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Corniche (horse)

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Corniche
SireQuality Road
GrandsireElusive Quality
DamWasted Tears
DamsireNajran
SexColt
Foaled17 February 2019[1]
CountryUnited States
ColourBay
BreederBart Evans & Stonehaven Steadings
OwnerSpeedway Stables
TrainerBob Baffert (2021)
Todd A. Pletcher (2022– )
Record4: 3-0-0
Earnings$1,263,500[2]
Major wins
American Pharoah Stakes (2021)
Breeders' Cup
Breeders' Cup Juvenile (2021)
Awards
American Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse (2021)
Last updated on 1 August 2022

Corniche (foaled February 17, 2019) is a retired Champion American thoroughbred racehorse who, as a two-year-old, won the American Pharoah Stakes and Breeders' Cup Juvenile.[2]

Background

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Corniche is a bay colt that was bred in Kentucky by Bart Evans and Stonehaven Steadings. His sire is Quality Road and his dam is Wasted Tears who was sired by Najran. He is the second black-type horse out of his dam, a multiple graded stakes winner who excelled in routes on turf. Her first black-type performer is the stakes-placed Coffee Crush (by Medaglia d'Oro), who died in 2019. All six of the dam's foals to start are winners.[3]

Initially, Corniche was placed in the 2020 Keeneland Association September Yearling Sale but his reserve price of $350,000 was not met.[3] Later he was bought for $1,500,000 by Speedway Stables, a partnership of Peter Fluor and Kane C. Weiner at the 2021 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training.[3] Corniche was trained by Bob Baffert and his jockey is Mike E. Smith in 2021. However, his owners sent the colt to trainer Todd Pletcher in 2022 after Bob Baffert was suspended.[4]

Racing career

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2021: two-year-old season

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Corniche began his career on 4 September 2021 at Del Mar Racetrack in a Maiden Special Weight event for two-year-olds over a distance of 5+12 furlongs facing nine other first-starters. Corniche drew the outside barrier, nonetheless started as the 1/2 odds-on favorite crossed over from the wide barrier, took the lead leading throughout with Mike E. Smith giving an energetic hand ride inside the last furlong and drawing off to win easily by 4+12 lengths in a time of 1:03.01.[5]

With such a commanding performance Bob Baffert entered Corniche in the Grade I American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita Park over a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles. On 1 October 2021, Corniche was sent off as the 2/5 odds-on faced six other entrants, took control early from the inside draw, leading the way to the far turn when stablemate Rockefeller pursued into the straight bend, Corniche kicked clear drew away under Mike E. Smith's strong handling to defeat Pappacap by 3+14 lengths in a time of 1:44.75.[6] Smith commented after the race, "There's just so much upside to this horse. This is what's really exciting about him. When he broke his maiden as impressive as he did, he just gave me that feeling that we weren't even close to his full potential ... He's a big colt and he carries a lot of flesh. As he starts to get even fitter and harder inside, he's gonna be a force to reckon with."[7] By winning the American Pharoah Stakes, Corniche qualified to the Breeders' Cup since the event is a "Win and You're In" race for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

On 5 November 2021, Corniche started as the 7/5 favorite in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar Racetrack. Facing ten other entrants Corniche again showed his usual speed to jump out in front and dictate terms in the event. In the straight Corniche dug in, turned all challengers away, gamely winning by 1+34 lengths in a time of 1:42.50.[8] Jockey Mike E. Smith won his 27th Breeders' Cup victory and third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile while trainer Bob Baffert won his 18th Breeders' Cup event and fifth Breeders' Cup Juvenile.[9] However, Corniche did not receive any qualification points for the Road to the Kentucky Derby since his trainer Bob Baffert is suspended by Churchill Downs Inc. through 2023.[7]

