Globetrotting Mondialiste Seeks Return to Form

If Mondialiste's history is any indication, now is not the time to jump off his bandwagon.

After he began his 2015 campaign with four straight defeats, the son of Galileo (IRE) went on to turn his form around enough to earn his first top-level triumph in that year's Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes (G1T). After he lost his next five outings, the then 6-year-old horse righted the ship in grand fashion when he captured the 2016 Arlington Million XXXIV Stakes (G1T).

Heading into this year's edition of the Woodbine Mile Sept. 16, Mondialiste again finds himself in the doldrums with an active eight-race winless streak. Given the boost his stateside trips have provided in the past, some in his camp believe the veteran runner is ready to emerge from his latest game of possum.

"It takes a few runs for him to really find his gear," Fearghal Davis, head traveling lad to trainer David O'Meara, said of his equine partner. "He's been a bit of a disappointment this year, but last year it was the exact same thing, where he hit form around this time."

Mondialiste will aim to get his old magic back once more Saturday, when he attempts to join Wise Dan (2012-13) as the only horses to win the Woodbine Mile more than once. 

It has been tough going for the bay horse since his victory at Arlington International Racecourse last summer, as he finished off the board in three grade/group 1 races since then, and was most recently sixth in the Betfred Mobile Strensall Stakes (G3) at York Aug. 26.

Though he hasn't visited the winner's circle in more than 13 months, there have been efforts that can be taken as a sign that his best step isn't gone for good.

Last season Mondialiste used a runner-up finish in the Sky Bet York Stakes (G2) as a tightener for his Arlington triumph. He again finished second in that same race this July, beaten just a nose by Success Days.

"He was second last year in the group 2 at York, which he was second in again this year. And his last run was disappointing, but there were only seven runners and it was a very tactical race, which wasn't really run to suit him," Davis said. "He needs them to go hard up front. But he's in great nick, thank God. It's almost like when he came here, it was like he knew where he was."

With five victories from 29 starts, Mondialiste's win percentage may not be glittering. It's partly due to the fact that the well-built runner doesn't duck anyone on any country. This year alone has seen Geoff and Sandra Turnbull's horse travel to four different tracks on two different continents. Following his runner-up effort in the 2015 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T), his connections gamely shipped him to Sha Tin for a start in Longines Hong Kong Mile (G1), where he finished 12th.

"You know I've been very lucky to be associated with him and to travel with him," Davis said. "I'm going to miss him when he goes. It's very rare to find horse to do what he does and enjoys it like he does. He gets in the plane and he just loves it. I think the more he's doing it the more he's loving it."