By Alan Carasso
Off at a skinny 65 cents on the dollar–unsurprising given the incredible success of his stablemates over the weekend–Albahr (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) bombed the break in a way similar to the way Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}) did in the Natalma S. one race prior, and similar to that one, overcame that trouble to post a cozy victory in the GI Summer S. at Woodbine.
The win gives Albahr an all-fees-paid berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar Nov. 5 and provides a potent 1-2 punch for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby, whose first championship day win came courtesy of Outstrip (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) in the 2013 Juvenile Turf. He added a second with Line of Duty (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in 2018.
Winner of three straight at home, including the Listed Stonehenge S. at Salisbury Aug. 20, Albahr stood there for a second, spotting his rivals several lengths, and was allowed to gradually improve by Frankie Dettori as 7-1 chance First Empire (Classic Maker) showed the way up front. Shaken up three furlongs out, the chestnut accelerated on the swing into the straight, was produced four of five away from the fence and outside of the commonly owned Degree of Risk (Cairo Prince) at the quarter pole, lugged in considerably while racing on his incorrect lead into the final eighth of a mile and proved too strong in the finish. Grafton Street (War Front), a maiden trying the turf in just his second career start, finished willingly for second ahead of Degree of Risk.
A debut third going a straight six-furlong trip at York May 13, Albahr was a narrow maiden winner in a seven-furlong test around a left-handed bend at Haydock June 9. Following up with Dettori aboard in a conditions race back at the latter venue July 17, the chestnut prevailed by three-parts of a length as the odds-on pop in the Stonehenge over a straight mile last time.
Albahr capped a wildly successful couple of days for Godolphin, who won the GI Pattison Canadian International S. with Walton Street (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and the Jockey Club Derby with Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) Saturday in addition to Sunday's Grade I double.
“That's really what it's all about, winning these big races around the world,” said assistant trainer Alex Merriam, while paying tribute to the Godolphin patriarch Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. “So just like him, it's for Charlie and all the team. It's been a great effort.”
Pedigree Notes:
Albahr provided his sire with a 45th worldwide G1/GISW and his 137th at the graded/group level, while the late Street Cry (Ire) was being represented by his 17th top-level winner as a broodmare sire and his 50th GSW.
A half-brother to reigning G1 Doncaster Mile H. hero Cascadian (GB) (New Approach {Ire})–fifth to the outstanding Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) in Saturday's G1 George Main S. at Randwick in Sydney–Albahr is out of a G3 UAE Oaks-winning daughter of SW/G1SP Firth of Lorne (Ire) (Danehill), the dam of Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), winner of this year's G3 Craven S. and subsequently runner-up to Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas; SW & G1SP Latharnach (Iffraaj {GB}); and SW Etive (Elusive Quality).
Falls of Lora is the dam of a yearling colt by New Approach (Ire) and a filly by Dubawi's treble Group 1-winning son Too Darn Hot (GB) foaled Feb. 12.
Sunday, Woodbine
SUMMER S.-GI, C$404,400, Woodbine, 9-19, 2yo, 1mT, 1:35.77, gd.
1–ALBAHR (GB), 122, g, 2, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Falls of Lora (Ire) (GSW-UAE, SW-Eng, $246,417), by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Firth of Lorne (Ire), by Danehill
3rd Dam: Kerrera (Ire), by Diesis (GB)
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN.
O/B-Godolphin Racing, LLC (GB); T-Charles Appleby;
J-Lanfranco Dettori. C$240,000. Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-1,
$235,181. *1/2 to Cascadian (GB) (New Approach (IRE)),
G1SW-Aus, G1SP-Fr, $2,251,779. Werk Nick Rating: A+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Grafton Street, 122, c, 2, War Front–Lahinch Classics (Ire),
by Galileo (Ire). O-Mrs. John Magnier; B-Mrs E.M. Stockwell
(KY); T-Mark E. Casse. C$80,000.
3–Degree of Risk, 122, c, 2, Cairo Prince–Wipe Out, by Hard
Spun. O/B-Godolphin, LLC (KY); T-Eoin G. Harty. C$40,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 1HF, 2 1/4. Odds: 0.65, 9.25, 14.15.
Also Ran: First Empire, Dripping Gold, Ready for the Lady, Luckman, Heat Merchant, Souper Legacy.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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