Isivunguvungu in work recently (Pic – Maggie Kimmitt)
Both SA-breds are trained by Graham Motion, who has walked this road with success.
After Better Talk Now won the 2004 John Deere Breeders’ Cup Turf at Lone Star Park, Motion enjoyed more success at the prestigious event with Shared Account in the Filly & Mare Turf in 2010 and Main Sequence in the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Turf.
He is also a Kentucky Derby and Dubai World Cup winning conditioner, courtesy of the top notch, Animal Kingdom. Graham has celebrated over 2700 victories with purses earned in excess of $150 million.
Here’ some fun with Isivunguvungu:
Isivunguvungu has been with Motion for over five months and was victorious in his one and only start in the USA when he stormed to victory at Colonial Downs in September, in the process overcoming an arduous 14000km journey across the world and two months of counting the long days in quarantine, to win the 17th renewal of the $150 000 Da Hoss Stakes.
Beach Bomb has run two places in her two US starts.
Purses and awards totaling more than $34 million will be on offer at the festival to be held on 1 and 2 November at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in California for a third time after the seaside oval hosted the great show in 2017 and 2021.
‘Future Stars Friday’ features five World Championships races exclusively for 2-year-olds, while a 12-race card featuring nine Breeders’ Cup Championship races makes up the ‘Championships Saturday’ programme, where the Hollywood Syndicate owned Isivunguvungu will contest the $1 million Prevagen Gr1 Breeders Cup Turf Sprint (21h41), while Beach Bomb will run in the silks of the Rupert family’s Cayton Park Stud in the $2 million Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (00h25 on Sunday).
Led by top U.S. contender Fierceness, Ireland-based City of Troy, and Japan’s Forever Young (JPN) in the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), Rebel’s Romance (IRE) in the $5 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1), and Idiomatic in the $2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (Gr1), 212 of the best Thoroughbreds from around the globe have been pre-entered for the 2024 Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
Horses from a record five continents – Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America – have targeted this year’s event as 80 international contenders have been pre-entered. The previous record was 60, set in 2023.
Four Breeders’ Cup Champions are back to seek success at the Breeders’ Cup: 2023 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (Gr1) winner Big Evs (IRE), who will tackle Isivunguvungu in the Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (Gr1), Fierceness, winner of the 2023 FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (Gr1) and a top contender for this year’s Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, Idiomatic, back to defend her title in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff, and Rebel’s Romance, winner of the 2022 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf.
In addition, 49 pre-entered horses earned automatic starting positions into the World Championships races through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In.
“The record number of outstanding international contenders pre-entered this year speaks to the truly global nature of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships and is a testament to the connections who have targeted our festival of racing,” said Drew Fleming, President & CEO of Breeders’ Cup Limited. “We express our gratitude to the skilled individuals worldwide who provide the exceptional care that allows these remarkable Thoroughbreds to excel at the highest level. We also thank our hosts at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club for their wonderful hospitality and extend our appreciation to our breeders and nominators, whose dedication helps underwrite the World Championships. We also thank the bettors and fans from around the globe for their unwavering support, and look forward to hosting a Breeders’ Cup for the ages at Del Mar.”
