IIf five wins from seven turf events, one short of the record, seemed like a standard return for European runners at the 2025 Breeders' Cup at Del Mar, the identity of the biggest winner of all was a huge and very refreshing surprise.
Willie Mullins stormed into Del Mar on Ethical Diamond, his first runner at the meet, and walked away with the $2 million first prize on the lawnThat's almost five times what he earned when Nick Rockett won the Grand National in April. And the style of his victory was no less memorable. Players who backed the proven form of Minnie Hawk and Romance Rebel in the first group might not agree with this, but it was good to see Ebor Handicap Winner leave the couple standing and running for an eternity.
Mullins was at least momentarily speechless after Ethical Diamond and Dylan Brown McMonagle crossed the line. “Wow,” he said. “Wow, wow, wow, wow.” But he had regained his composure in time for the post-race press conference, where Mullins explained that if it weren't for the strict veterinary regulations imposed on runners in Melbourne CupThe Ethical Diamond would not be within a thousand miles of southern California.
“It was a last-minute plan after the Ebor win,” Mullins said, “when we knew we couldn't come to Australia with him and we thought, let's try this race. David Casey, my assistant, came up with the plan. He said, 'Look, a mile and a half there, he's good enough to run and throw'. You can't win these races unless you run them. That's always been my policy, try it.”
Earlier in his career, Ethical Diamond had a screw implanted in one of his legs to help him recover from an injury, which is not uncommon. This is enough to stop his participation in the Melbourne CupHowever, despite the fact that since then he has run several times on the plain and overcome obstacles, and won such difficult competitions as Ebor.
Australian rules were introduced following a series of fatal injuries in the Melbourne Cup, including that suffered by 2019 Derby winner Anthony Van Dijk in the Melbourne Cup. a year later. However, it still seems strange that one group of veterinarians can effectively disqualify a horse from racing as a result of a procedure recommended by another group of veterinarians to aid in the recovery of the same horse.
Mullins was flying to Australia within hours of Saturday's race and was due to arrive in Melbourne on Monday to see Absurde, racing in the same colors as Ethical Diamond, line up for the Melbourne Cup the following day. Local bookmakers have Absurd at around 18-1, and he has a decent draw on the fourth ground, so – if he gets past the veterans – an outrageous, unprecedented cross-continental double is still possible.
The Japanese racing industry had another big winner on Saturday, and perhaps not too soon in the case of Forever Young, the first ever Japanese-trained Breeders' Cup Classic winner. The four-year-old was leaned on for most of the distance in the 2024 Kentucky Derby and was still less than a quarter of a length behind the winner, and he convincingly reversed the form of last year's Classic when he was third behind Sierra Leone and Fierceness.
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Together they, Ethical Diamond and Forever Young were key winners on Saturday, horses that deviated from the norm and resonated with the public. Frankie Dettori's farewell to the meet, meanwhile, went largely unnoticed because his performances – with the honorable exception of Haadem in the turf sprint, who finished third – were not good enough. The only significant disappointment for the Europeans was the news on Sunday morning that She's Quality, third home to the Prix de l'Abbaye in October, died overnight at a local equine hospital after injuring her pelvis during Saturday's turf sprint.
Saturday's Breeders' Cup was the second straight meeting in Del Mar and the third straight in California following the tournament's extension to 2023 at Santa Anita. It won't return to California for at least three years, however, as Keeneland in Kentucky and the newly renovated Belmont Park in New York have been confirmed as 2026 and 2027 venues.
Quick Guide
Greg Wood's Monday Tips
Show
Kempton 1.00 Mbappe 1.30 Alderman 2.00 Hard Endeavor 2.30 Sarab Star (nb) 3.00 Shader 3.30 Londoner (nap) 4.00 City Cyclone 4.30 Electric Bass
Plumpton 1.08 Jamada 1.38 Wandering Soldier 2.08 Daylatdollarshort 2.38 Arqub 3.08 Ivane 3.38 Jorebel 4.08 Jackstell
Hereford 1.20 Knightsbridge 1.50 Dakota Star 2.20 Gris Major 2.50 Riviera Walk 3.20 Sun Art 3.50 Dr. Kildare 4.20 Gerard Mentor
Southwell 4.15 DC Cogent 4.45 Thanos 5.15 Lolabella 5.45 Muj 6.15 Your Love 6.45 May Amor 7.15 An Bradan Fesa 7.45 Ti Or Coffee 8.15 Raft Up
Wolverhampton 4.25 Akirra 5.00 Angel Numbers 5.30 Deportees 6.00 Von Krolock 6.30 My Boy Jack 7.00 The Mythical Composer 7.30 Al Rufaa 8.00 Sam's Express 8.30 Lady Aiyana
Times are tough in California right now, with prize money under pressure and attendance tight, so it's anyone's guess what shape it will be in when (and if) the Breeders Cup returns to the West Coast in 2028 or later. But this year's Breeders' Cup at least left Del Mar with a near-record all-sources betting total of $180m (£136m), about 10% of which came from the track itself.
As an event, the Breeders Cup remains a success and results like Ethical Diamond's victory on the turf on Saturday only add to the legend. Mullins, meanwhile, is unable to stand still and the Breeders' Cup-winning County Carlow jumper trainer could yet produce a shock of similar magnitude in the race that stops the nation on Tuesday.
