Idiomatic (Curlin), the defending Eclipse champion older mare, capped a big day for Juddmonte Farms with a wire-to-wire victory in the GI Juddmonte Spinster Stakes at Keeneland Sunday. Hours after Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}) gave the operation its record seventh victory in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Idiomatic was sent off the 1-5 favorite in the Spinster, a Win and You're In event for the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff. The bay mare broke alertly and was soon at the head of affairs while pressed by Candied (Candy Ride {Arg}) on the first turn. She was clear as the quarter went up in :23.53 and through a half in :47.01. A quick breather on the far turn allowed Candied the chance to re-engage the favorite, but Idiomatic easily turned her back again at the top of the lane and she sailed home a six-length winner. Occult (Into Mischief) was second and Candied was third.
“I want to start by thanking Prince [Fahad Bin] Khalid's family for the opportunity with such a classy mare,” said winning trainer Brad Cox. “Overall, it's been a great year. She's two heads from being undefeated. I'm proud of her. Every time we've led her over there, she's never let us down, and she added to her resume today.”
Winning rider Florent Geroux added, “It's all up to her. She has a ton of ability, and she is a champion for a reason. She has a very high cruising speed, and she just is a gifted racehorse. She's amazing. I just try to stay out of her way and guide her in the best possible way.”
Idiomatic's championship season a year ago included wins in the GI Personal Ensign Stakes and Spinster and ended with a win in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff. She opened 2024 with a win in the May 3 GI La Troienne Stakes, but had a six-race win streak interrupted with a narrow loss to Randomized after dueling through a hot pace in the June 8 GI Ogden Phipps S. She was on the right side of a photo finish in the July 20 GIII Molly Pitcher Stakes, but missed by a head to Sunday's GII Beldame Stakes winner Raging Sea (Curlin) in the Aug. 23 GI Personal Ensign Stakes.
Despite the pair of narrow losses this summer, Cox said he thinks Idiomatic is as good as she was in 2023.
“Her figures say she's just as good this year as she was last year,” he said. “She's training every bit as good this year as last year. This year she's had a little bit of a target on her back. She's been pressed in some races, where maybe last year she kind of had things her own way.”
Pedigree Notes:
Idiomatic is the first foal out of 2017 GI Kentucky Oaks third-place finisher Lockdown, a full-sister to champion Close Hatches, who died in 2022. The mare's unraced 4-year-old daughter Abditory (Medaglia d'Oro) produced her first foal, a colt by Girvin, this year, while her last foal is the unraced 2-year-old filly Chasten (Into Mischief). Chasten worked four furlongs in :48.20 (6/80) at Turfway Saturday.
Sunday, Keeneland
JUDDMONTE SPINSTER S.-GI, $600,000, Keeneland, 10-6, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/8m, 1:49.04, ft.
1–IDIOMATIC, 125, m, 5, by Curlin
1st Dam: Lockdown (SW & MGISP, $445,900),
by First Defence
2nd Dam: Rising Tornado, by Storm Cat
3rd Dam: Silver Star (GB), by Zafonic
O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-Brad H. Cox;
J-Florent Geroux. $367,350. Lifetime Record: Ch. Dirt Female.
17-12-3-2, $3,944,190. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. Triple Plus
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or
the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Occult, 125, f, 4, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Magical Feeling (GSW & GISP, $554,532), by Empire Maker
2nd Dam: Magical Mood (GB), by Forestry
3rd Dam: Good Mood, by Devil's Bag
($625,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Alpha Delta Stables, LLC;
B-Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Chad C. Brown.
$118,500.
3–Candied, 121, f, 3, by Candy Ride (Arg)
1st Dam: Toni Tools (SW, $193,339), by Roaring Fever
2nd Dam: Patine, by Smart Strike
3rd Dam: Burnish, by Menifee
($165,000 Ylg '22 FTKJUL). O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners;
B-Buck Pond Farm, Inc. (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $59,250.
Margins: 6HF, 3/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 0.32, 13.32, 4.03.
Also Ran: Loved, Honor D Lady, Bow Draw.
Click for the Equibase.com chart the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
🏆 #1 IDIOMATIC ($2.64) repeats in the $600,000 Spinster Stakes (G1) at @Keeneland, guaranteeing herself a spot in the @BreedersCup Distaff. @flothejock was aboard the @JuddmonteFarms homebred for trainer @bradcoxracing. pic.twitter.com/27otG7F5U9
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) October 6, 2024
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