{"id":151,"date":"2024-08-21T16:01:41","date_gmt":"2024-08-21T16:01:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ladyandthetrack.com\/articles\/?p=151"},"modified":"2024-08-21T16:01:41","modified_gmt":"2024-08-21T16:01:41","slug":"unstoppable-brants-whistlejacket-targets-breeders-cup-victory-after-epic-france-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ladyandthetrack.com\/articles\/unstoppable-brants-whistlejacket-targets-breeders-cup-victory-after-epic-france-win\/","title":{"rendered":"Unstoppable Brant’s Whistlejacket Targets Breeders’ Cup Victory After Epic France Win!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Competing for the second time in less than two weeks, Whistlejacket<\/b> positioned himself in the Breeders\u2019 Cup contention with his leading victory on Sunday in the Group 1, US$386,500 Prix Morny<\/b>, a grass track event for 2-year-olds at Deauville, France.<\/p>\n

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Racing alongside the spectator side of the straight, six-furlong route, the No Nay Never colt, bred in Ireland and bearing the colors of distinguished U.S. owner Peter Brant, secured an automatic spot in the Breeders\u2019 Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint scheduled for Nov. 1 at Del Mar.<\/p>\n

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An exciting finish to the end!<\/p>\n

See how Whistlejacket assures his place in the #BreedersCup<\/a> Juvenile Turf Sprint with his win in the #WinAndYoureIn<\/a> Sumbe Prix Morny at @francegalop<\/a>!<\/p>\n

Congratulations to the team! pic.twitter.com\/pFOzODKawZ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Breeders’ Cup (@BreedersCup) August 18, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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\u201cHe\u2019s a five- or six-furlong racehorse,\u201d successful trainer Aidan O\u2019Brien
\ncommented to Equidia TV. \u201cHe\u2019s probably of the Middle Park horse type … and then hopefully
\nhe will proceed to the Breeders\u2019 Cup after that.\u201d<\/p>\n

O\u2019Brien was referring to the six-furlong Middle Park Stakes
\n(G1) on the Rowley Mile course at Newmarket, England, on Sept. 28. The Juvenile
\nTurf Sprint at the Breeders\u2019 Cup is five furlongs.<\/p>\n

Just the previous Saturday, Whistlejacket wound up finishing second to Babouche
\nin the six-furlong Phoenix (G1) at the Curragh in Ireland.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause he\u2019s incredibly fast and early-developing, we thought he could manage
\nboth races,\u201d stated O\u2019Brien, a five-time champion in the Morny. \u201cIt\u2019s an extremely challenging task for a horse to perform,
\nespecially when the races are only a week apart.\u201d<\/p>\n

Starting promptly from post 2 in the group of four other
\ncolts and four fillies, Whistlejacket (5-2) led jockey Ryan Moore to a
\nslight lead that he held for the majority of the race, culminating in a three-quarter-length
\nvictory. With no run-up on a course rated good, the winning time was 1:11.02 for
\nthe 1,200 meters, roughly 7 1\/2 yards short of six furlongs.<\/p>\n

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Rashabar (12-1) secured second place, and his trainer Brian Meehan mentioned the Breeders\u2019 Cup could be a potential next step.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI always have a fondness for the Breeders\u2019 Cup,<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0Meehan said.\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>So that could be a possibility, but we\u2019ll see<\/span>,<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0added Meehan.\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>We\u2019ll take him home and reassess next week.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Daylight (9-2) was a further
\nthree-quarters of a length behind in third, with Arabie (7-2) 1 1\/4 more lengths
\nback in fourth and Epson Blue Cen (31-1) an additional 1 3\/4 lengths behind
\nin fifth.<\/p>\n

In the world pool with no equivalent of place betting, Whistlejacket
\nreturned $7.40 to win and $3.20 to show. Rashabar yielded $6 and Daylight $4.20.<\/p>\n

Whistlejacket has alternated between victories and losses in his brief
\ncareer. He claimed his maiden win on his second attempt on May 6 at the Curragh and triumphed in the
\nJuly Stakes (G2) 38 days ago at Newmarket, England. His record stands at 6: 3-2-0 with
\nearnings amounting to $414,589.<\/p>\n

Jointly owned by Coolmore\u2019s Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor and
\nDerrick Smith, Whistlejacket was purchased for $634,024 at the Tattersalls October
\nyearling sale in England. He is a full sibling of Little Big Bear, a European juvenile champion who claimed victory in the 2022 Phoenix.<\/p>\n

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