Althiqa Leads 1-2 Just a Game Finish for Godolphin
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Photo: Chad B. Harmon
Althiqa (inside) flies home to win the Just a Game Stakes at Belmont Park
Godolphin's European invaders had their way in the $500,000 Longines Just a Game Stakes (G1) June 5 at Belmont Park, finishing 1-2 in the one-mile turf race for fillies and mares 4 and older.
British-bred Althiqa , a Godolphin homebred, prevailed at the wire under jockey Mike Smith, winning by three-quarters of a length over stablemate and pacesetter Summer Romance .
Summer Romance grabbed the lead early and led the field of nine other challengers through moderate fractions of :23.43, :46.90, and 1:10.46. Stalking the Irish-bred daughter of Kingman throughout most of the race was grade 3 winner Zofelle and Irish-bred New York Girl . Meanwhile, Althiqa and Smith bided their time in mid-pack down along the rail. They gradually wound their way toward the front as the field rounded the turn and then kicked after Summer Romance, passing easily for the victory. The final time was 1:33.90 on good turf.
Althiqa and Summer Romance were both making their U.S. debuts for trainer Charlie Appleby. The 4-year-old daughter of Dark Angel started the year with a win the Cape Verdi Presented by Longines (G2) at Meydan Racecourse and was most recently third by three lengths in the Feb. 18 Balanchine Sponsored by Range Rover (G2), which was won by Summer Romance. In 10 lifetime starts, Althiqa has never finished off the board.
"We're obviously delighted with it and we knew we had two competitive fillies. It's one of those days when we prepped well, I was confident they would run a big race and they justified it," said Appleby. "They are two fillies who ran well over the winter in Dubai in group 2s—one won the Balanchine and the other won the Cape Verdi—and they came out there to America and put it to the sword again. It's a great effort by the team there and we might think about leaving them there for Saratoga. Althiqa hit the line strong enough and she wasn't stopping. It was an opportunity to get a group 1, and luckily we did."
Godolphin and Smith have a successful history together, with the Hall of Fame rider piloting the Sheikh Mohammed's 2013 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) winner Outstrip .
Godolphin had hoped to contest the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) with Rebel's Romance , who won this year's UAE Derby Sponsored By Emirates NBD (G2), but the homebred son of Dubawi developed an infection earlier this week.
"It's the ups and downs of it all," said Appleby of Rebel's Romance. "We've seen it here in the UK, and you just have to roll with the punches."
He said both fillies will be considered for the $500,000 Diana Stakes (G1T) July 17 at Saratoga Race Course.
Althiqa heads to the winner's circle after her Just a Game Stakes score
"She's got a big heart and she's very, very honest, so she's going to run good," said Smith. "You're just going to have to make a trip when it's time to move on. I was actually going to tip out, but she kind of leaned in like she wanted to drop to the fence, so I just let her. It was a small hole but (Appleby) told me she had a big heart, and she got on through there. She might suit American racing really well. We might want to keep her here."
Summer Romance, who is 4, was bred in Ireland by Round Hill Stud and purchased by Godolphin for €800,00 (US$898,800) at Arqana's 2019 May Breeze Up Sale where she was consigned by Mocklershill. Summer Romance's victory in the Balanchine was her second group stakes victory, having won the Investec Princess Elizabeth Stakes (G3) last year at Epsom.
"She ran pretty hard," said jockey Luis Saez of Summer Romance. "I thought we were going to win. She never gave up. She came into the stretch running, and then Mike Smith came really fast. We just got caught. She never gave up and she tried to the wire."
Jim and Susan Hill's Daddy Is a Legend finished third. The 6-year-old daughter of Scat Daddy has now placed in four grade 1 stakes since 2018. She also finished third in the 2019 running of the Just a Game.
"I had a great trip; we never got stopped," said jockey Manny Franco, who was aboard Daddy Is a Legend. "I got the trip I wanted. I wanted to wait a little longer to make my move and that's what I did. The two fillies who beat me are nice and she made a good run."