By Alan Carasso
It's been a year of ups and downs for trainer Larry Rivelli, who saddled the very talented Two Phil's (Hard Spun) to a runner-up effort in the GI Kentucky Derby and subsequent victory in the GIII Ohio Derby before a premature retirement to stud. The conditioner was dealt another blow this week when One Timer (Trappe Shot) was ordered scratched from a potential appearance in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, but the gelded Nobals (Noble Mission {GB}) parlayed a ground-saving trip into a 12-1 upset in the five-furlong dash to ease whatever upset there may have been.
The well-supported Live In The Dream (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}) hit the ground running, but he had company from Japanese speedball Jasper Krone (Frosted) through an opening quarter in a slick :21.15. When the latter failed to handle the tight left-handed turn and began to struggle, Live In The Dream was left alone up front, but had gone very hard in the lead and the come-from-behinders were licking their chops. Defending champ Caravel (Mizzen Mast) came there with a winning chance, but it was Nobals who rode the rails into the stretch and the final furlong and drove home first. Big Invasion (Declaration of War) also rallied up the inside for second ahead of Aesop's Fables (Ire) (No Nay Never), who raced over the top to claim third spot.
It was a first win at the Breeders' Cup for perennial Midwest leading trainer Rivelli–and his first Grade I of any variety–and for journeyman jockey Gerardo Corrales, who seamlessly replaced Jareth Loveberry aboard Two Phil's at the 11th hour and delivered a perfect ride in the Ohio Derby.
“Obviously you can't do this without the unbelievable team I've had for 20 years, 15 years. My assistant, Rogelio Sanchez, my assistant Pam Little, Gonzo Gonzalez, all the guys back home. No way possible this could be done without them.
“When I saw the entries, the nominations, I think you could have thrown a blanket over the whole field, to be honest with you, as far as who was better than one another.
“We had Corrales, and we had a great trip. You've got to get lucky in these kinds of races. Our plan was to be a little closer. Didn't work out. They were gone. He ended up working out a trip, and we held on.”
It was also a first elite-level success for Corrales, participating in his third Breeders' Cup.
“It's a lot of confidence in the horse,” the jockey said. “He did good work, on the money. Good solution from the trainer. Everything is good, you know.”
Nobals had made appearances at six different venues this season, defeating Saturday's favorite Motorious (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) in the GII TwinSpires Turf Sprint in May and added the William Garrett H. at Horseshoe Indianapolis in July ahead of a runner-up effort in Saratoga's GIII Troy S. Aug. 5. He most recently dropped his head on the wire to win the Sept. 9 Da Hoss S. at Colonial Downs.
Pedigree Notes:
On an afternoon where his full-brother Frankel (GB) was also represented by his first Breeders' Cup winner in the form of the sensational Inspiral (GB), the expatriated Noble Mission was siring his second Grade I winner following Code of Honor.
Versatile enough to sire a top stayer like Spanish Mission, Noble Mission has had an outstanding 2023, with five stakes winners worldwide, three at the group/graded level, including GIII Kentucky Downs Ladies' Marathon S. winner Vergara and the American-bred recent Australian Group 3 winner Buffalo River.
Bred by Dr. Chandler, Nobals is out of a winning daughter of Grade III winner Western Ransom and he has a weanling half-brother by Known Agenda foaled this past Mar. 5. Pearly Blue was most recently bred to Dialed In.
REPLAY: Nobals wins the $1 Million #BreedersCup Turf Sprint! Congrats to all connections! #BC23 pic.twitter.com/hpytTFJ2d7
— Breeders' Cup (@BreedersCup) November 4, 2023
Saturday, Santa Anita Park
BREEDERS' CUP TURF SPRINT-GI, $920,000, Santa Anita, 11-4, 3yo/up, 5fT, :55.15, fm.
1–NOBALS, 126, g, 4, by Noble Mission (GB)
1st Dam: Pearly Blue, by Empire Maker
2nd Dam: Western Ransom, by Red Ransom
3rd Dam: Western Wind, by Gone West
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($3,500 Ylg '20 FTKOCT). O-Patricia's Hope LLC; B-John A. Chandler (KY); T-Larry Rivelli; J-Gerardo Corrales. $520,000. Lifetime Record: 18-10-3-0, $1,453,274. *1/2 to My First Pearl (First Samurai), SP, $202,674. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Big Invasion, 126, c, 4, Declaration of War–Curls in Place, by Curlin. ($72,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Reeves Thoroughbred Racing; B-John O'meara (KY); T-Christophe Clement. $170,000.
3–Aesop's Fables (Ire), 124, c, 3, No Nay Never–How's She Cuttin' (Ire), by Shinko Forest (Ire). O-Westerberg, Magnier, Mrs. John, Smith, Derrick and Tabor, Michael B.; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Aidan P. O'Brien. $90,000.
Margins: NK, HF, HF. Odds: 12.00, 12.40, 10.10.
Also Ran: Live In The Dream (Ire), Motorious (GB), Arzak, Beer Can Man, Tony Ann, Roses for Debra, Caravel, Gear Jockey, Jasper Krone. Scratched: Bradsell (GB), Lane Way, One Timer, Twilight Gleaming (Ire).
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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