British invader Mondialiste (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) continued to live up to his name Saturday, turning in a third strong effort on this side of the pond to capture a tight running of the GI Arlington Million, a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup.
A winner of last August's G3 Strensall S. at York, Mondialiste–which means “globalist” in French–made his first venture to North America a winning one when he flew home from last to first to annex the GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile Sept 13. He may very well have given super mare Tepin (Bernstein) a run for her money in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile Oct. 31, but settled for second after getting totally stymied in upper stretch.
The bay ventured further from home for the GI Longines Hong Kong Mile Dec. 13, but could only manage 12th in that event. He was ambitiously spotted to kick off his 6-year-old season, and was a distant seventh in Chantilly's G1 Prix d'Ispahan before checking in 11th behind Tepin in the GI Queen Anne S. Mondialiste bounced back with a solid second in the GII York S. July 23, proving he could see out longer trips in the process and prompting his connections to take a shot at this big purse.
“We stepped him up to a mile and a quarter at York and he ran a really good race, and once we saw that he handled the trip okay, we had this race in the back of our mind,” noted winning conditioner David O'Meara. “We thought we'd bring him over because he performed so well this side of the water last year.”
Saturday, Arlington Park
ARLINGTON MILLION XXXIV S.-GI, $1,000,000, AP, 8-13, 3yo/up, 1 1/4mT, 2:01.87, fm.
1–MONDIALISTE (IRE), 126, h, 6, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Occupandiste (Ire) (Hwt. Older Mare-Fr at 7-9 1/2f, MG1SW-Fr, $300,260), by Kaldoun (Fr)
2nd Dam: Only Seule, by Lyphard
3rd Dam: Elle Seule, by Exclusive Native
(€190,000 4yo '14 ARJUL). O-Geoff & Sandra Turnbull;
B-Wertheimer Et Frere (IRE); T-David O'Meara; J-Daniel
Alexander Tudhope. $570,000. Lifetime Record: MGISW-US,
G1SP-Fr & GSW-Eng, 21-5-5-5, $1,676,374. *Full to Planetaire
(GB) (Galileo {Ire}), SW & GSP-Fr, $114,021; 1/2 to
Impressionnante (GB) (Danehill), GSW & MG1SP-Fr, $325,661;
and Only Answer (GB) Green Desert), MGSW-Fr, $261,672.
Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”itm-g1″]
2–Kasaqui (Arg), 126, 6, Lasting Approval–Kemosheba, by
Alysheba. O-Wimborne Farm; B-San Francisco De Pilar (ARG);
T-Ignacio Correas, IV. $190,000.
3–Deauville (Ire), 120, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Walklikeanegyptian
(Ire), by Danehill. O-Mrs. Fitriani Hay, Derrick Smith, Mrs. John
Magnier & Michael, B. Tabor; B-Mrs F. H. Hay (IRE); T-Aidan P.
O'Brien. $95,000.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]Margins: NK, NK, 3/4. Odds: 4.40, 12.20, 7.90.
Also Ran: Greengrassofyoming, Danish Dynaformer, The Pizza Man, World Approval, Tryster (Ire), Pumpkin Rumble, Wake Forest (Ger), Take the Stand (Arg). Scratched: Dubai Sky, Decorated Knight (GB). Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Very hard held by pilot Daniel Tudhope in midpack and in the two path early, Mondialiste settled comfortably behind splits of :25.56, :49.74 and 1:14.14. Shoved on a bit to pick up the pace into the home bend, he ranged up three deep and was one of at least five or six who seemed in with a chance to midstretch. GI Belmont Derby winner Deavuille fought on in between horses and Kasaqui eventually found running room up the inside, but Mondialiste kept finding to snap a four-year winless drought for foreign shippers in this normally internationally flavored event.
“We couldn't have worked out [more] perfect to be honest, we went over the race so many times beforehand, but you just don't know how it's going to go, but we couldn't have asked for a better run really it was perfect,” said Tudhope. “He always [looks like he gets worked up before the start], that's him though. He's not used to it, and that doesn't help. But he seems to love it over here and he thrives over here. It's amazing for [David O'Meara and I, to get a “Win and You're In” to the Breeders' Cup Turf], even everyone back home in the yard, we all work hard and they deserve this just as much as we do. Hats off to everyone in the yard. It's an amazing feeling.”
Arlington announcer John Dooley noted that 2010 Million winner Debussy (Ire) (Diesis {GB}) also successfully used the York as a stepping stone to glory in Chicago.
Favored World Approval (Northern Afleet), winner of the GI United Nations S. last out July 3, prompted the pace in second but had nothing left for the drive. “Great trip,” offered World Approval's pilot Florent Geroux, who won every other graded stakes race on the card Saturday. “I was a little disappointed to be honest, the pace went slow and I was right there into the first turn. When they picked it up, he just spit the bit and couldn't keep up.”
Pedigree Notes…
Mondialiste was bred by Gerard and Alain Wertheimer from their highweighted French mare Occupandiste (Ire), who won the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville nearly 19 years ago to the day of Saturday's Arlington Million. She also won that year's G1 Prix de la Foret on Arc weekend while under the care of Criquette Head. Since producing her first foal in 2000, Occupandiste has dropped three full graded black-type winners, including dual Group 3 winner Only Answer (GB) (Green Desert) and GSW & 2006 G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches runner-up Impresionante (GB) (Danehill). The latter is the dam of 2013 G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero Intello (Ger), whose first yearlings are set to go under the hammer at the Arqana August Yearling Sales, which begin Sunday in Deauville (click herefor more). Occupandiste is also the dam of Mondialiste's SW & GSP full-brother Planetaire (GB) as well as Desertiste (GB) (Green Desert), whose daughter Sasperella (Fr) (Shamardal) won last year's G3 Prix Eclipse. Offered as a one-time winner at the 2014 Arqana July Sale, Mondialiste was hammered down to his current connections for €190,000, the third-highest priced offering of that auction.
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