Horse Profile: Seagulls Eleven

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Scouting Report

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

An aggrieved third in the Vincent O’Brien National (G1), where he was mugged by Henri Matisse, Seagulls Eleven has a stealthy look in this spot. He also exits a loss in the Dewhurst (G1), which in the past has been a useful angle. Juvenile Turf winners George Vancouver (2012), Outstrip (2013), and Mendelssohn (at Del Mar in 2017) had placed in the Dewhurst, while Seagulls Eleven was only fourth, but the larger point remains of interest. 

Trainer Hugo Palmer has yet to hit board with his five previous Breeders’ Cup starters, but his best runner, Galileo Gold, never came stateside. Galileo Gold, himself a son of Paco Boy (who kept chasing Goldikova, including when fourth in the 2010 Mile), is now the sire of Seagulls Eleven.

Seagulls Eleven is a half-brother to The Platinum Queen, who scored an historic victory as a two-year-old over elders in the 2022 Prix de l’Abbaye (G1), only to flop in the Juvenile Turf Sprint. Their dam, by Kodiac, is a half to The Gold Cheongsam, a good fifth in the 2012 Juvenile Fillies Turf.

In his first two starts at Haydock, Seagulls Eleven created an excellent impression going seven furlongs around a left-hand turn. He tracked the pace and briefly asserted in his debut, only to be overhauled by the soft-ground aficionado Yaroogh. That form has looked better recently, since Yaroogh won the Prix Saraca and was just caught late as the favorite in the Horris Hill (G3).

Seagulls Eleven won impressively next time over the same course and distance, but on good-to-firm, as the favorite. Again tracking the leader, he was still breezing well into the stretch. When the cue came, he lengthened stride and opened up by daylight. The pacesetter who wound up second, Green Storm, has since finished runner-up in the Zetland (G3) and Criterium de Saint-Cloud (G1).

Next seen in the Superlative (G2) at Newmarket, Seagulls Eleven was a fine second to Godolphin’s odds-on Ancient Truth. He took up a more forward spot than the favorite, moved earlier, and stayed on as if he wanted further. 

Perhaps most significant, Seagulls Eleven was easily best of the rest from Wimbledon Hawkeye, who’s advertised the form in his ensuing starts. Wimbledon Hawkeye went on to win the Royal Lodge (G2), an effort bookended by his second to O’Brien’s highly-regarded classic prospect The Lion in Winter in the Acomb (G3) and a third in the Futurity Trophy (G1). 

Off a two-month break in the National, Seagulls Eleven raced close to the pace, traveling well as usual, and threatening most of the way. Scorthy Champ was collaring him when Henri Matisse barged onto the scene and hampered Seagulls Eleven, who was a discombobulated third. 

While he wasn’t going to win by that stage, Seagulls Eleven was knocked out of his rhythm. The stewards conducted an inquiry, but allowed the result to stand, on the principle that Seagulls Eleven wouldn’t have secured a better placing anyway. That’s probably true, although he lost any chance of boxing on for it. 

Seagulls Eleven was fourth on merit in the Dewhurst, but the tactically messy race didn’t do him any favors. When the five-horse field split into two groups, he led on the far side and simply couldn’t keep up with a power-packed finish on soft ground. The one who beat him in the Superlative, Ancient Truth, finished ahead of him again in third, but by twice the margin. That’s a hint that Seagulls Eleven likely wasn’t seen to best effect. 

Given the collateral Group form from his maidens, and respectable losses in good company, Seagulls Eleven has sleeper potential. His one win came around a left-hand turn on good-to-firm, and perhaps getting back to a similar (albeit two-turn) scenario will put him in a better light. His tactical speed should be a plus. 

Note that Palmer views Seagulls Eleven as a much stronger prospect to blossom at three, given his size and scope, compared to stablemate The Waco Kid.