2011 Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Turf

St Nicholas Abbey wins the 2011 Breeders' Cup Turf under 18-year-old jockey Joseph O'Brien.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• 2011
• Breeders'
• Cup
• Turf
• St
• Nicholas
• Abbey
• Joseph
• O'Brien
• Churchill
• Downs

[TicinoParadise]

this was a great result, but the young lads win on Roderic o'Conner in the Irish Guineas was my favorite ride of his this season....wire to wire, and perfectly ridden. 

[turncapp]

This kid is almost 6 feet tall. I remember when I wanted to be a jock, they told me I had to be under 5 feet, bull shit.

When I was giving lessons years later, One of the proud parents said:

"And she wants to be a jockey."

"Oh," her friend said, " and she is the perfect size."

yes 3 and 1/2 feet tall and 45 lbs. That's someone who can hold a horse together.

Well this guy can starve himself to death, think about fences, which I did. Or train or do something else.

[racingint]

Wonderful horse who proved his early promise.

[GBeret83]

Talk about ironic. If Cape Blanco hadn't got injured and had to be retired after his G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic win? We may not have even seen St Nicholas Abbey sent over from Ireland to Churchill Downs to run in the BC Turf. Because I have no doubt that without the injury, Cape Blanco would've been either kept in America until the Breeders Cup, or sent back again from Ireland as Ballydoyle's #1 for the BC Turf. Await The Dawn probably would've been used for him the way he was for SNA. JMO.

[d9y8l7a6n5]

I also love how Breeders' Cup, in trying to come up with a great story for this year's edition, replaced the Turf as the penultimate race with the Mile, which ended in disappointment with Goldikova not cashing in a 4th time, and the subsequent Non-DQ, while the Turf wound up producing one of, if not the best story of this year's BC, the father-son jockey/trainer duo of Joseph O'Brien and Aiden O'Brien winning the BC Turf, 1st such collaboration to do so. Looks like BC's plan backfired.

[d9y8l7a6n5]

Brilliant Speed also impressed me here with his 3rd place finish. I was a fan of his on the Triple Crown trail, and he held his own very well vs. the Euros here, for a second there I thought he might actually outrun them. Hope he returns next year as well.

[d9y8l7a6n5]

Although I did pick St. Nicholas Abbey, always thought he was very good, plus I love the name, I was very disappointed with Sarafina's performance. I thought it would come down to those two, but perhaps her campaign for the year has caught up to her, and a rest is in order. She looked pretty lackluster in here. I hope she and St. Nick return next year. Likewise Sea Moon, who has tremendous potential, and Await the Dawn, who I think has more to show us. Midday had a great career.

[emmelby]

Great turn of foot, I was impressed by his win in this.

[mark1995cfc]

great to see this horse finally win a big prize he always had the ability, well done joey o'brien for a great ride as well

[Stamolka1986]

I feel the same way. He probably would've won, because the Classic, which is run on dirt, really doesn't seem to be a good fit for a turf horse like him. Dirt was kicked in his face, and he didn't run as well as many might have thought he would run.