Euros Are 1-2 in the BC Juvenile Turf

In an thrilling stretch duel, English-bred invader Donativum bested Irish rival Westphalia by a half length to capture the $1-million Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (VIDEO) at Santa Anita Park Oct. 25.

Owned by Sheikh Mohammed’s wife Princess Haya and his Darley Stable, Donativum was ridden by Frankie Dettori for trainer John Gosden.

“On the turn, when I looked, I saw things were tight up front," said Dettori. "I was looking for the right spot, and we found it in the last hundred yards. This was my first time riding him, but once he got down to running, I knew we got it.”

John and Kim Glenney’s Orthodox set the pace and maintained a lead along the backstretch while setting early fractions of :22.54 for the quarter and :46.53 for a half-mile.

At the top of the lane, Donativum and Coolmore and associates’ Westphalia easily passed Orthodox, going four-wide on the final turn and being sent down for the drive. But Donativum kept charging from the outside got up to win in the final strides over Westphalia, who was 1 3/4 lengths better than Coronet of a Baron. Donativum’s stablemate City Style checked in fourth in a field of 12 2-year-olds. The final time for the mile turf race was 1:34.68.

"He ran a great race and Johnny (Murtagh) gave him a great ride," said trainer Aidan O'Brien of Westphalia. "There’s trouble in every race, it’s just part of it. We’re a little disappointed, but certainly not discouraged. He’s got a good future ahead of him.”

The Juvenile Turf was the first stakes victory for Donativum, a son of Cadeaux Genereux--Miss Universe, by Warning. Now holding a record of three wins from five starts, he stretched out to a mile for the first time. Coming into the race off two straight wins, the Juvenile Turf marked Donativum's North American debut.

“It was a good effort," said Gosden. "This was a high-quality field of colts. The second horse (Westphalia) won a major race the other day, and we won a $1 million dollar race today. I don't give Frankie (Dettori) any instructions. He was a little farther back than I would have liked; then he got squeezed, and then pinched. I was afraid he was going to be an unlucky loser, but he got there."

PEDIGREE

Donativum's dam, Miss Universe, was group III-placed in England and is five-for-five in her produce record, as all of her foals to race are winners, including the grade II winning 4-year-old gelding Worldly, plus stakes-placed 3-year-old filly Comeback Queen. 

Worldly, an earner of $319,899, won the La Jolla Handicap (gr. IIT), Cinema Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. IIIT), and Will Rogers Stakes. 

Miss Universe is also the dam of a yearling Starcraft colt and a Sackhee colt born this year.