Churchill Downs double tees up monster week in North America

Godolphin’s juvenile crop in the United States continued their outstanding year with Sovereignty and Good Cheer notching a Stakes double at Churchill Downs on Sunday. 

Sovereignty headed into the G3 Street Sense Stakes without a career win to his name, although the son of Into Mischief had put up two promising efforts at Saratoga and Aqueduct. Following a slow start, Sovereignty stormed from last to first in the straight before being eased down to win by five lengths. 

Sovereignty is Godolphin’s 21st two-year-old winner in North America in 2024, all of whom have been homebred, and a return to Churchill Downs for next year’s Kentucky Derby remains the dream for the colt. 

Good Cheer had already highlighted her considerable talent, winning her first two starts by an aggregate of more than 25 lengths. The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro swooped from the rear to easily win the Rags To Riches Stakes, picking up 10 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points in the process. 

Tarifa topped this year’s Kentucky Oaks points leaderboard following victories in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes and Fair Grounds Oaks but could only finish ninth in the Classic itself. She bounced back to form with a battling head verdict over Gun Song in Saturday’s G2 Mother Goose Stakes at Aqueduct. 

In Australia, Broadsiding produced a gallant display in defeat on his first start against older opposition as he finished third behind impressive winner Via Sistina in the G1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on Saturday. 

Last season’s Champion Two-Year-Old looks set to run on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival on Saturday, 9 November, with the Champions Stakes and Champions Mile under consideration for the three-time G1 winner. 

Off Trail went close at Kyoto on Saturday as he was beaten a neck after trying to come from last to first in the G2 Swan Stakes. A homebred son of Farhh, the three-year-old could now take on top European miler Charyn in next month’s G1 Mile Championship. 

Godolphin looks to have another strong squad for this weekend’s Breeders’ Cup meeting at Del Mar. G1 winners East Avenue and Immersive headline a team for Friday’s two-year-old races, a card that also features UK challengers Al Qudra and Aomori City. 

Rebel’s Romance will be hoping to win the G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf for a second time on Saturday, with Notable Speech looking to emulate Space Blues, Modern Games and Master Of The Seas by providing Godolphin with a fourth straight G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile success. 

Cinderella’s Dream, Beautiful Love and Star Of Mystery will be chasing turf prizes on the same card, with Highland Falls aiming to follow up his G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup win with victory in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic.