Breeders Cup Limited Recognizes Godolphin as an Outstanding Thoroughbred Breeder

Godolphin horseracing team has once again won its third successive John Deere Award, becoming the exceptional breeder of the 2020 Breeders Cup World Championship as well as the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series. The award was presented by the Breeders’ Cup Limited and National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Advantage as an indication that the breeder made the most contributions to the Breeders’ Cup program. Usually, the breeders provide money for the World Championship purses by appointing foals and stallions annually.

Godolphin was determined as the winner as he was the breeder with the most first-place finishes in group stakes in the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series. The challenge involved 81 stakes races from nine countries. Among 14 races in the Breeders’ Cup World Championship, 13 were grade 1, and one was grade 2. Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky. hosted the 14 races. Each Group 1 race victory was worth 10 points, while grade 2 wins earned a breeder 6 points. Grade 3 wins breeders earned four points while listed stakes win got two points.

Godolphin runners achieved 40 points through finishing four Grade 1 races both in England and in the United States. Godolphin’s horse finished with 10 points ahead of Coolmore Stud and Northern Farm Racing, which attained 30 points each.

The Route to Godolphin’s Win

Godolphin’s run towards the John Deere Award goes back to June 2020. During the June 13 race, She’s Julie, by Dubai Millennium, and a bay daughter of Elusive Quality got the Ogden Phipps Stakes at the Belmont Park. The race run under the “win and you’re in” mantra, which meant the winning horse became the Longines Breeders Cup Distaff winner. A few days later, another Godolphin’s horse, Lord North, Dubawi (IRE) son, won the Prince of Wales stakes at Royal Ascot, giving Godolphin its second win.

At Keeneland, the two-year-old foal, Essential Quality, son of Tapit of Delightful Quality by Elusive Quality, procured the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity on October 3, 2020. This automatically earned the horse the first position in the TVG Breeders Cup Juvenile, run by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. A month after, essential quality also won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

What Executive Chief Racing Officer and Vice President Had to Say About the Win

According to Dora Delgado, the Chief Racing Officer of the Breeders Cup, Godolphin’s third uninterrupted win indicated the team’s longtime success among other international breeders. The chief congratulated His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and the other Godolphin team members. He also recognized that the organization had shown continued commitment by giving thoroughbred breeders worldwide to support Breeders’ Cup racing and appointment programs.

Dora also said that the Breeders Cup Limited was proud of their associates John Deere and NTRA Advantage for their contribution and sponsorship of the John Deere Award. The Godolphin’s President, Jimmy Bell, also had something to say. He recognized the efforts put forth by the Breeders Cup and John Deere towards International Racing, saying that it was a show of ambitions and goals to strive and contest at the highest levels. Auston Till, the manager partner sale of John Deere, also congratulated Godolphin for their third-year win.