2022: three-year-old season

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Corniche was given time off after his two-year-old campaign, he didn't prepare fore training until mid-April at the WinStar Farm in Kentucky and missed the Triple Crown. With his original trainer Bob Baffert facing a suspension at NYRA tracks, his owners opted to send the colt to trainer Todd Pletcher for a New York campaign at Saratoga.[4] Corniche made his first start in the Grade 2 Amsterdam Stakes on July 31. Corniche started as the 8/5 favorite stumbled at the start recovering inwards brushing Runninsonofagun. Then he chased four then three wide just off the top pair under coaxing from the half-mile pole, faded through the turn, went four wide into upper stretch, folded, and was eased home to the finish to finish last in the nine horse field.[10] Pletcher said, "He didn't get away cleanly and found himself in a position he's never been in before." Through his jockey Luis Saez, Pletcher said, "When he came to the three-eighths pole, he kind of came off the bridle. We'll scope him and see if anything is revealed, but it's disappointing."[11] It was found that Corniche shed the frog on his right front foot in the event, which likely was the cause of his last-place finish. Trainer Todd Pletcher informed that the injury will need time to heal on its own before a protective plate can be placed on it and training can resume.[12] After a month it was announced on 28 August that Corniche was retired and would stand at Ashland Stud in 2023.[13]

Statistics

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Date Distance Race Grade Track Odds Field Finish Winning
Time
Winning
(Losing)
Margin
Jockey Ref
2021 – two-year-old season
Sep 4, 2021 5+12 furlongs Maiden Del Mar 0.50* 10 1 1:03.01 4+12 lengths Mike E. Smith [5]
Oct 1, 2021 1+116 miles American Pharoah Stakes I Santa Anita 0.40* 7 1 1:44.75 3+14 lengths Mike E. Smith [6]
Nov 5, 2021 1+116 miles Breeders' Cup Juvenile I Del Mar 1.40* 11 1 1:42.50 1+14 lengths Mike E. Smith [8]
2022 – three-year-old season
Jul 31, 2022 6+12 furlongs Amsterdam Stakes II Saratoga 1.65* 9 9 1:15.75 (33+14 lengths) Luis Saez [10]

Notes:
An (*) asterisk after the odds means Corniche was the post-time favourite.

Pedigree

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Pedigree of Corniche, bay colt, 17 February 2019[1]
Sire
Quality Road
2006
Elusive Quality
1993
Gone West
1984
Mr. Prospector 1970
Secrettame 1978
Touch of Greatness
1986
Hero's Honor 1980
Ivory Wand 1973
Kobla
1995
Strawberry Road (AUS)
1979
Whiskey Road 1972
Giftisa (NZ) 1974
Winglet
1988
Alydar 1975
Highest Trump 1972
Dam
Wasted Tears
2005
Najran
1999
Runaway Groom (Canada)
1979
Blushing Groom (FR) 1974
Yonnie Girl 1966
Line Command
1995
Capote 1984
Circle Command 1990
Wishes and Roses
1991
Greinton (GB)
1981
Green Dancer 1972
Crystal Queen (GB) 1976
Anniversary Wish
1985
Beau's Eagle 1976
Dinner Music 1976 (family 1-x)[14]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Pedigree of Corniche". Equineline. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Profile of Corniche". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "Corniche Delivers as Heavy Favorite in American Pharoah; The race served as a "Win and You're In" prep for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1)". www.bloodhorse.com. 1 October 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  4. ^ a b Ehalt, Bob (28 July 2022). "Champion Corniche Makes 3-Year-Old Debut in Amsterdam Field of nine 3-year-olds at Saratoga includes three grade 1 winners". Bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Del Mar: Maiden Special Weight (race 10)". www.equibase.com. 4 September 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  6. ^ a b "American Pharoah S. Grade 1 (race 8)". www.equibase.com. 1 October 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  7. ^ a b King, Byron (1 October 2021). "Corniche Delivers as Heavy Favorite in American Pharoah; The race served as a "Win and You're In" prep for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1)". Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  8. ^ a b "2021 TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Grade 1 (race 9)". www.equibase.com. 5 November 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  9. ^ King, Byron (5 November 2021). "Baffert-Trained Corniche Leads Throughout in Juvenile Under Churchill Downs rules, he earned no points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby". Bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Amsterdam Stakes (Grade 2 – race 9)". equibase.com. 31 July 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  11. ^ Ehalt, Bob (31 July 2022). "Gunite Holds Off Accretive by a Neck in Amsterdam Son of Gun Runner posts second graded win at Saratoga". Bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  12. ^ Grening, David (1 August 2022). "Report: Corniche exits Amsterdam with injured foot". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  13. ^ Mitchell, Eric (28 August 2022). "Corniche Retired, Heading to Ashford for Stud Duty; Corniche, by Quality Road, was undefeated at 2 and named Eclipse champion colt". Bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  14. ^ "Thoroughbred Bloodlines – La Troienne (FR) – Family 1-x". www.bloodlines.net. Retrieved 24 January 2022.