Idiomatic dominates the Spinster

Juddmonte homebred Idiomatic continued her ascent to the top of the distaff division on Sunday with a dominant and fitting front-running tally in the Gr.1 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes, a “Win and You're In” qualifier for next month's Gr.1 Breeders' Cup Distaff.

Taken from the Thoroughbred Daily News, 8th October 2023:

This was the second Spinster title for Juddmonte, which began sponsoring the prestigious race in 2005. Emollient (Empire Maker) carried the famed green and pink to victory here in 2013.

Backed at even-money to repeat rival Nest's 4-5 odds, the Brad Cox trainee took clear command from the outset, doled out splits of :24.49, :48.31 and 1:12.24 and never faced an ounce of pressure all the way to the wire, which she crossed four and a quarter lengths to the good. Le Da Vida was second, while Bellamore rounded out the trifecta. Nest could only muster a mild late bid and settled for fourth. The final time was 1:49.82.

“Actually, it was not easy looking at the race on paper with Nest being in there, a very good filly,” said winning rider Florent Geroux. “But my filly just keeps on improving and we know the distance is not a problem. She just keeps improving, and Brad and his team had her at her prime again today. She's just getting better and better, and I can't wait to ride her again.”

After methodically moving through her allowance conditions at Turfway Park at the start of the year, Idiomatic made her stakes debut a winning one in that venue's Latonia Stakes in March. She was a well-beaten second in Belmont's Gr.2 Ruffian Stakes in May before putting them back-to-back in the Gr.3 Shawnee Stakes at Churchill in June and Gr.2 Delaware Handicap the following month. Idiomatic was last seen defeating the accomplished pair of Secret Oath (Arrogate) and Nest in a sloppy renewal of Saratoga's Gr.1 Personal Ensign Stakes on 25th August.

This was Brad Cox's first Spinster victory. Of winning it for the famed operation whose name it carries, he said: “It's very special, and I want to thank [owner Fahad bin] Mr. Khalid and his family and obviously the Juddmonte team here in America. This is a big win for this filly, it's her second Grade 1. She's had a fantastic year. [This race is] a 'Win and You're In' [for] the Breeders' Cup so we're excited about that. I've run four or five fillies in the past in [this race] and haven't had much luck, so she was able to break through for us today.”

Cox said of Idiomatic: “She's a tremendous talent, very physical, really. When I was saddling her in the paddock, I was, like, 'Wow, she's the biggest horse I've ever trained.' She's a monster. She has a tremendous stride and covers so much ground. She's really a freak–I mean, she really is a tremendous talent, and we're very fortunate to have her.”