BloodHorse staff members recently selected their favorite races of 2024. Over the next few days, with a Christmas break pause, we'll count down those top 10 races.
The countdown begins with race No. 10, the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T), Nov. 2 at Del Mar | BloodHorse.com Track Profile">Del Mar.
How it played out
One of the top international turf stars of the past few years again was showcased in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) as Godolphin's Rebel's Romance posted a neck victory.
The 9-5 favorite in the 1 1/2-mile turf test, Rebel's Romance resurrected memories of his 2022 Breeders' Cup Turf heroics as he captured America's premier turf race for the second time in three years.
While Rebel's Romance's victory was hardly shocking, it arrived with a dose of drama at the wire. The 6-year-old gelding seemed to have a win locked up when he surged to a 3 1/2-length lead in midstretch, but that lock would be rattled. Japan's Rousham Park raced last in the field of 13 after the opening mile, but closed with gusto to make matters quite interesting before the wire popped and Rebel's Romance prevailed by a diminishing neck.
The victory added more glitter to the sterling record and star power the gelding has built for himself. A stakes winner in Germany, Hong Kong, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Great Britain, and the United States, the homebred son of Dubawi has prevailed in 15 of 22 starts with earnings of $11,777,574.
Quotable
Byron King, BloodHorse news editor: "The Breeders' Cup Turf is the best grass race in North America, though it lacked American star power which explains why it was only No. 10. It deserves mention among the top races of the year since Rebel's Romance, who won the race in 2022, recorded a second victory in the race and it offered an international field with a Japanese horse finishing a quality second."
Impact
Much like 2022, the victory might not be enough to earn the champion male turf Eclipse Award for Rebel's Romance as it was his lone U.S. start of the year. But, some subpar efforts by top American hopefuls in this division—Far Bridge, Carl Spackler, and Cogburn —could sway some voters toward him.
Notable
Trained by Charlie Appleby, Rebel's Romance is the first horse to win the Turf twice without doing it in consecutive years … He continues Europe's dominance of the Turf as European-based runners have won five straight editions of the race and nine of the past 10.
