Breeders' Cup International Scouting Report: Cadillac

With both of his wins coming at left-handed Leopardstown, and significant form in the book, Cadillac is the type to do very well in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

By Lope de Vega, sire of 2019 Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine Newspaperofrecord, and out of the Dansili mare Seas of Wells, Cadillac sold for €40,000 as a Goffs Orby yearling. His page was light under the first two dams, but further back in the family come Group 1-winning juvenile highweight Damson and her son Requinto, himself a multiple Group scorer at as 2-year-old.

The word was out as Cadillac debuted as the 15-8 favorite at Leopardstown, and the Jessica Harrington pupil traveled like a dream just behind the leaders. When jockey Shane Foley had the option of trying to split them, he took the safer path of easing back to come around. That extra time made no difference at all to Cadillac, who left them standing with a potent burst and romped by nine lengths from Ebeko. Slated for the Tyros (G3) at the same track and 7-furlong trip, Cadillac was withdrawn when the ground came up firmer than preferable.

Instead Cadillac went to the Curragh for the Futurity (G2), where he was dispatched as the 4-5 favorite. The soft to heavy going was a factor as he didn’t pick up immediately, finally got traction up the inside to take second, but found Mac Swiney too strong by a half-length. The loss might be attributable partly to positioning as well, since Cadillac was between foes before altering course, while Mac Swiney was in the more psychologically comfortable spot on the outside. In any event, the form got a boost when Mac Swiney went on to upset the Oct. 24 Vertem Futurity Trophy (G1) (and Futurity third-placer Ontario later placed to New Man date as discussed below).

Back at Leopardstown, Cadillac was a different animal in the “Win and You’re In” KPMG Champions Juvenile (G2) on better ground. Kate Harrington, the trainer’s daughter-cum-assistant, believed that his Futurity battle helped bring him on too. Poised to strike on the outside, he reeled in front-running Van Gogh to win going away by 3 1/2 lengths. Van Gogh, an improver for O’Brien, just won the Oct. 24 Criterium International (G1) at Saint-Cloud.

Cadillac ventured to Newmarket for the Dewhurst (G1), which has produced three winners of this race, but didn’t do himself justice on soft. After chasing the pace, he toiled home a subpar fifth behind a trio of fellow Irish shippers led by St Mark’s Basilica.

Keeneland could be right in his wheelhouse, especially if the turf isn’t a bog, setting the stage for a Cadillac rebound reminiscent of the KPMG Champions Juvenile. Harrington’s only prior Breeders’ Cup runner, Albigna, was a hard-charging fourth in last fall’s Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita, and Cadillac looks even better suited for this style of contest.