Kalpana dug deep until the very last stride, showcasing her champion's heart once again
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The winner of the King George held on by a mere half-head to capture the Yorkshire Oaks (G1), fending off the formidable late charge of Sparan Nua. It marked the second G1 victory in just 24 hours for Juddmonte, Andrew Balding, and Colin Keane, following Item's major upset in the Juddmonte International (G1)
KNAVESMIRE, England (Special for Turf Diario).— This time there was no exhibition, nor any margin to relax. Kalpana had to dig deep and showcase all her courage to win the Legends Global Yorkshire Oaks (G1) and confirm her place among the finest mares in the world, surviving by a mere short head over a formidable Sparan Nua (Dawn Approach).
The Juddmonte defender, coming off a triumph over male rivals in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes(G1) at Ascot, entered as the 10-11 favorite, but encountered a race far more complicated than anticipated.
Sugar Island (Dubawi), the outsider saddled by Aidan O'Brien, set off with determination to set the tempo under Ronan Whelan, quickly opening up a massive gap that ballooned to nearly 20 lengths as the field turned into the home straight.
The scenario forced Colin Keane to commit earlier than desired. With just over 600 meters remaining, he called upon Kalpana to chip away at the lead. Passing the 400-meter mark, the daughter of Study Of Man hit her stride and went decisively after the front-runner.
However, that early exertion took its toll in the closing stages. Just as Kalpana seemed to have put the race to bed, Jim Bolger's Sparan Nua—who had overcome traffic issues during the running—launched a furious late charge. The Irish challenger closed ground stride by stride and hit the wire almost on terms, though the finish line came just in time to rescue the favorite.
"After a couple of furlongs, you already knew it was going to be a tricky race," explained Barry Mahon, racing manager for Juddmonte in Europe. "Colin had to commit her probably earlier than he wanted. He knew she would be vulnerable to something closing from behind, but she has a huge heart and knows where the wire is."
Barry Mahon particularly emphasized the champion's versatility: "Fast ground, soft ground, 2,400 meters... I wouldn't even be afraid to drop her back to 2,000. She is so versatile and is now an absolute professional. At 5 years old, she is fully mature and keeps answering every question."
The victory capped an extraordinary 24 hours for Juddmonte, Andrew Balding, and Colin Keane, who had pulled off a massive upset on Wednesday with Item (Frankel) in the Juddmonte International (G1), leaving Constitution River (Wootton Bassett) and Ombudsman (Night of Thunder) in his wake.
Indeed, Item's emergence as a top-tier contender has created an intriguing dilemma heading toward the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1).
Barry Mahon hinted that it is unlikely both Juddmonte runners will square off at ParisLongchamp. Should the ground remain firm, Item could take priority for the Arc, while Kalpana might be kept for the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (G1) at Ascot, a race long marked as one of her key seasonal targets.
"It is a nice problem to have. We need to sit down in a week or two and discuss it," noted Barry Mahon, who also suggested that Kalpana will likely be retired at the end of the season.
Ascot looms as a concrete option for her European farewell, though a trip to the United States for the Breeders' Cuphas not been ruled out either.
There will be time to make those decisions down the line. At York, Kalpana delivered once more. By a mere short head, with far more anxiety than expected, but with that unique quality that defines great racehorses when tested to their absolute limits.
