Breeders' Cup International Horse Profile: Albahr

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf

Having punched his ticket in an arguably less-than-vintage edition of the Summer (G1) at Woodbine, Albahr has to raise his game again versus a much deeper cast in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar.

One of two Juvenile Turf contenders for Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby, along with Modern Games, the homebred is another son of Darley’s flagship stallion Dubawi. Albahr is a three-quarter brother to Master of the Seas, the 2000 Guineas (G1) near-misser who runs in the Mile. Albahr’s dam, the Street Cry mare Falls of Lora, scored her biggest win in the 2012 UAE Oaks (G3) on Meydan’s old Tapeta. Falls of Lora is responsible for two top-level winners of 2021, with her Cascadian capturing the Doncaster H. (G1) at Australia’s Randwick.

Albahr was favored in his debut at York, but broke slowly and looked a tad green before staying on for third. The 28-1 winner, Lusail, turned out pretty well as the hero of the Richmond (G2) at Glorious Goodwood and Gimcrack (G2) during York’s Ebor Festival.

Odds-on to score in his next try at Haydock, Albahr secured a much more favorable position. He flashed speed on the inside before deferring to a rival, switched outside to stalk, and eventually wore him down by a neck with a seven-length gap to third.

Albahr was gelded thereafter, with immediate dividends. Back at Haydock, over the same about seven-furlong trip on good-to-firm, he dominated under top weight of 135 pounds. Not only did the odds-on favorite go wire-to-wire by 4 3/4 lengths, but he set a new juvenile course record in 1:26.15.

Again bet heavily when the 8-13 favorite in Salisbury’s Stonehenge S., Albahr had to dig deep to prevail over a mile. He stalked the leader, and when making his move, found Power of Beauty moving in tandem. Albahr was all out to see off Power of Beauty by three-quarters of a length. Because Albahr bumped him in their protracted duel, he had to survive a stewards’ inquiry to keep the hard-fought verdict.

Albahr had an easier time dispatching his foes in the Summer, despite hopping at the start and racing uncharacteristically farther back. The 3-5 favorite gradually improved through the field and swept to the front down the stretch. Drifting across to the rail, Albahr ran out a convincing 2 1/4-length winner. His time of 1:35.77, however, was not as fast as stunning stablemate Wild Beauty’ s 1:35.08 in the Natalma (G1).

If Albahr has something to find on bare form at the Breeders' Cup, he is battle-tested through a four-race winning streak. He’s also well practiced going left-handed (albeit around one turn), thanks to his Haydock and Woodbine experience.