By Duane Fonseca
Rebel's Romance gave further confirmation he was engineered to run on turf by completing a Group/Grade One hat-trick with a sensational victory in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland on Saturday. The 4yo Dubawi gelding had won the 2021 Group 2 UAE Derby on dirt and was subsequently scratched from that year’s Belmont Stakes on his first visit Stateside.
But he has been running tremendously well and is unbeaten in five starts now since switching surfaces at the start of the year. Furthermore, he nicked the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Berlin and Preis von Europa at Cologne and Hoppegarten prior to his arrival at Keeneland where he delivered his best ever performance in the command of James Doyle.
Rebel’s Romance and Doyle found themselves at the rear of the field but began their march down the back straight with the jockey bringing his partner to the front with a sweeping move down the middle. Rebel’s Romance stretched fully willingly and at the post he was two and a quarter lengths clear from Stone Age, who was a further three quarters ahead of War Like Goddess.
ROMANCE ON THE HONOUR ROLL
Rebel’s Romance joined previous Godolphin winners Fantastic Light, Talismanic and Yibir on the race’s honour roll. Appleby said: “I am delighted to finish the meeting off with a winner. From the whole team’s point of view, it’s great to have James get a first Breeders’ Cup win and I’m delighted for him. It’s been a great meeting.
“Rebel’s Romance has turned himself around, to be fair. You may think it was the switch to turf, but I watched him train on the dirt here and almost wished I was running him on the dirt. Physically, you can just see that time has helped him. I don’t want to repeat myself too much, but it’s another son of Dubawi – what more can I say? I’m privileged to be associated with them.”
'TREMENDOUS PERFORMANCE'
Doyle said: “It was a tremendous performance from Rebel’s Romance and being back on fast ground suited him. He can be a quirky horse in the preliminaries, but he was good today. He was very relaxed and having the pony helped. The guys who look after him, obviously Charlie, but also Rob Fitzpatrick who rides him out every day, they have once again done a great job.
“Rebel’s Romance has won two Group Ones in Germany and it’s not easy there; they have some good horses. He has run against the best horses they have, so it’s proved there is plenty of strength in those races.”
