BREEDERS' CUP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

November 2, 2024

William Buick

Charlie Appleby

Hugh Anderson

Del Mar Fairgrounds

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: William, congratulations. Seems heading into the first turn he made a quick move for you.

WILLIAM BUICK: I spoke with Charlie this morning. We sort of agreed that we were riding positively. I expected the 8 horse to lead. I sensed he was getting a soft lead, putting the brakes on. I said I'm in a position where I'm three-wide, in a bit of a no man's land. I opted to go forward.

He was a little bit competitive when I first moved him forward, but then he got in that lovely rhythm that he's so accustomed to where he travels powerfully but he's within himself.

It was a very sort of from then on straightforward race for him really. Even when he got the competition late, he still managed to find a little bit more.

He's an amazing horse. He just seems to always find a way, which is the sign of a very, very good horse.

THE MODERATOR: Now joining us up here, Charlie Appleby and Hugh Anderson.

Charlie, kind of to bounce off of what William was just saying, this horse, kind of a fan favorite, a stable favorite, really a testament to you all for this horse to keep performing at this high level.

CHARLIE APPLEBY: Yeah, first and foremost, he's very much a yard favorite for sure. When they're six years old, still campaigning at the level he is, taking us all on our journeys around the world.

Everybody loves him, needless to say. But he's also built up this great fan base, this global base. We see it all around the world. The Europeans get a horse they'll attach to. He has that worldwide fan base. Most noticeable when we went to Hong Kong in March. I can't remember, I lost track of dates. Everybody knew him there. For him to go and do what he did there, was a huge feather in his cap.

To come here back-to-back Del Mars, to do the way he has, yeah, very proud moment of all of us in Godolphin. So grateful for his ownership and the team to allow us to keep training horses like this.

THE MODERATOR: Hugh, a horse like this, a favorite around the stable and for the Godolphin team, take us through the program and a horse like this being a gelding, sort of an ought liar to the stable.

HUGH ANDERSON: He may be a little bit of an outlier, but actually how he's been campaigned and the success we've seen with him has been something that it's happened to Godolphin over 25, 30 years. We really got the whole business of international campaigning. We were really at the vanguard of that.

I think what Charlie has done with Rebel's Romance is a classic example of what we can do at Godolphin and what we do so well.

For him to win in Europe, Asia, Dubai and here at the highest level, is what we're all about. Absolutely brilliant, as Charlie, for the yard, all of us at Godolphin. He's a flag bearer for us. Well, long may it continue.

THE MODERATOR: We have questions.

Q. Take us through the last half mile when you're moving up a little bit. What were your thoughts as that race unfolded?

CHARLIE APPLEBY: I was comfortable in the run. As William explained earlier, knowing just when he had to make that move, the first quarter of the race, got a little competitive, and then relaxed into that lovely stride that he's got. Very comfortable with that for the last half mile.

When William made that move off the turn, confident we got the job done. All of a sudden, to be fair to the second horse, he was closing. William said I was up front idling. As soon as he felt that horse on his girth, he picked up again, which was the sign of a good horse.

William said we were out there so long, galloping away. No harm having that surge of a horse come to him.

Q. How do you a blueprint in your mind for 2025?

CHARLIE APPLEBY: For this fellow, he owes us nothing. We'll only have a race plan as to how he will tell us the race plan realistically. We'd like to take him back to Dubai and look back towards working back from the Sheema Classic. It's a race obviously he's won, but a race that's close to our heart. A huge night for us. To have a horse turning up like him, an international star, he draws all the intention. Maybe rightfully so.

Q. Maybe meet here in 12 months?

CHARLIE APPLEBY: You never know with this boy (smiling).

Q. You said yesterday he was the fan favorite. Do you feel pressure? Relief? How do you feel with this horse since the first win in the Breeders' Cup with him to this one?

CHARLIE APPLEBY: I did say to William, it's so much easier to watch good horses go around. You feel pressure when you're on the fence, not knowing whether they can get the job done or not.

With a horse like him, he takes the pressure off of you. Any big festival meetings, if you're not getting the rubber to green for the first few races, of course you feel the pinch a little bit.

When you roll a horse out like him, you know he's going to be giving his best out there. You can only allow him to do that. He never lets us down.

Q. Charlie, there's been horses who have won back-to-back Turfs, but not won it, missed a year, won it. What goes into keeping a horse at such a high level for such a long period of time?

CHARLIE APPLEBY: I think the key thing for him wasn't what we've done sort of over 12 months ago, when unfortunately we were planning on coming back to a Turf last year. He had that hiccup in Saratoga where he clipped heels. He lost his confidence. You could see that at home. He is a horse that will stride out.

As I said to William going out there today, Let him use his stride. In the paddock walking around, he has such a stride to him walking.

He lost all of that mojo. We to build him back up. Went to Kenneland, won his listed race out there. Took him out to a Qatar, won again. Like any athlete, once they get into that rhythm and routine of winning, takes a good one to knock them off their peg.

Q. There was unfortunately a fatality in the race. What sort of feeling is that?

CHARLIE APPLEBY: We know what this sport is like, how brave these horses are.

I feel extremely sorry for all the connections, the horse himself. As I say, in this game, it's a tough and a cruel game. You have that side of it. It makes you appreciate when these horses, like a horse like him, does it at the age of six. It shows how tough they really are. When they are enjoying it like they are at his age, still going out there and doing it at the highest level.

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations. Rebel's Romance, two-time winner of the Breeders' Cup Turf.