Horse Profile: Emily Upjohn

Breeders' Cup Turf Scouting Report

(Editor's note: Originally published in the 2024 BRISnet Breeders' Cup International Report) 

If Emily Upjohn has been more frustrating to follow than not, she’s capable of firing a devastating broadside when the circumstances align. The John Gosden mare just might find the right constellation of factors at Del Mar, including a reunion with old partner Frankie Dettori for the first time in a year. 

Although she was pre-entered to the Filly & Mare Turf as well, ostensibly as her first preference, the Turf is arguably a better fit on a tight track. Gosden prefers the longer run down the backstretch going 1 1/2 miles. 

Females have historically done well in this race, including a trio for Gosden. His lone Turf win came with the great mare Enable (2018), and his colt Golden Horn (2015) was just denied by Ballydoyle filly Found. Gosden starlet The Fugue (2013) nearly won herself, and Dar Re Mi (2009) placed third for the yard. 

Emily Upjohn also brings the historically key Arc angle, albeit by proxy. She was most recently third in the Prix Vermeille (G1) to Bluestocking and Aventure, who came back to run one-two in the Arc. 

In fact, Emily Upjohn has form interlocking with the past three Arcs. In the 2023 Coronation Cup (G1) at Epsom, she absolutely dusted a colt the caliber of Westover, who went on to place a gallant second in that fall’s Arc. As a sophomore in 2022, Emily Upjohn missed in the Oaks (G1) on a head-bob to Tuesday, who would finish a close runner-up to future Arc queen Alpinista at York and conclude her career by winning the Filly & Mare Turf in course-record time at Keeneland. 

In light of Emily Upjohn’s pedigree, it’s appropriate that two of her most memorable performances have come at Epsom. By the all-time great Sea the Stars, and out of a stakes-placed mare by 1994 Mile hero Barathea, she is related to 2016 Epsom/Irish Derby champion Harzand. 

Emily Upjohn was favored to join her “cousin” on the Epsom classic honor roll in 2022. Then a perfect 3-for-3, exiting a demolition job in the Musidora (G3), she broke poorly in the Oaks. While she recovered to race near the rear, not much behind Tuesday, Emily Upjohn didn’t commence her rally until Tuesday was already in full flight. She still nearly overcame everything, blitzing her final three furlongs in :32.53, only to have the resilient Tuesday’s nose down on the wire at the right instant. 

When travel problems forced her out of the Irish Oaks (G1), connections opted to pitch her into the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth (G1) versus older males instead. The audible backfired when she pulled too hard early and folded to last. 

But Emily Upjohn gained redemption in her 2022 finale. Resurfacing back over the same Ascot course and distance in the British Champions Fillies & Mares (G1), sporting a hood to settle her, she rolled by three lengths.

Emily Upjohn was better than ever in her 2023 debut in the Coronation Cup, where she exorcised another bad memory. Anchored in last of the quintet early, she produced a stellar turn of foot to pass Westover as if he were standing still. Westover’s stamina eventually kicked in to trim the margin to 1 3/4 lengths, but this was arguably Emily Upjohn’s finest hour. Her time for about 1 1/2 miles was a swift 2:33.78, nearly three seconds faster than the ensuing renewal of the Oaks.

Cutting back to 1 1/4 miles for the Eclipse (G1) at Sandown, Emily Upjohn ran a mighty second to three-year-old colt Paddington, who was then in the midst of his winning streak. Paddington got first run on Emily Upjohn, along with a seven-pound weight break, but the older filly forced him to find extra to stave her off by a half-length. Her season ended on an anticlimactic note when she flopped in the King George again. 

The March 30 Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) marked her comeback spot. Gosden cited the difficulty of trying to get her fit over the British winter, and the lack of meaningful pace didn’t help. In the circumstances, the ring-rusty mare did well to work her way into fifth, no threat to Rebel’s Romance but narrowly missing third.

Favored to repeat in the May 31 Coronation Cup, Emily Upjohn retreated to a subpar fourth. While there were a couple of factors in the race itself – Luxembourg’s crafty front-running on rain-softened ground, and her forcing the issue earlier than ideal – the bigger issue was her fitness. Gosden had said that she needed the race to bring her on.

Emily Upjohn did improve markedly next time in the June 29 Pretty Polly (G1) at the Curragh, where tactics may have cost her the victory. Settled in a good midpack spot flanking Bluestocking, she arguably advanced too soon, especially over a course that’s demanding enough in itself, let alone on yielding-to-soft going. She made a potent move to pull clear in the stretch, but her exertions told at the decisive stage. Bluestocking, under a more patient ride, outstayed her late in the 1 1/4-mile test. Content (Filly & Mare Turf) closed from the back to take third.

In the Aug. 1 Nassau (G1) at Glorious Goodwood, Emily Upjohn had the opposite tactical problem. Now she was restrained too far back for those conditions – a 1 1/4-mile race on good-to-firm around a sharp track. She never landed a blow against pace-controlling Opera Singer.

Back up to 1 1/2 miles for the Aug. 22 Yorkshire Oaks (G1), Emily Upjohn took the hood off, adopted a more forward tracking position in a strongly-run race, and traveled beautifully to the front down the long straight. But she couldn’t contain the sophomores Content and You Got to Me, who were both receiving nine pounds, and she tired to third.

Emily Upjohn’s third the Sept. 15 Prix Vermeille looks gilt-edged now. Well placed just off the pace, she kept on determinedly and inched ever nearer to Bluestocking and Aventure. Her final sectional was nearly identical to Bluestocking’s (:35.43 versus :35.42) on soft going that wouldn’t have been a help to her.

The firm turf at Del Mar ought to bring out the best in her. The question is whether the right conditions are enough for Emily Upjohn to deliver a show-stopping effort. 

Dettori could be the answer. He had a consistently greater rapport with Emily Upjohn than she’s had with Kieran Shoemark this year. In fairness to Shoemark, she’s not the easiest ride, having to thread the needle between positioning her well and preventing her from racing too keenly. Indeed, co-owner Andrew Lloyd Webber once quipped that he needed to get her a voice coach to teach her how to breathe with her diaphragm!