Cheval du ‘Mond’

In 2014, Trade Storm (GB) (Trade Fair {GB}) parlayed a runner-up effort in the G3 Strensall S. into victory in the GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile, and for the second straight year, that York test has proven productive. Sent off a well-backed third choice in the “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile, Mondialiste (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) lagged well behind the field early on and came with a stinging rally in the final two furlongs to defeat an unlucky Lea (First Samurai) and the game pacesetter Obviously (Ire) (Choisir {Aus}).

Ridden by Flavien Prat to a third-place effort as a maiden in the 2013 G1 Prix Jean Prat when under the care of Freddy Head, Mondialiste annexed a Saint-Cloud conditions event in May 2014 and sold for €190,000 at the Arqana July sale. Given the rest of the year off, the bay was a neck second in Doncaster’s Lincoln H. Mar. 28 and third in the G3 Earl of Sefton S. at Newmarket 19 days later. Fourteenth–of the 30 runners–in the June 17 Royal Hunt Cup H. at Royal Ascot, he trounced his rivals by 10 lengths in the Listed Pomfret S. at Pontefract July 26 and was exiting a neck success as the 4-1 favorite in the Strensall Aug. 22.

Drawn the rail, but last to load, Obviously mustered through to take up the running without really being asked by Joe Talamo and the duo soon had several lengths on GII Play the King S. upsetter Reporting Star (Circular Quay) and favored Lea while racing well away from the inside over the rain-affected turf course. Kaigun (Northern Afleet), runner-up to Trade Storm last year, settled in midfield while Mondialiste and fellow foreign raider Mr. Owen (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) took up positions at the rear. Still well out into the middle of the course after a half-mile in a demanding :46.63, Obviously began to feel the pinch, if just a bit, as Reporting Star started to draw in, though the balance had plenty of work to do. As the pace and, probably, the ground began to take its toll on Obviously, Lea was bridging the gap from third and Reporting Star proved a fly in the ointment. Lea finally grabbed his chief market rival inside the final 100 yards, but Mondialiste, one of the last to make the stretch, began picking off horses and Feargal Lynch was lucky enough to poke through three off the fence between Reporting Star and Lea close home en route to the victory.

“He is very tough. You can ride him whatever way you want really,” commented trainer David O’Meara, who has orchestrated the multiple Group 1-winning season of Amazing Maria (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}). “He’s always sort of there for you when you go for it. He always finishes well. Everything sort of looked good with him, but it is always a concern when you fly him that far from home, like eight hours or whatever we’ve come. But fantastic, a great run.”

Trainer Phil D’Amato was hardly downtrodden with the effort from Obviously, who was making his first start since a fifth in last year’s GI Breeders’ Cup Mile.

“He tried. He had everything going against him here with the soft turf course,” the conditioner offered. “He gutted it out and gave it his all. I think this sets him up really nice for the Breeders’ Cup Mile.”

Occupandiste, a multiple French champion in 1997, is a half-sister to GSW & MG1SP Impressionante (GB) (Danehill), the dam of French highweight and G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero Intello (Ger) (Galileo {Ire}). Mondialiste’s granddam is a half-sister to Irish champion and G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Mehthaaf (Nureyev) and champion sprinter Elnadim (Danzig). His fourth dam is blue-hen Fall Aspen.

Sunday, Woodbine
RICOH WOODBINE MILE S.-GI, C$1,012,400, WO, 9-13, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:36.66, yl.
1–&MONDIALISTE (IRE), 119, h, 5, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Occupandiste (Ire) (Hwt. Older Mare & 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-Feargal Lynch. C$600,000. Lifetime
Record: 15-4-3-5, $718,196. *Full to Planetaire (GB),
SW & GSP-Fr., $114,021; 1/2 to Impressionnante
(GB) (Danehill), SW & MG1SP-Fr, $325,661; Only
Answer (GB) (Green Desert), MGSW-Fr., $261,672.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk
Nick Rating: A.
[bullet ad=”itm-g1″]
2–Lea, 121, h, 6, First Samurai–Greenery, by Galileo
(Ire). O/B-Claiborne Farm & Adele B Dilschneider
(KY); T-William I Mott. C$200,000.
[bullet ad=”holly-hill-training-center-shell”]
3–Obviously (Ire), 121, g, 7, Choisir (Aus)–Leala (Ire),
by Montjeu (Ire). (€2,000 Ylg ’09 GOFEB;
130,000gns 3yo ’11 TA11). O-Anthony Fanticola &
Joseph Scardino; B-Miss Deidre Cogan (IRE); T-Philip
D’Amato. C$100,000.
[bullet ad=”boomer-bloodstock-purchased-by”]
Margins: HF, 1 1/4, NK. Odds: 3.80, 2.30, 2.75.
Also Ran: Kaigun, Reporting Star, Mr. Owen, Tower of Texas, Turncoat, Platinum Glory. Scratched: Za Approval, Grand Arch.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.