Horse Profile: Wingspan

Breeders' Cup Turf Scouting Report

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

O’Brien’s rapidly-progressive sophomore has burst onto the scene this fall and run herself into the Turf. As a gritty front runner, Wingspan will be prominent for a long way, but her efforts might ultimately play into the hands of venerable stablemate Luxembourg. 

By Dubawi, the Coolmore homebred is related to a few Ballydoyle worthies. Her dam, the multiple Group 1-winning Galileo mare Hydrangea, is a full sister to dual classic heroine Hermosa. Wingspan’s baby brother, Officer, won his sole start so far. Two other current juveniles, recent Group 3 scorer Whirl and Group 3-placed Trinity College, are Wingspan’s “cousins.”

Wingspan didn’t race until this April, when she rallied from just off the pace to win a one-mile Leopardstown maiden on heavy ground. Immediately up in class and distance for the 1 1/4-mile Salsabil (G3) at Navan, the 9-1 chance went straight to the front as 6-1 stablemate Everlasting slotted into a tracking spot. Everlasting picked up the baton in the stretch, but could not hold off Ezeliya – the next-out Oaks (G1) winner at Epsom – and favored Purple Lily, the eventual third in the Irish Oaks (G1).

After retreating to sixth at Navan, Wingspan resurfaced as a more mature article in the Aug. 14 Hurry Harriet S. at Gowran Park. The 4-1 shot stalked and stayed on relentlessly to score in the about 1 3/16-mile test on good-to-firm. 

Wingspan came back to finish third as the favorite in the 1 1/8-mile Snow Fairy Fillies’ (G3), confirming the impression that she wanted to go further. She appeared one-paced much of the way. Once Wingspan began to gain into second, she had to check in the shadow of the post and wound up third to Tarawa (see Diego Velazquez in the Mile) and Hanalia.

In the 1 1/4-mile Blandford (G2) during the Curragh portion of Irish Champions Weekend, Wingspan made the most of her tactical speed and stamina and nearly went wire to wire as a 12-1 outsider. It took a massive, last to-first rally by Hanalia to deny her by a neck. Favored Purple Lily was a close third, revealing how much Wingspan had improved since their prior meeting in the spring.

Wingspan stepped up again when runner-up in the British Champions Fillies & Mares (G1), conducted at nearer to 1 7/16 miles with the transfer to Ascot’s inner track. While better-fancied stablemate Content (Filly & Mare Turf) never got into it, the 12-1 Wingspan had nearly all of them strung out behind her under a crafty front-running ride by Sean Levey. Only favored Kalpana, Juddmonte’s next big celebrity, was able to overhaul her and drive clear. Wingspan, to her credit, didn’t curl up once passed, but dug in all the more to finish all alone in second. 

Given how far she’s come in a compressed time frame, Wingspan could have still more to offer. But she’s coming back two weeks after a tough effort on soft ground. She’s also up against it demographically as a three-year-old filly versus older males in the Turf. O’Brien’s Found (2015) is the only one of that description to win this race, and she had a much longer-range career arc going into that edition of the Turf.